It happened. And the story, found in Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, is It all starts after the Golden Calf incident. Moses, understandably, is trying to figure out the next steps. God tells him, essentially, "Okay, Moses, lead the people. I’ll send an angel before you" (Exodus 23:20). Sounds good. Not so fast. Moses isn’t buying it. He shoots back, “Wait a minute! Are you sending an angel? Was that the deal? Didn't you promise You would descend to rescue us from Egypt and bring us to the Promised Land yourself?" (Exodus 3:8). It’s like Moses is saying, "Read the fine print, God! I remember the original agreement!"
He reminds God of the stakes: “If Your presence does not go, do not take us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). Basically, Moses is putting his foot down. He's saying, “No personal divine guidance, no deal.” Talk about chutzpah!
God then responds, "For I will not ascend in your midst” (Exodus 33:3). It's a pretty firm statement.
Moses, however, is unyielding. "You said angel," he retorts, "and I say: 'If Your presence does not go...' Let’s see whose words will stand!” As it's written, “Moses said to the Lord: See, You say to me: [Take this people up, but You did not inform me whom You will send with me]” (Exodus 33:12).
It's a bold move, questioning the Almighty so directly. What gives Moses the. What makes him think he can challenge God’s decree?
Well, according to the Midrash, Moses held a unique position. God ultimately relents, saying, “As you live, ‘My Presence will go, and I will give you rest’” (Exodus 33:14).
But how could Moses possibly sway God? Here’s where it gets really interesting.
The Divine Spirit, the Ruach Hakodesh, cries out, quoting Ecclesiastes 8:4-5: “Since the king's rule is in his word, [who will say to him: What are you doing?] One who observes a mitzvah will know no evil matter.”
Now, on the surface, this verse seems to be about respecting authority. But the midrash twists it, offering a powerful interpretation. It suggests that someone of Moses’s stature, someone so deeply connected to God through his actions (his mitzvot), actually had the power to annul a divine decree! Moses's unwavering commitment to God, his constant striving to fulfill God's commandments, gave him an almost unparalleled level of influence. He wasn't just a messenger; he was a partner, capable of affecting God’s very will.
It's a staggering thought. Does this mean that our actions, our choices, can actually influence the divine? That our dedication to living a righteous life can give us a voice, even in the face of what seems like an unchangeable fate?
Shemot Rabbah presents us with a powerful image of a leader who dares to argue with God, not out of arrogance, but out of a deep-seated understanding of his own responsibility and the profound connection he shares with the Divine. It challenges us to consider the power of our own actions and the potential for us to shape our own destiny, and maybe, just maybe, even influence the will of God.