Why "לא ידענו מה היה לו" if they saw his bier?

Question

My kid asked:

Ki Sisa 32:1 says that, when Moshe didn't return from Mount Sinai when the people expected him to, they said "this man Moshe who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him". Rashi comments that "this" means that they saw Moshe: specifically, [as Shabas 89 amud 1 makes more explicit,] that the satan showed them Moshe's corpse being borne.

Why, then, did they say "we don't know what has become of him"? They (thought that they) knew what had become of him: he had died.

@mevaqesh, I don't see how that helps. But if you can explain it, perhaps post an answer. — msh210, Feb 28 '16 at 19:26

msh210 · Answer 1 · 2016-03-29T12:02:39.180

1

The Maharsha (Chidushe Agados to Shabas 89) says that they had a slight doubt whether, perhaps, the image they saw of Moshe was actually an act of the satan's.

edited Mar 29 '16 at 12:02

answered Feb 28 '16 at 05:41

msh210

73,729
12
120
359

1

Does Maharsha provide any support for his assertion? (eg. a linguistic oddity in the Midrash) – Double AA Feb 28 '16 at 05:47
@DoubleAA, not there. – msh210 Feb 28 '16 at 06:28

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 30 '16 at 00:37

0

The lashon of the passuk is odd, ki zeh Moshe ha'Ish. It should say ki zeh ha'Ish or ki Moshe eineno (or similar).

The implication is they were grappling with the idea of mortality, this man Moshe who represents mortals in the heavenly sphere.

Showing his bier may therefore be an indication that his corporeal self had been left behind in which case he could no longer lead them.

answered Mar 30 '16 at 00:37

pcoz

2,020
8
12

Interesting idea. Is it your own? – msh210 Mar 30 '16 at 02:03

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 03 '16 at 22:03

0

Shemos Rabbah 41:7 says that when satan showed them Moshe, Hur (the son of Caleb) arose and rebuked them:

רבנן אמרי השטן מצא את ידיו אותה שעה, שהיה משה נראה תלוי בין השמים והארץ והיו מראין אותו באצבע ואומר: כי זה משה האיש. אותה שעה עמד עליהם חור ואמר להם קציעי צואריא, אין אתם נזכרים מה נסים עשה לכם הקדוש ברוך הוא, מיד עמדו עליו והרגוהו.

According to my reading, it seems that after receiving this rebuke (and had killed him), they were still in doubt if what they saw was true or not, so they said "we don't know what has become of him".

answered Apr 03 '16 at 22:03

Renato S. Grun

6,914
1
21
57

I don't understand the relevance of this midrash to your reading of the verses. Or is that your reading of this midrash itself? How do you read that in it? – msh210 Apr 03 '16 at 23:31
I believe it's relevant b/c IMO the midrash brings out Caleb's rebuke against the view of Moshe's death shown by satan and this would may suggest a remaining doubt of the people whether it really had happened or not, and consequently, the reason why they possibly said לא ידענו מה היה לו . – Renato S. Grun Apr 04 '16 at 00:10

Why "לא ידענו מה היה לו" if they saw his bier?

3 Answers3