Mashiach Material – Shmini
וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי קָרָא מֹשֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו וּלְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (ויקרא ט, א).
The Mefarshim on the first passuk in our parsha debate over which 8th day the passuk is referring to. The vast consensus is that it is referring to the 8th day, after the שבעה ימי מילואים, the seven days of the inauguration of the Mishkan.
All seven days of the inauguration Moshe himself was performing the task of the Kohen Gadol in the Mishkan. However, on the 8th day HKB”H says to him “That’s it! Now call Aharon and his sons and we are going to have a ‘changing of the guard’ ceremony, witnessed by the 70 elders. Aharon and his sons are going to be the high priests from now on and you are going to simply be a Levi”.
The Midrash Tanchuma on this passuk says –
"ויהי ביום השמיני קרא משה לאהרון וכו' " – "אמרו רבותינו: כל אותן הימים שהיה משה בסנה, אמר לו הקב"ה לך בשליחותי, והוא אומר: שלח נא ביד תשלח. ... אמר לו הקב"ה: אני מפתה אותך, ואתה אומר שלח? חייך אני פורעה לך. למחר כשיעשה את המשכן תהא סבור בעצמך שתשמש בכהונה גדולה, ואני אומר לך: קרא לאהרן שישמש. לכך נאמר: קרא משה לאהרן ולבניו".
The Tanchuma, basically echoes the Rabba on this passuk - that HKB”H was repaying Moshe מידה כנגד מידה. When Hashem appeared to Moshe at the סנה, He tried unsuccessfully for seven days to convince Moshe to accept the role of leader and to return to Egypt to redeem Am Yisrael. Moshe gave all different reasons why he was not suitable for the role, but by the 7th day he had run out of reasons and simply said שלח נא ביד תשלח. Until then HKB”H did not get angry with Moshe, but when he said that, HKB”H became angry with him and vowed to make a reckoning with him as a result of his refusal.
The Midrash Rabba (11, 6) gives two opinions when HKB”H demanded recompense. R’ Brechya says that for the first seven days of Adar Moshe was begging Hashem to be allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael and on the 7th day Hashem said “You are not going to cross over the Jordan”. R’ Chelbo says that all seven days of the inauguration of the Mishkan Moshe was functioning as the Kohen Gadol and he believed that HKB”H was going to allow him to continue to fulfill that role. On the 7th day Hashem said to Moshe “It is not yours, but Aharon your brother’s”. Moshe was extremely distressed by this.
In this shiur I would like to explore this sugya and analyze the personality that was Moshe Rabbeinu a little deeper, to try to understand what made him leader material and what exactly happened at the סנה that resulted in Moshe relinquishing the role of the Kohen Gadol. לכאורה, if had not refused, it appears that Moshe would have been both the מלך and the Kohen Gadol!
We need to return to Moshe’s youth, the day he was born. Already from birth his parents knew that he was destined for greatness because the house was filled with a spiritual light (Rashi, Shmot 2, 2 quoting Gemara Sota 12a). This was the “nature” part of it - Moshe had it in his genes already from birth.
However, that was not sufficient. Moshe needed an additional facet to complete the equation – “nurture”. To be a leader, it is insufficient that one has a natural inclination, you also need to acquire practical skills and training to become a successful leader. HKB”H orchestrated events so that Moshe would grow up in the palace of the leader of the greatest superpower on earth at the time and learn the practical implications of how to lead.
The Ibn Ezra (Shmot 2, 3) gives an interesting answer to the question, why Moshe had to grow up separated from Am Yisrael and not together with them, like Aharon. His answer basically boils down to the concept of אין נביא בעירו. If Moshe would have been raised as a slave, together with the rest of Am Yisrael (not exactly a slave, since the tribe of Levi were not enslaved – but in the same slavery “reality” as the rest of his people), he would not have been able to break free from that mentality and become their redeemer. Similarly Am Yisrael would not have had the same awe for Moshe, had he grown up with them and shared the same experience they had. The Meshech Chochma (מאמרות כי תשא) says that this was reason Am Yisrael chose to build an עגל, rather than appointing Aharon as Moshe’s replacement – they needed an “outside” figure and not someone who had been part of them from the beginning.
As a child in Pharaoh’s palace, Moshe was being raised by Pharaoh’s daughter Bitya (a giyoret and a tzaddikah who rejected her father’s avodah zarah) and also his birth mother Yocheved, who suckled him when Moshe refused to nurse from the Egyptian women. The fact that Moshe received mothers’ milk from his (Jewish) mother was a major factor in determining his character (see shiur on Shmini 2022). The Midrash (Shmot Rabba 1, 26) tells us that Pharaoh treated Moshe like his grandson, he hugged and kissed him. One day Moshe was playing around with his “grandfather” and he pulled the crown off Pharaoh’s head. The royal soothsayers said that this was a sign that one day Moshe would supplant the king. So Pharaoh tested Moshe by presenting him with a bowl of golden coins and bowl of hot coals. Baby Moshe naturally reached for the coins, but HKB”H sent an angel, Gavriel, to forcibly move his hand to the burning coals. Moshe burnt his hand in the coals and instinctively put his hand in his mouth, which left him with a speech impediment.
From this it appears that Moshe received both a “Jewish” education from his mother and stepmother and also a “royal” Egyptian education from his “grandfather” Pharaoh. When Moshe “grew” up (Shmot 2, 11) – according to Rashi, “grew” means that Pharaoh made him viceroy (like Yosef) over Egypt. According to the Abarbanel (quoting a Midrash), it was when Moshe turned 20. It was part of Moshe’s job to oversee the Israelite slaves. Moshe knew he was an Israelite, but this was his first actual contact with the reality of their slavery.
We spoke before of “nature”, genetics. Two of Moshe’s central character traits were kindness and a sense of justice. The appalling oppression of his people was an affront to both Moshe’s sense of kindness and justice. Moshe became a “human rights activist”, doing whatever he could to ease their suffering. Shmot Rabba (1, 28) tells how Moshe convinced Pharaoh to give Am Yisrael one day off in the week to rest. Moshe said “If you have a slave and you work him seven days a week with no rest he will eventually collapse and die. Better to give the slaves one day’s rest - how about the seventh day of the week (Shabbat)?” Pharaoh agreed. This is the meaning behind the tefila we say in the amidah in Shacharit on Shabbat, ישמח משה במתנת חלקו.
We get another glimpse into Moshe’s sense of kindness from a later Midrash, when Moshe was living with Yitro. The Midrash (Shmot Rabba 2, 2) tells how one of Yitro’s lambs ran away from the flock. Moshe chased after it and found it drinking from a watering hole. Moshe said “I didn’t know you were so thirsty”. He raised the exhausted lamb and carried it back to the flock. HKB”H said “If this is the kindness with which you treat your sheep, then I will appoint you over My sheep (Am Yisrael)”.
Most of Moshe’s history prior to him becoming leader does not appear in the Torah, but in the Midrashim. The Torah, however, is makpid to detail three incidents which give us a glimpse into the other part of Moshe’s character, regarding his acute sense of justice. Moshe was a Levi, a tribe with an innate sense of absolute justice (see shiur on Mikeitz). All three of these incidents involve an offence to Moshe’s sense of justice.
The first is when Moshe encounters an Egyptian guard beating an Israelite slave –
וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיו. וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל (שמות ב, יב).
The Midrash (Shmot Rabba 1, 28) describes the circumstances in more detail. The Israelite being beaten was Datan, the husband of Shlomit bat Divri, one of the שוטרים in charge of the Israelite slaves. Each Egyptian guard was in charge of ten Israelite שוטרים and each שוטר was in charge of ten slaves. The Egyptian guards would enter the houses of the שוטרים at dawn to wake them for their duties. One day an Egyptian guard entered the house of Shlomit bat Divri to rouse Datan the שוטר and saw that she was very beautiful. While Datan was out working, the Egyptian guard returned to the house and raped Shlomit. As he was leaving, Datan returned and saw him exit the house. Realizing he had been discovered, the Egyptian guard demoted Datan back to the status of a slave, beat him incessantly and plotted to kill him. This is when Moshe encountered them.
Moshe looked all around and saw כִּי אֵין אִישׁ, that there was nobody around, executed the Egyptian guard using the Shem Hameforash, since he was deserving of the death penalty and buried him. Rashi (quoting Targum Yonatan) and other Mefarshim, say that the words כִּי אֵין אִישׁ mean that Moshe saw with Ruach Hakodesh that none of the Egyptian guard’s descendants would ever convert and become part of Am Yisrael. However, there is another perush to וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ, which we will examine shortly.
The next day Moshe encountered another fighting incident, this time between two Israelite slaves. The first was the very same Datan, from the previous incident, and the second was Aviram, another Israelite שוטר, who according to the Midrash Yalkut Reuveni was the brother of Shlomit bat Divri (other opinions say Aviram was the brother of Datan - from the same father but not the same mother). When Datan discovered what the Egyptian guard had done to his wife he wanted to divorce her (some opinions say Shlomit was raped, others say it was consensual). This caused an enormous family fight between brothers in law Datan and Aviram. There are different opinions whether they were actually striking one another or whether it was verbal. Either way, Moshe found two Israelites quarreling with each other offensive and intervened. Datan and Aviram themselves took offense at 20-year-old Moshe “interfering” in their family business and informed on him to Pharaoh (Datan had witnessed Moshe killing the Egyptian guard the day before).
Although Chazal say the שוטרים in Egypt were big tzaddikim who bore the brunt of the anger of the Egyptians, while protecting their fellow Jews, it appears that Datan and Aviram specifically were not. It is difficult to conceive how Datan, who Moshe rescued from being killed by the Egyptian just one day before, could turn on his savior. It is also inconceivable how they could inform on him to Pharaoh. The four מעלות of Am Yisrael in exile in Egypt is that they didn’t change their names to Egyptian names, they spoke Lashon Hakodesh, they would never inform on a fellow Jew and they never committed adultery (Shir Hashirim Rabba 4, 12). Perhaps their “beef” was not originally with Moshe, but with Aharon (who was leader of Am Yisrael at the time). Perhaps Datan and Aviram were jealous of Aharon’s leadership, believing themselves to be more worthy. In light of that, their animosity towards Moshe giving them “mussar”, becomes understandable. I have not seen any source for this and ה' יכפר בעדי עם טעיתי. The fact is that both Datan and Aviram became staunch enemies of Moshe and Aharon following the Exodus and in the Midbar, repeatedly challenging their authority (the Mann, Korach).
Since Datan and Aviram had informed on Moshe, Moshe had to flee Egypt. Eventually (some say he was in Kush for many years first) Moshe arrived in Midyan and encountered another fight. This time it was the Midyanite shepherds fighting with Yitro’s daughters. Again Moshe intervenes and rescues Yitro’s daughters.
Three incidents listed in the Torah, all involve fighting. The first is between a non-Jew and a Jew, the second between a Jew and a Jew and the third between two non-Jews. In all cases Moshe feels it necessary to interfere. Why does he not simply mind his own business and let things be? It is part of his character – a sense of absolute justice. Moshe cannot tolerate injustice – he always sides with the underdog. In the first case Datan, in the second both Datan and Aviram – telling them that by fighting each other they are causing themselves (and Am Yisrael) harm. In the third he sides with the weak party, Yitro’s daughters.
However, to my mind, the most telling aspect and vital criterion that made Moshe a leader is hidden in the passuk וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וכו'.
In the Mishna (Avot 2, 5), Hillel says ובמקום שאין אנשים, השתדל להיות איש. Whenever you find yourself in a situation where good people are absent or not willing to stand up for what is right – you must try stand up and do the right thing. Moshe is incapable of “minding his own business”. If he sees something that is wrong he will not be silent. It began in Egypt with the three incidents above and it continued when he was already leader, in the Midbar.
When Am Yisrael sinned with עגל הזהב, HKB”H said to Moshe “I will destroy them and rebuild Am Yisrael from you!” What an honor – to be like a fourth “Forefather”, after Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov! Moshe could have simply obeyed Hashem, “minded his own business” and been silent. Hashem would then have wiped out Am Yisrael and reseeded them from Moshe. However, that could never happen because that was not who Moshe was. It was not right. There was nobody who could stand up in Am Yisrael’s defense. All of Am Yisrael had (or at least not stopped those who) served the עגל – including Aharon. The only one who did stand up to them was dead, Hur. במקום שאין אנשים, השתדל להיות איש – this was Moshe. When there is nobody to stand up for what is right – you have to stand up, regardless of the personal cost for you. Because Moshe stood up in Egypt, he was exiled for 60 years.
This is what made Moshe the leader that he was, the predominant character trait that made him a leader. Yes, he had many other admirable character traits, he was kind, humble, had an acute sense of justice, had learned the in and outs of leadership in Pharaoh’s house, etc. but it was this urge to step in when no one else will – that made Moshe leadership material.
If that is the case, then it makes it all the more difficult to understand Moshe’s refusal to return to Egypt and redeem Am Yisrael. HKB”H tried unsuccessfully for seven days to convince Moshe to assume the leadership. Each time Moshe declined with a different excuse – I have a speech impediment; they will not believe me; etc. until he ran out of excuses and simply said - וַיֹּאמֶר בִּי ה' שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח.
HKB”H is saying to Moshe – “You are the guy! There is nobody else fit for the job.” Aharon is not מלך material. Aharon has been part of Am Yisrael’s experience of slavery from the beginning and אין נביא בעירו. Yes, he is loved by the people, but he is not fit to lead them out of Egypt and through the Midbar to Eretz Yisrael, that requires a different mettle, that of a king.
Aharon does not possess Moshe’s character trait of not being able to remain silent. When Aharon sees that the erev rav have killed Hur, he does not follow the adage במקום שאין אנשים, השתדל להיות איש. If roles were reversed and Moshe was left behind with Hur, Moshe would have followed Hur and died before allowing Am Yisrael to make the עגל. When Aharon’s two sons Nadav and Avihu die during the inauguration of the Mishkan, Aharon does not stand up on his hind legs and say “This is not right”. Aharon blindly obeys Hashem, he is silent. Aharon possesses a different character trait, equally admirable, but not suited for the job of מלך. To be a leader, a king you can never be silent in the face of wrong. Yes there are all kinds of perushim why Aharon complied in the עגל הזהב and they are all right. Aharon did the right thing- proof he was absolved and made Kohen Gadol. However, he did the right thing only because he was not the מלך. If he was the king, the leader and he had done what he did, he would have been guilty! A king cannot stand idly by in the face of wrong. It is a king’s job to stand up in the face of wrong, at risk of his own life. When Shaul submitted to public pressure and did not kill Agag and destroy Amalek as commanded, he forfeited the role of king. That is the character trait of a king and Moshe had that character trait.
Moshe declined for all kinds of reasons. כִּי כְבַד פֶּה וּכְבַד לָשׁוֹן אָנֹכִי, most Mefarshim say that he had a speech impediment (see the story with the coals above), however it could be that Moshe felt incapable of influencing Pharoah who had raised him as a grandson, who had kissed and hugged him. Yes the same Pharaoh had sentenced him to death when he killed the Egyptian, but that was not Moshe’s טענה. Moshe did not think that Pharaoh would listen to what he had to say, because he regarded Moshe as an ungrateful whelp, someone who he had raised in his household and rebelled. Moshe to Pharaoh was like a red flag to a bull. Anything he would say would raise Pharaoh’s ire regardless and that would be detrimental to Am Yisrael’s chances of being set free.
Similarly, Moshe’s claim וְהֵן לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לִי וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי, that Am Yisrael would not believe that he was sent by Hashem. Moshe had already experienced an incident with Datan and Aviram who questioned Moshe’s legitimacy. What if the rest of Am Yisrael would react in a similar way?
For every excuse, Hashem gave him a solution. Finally Moshe says שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח - I will not stand up! This is completely contrary to his very nature of standing up. This is not humility (although Moshe was the most humble person on the face of this earth), this was a calculated statement that elicited a calculated response. It made Hashem angry and caused Him to punish Moshe by appointing Aharon as Kohen Gadol. Moshe did not want to be Kohen Gadol, he wanted Aharon to be Kohen Gadol, because Aharon possessed the character traits for that position, not Moshe. Moshe did not want both the role of מלך and Kohen Gadol to rest on the same person, but rather to be distributed between different people, not only for him and Aharon, but forever in Am Yisrael. It was not right that all the power rests with one “dictatorial” authority. There has to be a balance of power between the administrative body - the king and the spiritual body - the Kohen Gadol, each function as checks and balances over the other.
Moshe got what he wanted. Hashem did give the role of Kohen Gadol to Aharon. Despite all this, during the inauguration of the Mishkan, Moshe got a “taste” what it meant to be the Kohen Gadol for seven days. At the סנה he didn’t really fully fathom how incredible it was, how spiritually uplifting it was to be Kohen Gadol. Suddenly it was hard for him to relinquish that. However, he remained true to his original purpose and did not dilly dally. Moshe transferred the role of Kohen Gadol to Aharon diligently. He could have trained Aharon and let Aharon train his sons. But no, Moshe was completely שלם with the fact that Aharon was to hold the role of Kohen Gadol and thus he went לפנים משורת הדין and also trained אלעזר ואיתמר at the same time. He did this in the presence of the שבעים זקנים so that there could be no doubt of his sincerity.
This is the quality of a Mashiach and it is very likely that the Mashiach we hope and pray that HKB”H will send, will possess the same character traits. He will be the מלך, from the tribe of Yehuda. He will not be the Kohen Gadol in the 3rd Beit Hamikdash. HKB”H will appoint a Kohen, from the descendants of Aharon to be Kohen Gadol.
The Mefarshim (Bartenura מגילת רות, Chatam Sofer שו"ת ח"ו סי' צח, and many others) say that in every generation someone is born, who is descended from the bloodline of Yehuda that has the potential to be Mashiach. It is dependent on whether the generation is worthy or not.
What kind of person is the Mashiach? It is the kind of person who steps in when everyone steps out. The kind of person who stays behind after a Kiddush to help clean up, who after Ne’ilah, when everyone else is rushing home to eat, stays behind to help stack the chairs. Nobody knows who the Mashiach in our generation is – it could be you!
What does it mean - the generation is worthy? It means that each and everyone of us works on ourselves, to improve ourselves, our middot, to elevate ourselves spiritually, to raise ourselves to the level that we could be a possible candidate to be Mashiach. If each of us does this, then that generation will be worthy and the true Mashiach will be revealed, בבי"א.
