RITSS HIGH SCHOOL

PRESENTS A D`VAR TORAH

ON KI SISA (5758)

WHAT'S THE BIG HURRY?

By Rabbi Moshe Heigh

     You might have noticed in today's parsha that after the sin of the golden calf, Moshe Rabainu discussed with Hashem His treatment of the Jewish people henceforth. In 33:19, Hashem informed Moshe that it was time for him to learn the famous Thirteen Attributes of Mercy; this would greatly impact Bnai Yisroel's fate to eternity. Rashi explains Hashem's plan as follows. "The time has come that you will see My glory, what I will allow you to see. This is because I want and need to teach you the order of prayer. When you needed to beg mercy for Bnai Yisroel (when they worshipped the aigel), you mentioned to Me the merit of the forefathers. Do you think that if the merit of the forefathers is ever used up, there is no longer any hope? I will cause to pass before you the entire measure of My goodness (My traits of compassion) by the rock, and you will be hidden in the cave" (Rashi 33:19). The next Rashi clarifies that Hashem wished to demonstrate to Moshe the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy by reciting them Himself. Moshe was supposed to absorb this crucial information and pass it on to Bnai Yisroel. The advantage of these thirteen middos is that they are meant to evoke the compassion of Hashem's very essence, without relying on zechus avos - merits of our righteous ancestors. Since the mercy of Hashem is endless, the Yud Gimmel Middos - Thirteen Attributes of Mercy - are guaranteed to bear some results. This "shiur", this lesson on how to daven in the most effective way, was given to Moshe in 34:5-7. The Yud Gimmel Middos were proclaimed by Hashem before him. It is Moshe's REACTION to this G-d-given message that we are going to analyze. "AND MOSHE HURRIED, AND HE BOWED HIS HEAD TOWARD THE GROUND AND PROSTRATED HIMSELF" (34:8). For what reason was Moshe in a hurry?

     We must check the Gemara Sanhedrin 111A, four lines from the bottom of the page, for interpretation. On our pasuk about Moshe rushing, the Gemara asks, "What did Moshe see?" Rashi explains: which trait of the thirteen, to which Moshe had just been exposed for the first time, inspired him to suddenly bow down to Hashem?

     The sages have two opinions about this. Rabbi Chanina Ben Gamla states that Moshe was acknowledging the attribute of "erech apaim", the fact that Hashem is long tempered. This means that Hashem lengthens His anger and does not quickly punish a sinner, hoping that he will repent in the meantime (Rashi on 34:6). Rabbi Chanina Ben Gamla holds that this middah, this marvelous policy of G-d to be patient with sinners, inspired Moshe to quickly prostrate himself before Hashem. It seems that Moshe's action was one of profound gratitude.

     The second view in the Gemara is the majority opinion of the rabanan. Moshe was bowing to Hashem because he heard Him proclaim the middah of "emes", absolute truth. Rashi explains that according to this approach, Moshe was prostrating himself in prayer, begging for mercy for the Jewish people. Hashem is called "Emes"; this frightened Moshe Rabainu. If Bnai Yisroel had been deserving of annihilation for their sins, perhaps Hashem would settle their case with total justice - the trait of emes! As a result, Moshe fell down in supplication, entreating G-d not to render a decision against us based strictly on our deeds. In short, Moshe HURRIED to act as defense attorney for the Jews. [Please do not be perplexed at the fact that "emes" is one of the thirteen attributes of MERCY, if Moshe understood it to mean uncompromising truth and stern justice! Rashi on 34:6 clarifies that there IS a connotation of this word "emes" which has to do with compassion. It indicates that Hashem is true and trustworthy to reward those who perform His will. However, the rabanan in the Gemara must feel that Moshe was concerned about the strict meaning of the word, its use for the opposite purpose, which denotes Hashem's stringent treatment of wrongdoing. That is why he bowed when he heard it, to petition Him for mercy.]

     So far, we have seen the Gemara's analysis of Moshe's immediate response to ONE of the Thirteen Attributes. He swiftly prostrated himself to Hashem. This was a reaction either to the trait of "erech apaim", Hashem's patience in exacting punishment, or to the attribute of "emes", as explained above.

     The rishonim, early rabbinic authorities of the tenth to fifteenth centuries, also discuss Moshe's PROMPT action of bowing. True, they were aware of the Gemara's two explanations. Even so, there are numerous approaches to Torah, and the rishonim often provide additional interpretations based on textual meaning or other statements of Chazal. In the pasuk before the one where Moshe hastened to bow, Hashem had announced a rule about paying people back for their deeds. "He visits the sin of fathers on (wicked) children and on (wicked) grandchildren, on third and fourth generations" (34:7). This topic deserves its own discussion, but now is not the time. Instead, we will show how THIS statement could have been the stimulus for Moshe's rapid bowing motion. The Chizkuni on 34:8 explains that when Moshe heard this, he feared that Hashem would continue to declare more than four generations eligible to receive punishment for their great-grandparents' transgressions. If three and four were a possibility, who knows how long this might continue? Consequently, Moshe hurried to bow and daven, to stop this decree.

     The Ibn Ezra here enthusiastically refutes this approach. "This is a major error! Logic does not tolerate that he (Moshe) would INTERRUPT the words of Hashem while He was still speaking. For this, he would be deserving of immediate death!" Instead, the Ibn Ezra explains the fast movement of Moshe as follows. Only after the voice of Hashem CEASED, Moshe hurried to pray right away. A proof brought by the Ibn Ezra to his pshat is that the Jews had ALREADY heard Hashem say that He remembers sins on third and fourth generations, when they stood at Sinai. It is part of the Ten Commandments (Yisro 20:5). At that time, Hashem had stopped after announcing four generations and gone no further! Why should Moshe be worried that He was going to add five, six, or more now? So it must be that Moshe was not worried about this at all. He merely bowed and davened quickly when Hashem finished His words. Rashi here, and the Chizkuni himself, also mention this as an explanation. Since Moshe saw Hashem passing by and moving on, and he wanted to daven while His presence was there, he hurriedly prostrated himself to Him.

     We should add that the trait of visiting payment for sins on three or four generations is a KINDNESS of Hashem, based on the Da'as Zekainim 34:7. "This is also from the trait of G-d's compassion, that He is not quick to punish." This concept disproves the first pshat said by the Chizkuni, that Moshe hurried so G-d would not mention any more generations. Just the opposite! This is mercy, not to pay the sinner himself, but to delay the punishment and/or deliver it in installments. Thus, there was no need to interrupt Hashem's words.

     In summary, Moshe rushed to bow for one of many reasons. "Erech apaim" or "emes" might have prompted this. Or, he feared more generations for punishment, or he wanted to "catch" Hashem before His presence departed. Learn from all of them!

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