Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Double Call

וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר י״י֙ אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר.  Why the double terminology of ויקרא and וידבר and why repeat that Hashem spoke to Moshe twice and why does it not say the first time Hashem is calling Moshe?  The early Hassidic works (Toldot, Degel) bring on this possuk the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov and each one explains it in their own way. I will cite the English translation of the Toldot "The explanation of that which my teacher asked about that which the Sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Avot 6:2), "Each and every day a heavenly echo goes out from Mount Horeb, and announces, etc.": Either way, it is difficult. If it is impossible for anyone to hear this announcement – if so, why does the echo go out at all? And if it is possible to hear, what is the reason that it is not heard? For if a person were to say that he heard it, he would be condemned as a false prophet! And he explained that 'there is no speech and no words' above; it is only in the realm of thought. If so, the thoughts of repentance that come to a man are from the announcement, etc. And (with relation to this teaching,) the words of the mouth of a sage are a charm."  Based upon this we can understand the possuk.  The first ויקרא it does not say who is calling.  It is not a voice one hears from the outside but rather his own thoughts.  It is the thoughts of teshuva that enter a persons' mind, heart and soul.  After a person starts to heed to the thoughts that have entered his head, then וידבר ה אליו, will a person merit to have Hashem connect to the individual.  מאהל מועד, Rashi says that no one else heard what Moshe heard.  Each indivduial connects to Hashem according to their own level and no one else can hear, no one else is on the same radio station. 

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