Jewish tradition offers us glimpses into that possibility, especially when it comes to the patriarchs and prophets. And no one stands closer, in the lore, than MOSES.
Imagine the celestial court, not as a static painting, but as a living, breathing reality. In that reality, the souls of the righteous are in the “immediate proximity of God,” as Ginzberg tells us in Legends of the Jews. A little further out, we find Mercy and Justice personified.
And then, closer still… Moses.
Why him? What made him so special? Well, several things, according to tradition.
First, his vision. Because he was so near to God, Moses’s vision was “clear and distinct.” Unlike the other prophets, who, as Ginzberg puts it, "saw but dimly." It’s like the difference between looking at a photograph and seeing the real thing with your own eyes. The other prophets got a glimpse, but Moses… he experienced it directly.
But there's more.
The second thing that set Moses apart was his awareness. All the prophets received divine revelations, but Moses was conscious during the experience. The others, in their prophetic moments, were… well, somewhere else. Think of it like sleepwalking versus lucid dreaming. They delivered the message, but Moses understood it, remembered it, and could actively engage with it.
And finally, a third distinction. This one he shared with Aaron and Samuel: God revealed Himself to them in a pillar of cloud. This image is powerful. The cloud represents the Divine Presence, the Shekhinah. It’s a tangible manifestation of God’s nearness. It's no accident that these three figures were granted this profound experience.
What does all this mean for us?
Perhaps it’s a reminder that closeness to the Divine is possible. Not in the same way as Moses, perhaps, but in our own way, through acts of justice, mercy, and a conscious striving for understanding. Maybe we can’t all stand in the immediate proximity of God, but we can all strive to move a little closer.