A Lesson in Fear

Towards the end of the Torah portion of Chukat, Moshe sends messengers to Sichon, King of the Amorites, to ascertain whether the Jewish people would be able to pass through their land. Sichon refuses, leading his army to battle. The Jews emerge victorious, as Sichon and his army are defeated, and his land conquered. Up next was Og, King of Bashan (Bamidbar 21:33):

“Then they turned and headed north toward the Bashan. Og, the king of Bashan, came out toward them with all his people, to wage war at Edrei.”

If what happened to Sichon was a precedent, the fate of Og should have been sealed. Instead, we are witness to a strange message from God to Moshe (ibid 21:34):

“The Lord said to Moses, "Do not fear him, for I have delivered him, his people, and his land into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon the king of the Amorites who dwells in Heshbon.”

The story continues with Og and his army destroyed and land conquered.

Where does the Torah record this supposed expression of fear by Moshe? Nowhere. Yet it is clear Moshe was afraid of something. What was he afraid of? More importantly, how was it appropriate for him to be afraid at this point? After leading the Jews to victory over Sichon, why would he assume matters might be different with Og and his army?

There are two well-known Midrashim that offer solutions to the above problem, and they are cited by various commentators. One Midrash points us to a verse in Mishlei (28:14):

“Fortunate (ahsrei) is the man who is always afraid, but he who hardens his heart will fall into evil”.

Obviously, taking this literally is preposterous, as always being afraid precludes the ability to do anything else of value. The idea of Moshe’s fear must be of a more limited scope. The Midrash explains that this concept of “constant” fear is a trait of the righteous. Even though God has promised something to the individual, he cannot abandon the feeling of fear. The (classic) example cited has to do with Yaakov and his upcoming showdown with Esav. The Torah records Yaakov expressing fear, the logic being that he may have sinned during his dealings with Lavan. If such a sin took place, God’s plan would change and the promise rescinded. The Midrash draws us back to Moshe and his fear. Moshe’s concern was tied to the possible stealing of loot by the Jews during the conquest of Sichon and his land, or a possible recent sin committed by the Jews. God responds, assuaging his fear, promising Moshe that even though Og was a great warrior, he had nothing to fear. While we can understand the source of the fear, we must still ask if such a fear is reasonable. Mankind is not perfect, not by any means. The specter of sin is always present, and it would be impossible to expect a constant state of perfection from any human being. Was Moshe being reasonable in this situation?

The other Midrash, referenced by Rashi, alludes to the “history” of Og. While not recorded in the Torah, Og is presented by the Sages as someone who lived quite the long and adventurous life. He is traditionally known as the messenger who delivered the news to Avraham that his nephew, Lot, had been taken captive. Now, Og was leading an army to his borders, ready to attack the Jews. Moshe’s fear was tied to that initial interaction between Og and Avraham. Og’s message was responsible for Lot being saved, and Moshe feared the merit afforded Og for this righteous action might be an obstacle to a potential victory. Siftei Chachamim challenges this literal understanding of Og’s actions, citing a different place where Rashi considers the delivery of the message to Avraham one nefarious in nature. In truth, Og was trying to draw Avraham into battle against Lot’s captors. Assuming Avraham would be killed, Og could then marry Sarah. Nonetheless, even though his intentions were evil, there still might be a merit tied to the result. In this case, Lot being saved, regardless of what Og was thinking, was the source of Moshe’s fear. Putting aside how literal to take the history, Og clearly is not portrayed as a good person, and his aggressive attitude towards the Jews reflects a deep-seated hatred. How could Moshe believe Og was deserving of this merit?

In the first possibility, if taken literally, Moshe’s fear is attached to an extremely unrealistic expectation. Furthermore, the approach of always being fearful seems a bit difficult to comprehend. It would be more reasonable to assume a change in perspective between the episode of Sichon and that of Og. Og was known as a great warrior, an Achilles-type reputation that would give pause to any military general prior to initiating battle. The Jewish people had fought and defeated Sichon, and while it was possible there was some degree of Divine involvement, the Jews may very well have had the superior army. In other words, there was nothing about the battle that implied a necessary direct involvement by God. However, with the case of Og, Moshe realized there would be a greater challenge, requiring assistance from God. Once there is an “expectation” of Divine intervention, a thorough investigation is required. One cannot assume that because there is a need, God will respond. Creating a dependent relationship with God at our beckoning is a distortion of the highest magnitude. One must always be fearful when engaged in the arena of Divine intervention. Moshe saw this moment as very likely needing God’s assistance, but also understood there was no rationale to expect it. God reassures Moshe, that there is no need to fear. Yes, it is possible sin had taken place, but that would not create an obstacle to the Divine intervention.

The second Midrash is a bit more difficult to understand. Setting aside the history of Og, how can we understand Moshe’s fear? The point being made by Siftei Chachamim is critical to the entire approach. Of course, intentions are important when evaluating a person’s character. However, one must also consider the possible sanctification of God that results from the action. Yes, Og was not righteous, not by any means. However, the result of his message to Avraham was an opportunity to showcase to the world Divine justice as well as the proper attitude one person should have to another when in a plight such as Lot’s. We are able to appreciate several important ideas from this episode. As such, Moshe’s concern was well placed. People did not assume Og was a righteous person; rather, Og and his army being crushed by the Jews could be interpreted by some as a profaning of God. Og was indirectly responsible for an introduction of profound new ideas and concepts concerning God, and his death at the hands of the Jews might send a terrible message. Thus, Moshe’s fear was tied to the potential distorted outcome from the destruction of Og. God reassures Moshe, confirming that while the fear had a rational basis, there would be no profaning of God resulting from the battle.

The interpretations offered by the above Midrashim are critical to bringing forth the appropriate understanding of Moshe’s fear. What could be interpreted on a literal level as an almost sacrilegious expression of lack of faith was in truth a concern tied to a rational concept. As is the case with these instances throughout the Torah, the Sages help guide us to the deeper idea and a more profound comprehension of the proper attitudes we must have in our service of God.