(א) וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה הָיָ֥ה רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֛אן יִתְר֥וֹ חֹתְנ֖וֹ כֹּהֵ֣ן מִדְיָ֑ן וַיִּנְהַ֤ג אֶת־הַצֹּאן֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיָּבֹ֛א אֶל־הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽבָה׃
(1) Now Moses, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, drove the flock into the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
"Into the wilderness" can also be translated as: far away into the desert (Jerusalem Bible), to the edge of the desert (R. Aryeh Kaplan), behind the wilderness (Everett Fox), to the farthest end of the wilderness (J.H. Hertz).
What do these translations add to your understanding of where Moses is when he encounters the Burning Bush?
"Horeb" comes from the Hebrew root chet-resh-bet. It means waste, desolation and dryness. In this case, do you think the word refers to a physical or metaphysical place of desolation? Why?
How does this deeper understanding of the word Horeb help your understanding of where Moses is when he encounters the Burning Bush?
Why does Moses need to be in a lonely, sparse place for this encounter?
אחר המדבר. במדבר מיבעי אלא המשמעות שהיה משתדל להנהיג במקום שהוא יותר מדבר. ונמשך אחר מקום מדבר. והוא כדי שיוכל לההבודד ולחקור אחר אלקות וכדומה. ומשום זה. ויבא אל הר האלהים חרבה. שרועה אחר לא בא לשם משום שהוא מדבר שמם מחמת שהחורב ויבשת הארץ רבה שם. ואין שם כ״כ מרעה לצאן ג״כ. אבל הוא הנהיג את הצאן דוקא למקום שהוא יותר מדבר ואין שם רועה אחר. ומשום זה בא לזה המקום כשהוא לבדו:
Haamek Davar (Poland, 19th cent.)
The word wilderness is necessary. It's significance is that he (Moses) endeavored to drive (the flock) to the most remote place. He was drawn to a place that was remote. It was worthwhile that he be alone to probe Divinity and the like. Because of this (the text says), "and he came to Horeb, the mountain of God". Another shepherd wouldn't come there because it was a desolate wilderness. The land was wasted, dry and vast...But he (Moses) drove the flock to the place that was the most wild where no other shepherd would be. He came to this place to be alone.
How does Moses know he needs to be alone before he encounters the Burning Bush? Was it a conscious action on his part? Did something well up in his subconscious? Was God leading him to solitude? Did he have a spiritual practice already of seeking solitude for contemplation?
Why do you think Moses needed to be alone when he heard God's message in the Burning Bush?
When have you needed to be alone? What were "Burning Bush" moments in your life?
ומשה היה רועה את צאן יתרו. הוצרך להודיע שהיה רועה כי רוב הנביאים באו לידי נבואה מתוך הרעיה כי הנבואה צריכה התבודדות... כמ"ש (תהלים ח ד) כי אראה שמך מעשה אצבעותיך וגו' כי עי"ז תהיה כל מחשבתו במציאת הש"י עד אשר יערה עליו ממרום רוח ה', מה שאינו מצוי כל כך ביושב בביתו או בעושה איזו מלאכה אחרת בשדה, זולת הרועה היושב פנוי ברוב הזמנים.
Kli Yakar (Prague, 17th Cent.)
It was necessary to state that he was a shepherd because the majority of prophets receive their prophecy while shepherding. Prophecy requires solitude. As it is written in Psalm 8. "When I behold the heavens, the work of thy fingers..." By these means, his thoughts will (be preoccupied with) the emergence of God, may God be blessed, until he is (spiritually) awakened by Heaven and the spirit of God. This won't happen if he dwells in his house or if he does work other than in the field. It only happens for the shepherd who has a lot of unoccupied time.
Not only was the location important, but Moses's profession was important. Solitude isn't just about location. It's also about time. Without sufficient time prophets wouldn't be able to hear God's voice.
Most of us wouldn't claim to be prophets, but we might need space and time to hear God's voice and understand God's direction in our lives. Where, when and how do you listen for God?