And the story of how he did it, according to Shemot Rabbah, is The verse says, "Remember Abraham..." But the question is, why Abraham? Why not just appeal to God's mercy directly? Rabbi Aloni ben Tabari, quoting Rabbi Yitzchak, gives us a fascinating peek into the spiritual battle being waged.
Apparently, when the Israelites messed up (and let’s be honest, they messed up quite a bit), it unleashed five angels of destruction. Not just any angels, mind you, but the heavy hitters: wrath, fury, anger, destruction, and annihilation. Imagine facing that lineup! As Deuteronomy 9:19 puts it, Moses was "in dread due to the wrath and the fury." It sounds terrifying.
So, what’s a prophet to do? Moses, ever the resourceful leader, comes up with a plan. He says to God, in essence, "Master of the Universe, we'll take them on together! You handle one, and I'll handle one." He proposes that God will overcome wrath, referencing the verse, "Arise, Lord, in Your wrath" (Psalms 7:7). Moses himself will turn back fury, echoing Psalms 106:23: "To turn back His fury from annihilating."
Pretty bold. But God, in His infinite wisdom, points out the obvious: "If I overcome one and you overcome one, what will you do with the three remaining angels of destruction?"
That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? How do you combat annihilation, destruction, and plain old anger when you’re already stretched to your limit?
Here's where the brilliance of Moses truly shines. He doesn't panic. He doesn't bargain. He appeals to the very foundation of the Israelite covenant: the patriarchs. He declares that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – their merit, their devotion, their very essence – will overcome those three remaining forces of destruction. THAT is why he mentions them!
It's a stunning moment. Moses understands that even divine power needs a grounding, a foundation in the faith and righteousness of generations past. He's not just pulling names out of a hat. He's tapping into the spiritual reservoir built by Abraham and his descendants.
What can we learn from this? Perhaps it's that even when facing overwhelming odds, we're not alone. We have the strength of our ancestors, the power of our traditions, and the unwavering support of the Divine. When wrath and fury seem ready to consume us, maybe the answer isn't just in our own strength, but in remembering the legacy of faith that came before us. And maybe, just maybe, that's enough to turn the tide.