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The Divine Encounter at the Burning Bush
TANAKH
The direct and personal communication between God and Moses at the burning bush marks a pivotal moment of divine revelation. In the book of Exodus, Moses encounters a miraculous sight of a burning bush that is not consumed by the fire, leading to God calling out to him.
A messenger of יהוה appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?” When יהוה saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.”
Exodus 3:2-4
God's Radical Revelation
TANAKH
The story of the Exodus introduces a radical shift in understanding God, particularly through the often-mistranslated keywords God uses to identify Himself to Moses. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explores the profound implications of God's self-identification at the Burning Bush and its impact on Jewish theology.
Some measure of the radicalism that is introduced into the world by the story of the Exodus can be seen in the sustained mistranslation of the three keywords with which God identified Himself to Moses at the Burning Bush.
I Believe; A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible, Shemot; Faith in the Future 2
A Vision of Affliction
COMMENTARY
The theme of 'seeing' in the story connects Moshe's personal experiences to the collective suffering of the Israelites. The Book of Exodus recounts the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt and their liberation, led by Moses, and is foundational to Jewish history and tradition.
Finally there is the matter of recurring words. Most important is the telling use of “see,” from the loving gaze of Moshe’s mother (2:2), through to the auspicious glance of Pharaoh’s daughter (2:6), then to Moshe’s sympathetic observing of his brothers’ plight (2:11); all this seems to be linked to the episode at the Burning Bush, where God “is seen” by the future leader (3:2), and where the climax of this whole development takes place: God affirms that he has “seen, yes, seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt……
The Five Books of Moses, by Everett Fox, Exodus, Part I; The Deliverance Narrative 14
The Symbolism of the Burning Bramble
SECOND TEMPLE
The image of the burning bramble represents the resilience of those who suffer wrong, assured by God's providence that they will not be destroyed by their aggressors. Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, blends Jewish theology with Greek philosophy to present Moses as an ideal leader and lawgiver.
[67] For the burning bramble was a symbol of those who suffered wrong, as the flaming fire of those who did it. Yet that which burned was not burnt up, and this was a sign that the sufferers would not be destroyed by their aggressors, who would find that the aggression was vain and profitless while the victims of malice escaped unharmed. The angel was a symbol of God’s providence, which all silently brings relief to the greatest dangers, exceeding every hope.
On the Life of Moses, Book I 12:5
A Fire That Does Not Consume
HALAKHAH
The metaphor of a fire that does not consume illustrates the separation of physicality and spirituality, showing how the soul can remain lofty and unaffected by physical embodiment if properly guarded. In his 18th-century work, Shev Shmateta, Rabbi Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller uses this metaphor to explain the relationship between the soul and the body.
(Lamed) In order to satisfy the soul of the enlightened reader about this matter of separation – as at first glance, the heart of a person will [wonder] how such friends, the connection of which is ‘bound with thick ropes,’ can separate without any trace of the one remaining in his neighbor – I will say that this topic and its illustration was shown by the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moshe at the beginning of the Lord’s speaking to him. As it is written (Exod. 3:2-5), “He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed…
Shev Shmateta, Introduction 15
The Voice of Amram
MUSAR
G-d approached Moses using the voice of his father, Amram, to ensure Moses felt honored and connected to his lineage. Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horowitz’s 17th-century work, Shenei Luchot HaBerit, offers a unique perspective on Moses' initial prophetic experience.
I have already alluded to the Midrash which describes Moses as a טירון, private, in G–d's army of prophets at the beginning of his career when he experienced his first vision of G–d at the Burning Bush. G–d had said to Himself at that time: "If I appear to him with a thunderous voice, I will frighten him. If I approach him in a low voice, he will treat prophecy with scorn. So what did G–d do? He addressed him using the voice of Moses' father Amram. When thus approached, Moses responded by saying: הנני, "I am ready" (what does my father wish of me?) (Exodus 3,5)…
Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Vaera, Torah Ohr 27
The Three Signs Given to Moses
COMMENTARY
The three signs given to Moses were crucial in convincing both the Israelites and Pharaoh of God's power and addressing their doubts. Rabbi Yaakov Ettlinger, in his commentary on the Passover Haggadah, delves into the significance of these signs and their dual purpose.
At the burning bush, God gave Moses three signs to take back to Egypt to convince the people of Israel that he was God’s emissary. Moses used some of these signs when he first encountered Pharaoh. Rabbi Ettlinger now wonders how the use of these signs was different when they were performed before the people of Israel and when they were used in the presence of Pharaoh. He also suggests that the three signs also served to answer questions that must have occurred both to the people of Israel and to Moses. RMBG
Minchat Ani on Pesach Haggadah, Magid, First Fruits Declaration 23:1
Lessons from Humble Places
TALMUD
God's choice to reveal Himself in humble locations teaches us the profound value of humility. The Talmudic tractate Sotah discusses how God’s presence manifested in humble places, such as Mount Sinai and a simple bush, to convey lessons in proper behavior and humility.
Rav Yosef says: A person should always learn proper behavior from the wisdom of his Creator, as the Holy One, Blessed be He, disregarded all of the mountains and hills and rested His Divine Presence on the lowly Mount Sinai. And similarly, when appearing to Moses, He disregarded all of the beautiful trees and rested His Divine Presence on the bush (Exodus 3:2).
Sotah 5a:9
The Promise of 'EHYEH'
CHASIDUT
The divine name 'EHYEH' ('I will be') revealed to Moses signifies God's promise of redemption and the formation of the Israelites as His people. Rabbi Nathan of Breslov's Likutei Tefilot offers personal prayers and reflections that draw deeply on themes from Jewish history and scripture, including the significance of divine names.
I have come before You now, HaShem, to plead with You to help me through the power of Your great Name EHYEH — “I will be” — with which You revealed Yourself when You began to redeem Your children from Egypt. You wanted to make them Your people and remove them from the pollution of Egypt. You said to Moshe at the burning bush: “Tell this to the Children of Israel: EHYEH sent me to you.”
Likutei Tefilot, Volume I 6:3
The Thorn-Bush and Mount Sinai
MIDRASH
The connection between the thorn-bush (S'neh) and Mount Sinai reveals a deeper etymological and symbolic link in the story of the Torah's revelation. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a midrashic work attributed to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, explores the significance of Mount Horeb (Sinai) and its association with the thorn-bush where Moses encountered God.
Rabbi Elazar of Modein said: From the day when the heavens and the earth were created, the name of the mountain was Horeb. When the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed unto Moses out of the thorn-bush, because of the word for the thorn-bush (S'neh) it was called Sinai (Sinai), and that is Horeb. And whence do we know that Israel accepted the Torah at Mount Horeb? Because it is said, "The day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb" (Deut. 4:10).
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 41:5
The Divine Name Revealed
KABBALAH
The revelation of God's name to Moses is a pivotal moment in Jewish mysticism, highlighting the profound significance of divine names. The Zohar, a central text of Kabbalah from the medieval period, delves into the mystical aspects of God's names and their power, as revealed to Moses.
But when Moses came, that Name was once more sought after and mentioned. For when he was near the thorn-bush he straightway asked concerning that Name, saying, “and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?” (Ex. 3, 13). It was there that that Name was entrusted to the mouth of Moses.
Zohar, Pekudei 4:24
The Location of Moses' Encounter
COMMENTARY
The geographical and logistical context of Moses' encounter provides a deeper understanding of its significance and location. Chizkuni, a 13th-century Torah commentary, offers insights into the location of Mount Chorev, also known as Mount Sinai, and its proximity to Egypt.
חרבה, “near Mount Chorev;” this is about 3 days’ march from the border of Egypt, as we know from Exodus 5,3, where Moses asks permission for his people to offer sacrifices there to Hashem and he asks for them to be allowed to walk that distance, i.e. three days’ march. The reason why the Mountain is better known as Sinai, is because this is where the miracle of the burning bush, סנה occurred. (Ibn Ezra)
Chizkuni, Exodus 3:1:4
From Encounter to Tabernacle
COMMENTARY
The Shechinah's presence transitioned from Moses' initial encounter to the Tabernacle, symbolizing a continuous divine presence among the Jewish people. Jacob ben Asher, in his 14th-century Torah commentary, explores this transition and its significance.
ורצון שוכני סנה, “and by the favour of Him Who rested on the thorn bush.” This was when the Shechinah had his first encounter with Moses. This was also where he had spent many days (either receiving the Torah, or pleading for forgiveness for his people.) The thorn bush was at the bottom of Mount Sinai, or Mount Chorev as it is known also. Eventually, after the building of the Tabernacle, the Shechinah came to rest above the Holy Ark in that Tabernacle, i.e. over the encampment of the whole Jewish people.
Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 33:16:2
Moses' Divine Encounter
COMMENTARY
Moses' encounter with God is a moment of profound reverence and fear, marking his realization of being in the divine presence. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible provides a clear and engaging exploration of this pivotal event.
Moses removed his shoes and approached the bush, and then he heard the voice of God identify Himself: He said: I am the God of your father, Amram, and also the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses hid his face, as he was afraid to look at God. Once Moses became aware that God was revealing Himself in the flame in the bush, he ceased to gaze at the flame out of reverence for God. Alternatively, Moses feared that he would die. Indeed, in similar instances, the revelation of an angel caused individuals to fear that this vision was to be their last…
Steinsaltz on Exodus 3:6
God's Direct Revelation to Moses
TARGUM
The direct revelation of God to Moses is a foundational moment in Jewish history. The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Torah, provides additional context and explanations, emphasizing God's revelation to Moses.
AND the Lord spake with Mosheh, and said to him, I am the Lord who revealed Myself to thee in the midst of the bush, and said to thee, I am the Lord.
Targum Jonathan on Exodus 6:2
Landscape with Moses and the Burning Bush Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri), 1610–16
Landscape with Moses and the Burning Bush Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri), 1610–16

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