The guy who parted the Red Sea, received the Ten Commandments. But even Moses had his moments of doubt. There’s this fascinating passage in Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg, that shines a light on just such a moment.
So, picture this: God is calling Moses to account. Not in an angry way, but more like a… divine teaching moment. According to this passage, God essentially says, "Hey, Moses, where's the faith?"
“O for the departed," God laments, "their like cannot be found any more!" God reminds Moses how He appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, "God Almighty." But, God says, they didn't know Him as Adonai, "God All-Merciful" – the way He revealed Himself to Moses. And even though the Patriarchs experienced hardships, they never questioned God's actions.
Think about it: God promised Abraham the land of Canaan. But when Sarah died, Abraham had to buy a burial plot! As Ginzberg points out, he didn't complain. God promised Isaac the land, but Isaac had to fight for water with the herdsmen of Gerar. And Jacob? Promised the land he lay on, yet he had to purchase a small piece of ground just to pitch his tent. None of them demanded to know God’s Name or question His plans.
But Moses? God says that the moment He wanted to send Moses to Egypt, Moses asked to know His Name. And after God revealed it, Moses even dared to say, "You told me You are called Compassionate and Gracious, Longsuffering and Merciful, but as soon as I pronounced this Name before Pharaoh, misfortune descended upon the people of Israel!"
Ouch.
So, what’s going on here? It’s not that God is angry at Moses, but rather teaching him about the long game. You see, God wants to fulfill His covenant with the Patriarchs. He wants to give their descendants – the people of Israel – the Promised Land. And He wants to do it, in part, as a reward for the unquestioning faith of the Patriarchs. And also, almost surprisingly, as a reward to the people of Israel for enduring suffering without losing faith. Even though, as Ginzberg notes, the people "do not deserve to possess [the land] for other reasons.”
As we find in Midrash Rabbah, God swore an oath to Moses. It was meant to banish all fear from the mind of Moses. However, it also allowed God to act in accordance with His attribute of justice. Which, according to this passage, might delay the redemption of Israel for a time, because of their sins.
It’s a complex idea, isn’t it? That sometimes, even when we're striving to do right, there are delays, there are setbacks. Sometimes, the reward comes not because we perfectly deserve it, but because of the faith we maintain through the hardship.
This little episode with Moses reminds us that faith isn't about blind obedience or instant gratification. It's about trusting in the bigger picture, even when we can't see it. It's about persevering, even when we feel like questioning everything. And perhaps, most importantly, it’s about recognizing that even our moments of doubt can be part of a larger, divinely orchestrated plan.
So, the next time you're feeling like Moses – like you're doing everything right, but things are still going wrong – remember this story. Remember the faith of the Patriarchs. And remember that even in the midst of hardship, there's always the promise of redemption on the horizon.