Perhaps the lowest point in the history of the Jewish people occurred shortly after the Torah's revelation at Mount Sinai. Without Moses' leadership and guidance, the people turned to idolatry, worshipping a golden calf. Divine justice demanded that this terrible betrayal be punished severely, but Moses "pleaded before God" on their behalf (Ex. 32:11).
The word for 'pleaded' — 'va-yechal' — is not the usual expression for prayer. The Sages offered several explanations why the Torah used this particular word to describe Moses' prayer. Rabbi Elazar noted that 'va-yechal' shares the same root as choleh ('sick'). Moses prayed for the sake of Israel so intensely that he became ill from the effort.
According to Rabbi Eliezer the Great, the word 'va-yechal' even indicates the specific illness that afflicted Moses. Moses suffered from achilu, a fever in the bones.
Why should Moses' efforts for the sake of the Jewish people make him ill? What is the significance of a fever in his bones?
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