God Pleads With Moses to Return Like a King Coaxing a Queen

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 394:2

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"And it came to pass, when Moses went out to the tent" (Exodus 33:8) — they would stand at the sides and honor him, saying, Happy is she who bore Moses! What does she behold in him? "And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend" (Exodus 33:9) — they knew that the Divine Presence was being revealed to Moses. "And all the people rose up" (Exodus 33:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, return to the camp. He said to Him: I will not return. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Know that Joshua is in the Tabernacle. A parable, to what may the matter be compared? To a noblewoman who grew angry with the king and went out of the palace, while she was raising a certain orphan girl in the palace. The king sent after the noblewoman and said to her: Return to the palace. But she did not wish to return. He said to her: I am telling you to return, and you do not wish to; know that the orphan girl is established in the palace. So too: "And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face" (Exodus 33:11); He said to him: Return to the camp; and he did not wish to return. By your life, Joshua shall be in the Tent of Meeting! He said to Him: Master of the universe, it was not for Your sake that I grew angry with them. See, You say to me, See — that You cannot leave them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I have already told you, "And I will send an angel before you" (Exodus 33:2). Moses said to Him: To an angel You are handing me over? "If Your presence does not go, do not bring us up from here" (Exodus 33:15). "Show me now Your ways" (Exodus 33:13). A parable: of a physician who had a disciple, and he taught him every kind of remedy except the cure for an incurable plague. He said to him: Master, you have revealed to me all remedies except the cure for that plague. So too Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, "Show me now Your ways." And He made it known to him, as it is said, "He made known His ways unto Moses" (Psalms 103:7).

Themes

MosesDivine PresenceProphecy

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