Today, we're diving into a fascinating, even audacious, story from Shemot Rabbah – a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus. It's a story about Moses, the ultimate intercessor, and it asks a profound question: can a human being dissolve a vow made by God Himself?
The episode centers around the aftermath of the Golden Calf. The Israelites, impatient and afraid, had turned away from God so soon after receiving the Torah at Sinai. God, understandably, was furious. As we read in Exodus 22:19, He declared, "One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed!" And God doesn't break His promises. As the text emphasizes, an oath that has emerged from God's mouth, He does not recant.
But Moses...Moses implored (vayḥal) God. What does this mean, vayḥal? Rabbi Berekhya, quoting Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak, offers a stunning interpretation: Moses dissolved the vow of his Maker! How could a mortal possibly undo something God has sworn?
According to this tradition, Moses argued with God using God’s own Torah! He reminded God of the laws regarding the nullification of vows, found in Numbers 30:3: "If a man takes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to impose a prohibition upon himself, he shall not profane (yaḥel) his word?" Moses pointed out that while the man himself cannot profane his vow, a Sage can pardon it when he requests it. And who gave Moses the laws of nullification of vows? God himself!
The logic is airtight, almost audacious: God, you commanded me regarding the nullification of vows, therefore you also must nullify your vow, as you commanded me to nullify for others.
The story goes on to paint a truly remarkable picture. Moses, wrapped in his cloak, sat as an elder in judgment. And the Holy One, blessed be He, stood before him, like one seeking the nullification of a vow! As Deuteronomy 9:9 says, "I sat on the mountain" (though the verse is often translated "I remained"). But is it possible, the text asks, that Moses was sitting and God was standing?
Rabbi Derusai suggests that God crafted for Moses a special chair that would appear to be standing, yet he was, in fact, sitting.
Rav Huna bar Aḥa explains that Moses sat specifically to dissolve God's vow. But what exactly did he say? Rabbi Yoḥanan suggests the difficult question Moses posed was: "Do you regret it?" Because if the individual who made a vow regrets it, the rabbi may nullify it. It's a bold, even shocking idea – to suggest God might experience regret. The text clarifies that what Moses asked of God was whether He regretted the evil He said He would perform against His people.
And God, in this incredible midrashic moment, relents. "I regret the evil that I said I would perform against My people."
At that moment, Moses declared: "It is dissolved for You, it is dissolved for You. There is no vow here and there is no oath here!" That, says the midrash, is the true meaning of vayḥal – that Moses nullified the vow of his Maker, just as Numbers 30:3 says, “He shall not profane (yaḥel) his word."
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish takes it even further, explaining that this is why Moses is called a "man of God" – because he dissolved a vow for God! Just as a man can dissolve his wife’s vow, Moses dissolved God’s vow.
What are we to make of this astonishing story? It's a powerful testament to the role of the righteous leader, the tzaddik, as an advocate for their people. It suggests that even divine decrees can be challenged, negotiated, and perhaps, even overturned through prayer, righteous action, and a deep understanding of God's own law. It reveals a God who, while powerful and absolute, is also willing to listen, to reconsider, and to show mercy. It's a radical thought, to be sure, but one that speaks to the profound and dynamic relationship between humanity and the Divine.