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“And now if I have indeed found favor in Your eyes, make Your way known to Me.” (33:13)

Moshe implored Hashem to explain to him the meaning of finding favor in Hashem’s eyes. Moshe sought to understand the manner in which Hashem rewards those who adhere to His precepts. According to the Talmud Berachos 7a, Moshe was referring to the age-old question of, “Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?” This question has fascinated many a human being and, truthfully, its answer is beyond human comprehension. Indeed, no answer would suffice for those who choose to question. The believer, however, accepts the challenge of dealing with this issue by addressing it through the vehicle of emunah,…

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“And the people saw that Moshe delayed in descending the mountain, and the people congregated around Aharon and said to him, ‘Rise up, make for us gods that will go before us….This is your god, O’ Yisrael, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.” (32:1,4)

Klal Yisrael’s reaction to Moshe Rabbeinu’s apparent delay returning from Har Sinai has concerned Chazal. The commentators attempt to explain Klal Yisrael’s ingratitude. Chazal compare the revelation at Har Sinai to a wedding between Hashem Yisborach and Knesses Yisrael. Does such an exalted relationship deteriorate simply as a result of lateness? Why were the people so impatient? Do we expect patience only of others but not of ourselves? The consensus of opinion is that either a misunderstanding existed regarding the time of Moshe’s return, or, as Chazal relate, the Satan “showed” Bnei Yisrael that Moshe’s body was being carried in…

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“When you take a census of Bnei Yisrael according to their numbers, every man shall give an atonement for his soul.” (30:12)

The census of Bnei Yisrael was accomplished by taking a half-shekel coin from each person and then counting the coins. Bnei Yisrael used the proceeds of this collection to purchase the korbanos tzibbur, communal Mizbayach offerings. While the collection of funds was associated with a census, the Torah does not mention any specific reason for the actual census. It certainly was not needed for military purposes, as was the case later in the time of Shaul Ha’Melech and David Ha’Melech. We must, therefore, accept the explanation that Rashi suggests in the beginning of Sefer Bamidbar. He posits that Hashem counts…

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