Parshat Shelach

2001

The Power Of Forgiveness

Moshe sends representatives from each tribe to survey the land as spies. The spies return frightened and bewildered and rebellious. God is furious and wishes to punish them. Moshe rushes to the defense of his people. God cools down and acquiesces to Moses' plea. Read the following verses:

Exodus 14:11-23

How long will this people scorn me? How long will they not trust in me, despite all the signs that I have done among them?

12 Let me strike it down with pestilence and dispossess it, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier (in number) than it!
13 But Moshe said to YHWH: When they hear (about it), the Egyptians, that you brought up this people with your power from its midst,
14 they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you are YHWH in the midst of this people, that eye to eye you were seen, O YHWH, your cloud standing over them, in a column of cloud going before them by day, and in a column of fire by night-
15 should you put this people to death as one man, then will say the nations that have heard of your fame, saying:
16 (It was) from want of YHWH's ability to bring this people into the land about which he swore to them, and so he slew them in the wilderness!
17 So now, pray let the power of my Lord (to forbear) be great, as you have spoken, saying:
18 YHWH, long-suffering and of much loyalty, bearing iniquity and transgression, yet clearing, not clearing (the guilty), calling-to-account the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth (generation)-
19 pray grant-pardon for the iniquity of this people, as your loyalty is great, just as you have been bearing (iniquity) for this people from Egypt until now!
20 YHWH said: I grant-pardon, according to your words;
21 however, as I live, and as the Glory of YHWH fills all the earth:
22 indeed, all the men who have seen my Glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested me these ten times, by not hearkening to my voice:
23 if they should see the land about which I swore to their fathers!

Your Torah Navigator

1. Which of Moses' arguments convinces God to spare the lives of Israel?
2. Which argument do you find most convincing?
3. Do you find these arguments troubling in any way?

A Word

Midrash Hagadol (The Great Midrash) states, "Moshe began by mollifying the Holy One. He said: Master of the Universe, it seems like yesterday that you were mollifying me because of their sins with the golden calf, now I have to mollify you! 'Pray grant-pardon for the iniquity of this people' and the Holy One answered, 'I grant pardon according to your words.' One finds that sometimes the Holy One mollifies Moshe for the sake of Israel and sometimes Moshe mollifies the Holy One for the sake of Israel."

First, while Moshe was still on the mountain he had to beg God to spare them for their sins. Second, Moshe, when he finally sees what has happened he cleans house, but the job has left him exhausted and beleaguered. It is then that God consoles him and shows him that while individuals must be punished, the nation must be consoled and forgiven. The Midrash understands this as being significant -- after the dust settles from the fallout of sin and betrayal, the next step is forgiveness and consolation. The Midrash understands that the Holy One is witnessing whether Moshe, the leader of a recalcitrant people has internalized this message. Before, Moshe begged forgiveness before he had witnessed the sin of the Golden Calf. In this case, he begs for forgiveness after the spies had reported. It is not clear in the case of the Golden Calf whether Moshe would have advocated for his people after the fact. It is clear, however that he has internalized God's message and has grown to love his people even when they are most disappointing. Moshe affords the opportunity to begin again, anew, by begging for pardon. The Holy One finds his advocacy irresistible.

Prepared by Rabbi Avi Weinstein, Director Hillel's Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Learning.