This week’s Torah portion begins with the word, “Vaetchanan,” which means to beg or to plead. Moses pleaded with God in previous Torah portions, but it was always for the people’s sake. In this Torah portion Moses is pleading with God for his own sake. Moses is begging for his life!
This was the same Moses who never wanted the mission of leading our people from slavery towards freedom, and accepted this obligation out of his commitment to God. How could it be that he was arguably punished for not doing his job right?
Throughout our people’s journey in the desert, Moses and God were always there for each other. They debated with each other and comforted one another many times. At times Moses was the one that was strengthened by God, and at other times God was receiving support from Moses. They were definitely a team.
Given that Moses and God shared such a close and intimate relationship, it is not surprising that Moses had to educate the people that he was not God, that he was simply their human connection to God, who was their only true sovereign.
Perhaps God realized that things had gone too far. In order for the people to understand that a person cannot maintain any form of divinity, Moses needed to die. But what about Moses’ feelings? Moses and God had always spoken as one. Suddenly, God turns to Moses and says to him: Enough! Don’t speak to me anymore! How could Moses continue living, with the impression that he was not needed anymore?
The Midrash touches upon this nuance and sheds light on this disparity: “Yesterday Moses went up to heaven like an eagle. Now he seeks to pass over the Jordan and he is not able …” (Devarim Rabah). It seems as though God granted Moses a divorce. That alone would have been enough to kill him.
Everyone needs to feel needed and that they still have more to contribute. Though our strengths and weaknesses may change as we age, it is our obligation to find alternative roles in which all members of our community can remain fulfilled.
When a person is unable to contribute and is not being heard, that person may develop depression and their spark of life may fade.
I hope that we, as a community of many communities, can make a point to utilize our members for the sake of life and its holiness. It is a well-known fact that people can lose their will to live when they begin to feel that they are not needed. When people continue to feel needed and appreciated they tend to thrive and keep on going. Let us keep this sensitivity within us. Let us make sure that no one is feeling that their work is done. Lots of health.
(This column is a service of the Greater Pittsburgh Rabbinic Association.)
