Chapter 41 gives us a glimpse into a rather… unique sales pitch, shall we say.
Rabbi Tarphon recounts a scene where the Holy One, blessed be He, doesn't just give the Torah, but actively offers it around. Imagine God, Himself, going door-to-door!
First stop: the descendants of Esau. As Deuteronomy 33:2 tells us, "The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them." Here, "Seir" refers to Esau, as Genesis 36:8 states, "And Esau dwelt in Mount Seir." So, God asks them, "Will you accept the Torah?" They want to know what's in it, of course. God replies, "Thou shalt do no murder" (Exodus 20:13).
Their response? A polite, but firm, "No, thank you." They explain that they can't abandon the blessing Isaac gave Esau: "By thy sword shalt thou live" (Genesis 27:40). Essentially, violence is in their DNA, or at least, they believe it is.
Next, God turns to the children of Ishmael. Deuteronomy 33:2 says, "He shined forth from Mount Paran." "Paran," we learn, signifies the sons of Ishmael, as Genesis 21:21 says, "And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran." Again, the offer: "Will ye accept for yourselves the Torah?" They ask the crucial question: "What's written therein?" The answer: "Thou shalt not steal" (Exodus 20:15).
And their response? Another polite rejection! They can't abandon the "usage which our fathers observed," referring to the story of Joseph being sold into Egypt, as Joseph himself laments in Genesis 40:15: "For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews." So, stealing is… a family tradition? Yikes.
At this point, God sends messengers to all the nations of the world. He asks them the same question: "Will ye receive for yourselves the Torah?" They, too, want to know the contents. This time, God says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).
Their answer is pretty blunt: "We have no delight in the Torah." They suggest He give it to His own people, quoting Psalm 29:11: "The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace." Ouch!
Finally, God turns to the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 33:2 tells us, "And he came from the ten thousands of holy ones." The expression "ten thousands," we discover, refers to the children of Israel, supported by Numbers 10:36: "Return, O Lord, unto the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel." The text goes on to paint a majestic picture: "With Him were thousands twice-told of chariots, even twenty thousand of holy angels, and His right hand was holding the Torah, as it is said, 'At his right hand was a fiery law unto them' (Deut. 33:2)."
So, what does this all mean? Is it a literal account? Probably not. But it’s a powerful way of illustrating that accepting the Torah requires a willingness to change, to let go of ingrained habits and beliefs. It highlights the unique relationship between God and the Jewish people. Perhaps it wasn't just that God chose us, but that we were the only ones willing to choose Him, and the challenging path of the Torah. It's a humbling thought, isn't it?