Moses certainly did.
Imagine this: God asks you to go on a little errand. No biggie, right? But before you can even answer, God gives you a sneak peek – not just of the future, but of the very inner workings of divine wisdom.
According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, that’s exactly what happened to Moses. God showed him the treasures hidden within the Torah – wisdom, knowledge, everything! More than that, Moses got to see rows upon rows of brilliant scholars and judges, all gathered in the celestial court of hewn stones, wrestling with the Torah, interpreting it in no less than forty-nine different ways! Can you even imagine?
And then, he saw Rabbi Akiba.
Now, Rabbi Akiba lived centuries later, during the Roman era. He was a pivotal figure, a towering intellect, and a central figure in the development of Halakha (Jewish law). But what was he doing in God's inner chamber? Moses saw Rabbi Akiba explaining the meaning of the little crowns, the tagin, that adorn certain letters in the Torah scroll. Think of it – finding layers of hidden meaning in the very shapes of the letters themselves!
Moses, overwhelmed, basically said, "Nope. Not qualified. Send one of these guys instead."
I mean, wouldn't you? He’s seeing the future of Torah study, these incredible minds grappling with the divine text. How could he, Moses, possibly be the right person for the job?
But God wasn't having it. So, God commanded the Angel of Wisdom to take Moses to another place, this one filled with countless scholars, all engaged in the same sacred work: interpreting the Torah. And here’s the kicker: they were all using the same formula: "This is a Halakha revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai."
Think about that for a second.
Moses, witnessing this, finally understood. Even these future giants of Torah scholarship, these brilliant minds he was so intimidated by, would be drawing directly from him. They would be referencing back to the revelation he would receive. He was the source, the foundation.
And that, then, is when Moses was ready. Ready to accept the mission God had for him.
What does this tell us? Maybe it's that we often underestimate our own potential. Or maybe it's that true leadership isn't about being the smartest person in the room, but about providing the foundation for others to build upon. Perhaps it’s a reminder that even when we feel inadequate, we each have a unique role to play in the unfolding story of wisdom and tradition.