Moses Used to Take the Tent and to Pitch It Without the Camp, Afar Off

"And Moses would take the tent" (Exodus 33:7). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Moses expounded a fortiori. He said: One who is banned by the master is banned by the disciple. He said: Since the Holy One, blessed be He, has it in His heart against them, I too will withdraw from them. "And Moses would take the tent," and so forth. "Far off." Rabbi Yitzhak said: A mil, as in the matter that is stated: "Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits" (Joshua 3:4). "And everyone who sought the LORD would go out." From here we learn that a person must move himself and go to study. "And it came to pass, when Moses went out to the tent, they rose up." From here we learn that a person must stand before an elder, before a sage, before the head of a court, and before a king, and he must remain standing until they are hidden from his sight. "And they looked after Moses." Rabbi Ami expounded it favorably: Happy are the little ones, for they suckle thus. Rabbi Yitzhak expounded it unfavorably: They were staring at his back and saying, See his neck, see his thighs, he eats from what is ours, he drinks from what is ours. "And everyone who sought the LORD would go out" (Exodus 33:7). "Everyone who sought Moses" is not written here, but rather "everyone who sought the LORD." From here they said: Whoever receives the face of an elder is as one who receives the face of the Divine Presence, as it is said: "And everyone who sought the LORD." Even the angels and the seraphim and the hosts would seek him and say to one another, He is in the tent of Moses. "And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tent," and they would see that the Divine Presence was revealed upon Moses, and all the people rose and bowed down. "And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face" (Exodus 33:11). We do not know whether the lowly one raised himself up or the exalted one lowered Himself. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: As it were, the loftiness of the world lowered Himself, as it is said: "And the LORD descended in the tent." "And he returned to the camp." He said to him: Did I not tell you that when I am in anger against them, you should be in favor toward them; and when you are in anger, I am in favor. But now I and you are both in anger against them; let it not be that two faces are in anger against them. Therefore it is said: "And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face." Return to them. "And he returned to the camp" (Exodus 33:11). Do not read it "and he returned," but rather "and you, return to the camp." And if not, "and his servant Joshua son of Nun": behold, Joshua son of Nun serves in your place. He said before Him: Master of the world, see that even in Your anger You are reconciling me toward them, as it is said: "And Moses said to the LORD, See, You say to me, Bring up this people." See that You cannot remove Your love from them. "And now, if I have found favor in Your sight." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Great things you have decreed, and I have done your decree to pardon the deed of the calf, and I have forgiven according to your word. And even now I do your will: "My presence shall go." "And he said to Him, If Your presence does not go," and so forth; "and how shall it be known," and so forth. He said to Him: The nations of the world make use of ministering angels, and we likewise. What difference is there between us and them? He said to him: By your life, I do your will, "My presence shall go." "And now, if I have found favor in Your sight, make known to me, I pray." "And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by Me" (Exodus 33:21). Rabbi Yose bar Halafta said: "Behold, I am in this place" is not what is said, but rather "Behold, there is a place by Me": My place is subordinate to Me, and I am not subordinate to My place. "And He said, I will make all My goodness pass": "My goodness" and "all My goodness," the attribute of good and the attribute of retribution. "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious" (Exodus 33:19), and so forth. At that moment, He showed him all the storehouses of the reward given to the righteous, of each and every one according to his deeds. And he would ask: This storehouse, whose is it? And He would say: It belongs to one who does acts of charity. And this storehouse, whose is it? And He would say: It belongs to the masters of Torah. And this storehouse, whose is it? It belongs to those who honor them. And He showed him a storehouse greater than all of them. He said: Master of the world, this great storehouse, whose is it? He said to him: For one who has good deeds, I give him from his reward; and for one who has none, I act freely and give him from this, as it is said: "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy." Another interpretation: "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious." "To whom I have been gracious" is not written, but rather "to whom I will be gracious": to one who requests it of Me [reading the verse as referring to the one who asks]; "and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious" (Exodus 33:19): to whom I wish to be gracious [reading it as God's free choice]. "And I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy." "And He said, You cannot see." Moses sought to grasp the reward given to the righteous and the tranquility of the wicked. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "You cannot see My face." And "My face" stated here means nothing but an expression for the tranquility of the wicked, as it is said: "And He repays those who hate Him to their face," and so forth (Deuteronomy 7:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "And I will remove My hand": in this world I do not show you the reward given to those who fear My name. But in the world to come, "from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside You, what He will do for him who waits for Him" (Isaiah 64:3).