Mousa Kalim-allah

Persian Jews were exposed to varied forms of anti-Semitism in Iran throughout the history. As a minimum, they were called najes (unclean), and to top it up, entire communities were forced to convert to Islam. You can read about it and many other fascinating topics of the Persian Jewish history in Esther’s Children, a project of The Center for Iranian Jewish Oral History. It is curious then, that the Iranian Moslems refer to the Jewish Prophet as Mousa Kalimallah (Moses, the one who spoke directly with G-d), acknowledging the fact that the prophet who had the closest encounter with the Al-mighty Himself was no other than Moshe Rabbeinu.

You may have seen the Hollywood version of this encounter many times, but given its track record, you may be easily persuaded to read the very original script of the encounter in last week’s Torah portion, Shemot:

... Moses tended the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, sheik of Midian. He led the flock to the edge of the desert, and he came to God's Mountain, in the Horeb area. God's angel appeared to [Moses] in the heart of a fire, in the middle of a thorn-bush. As he looked, [Moses] realized that the bush was on fire, but was not being consumed. Moses said [to himself], 'I must go over there and investigate this wonderful phenomenon. Why doesn't the bush burn?' When God saw that [Moses] was going to investigate, He called to him from the middle of the bush.

God: Moses, Moses!

Moses: Yes

God: Do not come any closer. Take your shoes off your feet. The place upon which you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.

Moses hid his face, since he was afraid to look at the Divine.

God: I have indeed seen the suffering of My people in Egypt. I have heard how they cry out because of what their slave-drivers [do], and I am aware of their pain. I have come down to rescue them from Egypt's power. I will bring them out of that land, to a good, spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, the territory of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Yebusites. Right now the cry of the Israelites is coming to Me. I also see the pressure to which Egypt is subjecting them. Now go. I am sending you to Pharaoh. Bring My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.

Moses: Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? And how can I possibly get the Israelites out of Egypt?

God: Because I will be with you. Proof that I have sent you will come when you get the people out of Egypt. All of you will then become God's servants on this mountain.

Moses: So I will go to the Israelites and say, 'Your fathers' God sent me to you.' They will immediately ask me what His name is. What shall I say to them?

God: I Will Be Who I Will Be [is My name]. This is what you must say to the Israelites: 'I Will Be sent me to you.' You must [then] say to the Israelites, 'YHVH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, sent me to you.' This is My eternal name, and this is how I am to be recalled for all generations. Go, gather the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'YHVH, the God of your fathers, appeared to me - the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He said, 'I have granted you special providence regarding what is happening to you in Egypt. I declare that I will bring you out of the wretchedness of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Yebusites - to a land flowing with milk and honey.’

They will take what you say seriously. You and the elders of Israel will then go to the king of Egypt. You must tell him, 'YHVH, God of the Hebrews, revealed Himself to us. Now we request that you allow us to take a three day journey into the desert, to sacrifice to YHVH our God.' I know in advance that the Egyptian king will not allow you to leave unless he is forced to do so. I will then display My power and demolish Egypt through all the miraculous deeds that I will perform in their land. Then [Pharaoh] will let you leave. I will give the people status among the Egyptians, and when you all finally leave, you will not go empty-handed. Every woman shall borrow articles of silver and gold, as well as clothing, from her neighbor or from the woman living with her. You shall load this on your sons and daughters, and you will thus drain Egypt [of its wealth].

Moses: But they will not believe me. They will not listen to me. They will say, 'God did not appear to you.'

God: What is that in your hand?'

Moses: A staff.

God: Throw it on the ground.

When [Moses] threw it on the ground, it turned into a snake, and Moses ran away from it.

God: Reach out and grasp its tail.

When [Moses] reached out and grasped [the snake], it turned back into a staff in his hand.

God: This is so that they will believe that God appeared to you, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Place your hand [on your chest] inside your robe.

When [Moses] placed his hand in his robe and removed it from his chest, it was leprous, [as white] as snow.

God: Place your hand in your robe again.

[Moses] placed his hand [back] into his robe, and when he removed it from his chest, his skin had returned to normal.

God: If they do not believe you, and they do not pay attention to the first miraculous sign, then they will believe the evidence of the second sign. And if they also do not believe these two signs, and still do not take you seriously, then you shall take some water from the Nile and spill it on the ground. The water that you will take from the Nile will turn into blood on the ground.

Moses: I beg You, O God, I am not a man of words - not yesterday, not the day before - not from the very first time you spoke to me. I find it difficult to speak and find the right language.

God: Who gave man a mouth? Who makes a person dumb or deaf? Who gives a person sight or makes him blind? Is it not I - God? Now go! I will be with your mouth and teach you what to say.

Moses: I beg you O Lord! Please! Send someone more appropriate!

God: Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he knows how to speak! He is setting out to meet you, and when he sees you, his heart will be glad. You will be able to speak to him, and place the words in his mouth. I will then be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and you will be his guide. Take this staff in your hand. With it, you will perform the miracles …

And with this encounter, Moshe Rabbeinu was tasked to save the Jews out of Egypt and to bring them to the borders of the Promised Land.

Let us hope that we will all be inspired to know and appreciate our greatest Prophet For an easy-to-read translation of the Torah, please consider the Living Torah, by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan