Shorty: How We Perceive Ourselves and What Can We Become — The Story of Moses

Comment: See also podcast: How We Perceive Ourselves and What Can We Become — The Story of Moses (Podcast)

When Jehovah approaches Moses, assigning him his life mission, to rescue the Children-of-Israel from the bondage of Egypt, or, more specifically, sending Moses to talk to Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt, modest Moses responds:

“…O my Lord, I am not an eloquent man, neither yesterday nor the day before, nor since thou have spoken to your servant, because I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue” (Exodus 4:10).

In other words, I am stuttering and therefore not fit for the job.

In the original Hebrew, “I am not an eloquent man”, is, literally:

“I am not a man of words (Devarim)”.

What is the greatest legacy Moses has left to human civilization, as a messenger of Jehovah?

The Ten Commandments.

How are these named in the Hebrew Bible?

Let us read the opening verse, prior to a detailed specification of the Ten Commandments:

“And God spoke all these words (Devarim) saying” (Exodus 20:1).

In other words, biblical Hebrew for the Ten Commandments is

Devarim

(a consistent reference throughout the Hebrew Torah, as shown in detail in an earlier post, here ).

The last book of Torah, the fifth book, is the book of Deuteronomy (attributed, in Jewish tradition, to Moses).

What is its biblical Hebrew name ?

Devarim

Humble Moses, who had initially reduced himself before God as “A man of no Devarim”, same Moses grew up during his life span to bequeath humanity, as a messenger of Jehovah, two of the greatest legacies of human civilization:

• The Ten Commandments (Devarim)
• Deuteronomy (Devarim)

One can only wonder at this amazing lesson Torah is delivering to us,

A lesson in human growth; A lesson in human hope.