Moses tablets By Phillip Ratner
This is the clarity we need in order to fulfill our destiny, and this clarity is the full awareness of Love as our true identity, Love as the Divine Essence that created us: “Indeed, You showed love for peoples; all his holy ones (of Israel) are in Your hand, for they let themselves be centered at Your feet, bearing Your utterances.” (33:3). We are holy when we are in His hands, in humbleness, being and manifesting Love’s ways and attributes.
“The Torah that Moses commanded us is a legacy for the congregation of Jacob.” (33:4), and this is the legacy that makes us who we are, it is our identity as the Chosen People, it is our identity as Jews. Choosing differently is not our legacy, and this is why we are warned so many times in the Torah against the nations’ idolatry, against believing and following the illusions and fantasies of the material world. This legacy is also about will and determination to fulfill Israel’s destiny, as Moses stated in his blessing to the tribe of Judah, the one that encompasses all Jews in present times: “O Lord, hearken to Judah’s voice and bring him to his people; may his hands do battle for him, and may You be a help against his adversaries.” (33:7). Willingness and determination are our attachment to G-d, and when we walk in His ways and manifest His attributes, what could be against? This blessing is about the commitment we make when we individually and collectively embrace the Torah’s legacy.
Moses’ blessing for the Levites reaffirms their role as the higher awareness of Divine Love, hence their guidance of the other levels of our consciousness from the Temple, the place where we are permanently connected to our Father: “They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your Torah to Israel; they shall place incense before You, and burnt offerings upon Your altar.” (33:10). The complete awareness of Divine Love in all aspects of consciousness is also the fulfillment of our destiny as children of G-d. This highest level was undoubtedly achieved by Joseph, therefore the sweetest blessing is bestowed in him and his descendents, the ones who follow his steps: “His land shall be blessed by the Lord, with the sweetness of the heavens with dew, and with the deep that lies below, (…) and with the sweetness of the land and its fullness, and through the contentment of the One Who dwells in the thorn bush. May it come upon Joseph’s head and upon the crown of the one separated from his brothers.” (33:13-16). It is indeed the sweetest blessing of all, the blessing of Love bestowed to the purest vessel for Love: humbleness. Moses mentions here the bush from where he had to take off his shoes, and it is through the contentment of Love that we face our Creator, because in the joy of His Love He created us.
“And to Zebulon he said: “Rejoice, Zebulon, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tents.” (33:18). Rashi remarks that while Zebulon trades in the seas, Issachar learns Torah in the tents, and they help each other. Moses’ blessing to both tribes highlights the cooperation that must prevail among all Israel. Each tribe is blessed with particular traits and qualities that complement each other in the unity that we must have as one people and one nation. This cooperation is to care for each other, and our diversity must be the foundation of our unity. This is one aspect of the Torah’s legacy that makes us different from the rest of the nations, which represent the lower aspects of consciousness and ego’s fantasies: pride, selfishness, egotism, envy, lust, indolence and other negative traits. Let’s keep in mind that the blessings received by each tribe are the blessings for all Israel, because in the blessing of each we are all blessed.
“Jeshurun, there is none like G-d; He Who rides the Heavens is at your assistance, and with His majesty, (He rides) the Heavens.” (33:26). The One who created us is also the One who sustains us, because His Glory covers all Creation, therefore there is none like Him. The last book the Torah ends reminding us again that it is Moses, our highest awareness of the Divine Presence in all Creation, who guards us from falling into the illusions and fantasies that we create for no reason. Mystic Sages say that those are the fantasies represented by the cult of Baal Peor: “And He buried him (Moses) in the valley, in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor” (34:6), thus Moses will always remind us not to fall in unnecessary fantasies. It is in the highest level of our intellect that we make a clear difference between ego’s fantasies and illusions, and Love’s ways and attributes. Still, the choice is only ours.
“And there was no other prophet who arose in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, as manifested by all the signs and wonders, which the Lord had sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and all his servants, and to all his land, and all the strong hand, and all the great awe, which Moses performed before the eyes of all Israel.” (34:10-12). This is the privilege of the humble ones like him: “Now this man Moses was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3), the empty vessel eager to be filled by our Father and be able to see Him and perform His miracles, so the rest of our levels of consciousness (all Israel) can see it and learn from Moses, our teacher.
