The Torah gives us hints, scattered like precious gems, and the Rabbis, masters of interpretation, piece them together for us.
Take (Numbers 7:89): "And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking with him from above the Ark cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubs; and He spoke to him." A pretty clear image. But then, we run into a snag. (Exodus 40:35) says, "Moses could not come into the Tent of Meeting..." Wait a minute! Which is it? Could he enter, or couldn't he?
This apparent contradiction is a classic puzzle that the Midrash, the ancient rabbinic commentary, loves to wrestle with. As Bamidbar Rabbah 14 points out, we can't just ignore either verse. So, how do we reconcile them?
The answer, the Midrash suggests, lies in the cloud: "Because the cloud rested upon it." When the cloud – the visible manifestation of God's presence – was there, Moses couldn't enter. But when it lifted, the path was clear. It's like when Solomon's Temple was filled with God's glory; the priests couldn't do their work (I (Kings 8:1)1). The divine presence was so intense it was overwhelming.
This idea of God's presence being both accessible and inaccessible is a recurring theme. We see it in (Exodus 33:22), "I will cover you with My hand until I pass." According to the Midrash, this implies that even the "angels of destruction" are given permission to act at certain times. And (Psalm 95:11) says, "That I took an oath in My wrath that they would not come to My resting place." But the Midrash cleverly interprets this to mean that ONLY when God is in a state of wrath is entry forbidden. When His anger subsides, access is granted. Powerful stuff. But let's get back to that voice. Where exactly did it come from? (Leviticus 1:1) says, "The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting." But (Exodus 25:22) says, "I will commune with you there and I will speak with you from upon the Ark cover..." Another contradiction!
The Midrash tells us this is a key principle of Torah interpretation: When two verses seem to contradict, they remain in tension until a third verse comes along to reconcile them. In this case, the Midrash paints a vivid picture: Moses would enter the Tent of Meeting, and a Voice, like a stream of fire, would descend from Heaven, specifically from between the keruvim (cherubs) on the Ark. That's where the communication happened.
Now, here's a fascinating detail from Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira: There are thirteen instances in the Torah where statements are made to Moses and Aaron, but with specific exclusionary phrases. These phrases, he argues, teach us that the message was intended solely for Moses, to then relay to Aaron. ! The direct line to God, in these instances, was through Moses alone.
Rabbi Yosei HaGelili adds another layer, pointing out three specific instances where speech is directed at Moses alone: in Egypt, at Mount Sinai, and at the Tent of Meeting. Each time, the Torah uses language that excludes Aaron from the direct communication.
So, what does this all mean? It's not just about resolving textual contradictions. It's about understanding the nature of prophecy, the relationship between humans and the divine, and the unique role of Moses as a conduit for God's word. It reminds us that encountering the divine is a complex, sometimes paradoxical experience. A moment of intense closeness and a moment of being held at bay, both at once. And perhaps, that tension is precisely where the deepest understanding lies.
“And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking with him from above the Ark cover that was upon the Ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubs; and He spoke to him” (Numbers 7:89). “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him…” – one verse says: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him…,” and one verse says: “Moses could not come into the Tent of Meeting…” (Exodus 40:35). It is impossible to say: “When Moses came,” as it is already stated: “Moses could not come.” It is impossible to say: “Moses could not come,” as is already stated: “When Moses came…” It is reconciled: “Because the cloud rested upon it” (Exodus 40:35). Say now: As long as the cloud was there, Moses would not enter there. When the cloud departed, he would enter to speak with Him. Likewise it says: “The priests were unable to stand and serve due to the cloud, as the glory of the Lord filled the House of the Lord” (I Kings 8:11) – it teaches that permission was given to the angels of destruction to destroy. Likewise, it says: “I will cover you with My hand until I pass” (Exodus 33:22) – from here that permission was given to the angels of destruction to destroy. Likewise it says: “That I took an oath in My wrath that they would not come to My resting place” (Psalms 95:11)109The midrash is interpreting the verse as though it says, “That I took an oath that in My wrath they would not come to My resting place,” which is different from the usual translation, "I took an oath in My wrath that they would not come to My resting place.” – but when My wrath abates, they will come to My resting place. “Into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him” – why is it stated? Because it says: “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 1:1), I hear that it was actually from the Tent of Meeting. The verse states: “I will commune with you there and I will speak with you from upon the Ark cover…” (Exodus 25:22). It is impossible to say: “From the Tent of Meeting,” as it is already stated: “From upon the Ark cover.” It is impossible to say: “From upon the Ark cover,” as it is already stated: “From the Tent of Meeting.” In what way can both of these verses be realized? This is a principle of the Torah: Two verses, one opposing the other and they contradict one another, they remain in place until another verse comes and reconciles between them. Why does the verse state: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him”? The verse tells us that Moses would enter and stand in the Tent, and a Voice descended from Heaven like a stream of fire between the two cherubs, and he would hear the Voice speaking to him, from within. “To speak with Him” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira said: Thirteen sayings were stated in the Torah to Moses and Aaron, and corresponding to them there were thirteen exclusionary phrases, to teach you that it was not stated to Aaron, but rather to Moses that he should say to Aaron. They are: “And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking with him…from between the two cherubs and He spoke to him.” “I will commune with you there and I will speak with you” (Exodus 25:22). “Where I will commune with you” (Exodus 30:36). “That I will speak with you there” (Exodus 29:42). “On the day of His commanding” (Leviticus 7:38). “What he would be commanded” (Exodus 34:34). “Everything that I will command you to the children of Israel” (Exodus 25:22). “It was, on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28). “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai” (Numbers 3:1). “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). These are thirteen exclusionary phrases; it excludes Aaron from all of them. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: In three places speech to Moses is stated in the Torah; in the land of Egypt, at Mount Sinai, and at the Tent of Meeting. In the land of Egypt, what does it say? “It was, on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28). It excluded Aaron from the speech in the land of Egypt. At Mount Sinai, what does it say? “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day that the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai” (Numbers 3:1). It excluded Aaron from the speech at Mount Sinai. At the Tent of Meeting, what does it say? “The Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). It excluded Aaron from the speech at the Tent of Meeting.
