We find him in the book of Exodus (3:1-6), a shepherd tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, a priest in Midian. One ordinary day, Moses leads the sheep to Horeb, also known as the mountain of God. And that's where the ordinary ends.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appears to him in a blazing fire, right in the middle of a bush. Can you imagine the sight? Moses, naturally, is drawn to it. The bush is engulfed in flames, yet it's not consumed. "I must turn aside," he says, "to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn't the bush burn up?"
And it's right then, when God sees that Moses is paying attention, that He calls out from the bush: "Moses! Moses!"
Moses, startled, answers, "Here I am."
What follows is one of the most powerful and transformative encounters in all of scripture. God tells Moses, "Do not come closer. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground." Then, He reveals Himself: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Overwhelmed, Moses hides his face, afraid to look at God.
This encounter, as described in Tree of Souls by Howard Schwartz, has all the hallmarks of a mystical vision. But it’s more than just a personal experience. From this moment forward, Moses's destiny is sealed: he will become the redeemer of Israel. His life is completely transformed, much like the lives of mystics who have described similar experiences.
Isn't it fascinating that God chose something as seemingly insignificant as a bush to reveal Himself? Why a bush? It might seem strange, but there are other instances where God seems to contract Himself into a small space, like the Ark of the Covenant. This idea of contraction would later become a key concept in Kabbalah, known as tzimtzum. Tzimtzum refers to God's self-contraction, making space for creation.
Like Abraham before him, Moses is chosen. He begins as a reluctant prophet, but ultimately becomes the greatest prophetic figure in Jewish tradition.
From the burning bush onward, God gives Moses explicit instructions. He tells him how to approach Pharaoh, demanding the release of the Israelites from slavery. God also guides Moses on how to approach the Israelites themselves, who are initially hesitant to accept him as their leader.
This initial revelation at the burning bush is just the beginning. In subsequent encounters, Moses speaks directly to God, even seeing Him "face to face," and receives the Torah, God's most precious gift to the Jewish people.
So, what can we take away from the story of the burning bush? Perhaps it's a reminder that the divine can appear in the most unexpected places, even in something as ordinary as a bush. And that sometimes, all it takes is a willingness to turn aside and pay attention to the extraordinary moments unfolding around us. Maybe, just maybe, our own destinies are waiting to be ignited.