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In the aftermath of the chet ha’egel, Hashem tells Moshe that Klal Yisroel is an “am kishei oref," a stiff-necked people. Therefore, he must send a malach to lead them, for if he were to bring his Shechinah directly into their midst, which cannot tolerate sin, he would end up annihilating them. The Torah then records a series of events that are somewhat puzzling. It details that Moshe Rabbeinu relocated his tent outside the machaneh and called it Ohel Moed, and all those who sought out Hashem would leave the machaneh to go to the Ohel Moed of Moshe. The parsha also describes how, when Moshe would go out to his tent, the entire nation would gaze after him from the doorways of their tents. Once Moshe arrived, the Torah notes that the amud h’anan would descend to the entrance of his tent and speak with him there. The entire nation would then rise and bow down, each person at the entrance of their tents. This parsha concludes that Hashem would speak with Moshe “panim el panim”, face to face, as one speaks with a friend; then Moshe would return to the camp.
The Malbim provides the background story to these events. He explains that what led to the chet ha'egel was Klal Yisroel’s desire for some form of intermediary they could turn to in order to direct their Avodas Hashem. As long as they had Moshe, he would serve as that intermediary; however, once they thought he had died and would not return, they created the egel to fulfill that role. Additionally, he clarifies that there are two levels of prophecy, nevuah. All other neviim, except for Moshe, received their prophecy through an intermediary, specifically a malach. Moshe Rabbeinu also initially operated at that level, which is why, at the burning bush, the Torah indicates that a malach appeared to him. However, as Moshe grew and found favor (chen) in the eyes of Hashem, he was elevated to a level where he received direct nevuah from Hashem, aspaklarya hameira, without any intermediary.
When Moshe saw that Hashem was removing His shechinah from Klal Yisroel as a punishment for the chet ha’egel, he realized that Hashem would also not appear to him directly as long as he was in the midst of the machane, or camp. He therefore moved his tent to an isolated place outside the camp. He called it Ohel Moed, literally a meeting place, because since it was outside of the machane, Hashem’s shechinah could reside there.
The Malbim describes how Klal Yisroel, having been rejected by Hashem, longed for a connection to kedusha. They stood and gazed at Moshe in order to be uplifted to higher levels of kedusha through him. Their desire for kedusha was so strong that even after Moshe passed by, they continued to look at his back. He cites the Gemara, which records that one of the Amoraim claimed he was greater than his friends because he saw Rav Meyer mei’achorav, from the back. Once Moshe reached his tent, and the Shechina appeared in the form of the amud h’anan to greet him, it remained at the entrance so that Klal Yisroel would have a place to direct their tefilos to Hashem. They bowed down in prayer toward the amud h’anan from their tents. The Malbim continues that the level of nevua of Moshe Rabbeinu was tied to the level of Klal Yisroel. Since they had sinned, Moshe Rabbeinu’s nevua should have been lowered from aspaklarya hameira to regular nevua. However, because Klal Yisroel displayed such a strong yearning to connect with Hashem through gazing at Moshe and their tefilos while bowing at their tents, Hashem did not lower Moshe’s nevua. That is why this parsha concludes by stating that Hashem spoke to Moshe panim el panim.
Every generation has its gedolim, and merely being in their presence offers an uplifting ruchniyus experience. May we be zoche, both personally and nationally, to be elevated by our gedolim and thereby live our lives on a higher spiritual level.
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
Mordy Goldman
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