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Unklelus, in his Targum, as is fitting to his style, was not willing to equate the belief in Hashem that is described with the belief in Moshe. He translates: "They believed in the prophecy of Moshe, His servant." Hadar Zekeinim phrases it somewhat differently: "They believed that Moshe was Hashem’s servant and that everything he did was based on His command." The Ibn Ezra also explains that the belief was in Moshe’s relationship with Hashem.
The Alshich, on the other hand, said that already in Egypt, Bnei Yisrael believed in Moshe’s representation of Hashem. What changed at the Sea was that the multitude of other peoples who followed Bnei Yisrael believed in him.
According to each explanation, what changed further at Sinai? Rashi explains that there people began believing in prophets in general, besides Moshe. In other words, regarding Moshe, there was no need to strengthen belief. Ibn Ezra, though, said that there were many in Israel who believed that a spiritual being could not talk to a corporal being with the latter surviving. The Ramban sharply takes issue with this approach, saying that the offspring of Avraham would not doubt the existence of prophecy. The Ramban says that Moshe’s prophecy was strengthened so that if in some future generation, a "prophet" would say something that contradicted Moshe, Moshe’s word, which the nation witnessed, would prevail.
The Rambam (Yesodei Hatorah 8:1) said that the quality of the belief increased as a result of Sinai. The belief in Moshe was not based on the miracles he performed, for such belief carries some doubt as it can theoretically be performed by magic or sleight of hand. At Sinai, the people saw for themselves that Hashem spoke to Moshe, and therefore they would never come to doubt it.
It is fascinating, although not altogether surprising, that Moshe is viewed by hundreds of millions of people, from different religions, as a leading prophet. Of course, his centrality in Judaism, is at the very core of our belief.
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Various Events FOR WHOM NOT TO VOTE
Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook stressed that Israeli politics is G-dly, so I have no problem answering this common question on a Torani blog. Also, Free-Will is a G-d-given right and obligation, to "destine one's fate" (R. Soloveichik, Kol Dodi Dofek, 67), so I obviously don't tell others how to vote. But once not a few (especially young) have already asked, a couple of personal words from experience and thoughts from chazal & Rav Kook which may be of help to others, mainly for whom NOT to vote.
P'ninat Mishpat Fallout from Failure to Install Elevator – part II
based on ruling 85007 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
