RAV KOOK ON Shemot Part 1: Moses Hid His Face

During Moses’ first prophetic revelation, he covered his face, afraid to look directly at this holy sight. Was his response an appropriate display of awe and reverence? Or did it reflect a flaw in Moses’ personality, a sign of unwarranted timidity? This question is the subject of a Talmudic disagreement in Berachot 7a. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha noted that, later on, God would inform Moses, “You will not see My face” (Ex. 33:23). In effect, God told Moses: “When I wanted [at the burning bush], you did not want. Now that you want, I do not want.” Moses had missed an extraordinary opportunity when he turned away from the burning bush. Because of his failure to strive for greater enlightenment, at Mount Sinai he would only merit a lesser prophetic vision. Rabbi Yochanan, on the other hand, argued that Moses’ action was praiseworthy. As reward for humbly hiding his face, Moses merited that his face would shine with a brilliant light as he descended from Mount Sinai (Ex. 34:29).