“Moses was herding” – that is what is written: “God was in His sacred Sanctuary” (Habakkuk 2:20). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Until the Temple was destroyed, the Divine Presence rested in it, as it is stated: “God was in His sacred Sanctuary” (Psalms 11:4). When the Temple was destroyed, the Divine Presence removed itself to the heavens, as it is stated: “The Lord established His throne in the heavens” (Psalms 103:19).
Rabbi Elazar says: The Divine Presence did not move from the Sanctuary, as it is stated: “My eyes and My heart will be there…” (II Chronicles 7:16); and likewise it says: “I will call to the Lord with my voice, and He answered me from his sacred mountain, Selah” (Psalms 3:5). Even though it is in ruins, it retains its sanctity; come and see what Cyrus says: “He is the God who is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:3).
He [Cyrus] said to them: ‘Even though it is in ruins, God does not move from there.’ Rabbi Aḥa said: The Divine Presence never moves from the western wall,2The reference may be to the western wall of the Temple, not what is now known as the Western Wall, which is the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount. as it is stated: “Behold, he is standing behind our wall” (Song of Songs 2:9), and it is written: “His eyes behold, His eyelids assess the sons of man“ (Psalms 11:4).
Rabbi Yannai said: Even though His Presence is in the heavens, “His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of man.” This is analogous to a king who had an orchard and built a tall tower in it; the king commanded laborers into it, to engage in his labor. The king said: Anyone who is industrious in his labor will receive his payment in full, and anyone who is indolent in his labor will be placed in prison.3The Hebrew is dimos, which is obscure.
Some suggest it means to be placed in a state of terror. The king – that is the King of kings; the orchard – that is the world that the Holy One blessed be He gave to Israel in which to observe the Torah. He stipulated to them, saying: One who observes the Torah, the Garden of Eden is before him; and one who does not observe it, behold, Gehenna. Indeed, the Holy One blessed be He, although He appears to be removing His divine presence from the Temple, “His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of man.”
Whom does he test? He tests the righteous, as it is stated: “The Lord will test the righteous” (Psalms 11:5). It is with sheepherding. He tested David with flocks and found him a fine shepherd, as it is stated: “He took him from the sheepfolds [mikhleot tzon]” (Psalms 78:70).
What are mikhleot tzon? It is like: “The rain was restrained [vayikkaleh]” (Genesis 8:2). He would hold back the large ones [sheep] due to the small ones, and would take out the small ones so they could graze on the soft grass, then the old ones so they could graze on the middling grass, then he would take out the choice ones to graze on the tough grass. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘One who knows how to herd the flocks, each according to its ability, will come and herd My people.’
That is what is written: “From the suckling ewes He brought him, to herd Jacob His people” (Psalms 78:71). Moses, too, the Holy One blessed be He tested him only with flocks. Our Rabbis say: When Moses, may he rest in peace, was herding Yitro’s flock in the wilderness, a kid fled from him. He pursued it until it reached cover.
Once it reached cover, it happened upon a pool of water, and the kid stopped to drink. When Moses reached it, he said: ‘I didn’t know that you were running due to thirst. You are tired.’ He carried it on his shoulder and was walking.
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You have the compassion to behave with the flocks belonging to flesh and blood in this manner; by your life, you will herd My flock, Israel.’ That is: “Moses was herding.”