web feb 24

Words of Rabbi Eli J. Mansour Parashat Tetzaveh, which we read this month, is unique, in that Moshe Rabbenu’s name does not appear anywhere throughout the parasha . From the beginning of the Book of Shemot, where we read of Moshe’s birth, through the end of the Torah, Moshe’s name is mentioned in every parashah , except in Parashat Tetzaveh, and in several parashiyot in the Book of Debarim which are narrated entirely by Moshe. The rabbis explained that this omission is not coincidental, but rather a result of Moshe’s plea on behalf of Beneh Yisrael following the sin of the golden calf. Gd informed Moshe of His decision to annihilate Beneh Yisrael for worshipping a graven image, and to produce a new nation from Moshe. This decree was rescinded, however, due to Moshe’s intervention. Moshe stood before Gd and demanded that if He would not forgive them, then “ meheni na misifrecha asher katavta – Erase me, if You will, from Your book which You have written” (Shemot 32:32). Moshe insisted that if the proverbial ship was going to “drown,” then he would go down with it. He refused to be spared if the nation under his charge was being destroyed. If Gd was going to annihilate Beneh Yisrael , then Moshe wanted to be erased from the Torah together with them, and not be allowed to remain and lead the new nation that Gd would build in their place. Of course, as we know, Gd accepted Moshe’s plea, and Beneh Yisrael were spared. Nevertheless, the commentators explain, that a righteous person’s words have an impact even if they are spoken on condition. Therefore, although the request to be “erased” was made only if Beneh Yisrael would be destroyed, it was still fulfilled in small measure – and Moshe’s name was “erased” from Parashat Tetzaveh. Let us take a closer look at Moshe’s demand to be “erased,” and what we might learn from his example. The Waters of Noah The Arizal (Rav Yitzhak Luria, 1534-1572) drew a fascinating association between Moshe’s plea and an earlier Biblical character, one of whom we read several months ago – Noah. Like Moshe, Noah was told of Gd’s decree that a population would be annihilated, and only he would be spared. In Noah’s case, of course, this was not a particular nation, but rather the entire world. And Noah, unlike Moshe, remained silent. Whereas Moshe refused to accept the decree, and to be saved while Beneh Yisrael were destroyed, Noah built the ark on which he and his family would be spared while the rest of mankind drowned. Many centuries later, the prophet Yeshayahu (54:9) refers to the flood that destroyed the earth as “ Meh Noah – the waters of Noah.” Surprisingly, the flood is attributed to Noah, as though he was the person who caused it. The Zohar explains that Gd blamed Noah for the flood because he did not pray for the people. He could have prevented the catastrophe by beseeching Gd on behalf of his generation, but he failed to do so. In this sense, the flood was truly “ Meh Noah ,” because he allowed it to happen. The Arizal, fascinatingly, writes that Moshe Rabbenu was a reincarnation of Noah. The soul of Noah returned to this world in the form of Moshe Rabbenu, in order to rectify his tragic mistake. When Moshe was informed of Gd’s plan to eradicate Beneh Yisrael , this was Moshe’s moment, the time for him to realize the mission for which his soul was returned to this world – a mission which, of course, he perfectly fulfilled. In direct contrast to Noah, Moshe put himself on the line for the people. He refused to save himself and watch his nation “drown.” Later writers have noted numerous allusions in the text to this association between Moshe and Noah. We Are All Lifeguards! 12 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE