Moses the Greatest Prophet

(י) וְלֹֽא־קָ֨ם נָבִ֥יא ע֛וֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כְּמֹשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְדָע֣וֹ יְהוָ֔ה פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים׃ (יא) לְכָל־הָ֨אֹת֜וֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר שְׁלָחוֹ֙ יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְפַרְעֹ֥ה וּלְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו וּלְכָל־אַרְצֽוֹ׃ (יב) וּלְכֹל֙ הַיָּ֣ד הַחֲזָקָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל הַמּוֹרָ֣א הַגָּד֑וֹל אֲשֶׁר֙ עָשָׂ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Deuteronomy 34:10-12

(10) Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses—whom the LORD singled out, face to face, (11) for the various signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to display in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his whole country, (12) and for all the great might and awesome power that Moses displayed before all Israel.

1. According to Deuteronomy 34:10-12, what are three things that make Moses a unique prophet?
2. In your opinion, which one of these things is most impressive and why?

במדבר י״ב:ג׳

(ג) וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה ענו [עָנָ֣יו] מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ס)

Numbers 12:3

(3) Now Moses was a very humble man, more than any other man that was upon the face of the earth.

3. What does humble mean (look it up or write your own definition)?
4. In your opinion, how does being humble help Moses be a leader?

שמות ל״ג:י״א

(יא) וְדִבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ ...

Exodus 33:11

(11) The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, like a person speaks to their friend...

5. How do you speak differently to your friends compared with how you speak with strangers or adults you know?
6. In your opinion, what does Exodus 33:11 teach us about the relationship between God and Moses?

במדבר י״ב:ח׳

(ח) פֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה יַבִּ֑יט...

Numbers 12:8

(8) With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he is able to see the image of the LORD....

7. Think back to your prophet projects, when/how does God speak in riddles?
8. What do you think this means?
9. What is Moses able to "see"?

ויקרא רבה א׳:י״ד

(יד) מה בין משה לכל הנביאים?... רבנן אמרין: כל הנביאים ראו מתוך איספקלריא מלוכלכת, הה"ד (הושע יב): ואנכי חזון הרביתי וביד הנביאים אדמה. ומשה ראה מתוך איספקלריא מצוחצחת, הה"ד (במדבר יב):

Vayikra Rabbah 1:14

What is the difference between Moses and all the prophets?...All the other prophets saw through a dirty lens, . . . but Moses saw through a polished lens. . . .

10. Why is seeing through a polished (clean) lens better than seeing through a dirty lens?
11. In your opinion, what does the text mean when it says that Moses saw through a polished lens? What did he see?

שמות י״ד:ל״א

(לא) וַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּֽאֲמִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וּבְמֹשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ (פ)

Exodus 14:31

(31) And when Israel saw the wondrous power which the LORD had wielded against the Egyptians, the people were in awe of the LORD; they had faith in the LORD and His servant Moses.

12. According to Exodus 14:31, how does God's power inspire the Israelites to have faith in Moses?
13. Moses is only mentioned once in the entire Haggadah, and it is when the Haggadah quotes this verse. If Moses was such a great prophet (as the verses above demonstrate), why do you think (your opinion) Moses isn't mentioned more frequently as we tell the Passover story?