Words From Rabbi White

The Ba`al HaTurim points out that this is the only parasha in the Torah, beginning with parashat Shemot, which told of the birth of Moses, through the end of Sefer BaMidbar, where the name of Moses does not appear.

Now, the Ba`al HaTurim lived in the 13th and 14th centuries. None of the great classical commentaries that preceded him, such as Rashi, Rashbam, Nahmanides, or ibn Ezra, seem to have been concerned about this.

Yet the Ba`al Haturim was an extremely important scholar, so we must give proper consideration to his words. After all, as the son of the great Talmudic commentator, Rav Asher ben Yechiel, he is called Ba`al HaTurim after his great halachik work, known as the 4 Turim, where he codified all of Talmudic law.

Therefore, his observation deserves consideration.

According to the Ba`al HaTurim, the name Moshe is missing because in next week’s parasha, Moshe will plead with HaShem that if HaShem will destroy the Children of Israel, due to the sin of the golden calf, HaShem should blot out Moshe’s name from the Torah.  Well, HaShem listened to Moshe’s prayer: He did not destroy the people. And, of course, He did not blot out Moses’ name.

Nevertheless, a small remnant of Moshe’s plea with HaShem remains: Moshe’s name is missing from this one parasha of Tetsavveh.

But, why? After all, Hashem did listen to Moses’ pleading.  Perhaps this comes to teach us an important lesson for all time:  be careful of what you say.  You never know when something that you say (or write in Facebook) can come back to haunt you.

Shabbat shalom