“And God passed before him and called out … ” Exodus 34:6
Rabbi Yochanan stated, “Were it not for the fact that Scripture said it, it would be impossible for us to assert it. The Holy One wraps Himself in a tallit as prayer leader to show Moses the proper order of prayer for the Jewish people to perform to receive forgiveness for their sins. (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 17). Biblical commentator Rabbi Moshe Alshich (1) observes that the Talmud uses the verb perform rather than the verb recite. From this Alshich concludes that atonement and forgiveness are achieved not merely by the repeated recitation of the divine attributes but active emulation of these attributes in our interactions with others; always striving to elevate ourselves to a better, godlier, version of who we are and thereby drawing closer to God.
Shabbat Shalom –
Rabbi David M. Eligberg
1. Rabbi Moshe Alshich (1508–1593), was a prominent rabbi, and biblical commentator. Born in the Ottoman city of Adrianople, and studied in Saloniki including under Rabbi Yosef Karo, author of the “Shulchan Aruch”. Little is known of his life. Alshich follows Karo to Safed, Israel where he taught notable students including Rabbi Hayim Vital. Although Alshich belonged to the circle of the Kabbalists who lived in the city, his works rarely show any traces of the Jewish mysticism.
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