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Get StartedMoshe's Benevolent Chutzpah (Part 1 of 2)
Being Brave Enough To Change God's Will
In this week's parsha, the Jewish people commit the worst sin possible – worshiping a false god – right after God gives them the Torah on Mt. Sinai. In this video, Rabbi Fohrman asks us about a bizarre question that Moshe asks God, "Why, God, should you be angry at your people?"
Moshe’s negotiation with God in the aftermath of the Golden Calf is an extreme example of prayer changing God’s will. Moshe passionately argued with God over His decision to wipe out the Israelites, and shockingly, God listened. Where did Moshe get the chutzpah to tell God what to do – and why did God agree?
Join Rabbi Fohrman as he shows what it was about this prayer that caused God to change His will, and reminds us that God and the nation of Israel are attached by destiny. Then, listen to the epilogue, where Rabbi Fohrman compares the text of the Golden Calf to the story of the flood and asks what it truly means to be a man of God.
Rabbi David Fohrman
Founder and Lead Scholar
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