Moshe & Purim Part Six
Transcribed and Prepared by Anna Beller: When was the first time that God told Moshe he was not leading the Jewish people into Israel? It was after the initial confrontation between Moshe and pharaoh, things got worse for the Jews. Moshe stormed back to Sinai stormed back to the burning bush and said to God. Lamah harehota le’am hazeh- why did You make things worse for this nation? Lamah zeh shilachtani– why did You send me? U’me az bati al paroh le daber bi-shemecha– the minute I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name- heram ha am ha zeh– you made things worse- ba attzer lo hitzalta et amecha– You certainly haven’t saved anyone.
He’s angry, and justified, we love this scene of someone angry with God, a man of courage and convictions who stands up to God and says to him ‘ You think that You can bounce Israel and me around because you’re God? You cant!’ We love those people!
Va yidaber elokim el moshe vayomer eylav ani Hashem– I am God- vaeirav avraham, el Yitzchak, ve el Yaakov ve elshaayich ve Hashem lo yadaati eleichem– you know something I made a lot of promises to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov and I never kept them, they didn’t see these promises fulfilled, and they never questioned me, who the hell do you think you are that you can question me? You’re obviously not the right person to lead the Jews into Israel.
In other words it’s the same idea, how much in control is God? Is God in control, even if the Jews are laughing at you and the miracle is not working, what are you doing, is God in control of the situation or not? If I’m thrust into a situation where a totally new personality is demanded is it God is demanding it or should I respond the way I am used to responding? I don’t understand anything that is going on around me. The world is falling apart and I don’t understand. Should I simply say this is terrible and yell at God? Or should I say okay You’re in control and I accept it?