בס''ד
The handing over of the mantle from master to apprentice is a moment of tremendous pride but also poignancy. Moshe entrusting the reins to Yehoshua his student, upon Hashem’s instruction, must have evoked feelings of regret for Moshe, having lost his chance to lead the people into Canaan. Adding further to his pain, after Yehoshua received a prophecy, Moshe asked to hear what had been transmitted to him. Yehoshua replied that just as Moshe had not told him his prophecies, he too could not reveal his prophecy to Moshe. The Medrash tells us that Moshe’s heartfelt response to this was “It is better to die one hundred times rather than suffer this one pang of jealousy.” There are many that ask how someone of Moshe’s stature could be jealous, but I would like to tackle the question of why Yehoshua was unable to reveal to Moshe his prophecy.
Although prophecy was often used as a tool by which to transmit Hashem’s word to the masses, there were also occasions when the communication was meant solely for the prophet. This must have been one such an instance for Moshe to have needed to request to hear what was said. A prophecy was a deeply personal experience that was dependent on a person’s own character. Only Moshe, the greatest of all prophets, the humblest of all men, underwent a prophecy completely devoid of any reflection of his own personality. This was because he so entirely subjugated himself to G-d, so that his own disposition had no bearing on the vision he received. For others, like Yehoshua, however, each prophecy was seen by them in their own unique way, through a prism of their individuality. This meant that, unless they were instructed to transmit it to others, it would be improper and perhaps impossible to disclose the details to anyone else. It was geared towards and meant for them only and the way that they would see it. Others would simply not have the wherewithal to perceive it correctly, even those as great as Moshe Rabbeinu.
We are all born with our own set of characteristics and traits. This is something we in general accept and, to one extent or another, deal with accordingly. What we sometimes find more difficult to accept is the differing set of circumstances that we begin life with and the situations that arise during our life. We often ask why it is we that must suffer and not others, leading to despondency or indignation. Yet we must learn to appreciate that just as every prophecy was given specifically according to that person’s distinctiveness, so too the messages we are given by Hashem, through the events and situations that occur in our lives, are exclusively purposeful for us and only us. Understanding this is the first step to acceptance. The next step is to make the most of what we are given and learn from the messages we receive.
*May Shabbos help us see how our life is exactly as it must be*
לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם
לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת גרשון
לרפואת אלימלך יהושע אהרון בן דבורה רבקה
לרפואת אברהם יעקב בן שרה טשארנה
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please let me know if you enjoyed this week's Musings or if you have any other comments that you would like to make about the ideas discussed. I would love to hear from you.