What was Moshe thinking when he asked Hashem to erase him from His book? I began writing an article, based on Sforno, which turned into 90% of a written shiur. I hope you still find it insightful!
Hashem says to Moshe that even if you diminish your merit that doesn't make you a sinner and you still have a place in the book. Or, I prefer this one, Moshe's willingness to diminish himself in order to save more people is actually a credit to him and increases his merit rather than detract from it.
Ooh, I like both approaches! I can see why the second is more appealing, but I think I like the first because it's a more conservative reading. Thanks!
I thought about this over Shabbos as well, and it certainly DOES seem like that. I just don't know why Hashem INITIALLY responded with the rhetorical question, which Sforno and R' Elia seem to think was a rejection of Moshe's insistence on the "erasing my merits" part of the plan.
Perhaps something like this:
Hashem says to Moshe that even if you diminish your merit that doesn't make you a sinner and you still have a place in the book. Or, I prefer this one, Moshe's willingness to diminish himself in order to save more people is actually a credit to him and increases his merit rather than detract from it.
Ooh, I like both approaches! I can see why the second is more appealing, but I think I like the first because it's a more conservative reading. Thanks!
So I read this over Shabbat and it seems based on the explanation given that Hashem's response was His way of accepting Moshe's proposition.
I thought about this over Shabbos as well, and it certainly DOES seem like that. I just don't know why Hashem INITIALLY responded with the rhetorical question, which Sforno and R' Elia seem to think was a rejection of Moshe's insistence on the "erasing my merits" part of the plan.
Ah I see - that is a good point. More thinking to occur from me!