No Cult

The message of this week’s Parsha, תצוה, is to avoid cultism. This is the only Parsha from the beginning of שמות until the end of the Torah that Moshe’s name is not mentioned.

He asked for his name to be removed from the Torah if Hashem would not forgive the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf.

This Parsha usually coincides with Moshe’s birthday on the seventh of Adar. His name does not appear in the Pesach Haggadah, either.

Rabbi Twerski wrote that the reason for this was to prevent the people from deifying Moshe. He was not to be worshipped.

People that are drawn into cults are people of low self esteem. They tend to be most vulnerable to cultism. They can easily elevate people to godhood.

The עירב רב, mixed multitude were similar to a cult. They instigated the sin of the Golden Calf by saying, אלה אלוקיך ישראל, “This is YOUR god, Israel.” The people were weak and succumbed to the עירב רב.

The Torah recognized this vulnerability, and was careful with Moshe Rabbeinu. Jews were meant to honor their leader, not worship him.