The Many Meanings Hidden in Vayechal Moshe

"And Moses beseeched" (vayechal Moshe). This teaches that Moses stood in prayer until he was seized with illness (huchaleh). Abaye said: until he made the Holy One, blessed be He, yield (chilahu) through his prayer. Rava said: until he annulled His vow for Him, for it is written here "vayechal" and it is written elsewhere "he shall not break (yachel) his word" (Numbers 30:3); and the Master said, he himself does not annul, but others annul for him. Rabbi Yochanan said: it teaches that he handed himself over to death for them, as it is said, "And now, if You will forgive their sin," and so forth. Rabbi Yitzchak said: it teaches that he turned the measure of strict justice for them into the measure of mercy (mechol). The rabbis say: it teaches that Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the universe, it would be a profanation (chullin) for You to do such a thing." It is taught: Rabbi Eliezer says it teaches that Moses stood in prayer until a fever (achilu) seized him. What is achilu? A fire of the bones. How long should one wait between one prayer and another? Rav Huna and Rav Chisda: one said, enough time for his mind to be soothed upon him; the other said, enough time for his mind to settle (tachul) upon him. The one who said "to be soothed" derives it from "And I implored the LORD," and the one who said "to settle" derives it from "vayechal Moshe." Moses descended from the firmament with the tablets in his hand, and he did not break them until he saw with his own eyes, as it is said, "And it came to pass, as he drew near the camp" — at that hour, "the anger of Moses burned, and he cast the tablets from his hands." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Moses, you did not believe Me that Israel had made the calf; they have quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them." Moses sought how to acquit Israel. He said, "Master of the universe, I was commanded; perhaps I transgressed the command. But they were not commanded. What did You say at Sinai? "I am the LORD your God" — You did not say "I am the LORD your (plural) God," but "I am the LORD your (singular) God." "You shall have no" — You did not say "you (plural) shall have no," but "you (singular) shall have no."" Rabbi Chiyya said: Moses left no corner in the firmament against which he did not press himself. Rabbi Yitzchak said: by means of the tablets Moses appeased the Holy One, blessed be He, toward Israel. What did he do? He went up to the Holy One, blessed be He, in anger, and said, "Your children sin, and You lay the accusation upon me?" He made himself as though angry at Israel, as it is said, "And Moses returned to the LORD and said, Oh, this people have sinned," and so forth. When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw this, He said, "Two faces in anger? You and I are both angry at them." Immediately, "And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Let there not be two faces in anger; rather, when I give boiling, you give cool, and when you give boiling, I will give cool." Moses said to Him, "Master of the universe, and how shall You speak?" He said to him, "You shall say, He calmed (chilah)." What did Moses do? "And Moses beseeched (vayechal Moshe)"; he said, "And behold, Your children are bitter; calm them (chalei)."