Ever feel like you're just... not getting it? Like the universe is whispering secrets you can't quite decipher? According to the ancient wisdom of the Midrash, even Moses, the greatest prophet, had moments like that.
Shemot Rabbah, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Exodus, recounts a fascinating episode. It begins with the verse, "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2), referring to the month of Nissan, the beginning of the Jewish calendar. But the Midrash sees something more profound here. It suggests that God actually showed Moses specific things that he was struggling to understand, pointing them out directly.
These weren't just abstract concepts, but tangible realities. The Midrash tells us that this "showing" happened with four specific items. First, the preparation of the anointing oil, as it is stated, "This shall be a holy anointing oil for Me..." (Exodus 30:31). Then, the crafting of the Menorah, the Candelabrum, as it is stated, "This is the work of the Candelabrum" (Numbers 8:4). He showed him the swarming creatures, as it is stated: “And this is impure for you [among the swarming things that swarm on the earth]” (Leviticus 11:29), and finally, the new moon, connected to the phrase "This month shall be for you."
But the story doesn't stop there. The Midrash goes on to describe God "shaking" various parts of creation to reveal hidden things to Moses. Think of it like shaking a snow globe to reveal what's hidden within. He shook the seas and showed him the crocodile, which hides in the water and is difficult to see, referencing the verse, "The voice of the Lord is on the water" (Psalms 29:3). He shook the inhabited world and showed him the turtle, which hides from people and is not readily visible, as it is stated, "The voice of God breaks the cedars" (Psalms 29:5). And in the wilderness, He revealed the du’ar, a legendary poisonous creature born of a snake and a turtle according to Hullin 127a.
According to the Midrash, God even shook fire to reveal the salamander, a creature said to be born of fire itself! This is connected to the verse, "The voice of God hews the flames of the fire" (Psalms 29:7). All this happened in the context of, "And this is impure for you," referring to the list of impure animals.
The repetition of "shaking" and "showing" emphasizes the effort God made to communicate with Moses. The Midrash connects these revelations to verses in Psalms, such as "The voice of the Lord is powerful" and "The voice of the Lord is glorious" (Psalms 29:4). It even links "The voice of the Lord causes deer to give birth [yeḥolel]" (Psalms 29:9) to the idea of shaking, since yeḥolel can also mean "shake." And "He bared the forests" (Psalms 29:9), the Midrash says, refers to the spices of the incense, which come from the forest.
The passage concludes with a beautiful image: "And in His Sanctuary all say glory" (Psalms 29:9). The Midrash interprets this as all the kings of the earth praising God's glory. "All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to You" (Psalms 138:4).
What does this all mean? Perhaps it's a reminder that even when we struggle to understand, the Divine is actively trying to communicate with us. Sometimes, we need the world "shaken" a little to see what's truly there. And maybe, just maybe, we all have moments where God is pointing things out to us, if only we're open to seeing them.