Moshe Spoke “to Hashem”: A Leader's Pure Intent
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 27:15-16
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר יִפְקֹד יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכׇל־בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָה
Moshe spoke to Hashem, saying: “Let Hashem, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation.”
Rashi: This tells the praise of the tzaddikim: when they depart from the world, they set aside their own needs and busy themselves with the needs of the community. And when Moshe heard the Omnipresent tell him to give Tzelafchad's inheritance to his daughters, he said, “The time has come for me to ask for my own needs, that my sons should inherit my greatness.”
1“Moshe spoke to Hashem, saying: Let Hashem, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation.”1 The Baal HaTurim, R' Yaakov ben Asher, writes that there is no other verse in the Torah like “Moshe spoke to Hashem, saying.”2 It reverses what is said throughout the Torah, “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying,” and we find nothing truly like it except “Moshe spoke before Hashem.”3 Why, then, does this expression appear, of all places, at the appointment of a leader? We must also ask, as Rashi does, about the word leimor, “saying,” used here.4 Everywhere else leimor means “to say to the generations”5 or “to say to Bnei Yisrael.” Without leimor, the words would fall under the rule that they are “not to be said,” and could not be repeated without permission.6 But here, [where Moshe is speaking to Hashem,] none of this applies.
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה׳ לֵאמוֹר. יִפְקוֹד ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי הָרוּחוֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה (כז, טו-טז). כָּתַב בַּעַל הַטּוּרִים שֶׁאֵין עוֹד פָּסוּק כָּזֶה בַּתּוֹרָה ׳וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה׳ לֵאמוֹר׳, שֶׁהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה בְּהֵיפֶךְ ׳וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמוֹר׳, וְלֹא מָצִינוּ דּוּגְמָתוֹ מַמָּשׁ אֶלָּא (שמות ו, יב) ׳וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה׳׳, וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין הָעִנְיָן לָמָּה בֶּאֱמֶת דַּוְקָא בְּעִנְיַן מִינּוּי מַנְהִיג מָצִינוּ לָשׁוֹן זֶה. עוֹד יֵשׁ לְהָבִין מַה שֶׁכְּבָר עָמַד בָּזֶה רש״י ז״ל, מַהוּ לְשׁוֹן ׳לֵאמוֹר׳ הָאָמוּר כָּאן, שֶׁהֲרֵי ׳לֵאמוֹר׳ הָאָמוּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם הַכַּוָּונָה לֵאמֹר לְדוֹרוֹת (דברים רבה ב, ו), אוֹ לֵאמֹר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִשּׁוּם דִּבְאִם לֹא נֶאֱמַר ׳לֵאמוֹר׳ הָיָה בְּבַל יֹאמַר (יומא ד, ב), אַךְ כָּאן אֵין שַׁיָּיךְ כָּל זֶה.
- Bamidbar 27:15–16. ↩
- Baal HaTurim on Bamidbar 27:15. ↩
- Shemos 6:12. ↩
- Rashi on Bamidbar 27:15. ↩
- Devarim Rabbah 2:6. ↩
- Yoma 4b. ↩
In shortWhy does “Moshe spoke to Hashem” appear only at the appointment of a leader, and what can leimor mean when Moshe addresses Hashem?
2Rashi writes here: “This tells the praise of the tzaddikim: when they depart from the world, they set aside their own needs and busy themselves with the needs of the community.”7 What does he mean? Surely tzaddikim busy themselves with the needs of the community and with leading Israel all their lives, not only when they depart from the world. There is a further difficulty. Right afterward Rashi quotes Moshe's words: “The time has come for me to ask for my own needs, that my sons should inherit my greatness.”8 At first glance, Moshe seems here to be busying himself with his own needs.
וברש״י ז״ל כָּתַב כָּאן, לְהוֹדִיעַ שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּפְטָרִים מִן הָעוֹלָם מַנִּיחִין צָרְכֵי עַצְמָם וְעוֹסְקִים בְּצָרְכֵי צִיבּוּר. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין הַכַּוָּונָה בָּזֶה, דַּהֲרֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים כָּל יְמֵיהֶם עוֹסְקִים בְּצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר וּבְהַנְהָגַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא רַק בְּעֵת שֶׁנִּפְטָרִים מֵהָעוֹלָם. עוֹד קָשֶׁה, דַּהֲרֵי בְּסָמוּךְ אִיתָא ברש״י, שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה הִגִּיעַ שָׁעָה שֶׁאֶתְבַּע צְרָכַי שֶׁיִּירְשׁוּ בָּנַי אֶת גְּדוּלָּתִי, שֶׁנִּרְאֶה לִכְאוֹרָה שֶׁזֶּהוּ כְּעוֹסֵק בְּצָרְכֵי עַצְמוֹ.
In shortTzaddikim serve the community all their lives; so what does Rashi's praise add, especially when Moshe asked that his own sons inherit?
3aWe may explain this along the lines of what my holy great-grandfather of Biala, zt"l, writes on this verse in his sefer Divrei Binah.9 He asks: at first glance it is astonishing. How could Moshe Rabbeinu ask for authority and greatness for his sons, when the Torah testifies of him, “And the man Moshe was very humble, more than any man”?10 But we know the principle that “a son earns merit for his father,”11 completing him and filling “the place of his fathers.” Each person has a special task for which he came into this world, and if he was not privileged to complete all he needed to, his son can complete his father's service. This is the meaning of “filling the place of his fathers”: whatever is lacking in the father's service, his son fills in and completes.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַמְּבוֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי כ״ק זְקֵנִי זצללה״ה מביאלא בְּסִפְרוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ דִּבְרֵי בִּינָה (פסוק זה), שֶׁהִקְשָׁה דְּלִכְאוֹרָה יִפָּלֵא אֵיךְ שַׁיָּיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה יִתְבַּע שְׂרָרָה וּגְדוּלָּה לְבָנָיו, וַהֲרֵי הַתּוֹרָה מְעִידָה עָלָיו (לעיל יב, ג) ״וְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה עָנָיו מְאֹד מִכֹּל הָאָדָם״. אֶלָּא דְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ עִנְיָן שֶׁל בְּרָא מְזַכֶּה אַבָּא וּמַשְׁלִים וּמְמַלֵּא מְקוֹם אֲבוֹתָיו, דִּלְכָל אֶחָד יֵשׁ תַּפְקִיד מְיוּחָד שֶׁבִּשְׁבִילוֹ בָּא לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְאִם לֹא זָכָה לְהַשְׁלִים כָּל מַה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ, יָכוֹל הַבֵּן לְהַשְׁלִים עֲבוֹדַת אָבִיו, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת ׳מְמַלֵּא מְקוֹם אֲבוֹתָיו׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁמַּה שֶׁחָסֵר מֵעֲבוֹדַת הָאָב בְּנוֹ מְמַלֵּא וּמַשְׁלִים.
3bIn his great humility, Moshe Rabbeinu thought he had not yet completed all he needed to complete in this world, so before his passing he asked that his son carry on the leadership in his place. He wanted his sons to complete for him the work he still owed in the affairs of the community and the leadership of the congregation, as Chazal said, “His fathers left him a place to distinguish himself in.”12 So his request for authority for his sons came, on the contrary, from his great humility, and not at all, Heaven forbid, from any desire for power. To this the Holy One, blessed be He, answered that it was not so: “You are not one of those whose work others must complete after you,” for Moshe had fulfilled and completed his task and his mission in full. Hashem gave him a second answer as well. Moshe Rabbeinu is the da'as, the knowledge and awareness, of all the souls of Israel together, and through him da'as spreads to all Israel. So his inheritance does not belong to his sons in particular; where Moshe Rabbeinu is concerned, son and disciple are equal. As is well known, there is “an extension of Moshe” in every generation,13 and the power of his holiness is hidden away in each and every Jew. That is the gist of his words.
וְהִנֵּה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה בְּרוֹב עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ הָיָה סָבוּר שֶׁעֲדַיִין לֹא הִשְׁלִים מַה שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁלִים בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם, וְעַל כֵּן קוֹדֶם פְּטִירָתוֹ בִּקֵּשׁ שֶׁבְּנוֹ יַמְשִׁיךְ אֶת הַהַנְהָגָה בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, כִּי רָצָה שֶׁבָּנָיו יַשְׁלִימוּ עֲבוּרוֹ גַּם אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁלִים בְּעִנְיָן הַנּוֹגֵעַ לַצִּיבּוּר וְהַנְהָגַת הָעֵדָה, כְּעִנְיַן מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (חולין ז, א) מָקוֹם הִנִּיחוּ לוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו לְהִתְגַּדֵּר בּוֹ, וְאִם כֵּן אַדְּרַבָּא בַּקָּשַׁת הַשְּׂרָרָה לְבָנָיו הָיָה מֵחֲמַת גּוֹדֶל עַנְוְותָנוּתוֹ וְלֹא מִטַּעַם בַּקָּשַׁת שְׂרָרָה כְּלָל ח״ו. וְעַל זֶה הֱשִׁיבוֹ הקב״ה דְּלָא כֵּן הוּא, כִּי אַתָּה אִינָךְ בִּבְחִינָה זֹאת שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לְהַשְׁלִים אַחֲרֶיךָ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמִּילֵּא וְהִשְׁלִים אֶת תַּפְקִידוֹ וּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ בִּשְׁלֵימוּת. וְעוֹד זֹאת הֱשִׁיבוֹ, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה הוּא בְּחִינַת הַדַּעַת שֶׁל כְּלָלִיּוּת נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָכֵן אֵין בְּחִינַת הַיְּרוּשָּׁה שֶׁלּוֹ שַׁיֶּיכֶת לְבָנָיו דַּוְקָא, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ הוּא הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הַדַּעַת לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל כֵּן לְגַבֵּי מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה הַבֵּן וְהַתַּלְמִיד שָׁוִין, כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁאַתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דְּמֹשֶׁה בְּכָל דּוֹר, וּבְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִגְנַז כֹּחַ קְדוּשָּׁתוֹ, ע״כ תּוֹכֶן דְּבָרָיו.
In shortMoshe humbly wanted his sons to complete his work, the Divrei Binah explains; Hashem answered that it was complete, and every Jew is his heir.
4We may say that this is what Rashi means by “they set aside their own needs and busy themselves with the needs of the community.” Even when Moshe asked that his sons continue the leadership, he set aside any thought of his own needs. His whole intention was for the needs of the community: to complete what he had to accomplish for the sake of the whole people.
וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר דְּזֶהוּ כַּוָּונַת רש״י ׳מַנִּיחִים צָרְכֵי עַצְמָן וְעוֹסְקִים בְּצָרְכֵי צִיבּוּר׳, הַיְינוּ כִּי גַּם בָּזֶה שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ שֶׁיַּמְשִׁיכוּ בָּנָיו הַהַנְהָגָה, גַּם בָּזֶה הִנִּיחַ מִלַּחְשׁוֹב בָּזֶה עַל צָרְכֵי עַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא כָּל כַּוָּונָתוֹ הָיְתָה בִּשְׁבִיל עִנְיַן צָרְכֵי צִיבּוּר, לְהַשְׁלִים מַה שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לִפְעוֹל לְמַעַן הַכְּלָל.
In shortEven Moshe's request for his sons set aside his own needs; it aimed only at completing his work for the whole people.
5This is what the Torah means to teach, and to testify, with the words “Moshe spoke to Hashem, saying.” It says not “before Hashem” but “to Hashem,” to teach that even his request to set up a leader from among his sons was only for the honor of Heaven, directed wholly “to Hashem.” This is the meaning of the words “This tells the praise of the tzaddikim.” In this Moshe showed the way to all tzaddikim for all generations. When they leave the world and must see to a leader after them, they should not be thinking of their own honor at all, but only of fully setting right the needs of the community. That is why the verse says leimor, “to say to the generations”: to teach the tzaddikim of every generation to come that when they choose who will fill their place, their intention must be only “to Hashem,” with no other motives.
וְזֶה בָּאָה הַתּוֹרָה לְהוֹרוֹת וּלְהָעִיד כָּאן ׳וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה׳ לֵאמֹר׳, דְּמַה שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֶלָּא אֶל ה׳, לְהוֹרוֹת כִּי אַף מַה שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ לְהַעֲמִיד מַנְהִיג מִבָּנָיו הָיָה רַק בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם בִּבְחִינַת אֶל ה׳, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳מְלַמֵּד שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים׳, כִּי בָּזֶה הוֹרָה הַדֶּרֶךְ לְכָל הַצַּדִּיקִים לְדוֹרוֹת עוֹלָם, שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁמִּסְתַּלְּקִים מֵהָעוֹלָם וּצְרִיכִים לִדְאוֹג לְמַנְהִיג, תִּהְיֶה כַּוָּונָתָם לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדָם כְּלָל, אֶלָּא לְמַעַן הַשְׁלָמַת תִּיקּוּן צָרְכֵי צִיבּוּר. וְעַל כֵּן נֶאֱמַר ׳לֵאמוֹר׳ לְדוֹרוֹת, לְלַמֵּד הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים, שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁיִּבְחֲרוּ מִי שֶׁיְּמַלֵּא מְקוֹמָם תִּהְיֶה כַּוָּונָתָם רַק בִּבְחִינַת אֶל ה׳, וְלֹא כַּוָּונוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת.
In short“To Hashem” testifies that Moshe's request was purely for Heaven, and leimor teaches tzaddikim in every generation to choose successors with that intent.
6May Hashem grant that we be privileged soon to receive the true leader of Israel, the King Moshiach. Amen, may it be His will.
יִתֵּן ה׳ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל בִּמְהֵרָה הַמַּנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאֲמִיתִּי שֶׁהוּא מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortMay Hashem grant that we soon receive Israel's true leader, the King Moshiach.
Takeaway
Even Moshe Rabbeinu's request that his sons succeed him came from humility, spoken wholly “to Hashem” and for the good of the community. The Torah records it so that leaders in every generation, when they choose who will fill their place, will think only of Heaven's honor. And Moshe's legacy belongs to every Jew, for the power of his holiness is hidden in each of us.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.