Q&A: Moses our Teacher in the Prophets?
Moses our Teacher in the Prophets?
Question
What does the Rabbi think about the claim that Moses’ very existence is undermined by the fact that he is not mentioned in the Prophets that predate the Babylonian exile, even when they deal with the laws of the Torah and the foundational stories of the Jewish people? In these books: Habakkuk, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, Zephaniah, Micah, Nahum.
Answer
Dubious. Why should they mention him?
Discussion on Answer
It is precisely so that Moses won’t become Jesus… but after the cooling-off period it already comes in more. To this day, Moses our Teacher, peace be upon him, in my humble opinion is still mentioned less.
Isaiah also mentions Moses (Isaiah 63:11, with a double meaning).
Right. I remembered: “Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within him?”
That isn’t even really true. Jeremiah mentions Moses: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My soul would not be toward this people; send them away from My presence, and let them go out.”
Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah together are all of 3 pages in the Koren Tanakh for each book. Micah is 6 pages.
So your only remaining “proof” is from Isaiah and Hosea, and Hosea is also a short book.