What is written above? “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament” (Exodus 33:6). Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori said: This is the crown that He placed on their heads, as it is stated: “And a crown of splendor upon your head” (Ezekiel 16:12). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: It is weapons with which He girded them.
Rabbi Simi said: Royal purple garments, as it is stated: “[I clothed you in embroidery…] I decked you with ornaments” (Ezekiel 16:10–11). Likewise, it says: “You have exalted the Lord today…The Lord has exalted you [he’emirkha] today” (Deuteronomy 26:17–18).2The term imra in Aramaic refers to wool, and therefore this verse can be rendered “The Lord has clothed you today.” At that time, Moses became angry at them, took his tent, and left, as it is stated: “Moses would take the tent [and pitch it outside the camp]” (Exodus 33:7).
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: See the honor that the Holy One blessed be He accorded to Moses; He forsook the upper worlds and came to Moses. The ministering angels would come to recite their hymn before Him, but He was with Moses. Likewise, the sun, the moon, and the stars came to prostrate themselves to Him and to receive permission to go out and illuminate the world, as were they not to receive permission and prostrate themselves, they would not go out, as it is stated: “The host of the heaven prostrate themselves to You” (Nehemiah 9:6).
They asked the celestial creatures: ‘Where is the Throne of Glory?’ They said to them: ‘Go to Moses.’ From where is it derived that it is so? As it is stated: “It was, that anyone who sought the Lord [would go out to the Tent of Meeting]” (Exodus 33:7).
“Who sought Moses” is not written here, but rather “who sought the Lord.” What is written there? “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face” (Exodus 33:11). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Did I not stipulate with you that when you are angry, I will placate you,3A more literal translation of this phrase is: When your face is angry, My face will placate your face. and when I am angry, you will placate Me?
Relent and enter the camp,’ as it is stated: “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face.” Another matter, “Moses said to the Lord: See, You say to me,” that is what is written: “I ponder the days of old, the years of long ago” (Psalms 77:6). The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I am sitting and calculating after how many years You redeemed us from Egypt, and I then say after how many years You redeemed us from Babylonia, and I calculate and say: How many years have I experienced with Greece.’4The redemptions from Egypt and Babylonia came much more quickly than the redemption from Greece and the empires that followed, including Rome.
This redemption has yet to occur. That is why it says: “I ponder the days of old.” “Then I said: This is my prayer [ḥaloti hi]” (Psalms 77:11). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: If these are illnesses [ḥola’im], they can be cured, but if they are not illnesses,5But rather, it is due to a “change in the right of the Most High” (Psalms 77:11), meaning that God is not merely angry at Israel but has permanently rejected Israel, there is nothing I can do.
I do not know what to do. That is why it is stated: Ḥaloti hi. Rabbi Alexandri said: All these matters befell us because we did not implore before the Holy One blessed be He, and ḥaloti is nothing other than an expression of prayer, just as it says: “Now, please, implore [ḥalu] God and He will be gracious to us” (Malachi 1:9). “Has God forgotten to be gracious?” (Psalms 77:10).
Have You forgotten that You said: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious”? (Exodus 33:19). “Has He forsaken [afes] His kindness forever?” (Psalms 77:9). In the Greek language, afes is forsaken. That is why it is stated: “Has He forsaken [afes] His kindness forever?”
“Will the Lord abandon forever? Will He never again find favor?” (Psalms 77:8). Initially, when Moses would become angry at Israel, the Holy One blessed be He would placate him; when the Holy One blessed be He would become angry at Israel, Moses would placate Him, as it is stated: “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Can two faces pour boiling water?6Boiling water would be tempered with cold water so that it could be drunk.
If two people were each to add boiling water, the drink would be too hot. Similarly, God said to Moses, if you and I are both angry at Israel, that is a recipe for disaster. Did I not say: When I will be angry, you placate Me, and when you will be angry, I will placate you?’ He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, was it not You who became angry at them first?’
He said to him: ‘Go and reconcile yourself with them, return to the camp.’ Rav Aḥa said: At that moment, Moses found the opportunity to speak before the Holy One blessed be He. He said to Him: ‘See, You are unable to remove Your love from them even for a moment,’7Even when You are angry at them, You are telling me to reconcile with them so that I can placate You. as it is stated: “Moses said to the Lord: See, You say to me.”