Another matter: “He called to Moses, and the Lord spoke” – from here they said: Any Torah scholar who lacks sense, a carcass is better than he is. Know that it is so, and learn it from Moses, the father of wisdom, the father of the prophets, who took Israel out of Egypt. Through him numerous miracles were performed in Egypt and awe-inspiring acts at the Red Sea; he ascended to the heavens on High, brought down the Torah from heaven, engaged in the labor of the Tabernacle; but he did not enter into the innermost chambers24The Holy of Holies. until He called him, as it is stated: “He called to Moses, and [the Lord] spoke.”
Elsewhere it is stated: “The Lord saw that he turned to see; [God called to him from the midst of the bush, and He said: Moses, Moses]” (Exodus 3:4). At the bush, there was an interruption between the call and the speech. In the Tent of Meeting there is no interruption. At the bush, to what is the matter comparable?
To a king of flesh and blood who became angry at his servant and commanded that he be incarcerated in prison. When he commands the emissary [to free him], he commands him only outside.25He commands the emissary from afar, rather than calling the emissary in to him, because the incarcerated individual is not dear to the king. Similarly, Israel was incarcerated in Egypt, and God spoke to Moses from a distance.
But in the Tent of Meeting [it is comparable to a king] when he rejoices in his children, and the members of his household are joyful. When He commands the emissary [regarding his children], he commands him only inside, as one who sits him between his knees, as a person would with his son. That is why it is stated: “He called to Moses [and the Lord spoke to him].”