Shemot : Hashems Presence in a Burning Bush

[muman613]

The Torah relates to us the episode when Hashem first revealed himself to Moshe in the desert he fled to because he smote the taskmaster. Hashem appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush which burned yet the bush was not consumed. Moshe did not look at he bush because he was humbling himself to the awesome power of Hashem yet the Talmudic sages argue whether this was appropriate.

Here is an article which I re-post from Arutz Sheva containing some of the great Rabbi Kooks Torah thoughts concerning this question.


Moshe Hid His Face

What is our main goal? Developing our intellect or our character?
From HaRav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook zts"l
 

"God's angel appeared to [Moses] in the heart of a fire, in the midst of a thorn-bush. ... Moses hid his face, since he was afraid to look at God." (Ex. 3:2,6)
During Moses' first prophetic revelation, he covered his face, afraid to look directly at this holy sight. Was his response an appropriate display of awe and reverence? Or did it reflect a flaw in Moses' personality, a sign of unwarranted timidity?

This question is the subject of a Talmudic disagreement in Berachot 7a. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha noted that, later on, God would inform Moses, "You will not see My face" (Ex. 33:23).

In effect, God told Moses: "When I wanted [at the burning bush], you did not want. Now that you want, I do not want." Moses had missed an extraordinary opportunity when he turned away from the burning bush. Because of his failure to strive for greater enlightenment, at Mount Sinai he would only merit a lesser prophetic vision.

Rabbi Yochanan, on the other hand, argued that Moses' action was praiseworthy. As reward for humbly hiding his face, Moses merited that his face would shine with a brilliant light as he descended from Mount Sinai (Ex. 34:29).

Human Perfection

Rav Kook explained that this Talmudic discussion revolves around a fundamental question regarding our principle aim in life. In what way do we fulfill our potential? How do we achieve perfection?

According to Maimonides, human perfection is attained though the faculties of reason and intellect. Our goal is to gain enlightenment and knowledge of the Divine, through the study of Torah and metaphysics. This is also the viewpoint of Rabbi Yehoshua. By hiding his face at the burning bush, Moses lost a golden opportunity to further his understanding of the spiritual realm.

If our fundamental purpose in life is to seek enlightenment, Moses' demonstration of humility was out of place.

The author of Chovot HaLevavot ('Duties of the Heart'), however, wrote that our true objective is the perfection of character traits and ethical behavior. This concurs with the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan. What Moses gained in sincere humility and genuine awe of Heaven at the burning bush outweighed any loss of knowledge.

Since the overall goal is ethical perfection, Moses' action was proper, and he was justly rewarded with a radiant aura of brilliant light, a reflection of his inner nobility.

(Gold from the Land of Israel, pp. 101-102. Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. I, p. 32. Sent to Arutz Sheva by Rabbi Chanan Morrison of Mitzpeh Yericho, author of"Gold From the Land of Israel". His website, ravkooktorah.org, is dedicate to presenting the Torah commentary of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook)



Also at this time of the year I like to share this Heavy Metal interpretation of the episode of the burning bush... It even faithfully reproduces how Moshe fell on his face when he first saw the bush burning.

[muman613]

I couldn't help but post this awesome song from the same album... The story of Moses birth...



Lyrics to Birth Of Deliverance :
[Hebrew text]
('Every born son you shall cast into the Nile' [Exodus 1:22])

Many sleepless nights
Far too many troubled days
The prophets are grim at thought
The oracles have spoken

Dark and gloomy eyes
Turned hellish red in mind
Every born son you shall cast into the Nile

And I know for sure
That they won't endure
Something's got to give
They will crumble down

Show them no remorse
Make them feel the pain
Spill the blood of every son
For this is not in vain

Be silent my child
Be silent my child
Your tender cry
Visions in your eyes

And I won't let go
No I won't let go
Embracing you
My Child
Stay with me

[Hebrew text]
('And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, Whom the lord knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders, Which the Lord sent to him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, And to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty hand, And in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel' [Deuteronomy 34:10-12])

Distant sound of evil
Getting closer with each step
Must hide before they reach
Quick, hide before they breach

I know that they look for you
You're safe with me
God holds your hand

Silent screams
For if they hear us
It will be the end of his life

I'll sacrifice myself
For you, my child,
I'll sacrifice my soul

My gracious God
Please send me an angel
With crystal white wings
Which under it we safely abide

No evil can harm us
Holy savior
Protector of kingdom of heaven
I'm calling your name...

Hear me!

I've seen the light shining from above

[Hebrew text]
('The Lord make his face shine upon thee' [Numbers 6:25])

[Hebrew text]
('End she took for him an ark of bulrushes and put the child therein, And she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.' [Exodus 2:3])

Hush my baby don't you cry
My love for you is eternal
Like the everlasting fire
You light up the darkest corner of my soul

God please, God please hold his hand
Protect him from our sins
Show your grace
Bless the child

Watch him from a far
As he floats along the Nile
Aimlessly drifting
Washed away with all my tears
My sorrow
My pain

A tear drop falling
Ripples my reflection
And I can't let go

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

I loved these posts!

[muman613]

If you like Amaseffer you will like this one too, it is about the enslavement in Egypt:



This is also incredibly awesome:



[Hebrew text:]
The Lord of the Universe who reigned
Before anything was created.
When all was made by his will
He was acknowledged as King.
And when all shall end
He still all alone shall reign.
He was, He is,
And He shall be in glory.
And He is one, and there's no other
To compare or join Him.
Without beginning, without end
And to Him belongs dominion and power
In his temple my soul shall rejoice.
Our messiah He shall speedily send.
And then we shall sing in the holy temple,
Amen amen, The Awesome one.
[ Lyrics from:

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/a/amaseffer/#share

[muman613]

In this weeks Parasha we read of the first of the Ten Plagues which Hashem sent to teach the Egyptians that he alone was in control of all of nature and all of super-nature.

Amaseffer's 'Slaves for Life' album relates these smacks against Pharoah and his idols...




Lyrics to Ten Plagues :
[Hebrew text]
('And he cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, and indignation, and trouble, A host of evil angels.' [Psalms 78:49])

Two brothers stand; their eyes are caught with fire
They know no fear from the tyrant on the throne
A simple wish not granted, to worship for their G-d
There's no compassion inside the Pharaoh's heart of stone.

Blood consumes the waters; tainting red the sacred Nile
The rancid stench of death harbours winds for miles
The cities and the temples, flooded now with frogs
And their croaking lasted days until Moses gave his word

The Pharaoh's slender patience was reducing with each night
But to free the Hebrew slaves was an unimaginable right
Though the word that spread in Egypt was speaking of the awe
That was penetrating slowly about a G-d they do not know

A host of evil angels - each has a different sword
Striking down at Egypt in the name of the one and only G-d

By the brandish of the staff a cloud of dust arises
Carried by the desert winds and turning into lice

Harming none in Goshen, infecting with their woe
A gathering of vermin collide against the Hebrew's foes

G-d presents severity like never seen before
His words to Moses rumbles like the distant thunder roar

The pestilence and sickness that stroke the heathen fold
Are the labour pains of freedom taking out their toll?

Storming down with holy anger
Rain of fire destroys all
Unending swarms of G-d sent furies
Covering the suns in whole

(Aaron:)
[Hebrew text]
('Thus saith the lord G-d of Israel, let my people go, that they may hold a feast Unto me in the wilderness')

(Pharaoh:)
[Hebrew text]
('Who is the lord, that I should obey his voice to let the Israel go?')

(Aaron:)
[Hebrew text]
('The G-d of the Hebrews hath met with us')

(Pharaoh:)
[Hebrew text]
('Get thee from me! Take heed to thyself, see my face no more; For in that day thou see my face... thou shalt die!')

(Moses:)
[Hebrew text]
('My lord, master of the universe, Flesh and blood when he comes down to rage war, his ministers and servants surrounding him in all his glory. And you supreme king of kings, judge us for we are your servants and they are your allies. Come and rage war with hem, hallowed be the name of G-d... For ever and ever!')

The Pharaoh's heart was stubborn
But the grief was greater than his will
By taking every first-born
Entire Egypt chilled

[ These are Ten Plagues Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]