Deuteronomy 9:18 - Moses fasts for Israel's sins

Context of the Verse

This verse (Devarim 9:18) is part of Moshe Rabbeinu's recounting of the events following the sin of the Golden Calf (עגל הזהב). Moshe describes how he prostrated himself before Hashem for forty days and nights, abstaining from food and water, to plead for the forgiveness of Bnei Yisrael.

Forty Days and Nights

Rashi explains that these forty days correspond to the first set of forty days Moshe spent on Har Sinai receiving the Torah (Shemot 24:18). Just as he abstained from food and drink during that time, he did so again when seeking atonement for the people. The Midrash Tanchuma (Ki Tisa 26) emphasizes that Moshe's complete fasting was a demonstration of his total devotion to the spiritual needs of Klal Yisrael.

Moshe's Self-Sacrifice

The Ramban notes that Moshe's statement "because of all your sins" highlights his role as an intercessor who took the people's sins upon himself. The Talmud (Berachot 32b) derives from this that a leader must be willing to undergo extreme hardships for the sake of the community's spiritual welfare.

The Power of Teshuvah

• The Sforno points out that Moshe's actions model the proper response to communal sin - sincere repentance and earnest prayer.
• The Kli Yakar emphasizes that Moshe's fasting paralleled the heavenly state, where there is no eating or drinking, showing his complete focus on spiritual matters.
• Rabbeinu Bachya teaches that the forty days correspond to the formation period of a fetus, symbolizing Moshe's efforts to "rebirth" the nation spiritually after their fall.

Lessons in Leadership

The Netziv in Ha'amek Davar explains that Moshe's willingness to suffer for the people demonstrated the ideal of a Jewish leader - one who identifies completely with the nation's struggles and takes responsibility for their spiritual condition. This stands in contrast to the Golden Calf episode where leadership failed the people.