Parshas Zos HaBracha 5776

Who is the King in Jeshurun?

The Torah writes (Deutoronomy 33:5):

And there was a king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people were gathered, All the tribes of Israel together.

Rashi (ibid) learns this is G-d (based on Talmud Rosh Hashanah 32b):

And He was: i.e., the Holy One, blessed is He

The Zohar (as cited in Sefer Shaarei Aharon), says this refers to the Messiah

Midrash Rabbah (Shemos Rabbah, end of chapter 2) learns this is Moses:

Nevertheless, Moses was privileged to both [Priesthood and Kingship] ... Kingship for it is written: "And there was a king in Jeshurun"

(see also Ibn Ezra on Genesis 36:31, and Rambam on Mishnah Shevuot 2:2)

Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (ibid) learns that this refers to future Jewish kings

Where was Moses Buried?

The Torah writes (Deutoronomy 34:6):

And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor; and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

According to the Mishnah (Avoth 5:6), his burial place was created before hand:

Ten things were created on the eve of the [first] Sabbath at twilight ... And some say: Also the destructive spirits, And the burial place of Moses, our teacher, And the ram of Abraham, our father.

(see also Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer 19:1 and Talmud Pesachim 64a)

Josh Waxman's parsha blog cites the Chizkuni (ibid):

Three identifiers were provided about the place of Moses's burial:
   1. It says - "in a valley".
   2. This valley is in "the land of Moab".
   3. And this place is opposite "Beth-peor".
And with all of these, no one knows his place which teaches us that he was not buried by humans

Josh Waxman also cites Rabbi Elazar miGirmiza (ibid):

There are 5 couples buried in the Cave [of Machpelah] - 3 are known and 2 are hidden. The known ones are Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. The hidden ones are Adam and Chava, and Moses and Tziporah.

[Published at parshapeople.blogspot.com]