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Reading Midrash -
Lesson 19

Sources for “Reading Midrash Aggada,” Lecture 12

ויקרא רבה א:יד-טו

 

מה בין משה לכל הנביאים?
רבי יהודה ב"ר אלעאי ורבנן.

ר"י אומר: מתוך תשע איספקלריות היו הנביאים רואים, הה"ד (יחזקאל מג): וכמראה המראה אשר ראיתי וגו.

ומשה ראה מתוך איספקלריא אחת, שנאמר (במדבר יב): ומראה ולא בחידות.
רבנן אמרין: כל הנביאים ראו מתוך איספקלריא מלוכלכת, הה"ד (הושע יב):  ואנכי חזון הרביתי וביד הנביאים אדמה.

 ומשה ראה מתוך איספקלריא מצוחצחת, הה"ד (במדבר יב): ותמונת ה' יביט.

רבי פנחס בשם ר' הושעיא אמר: משל למלך, שנגלה על בן ביתו באיקונין שלו

לפי שבעוה"ז שכינה נגלית על היחידים,

אבל לעתיד לבוא (ישעיה מ): ונגלה כבוד ה' וראו כל בשר יחדו כי פי ה' דבר.


 

דבר אחר:
ויקרא אל משה וידבר ה'
מיכן אמרו: כל ת"ח שאין בו דעת, נבלה טובה הימנו.
תדע לך שכן, צא ולמד ממשה אבי החכמה, אבי הנביאים, שהוציא ישראל ממצרים, ועל ידו נעשו כמה נסים במצרים, ונוראות על ים סוף, ועלה לשמי מרום, והוריד תורה מן השמים, ונתעסק במלאכת המשכן,
ולא נכנס לפני ולפנים, עד שקרא לו, שנאמר (ויקרא א): ויקרא אל משה וידבר.
 

להלן הוא אומר (שמות ג): וירא ה' כי סר לראות וגו'.

בסנה הפסיק אליו בין קריאה לדיבור, באהל מועד אין כאן הפסקה.
בסנה משל למה הדבר דומה?
למלך ב"ו, שכעס על עבדו וצוה לחבשו בבית האסורין,

כשהוא מצוה את השליח אינו מצוה, אלא מבחוץ,

אבל באהל מועד כשהוא שמח בבניו ובני ביתו שמחים. כשהוא מצוה את השליח, אינו מצוהו אלא מבפנים,

כמי שהוא מושיבו בין ברכיו, וביד אדם על בנו,

לכך נאמר: ויקרא אל משה.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vayikra Rabba 1:14-15

 

What difference is there between Moses and all other prophets?

R. Judah b. Il'ai and the Rabbis [gave different explanations].

R. Judah said: Through nine mirrors did the prophets behold [prophetic visions].

This is indicated by what is said, ‘And the appearance of the vision which I saw, was like the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell upon my face’ (Ezek. 43:3).

But Moses beheld [prophetic visions] through one mirror, as it is said,

‘With him do I speak... in a vision, and not in dark speeches’ (Num. 12:8).

The Rabbis said: All the other prophets beheld [prophetic visions] through a blurred mirror,

as it is said, ‘And I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes’ (Hosea 12:11).

But Moses beheld [prophetic visions] through a polished mirror,

as it is said, The similitude of the Lord does he behold (Num. 12:8).

 

R. Phinehas said in the name of R. Hoshaya: This may be compared to a king

who allowed himself to be seen by the members of his houshold [only] by means of his image.

In this world the Shekhina manifests itself only to chosen individuals;

in the Time to Come, however, ‘The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all the flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it’ (Isa. 40:5).

 

Another interpretation:

AND THE LORD CALLED UNTO MOSES. AND SPOKE UNTO HIM.

Whence do they [derive authority for their statement who] say,

'As for a scholar who lacks sensibility, a carcass is better than he.'

You have proof that this is so.

Go forth and learn from Moses, the father of wisdom, the father of the prophets, who brought Israel out of Egypt, through whom so many miracles were performed in Egypt, and awesome acts at the Red Sea, who ascended to the heavens above, and brought down the Torah from heaven, and occupied himself with the making of the Tabernacle,

and yet entered not the innermost part of the Sanctuary until God called him,

as it is said, AND THE LORD CALLED UNTO MOSES, AND SPOKE, etc.

 

Elsewhere Scripture says, ‘And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: Moses, Moses’ (Ex. 3:4).

[In the account of the episode] at the burning bush,

Scripture inserted an intervening word, viz. ‘elav’ (to him), between the 'calling' and the 'speaking.'

[In our passage] relating to the Tent of Meeting there is nothing intervening.

 

 

As to the burning bush incident,

that may be compared to the case of a king who is angry with his servant,

and commands him to be confined in prison;

when giving instructions regarding him to the messenger, he does so outside [the royal residence].

But [what took place] in the Tent of Meeting [may be compared to the case of a king] who is pleased with his children, and with whom the members of his household are pleased; when giving instructions regarding them to the messenger he does so within [the royal residence],

like a man who takes [his child] on his lap, or like one whose hand is [affectionately laid] on his son.

Therefore it says, AND HE CALLED UNTO MOSES.

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