And Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting. Then they came out and blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people
What blessing did they give the people and why did they pick that particular blessing?
Rashi says that they said: “May the pleasantness of the Lord, our God, be upon us (Ps. 90:17); May it be God’s will that the Shechinah rest in the work of your hands.
Rashi says that they said: “May the pleasantness of the Lord, our God, be upon us (Ps. 90:17); May it be God’s will that the Shechinah rest in the work of your hands.
Moshe and Aharon gave this specific blessing because the 7 days where moshe would build the mishkan, give hashem offerings and then dismantle it, the shechina would never reside there. Bnei Yisroel was humiliated by this and cried to moshe saying all their efforts were so that the shechina would reside with them and they were forgiven for the golden calf. Moshe replied that it would be through Aharon's offerings and service to hashem that the shechina would reside with bnei yisroel, because aharon is more worthy and greater than him.
Questions: Where else in tanach did moshe refer to aharons greatness? where else in tanach did moshe show a large level of humility? what can be another explanation of the original question?
Where else in tanach did moshe show a large level of humility?
ReplyDeleteIn Bereishit, when Moshe spoke to Hashem through the burning bush, Hashem told Moshe that he would become the leader, and Moshe immediately felt uncomfortable accepting this position because he did not want his brother to feel bad, which showed great humility as well as respect for his brother. Later on in Bamidbar, Moshe also showed a large level of humility when Miriam and Aharon spoke lashon hara about him. Moshe could have responded but chose to stay humble and not to answer back.
It seems pretty strange because Moshe and Aharon both bless Bnei Yisrael together right after Aharon blesses them himself. Why would they both bless them right after Aharon did?
ReplyDeleteRabbi Moshe Alshich (16th C, student of Rav Yosef Karo) explains that Hashem displayed sensitivity for the honor of Moshe. After Aaron had blessed the people, the glory of Hashem did not manifest itself until Moshe had joined him in blessing Bnei Yisrael. Another lesson from this pasuk may be the importance of the merit of joining hands when performing a mitzvah. Even the Kohen Gadol's blessing was reinforced when Moshe joined him in blessing Bnei Yisrael, and only their combined efforts achieved what they had aimed at, the manifestation of Hashem's glory in the mishkan. Similarly, all mitzvot, when the result of combined efforts, are more effective in bringing us closer to Hashem.
Moshe's humility is also seen in a fascinating story in the Gemara Baba Batra 15a. Hashem was dictating the Torah to Moshe (the last 8 psukkim which include Moshes death) and Moshe cried. A prominent chassidic rebbe suggested that Moshe was not crying out of sadness, but rather, humility because Hashem spoke the verse, "''Never again has there arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom G-d had known face to face'' (Deuteronomy 34:10) and he was embarrassed and uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteWhere else in tanach does Moshe show a large level of humility?
ReplyDeleteIn Shmot, Hashem called to Moshe and instructed him to appear before פרעה and take the Jews out of Egypt. Moshe responded by questioning his own qualifications to appear before פרעה and lead the Jews. He asked Hashem “מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם”? Rashi explains and says that Moshe was asking if he was fit to appear before פרעה, showing his humility.
What blessing did they give?
ReplyDeleteRav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik, zt”l points out says that in the previous pasuk only Aharon makes a bracha. He quotes Rashi on pasuk 22, that says it was birkat kohanim, like it says in the pasuk "And Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them"