Moses took ownership of the dark as well as the light. He argued not just for the righteous, but also for those who had failed.
When the people angered G‑d with a golden calf only 40 days after the revelation of Absolute Oneness at Mount Sinai, Moses had to admit they had wronged. Yet he did more than plead for them: he put his entire being on the line for them.
“Forgive them!” he demanded. “And if you do not forgive them, then wipe me out from Your book that You have written!”
You offer a lovely and powerful observation, but you miss a really important dimension in Exodus 32:15-35. The wrongdoers were punished - big time. Moses would not have "argued for those who failed" in his powerful advocacy for the people without supporting the imposition of the most serious consequences on the wrongdoers and the wrongdoing. In other words, Moses didn't merely "admit they had wronged." He imposed a tough accountability on the people as part of an understanding with G-d in which G-d both relented in anger and chose to become even closer to the people (e.g., showing the Divine attributes). Reply
big love I think Moses said these words because he loved G-d the most. Sure he loved the people which he was one of. But he asked for the people to be forgiven because he understood the promises G-d had made to these people. G-d was Moses greatest love. Reply
Moses reveals a Manual to Correct the Ego
After Abraham the ego reached greater intensity. Moses adapted his method to lead a larger group of people(he named 'Israel' - meaning those who aspire to attain the quality of G_d).
The Torah he documented from his revelation, instructed them how to exit the domination of the ego - to rise above the mountain of hatred (Mount Sinai) and separation from each other. Each time they rose to a level of mutual loving and giving they would fall into egoism again until they climbed above it and rose to an even higher level of G_dliness - As one mind and one heart.
The door has been unlocked to redemption. Baal Hasulam (20th Century Kabbalist) interpreted the Zohar and Ari and was happy to announce "I am glad to have been born in a generation when it is already permitted to publicize the wisdom of truth". ..and the dissemination of the wisdom in the masses is called a 'Shofar' (special horn)...whose voice travels a great distance, the echo of the wisdom will spread all over the world."
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...And Moses I received this article again today. Two years ago I wrote my comment. Very simple. But today I most say: The other day I watched a video from Chabad where a rabbi was teaching Torah/Talmud. In the teaching he speaks of an occasion when in Egypt Moses intervened for a child who was being buried on a wall with cement. God, blessed be He in his mercy, said to him, "alright take him out, this is your responsibility." Later on it was found out "Mekhal" (not sure spelled right) became an idol worshipper. The study was on Numbers 5/23/13. It appears to me that Moses in humble/compassion, wanted to save the entire nation of those to become "jews." Hashem, knows the future. He knows the heart. There were going to be evil ones in the nation. As it is today. The wicked usually joints in with a out appearance of "goodness" but his evil resides in him. Those are the ones who bring separation, because they are vindictive. The nation of G-d need to be free from evil. Accept those who are called. Reply
Moses had some ego issues but showed unconditional love
Moses was trained as a military commander as well as a spiritual leader.
His mistakes thereof cost him his own chance to enter the promised land.
But even when the people were stubborn and condemned themselves to evolve through pain instead of the easier path of G_D, he never left them.
This post reminds me of the power of unconditional love.
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And Moses One could discuss for hours what were the inner conflicts that Moses was going through when he said to G-d ,that if he can't forgive them then wipe me out from your book that you have written-Nobody was more humble than Moses that is for s sure. Humble and Naturally and through instinct-he loved the people and fought for them. Also I'd like to say that his struggle to help the people came from another inner force other than ego.-Thank you for writing this Reply
For Anonymous in Camarillo
Firstly, nothing written here is my own creativity. As the byline says, these are only paraphrases of the Rebbe's works.
Whenever examining a text, it is important to view the text within its context. Read the story from the beginning. You can find it in translation here.
Note G-d's words to Moses, "Now leave Me alone, and My anger will be kindled against them so that I will annihilate them, and I will make you into a great nation." Moses turned down that offer.
Now note the context of Moses' plea cited in my paraphrase above (verse 32). He is pleading on behalf of his people--and his plea works. If the meaning is as you state, what kind of an argument is that? "If you don't excuse them, it will be bad for my reputation." So what? I'll make you a great people yourself, and that will be even better for your reputation!
Rather, it was Moses' insistence that a Torah of this sort was one with which he could not live with that won out in the end.
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Tzvi is creative, but the Torah says Tzvi's wrong
This passage does not say Moses put his being on the line for the people. It says that he put his life on the line for the sake of his own personal reputation. After taking the people out of Egypt, where they lacked freedom but were at least able to stay alive, and into the wilderness, knowing that he was risking their lives by doing so, he said that he did not want to be held responsible in the event that his mission failed.
He said if you will not forgive them, then delete all references to me from the historical account, so that no one reads that I am the one who led the people to their deaths and failed to save them; I only want to be known as the leader of this journey if you decide to let them live, and not if it is a failure. I do not want to be remembered as the one who cost them their lives; if they are going to die, don't let anyone know I was a part of this ill-fated expedition.
As he would take responsibility if it failed, he should not be held credited for success.
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Moses Demands
Rabbi Freeman, this is such a wonderful teaching. I believe we are all in this world struggling with the same problems still. Millions out there have been abused because of...many reasons. By our families, friends...
Yet, when we are looking for the path of righteousness through Torah teachings. We find how good our Eternal G-d is and we need to meditate on His mercies, which are eternal. It is very difficult to forgive, but through Him we can succeed in our efforts.Now, one thing I would like to ask you, when the person who hurts you does not change (family), do we reject this person's slander of other relatives? This behavior seems to instill the anger caused by the hurt. It is a vicious circle that keep on renewing this horrendous feelings and then guilt. How do we rung away from a relative? Should we? Especially when we have advised them to seek G-d and His teachings and stuborness keep them in the same path of life which bring no change in their lives for the better.
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;-)
I LOVE this one! ;-)
Why don't the numbers show up the same as in my book?
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The ‘revelation of absolute oneness’? Huh? Where does this jargon come from?
Sounds like New Age propaganda to me.
Maybe you don’t realize that the ‘oneness’ meme is part of a ‘socially engineered’ mind-set designed to undermine the idea of human individuality and human independence, in order to promote the
New World Order (totalitarian state).
Do the research to avoid promoting something you don’t understand and probably don’t agree with.