The Humble Light of Moshe: A Deeper Look at Parshat Beha’alotecha through Zerah Shimshon

In this week’s parashah, the Torah pauses its narrative to tell us something
astonishing: ְהָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה
עָנָו מְאֹד, מִכֹּל הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה — “Now the man Moses
was exceedingly humble, more than any person on the face of the earth”
(Bamidbar 12:3).

This pasuk appears in the middle of the episode where Miriam and Aharon speak about Moshe Rabbeinu—about his separation from his wife and his unique relationship with Hashem. The Zerah Shimshon, with his characteristic brilliance, asks: Why is this the moment that the Torah reveals Moshe’s supreme humility?

Miriam and Aharon had been discussing Moshe’s separation from his wife. Their argument was not malicious, but perhaps well-intentioned. They, too, were prophets, and yet they had not separated from their spouses. Why then did Moshe feel he needed to?

Zerah Shimshon suggests a line of reasoning behind Moshe’s decision: Before Matan Torah, Hashem commanded all of Israel to separate from their spouses for three days. Why? Because Hashem was going to speak to them. And one who is to receive nevuah must be in a state of ritual purity.

Moshe Rabbeinu, unlike other prophets, experienced nevuah constantly—at any time, without preparation. The Rambam (Yesodei HaTorah 7:6) explains: all prophetsrequire sleep, meditation, or dreams to receive prophecy—but not Moshe. Hashem
spoke to him “peh el peh” (mouth to mouth). Because of that constant readiness, Moshe needed to maintain permanent taharah, and thus separated.

But Miriam and Aharon didn’t see it that way. Perhaps they felt that Moshe’s greatness wasn’t from intrinsic superiority, but because he had been chosen as the representative of the people. Had another been chosen, they too would have gone to the top of Har Sinai.