Fighting with the Samech Mem
WHEN THE SAMECH MEM CAME FOR MOSHE Except of a shiur given by Rav Eliezer Berland, shlita on Adar 7th, 5779, in Rehovot (based on the account in the Midrash Rabba, Devarim, Ve Zot HaBracha, 11:9.) HASHEM TOLD THE SAMECH MEM: > âGo, and bring Me the neshama (soul) of Moshe.â But Moshe didnât let him, and he said to the Samech Mem: âEither you get away from here, or Iâm going to bring you down. Iâll rip out all your horns, Iâll take your eyes outâ â Moshe knew how to take his eyes out. And the Samech Mem, the poor unfortunate thing, he went back up to Shemayim (heaven), and he said to Hashem: > âWhat can I do?! This man isnât letting me take his neshama away! I tried, and he wouldnât let me have it.â Hashem responded: âWHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, THAT HE âWOULDNâT LET YOU HAVE ITâ?! GO BACK DOWN, AND GET HIS NESHAMA. GO AND DO WHAT I TOLD YOU TO DO." So, he came down for a second time, and Moshe grabbed his staff and threatened him: âAre you going to get away from here? Iâll tell you again, either you beat it, or Iâm going to take your eyes out, and knock out your teeth, and take off your horns." The poor, unfortunate Samech Mem, he had some really amazing-looking horns. Poor thing. So, he starts to waver. Moshe says to him: > âYouâre still hanging around?â He grabs his staff again, and says: âDo you know that Moshe knows how to give you a good beating? I wouldnât be jealous of anyone, who would experience that.â The short version of the story is that Moshe gave him a blow to the head, and his two horns flew off, so now the Samech Mem has no horns left, and then he started to run away. BUT THIS DIDNâT HELP HIM! Moshe was very athletic, and he caught up with him, stuck his fingers in his eyeballs, and too his eyes out. So now, the Samech Mem is also blindâŚ. There is no more Samech Mem. From that day on, heâs blind, and anyone who wants to fight with him can now overcome him. Just blow on him hard, say, âfooâ, and thatâs the Samech Mem finished. THERE IS NO MORE SAMECH MEM. Adapted and translated from the Shivivei Or Newsletter.