Avivah Zornberg: Moses: The Story of a Human Life

Moses' fundamental sense of himself as “not a man of words” culminates poignantly in the long speeches he makes before his death, especially in his expressed desire to “cross over to the other side” of the Jordan River. What is his purpose in these speeches, particularly in his narrative about crossing over? We read midrashic, hassidic and other critical material that raise questions about the movement of desire, and about transitions, transmissions and transferences.