In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell looks into myths from different countries and centuries, and creates the monomyth, a general theory of heros and myths. Specifically, he spends half the book showing how the hero's path can be stereotyped. He also shows how this monomyth is remarkably similar to what psychoanalysis later discovered. Through this Campbell is able to show that the monomyth really is the human psyche and the hero is really every single one of us.
Because Campbell quotes it a couple times, I kept of thinking how the Bible fits into this monomyth. Whenever I have dealt with stories that are very similar to stories in the Bible, e.g. the creation of the world and the flood, the question is not only how they are similar to the Biblical account, but also how they are different. It is in these differences that the message lies. If we know how the story should have gone in general we can see what G-d decided to change, and try and figure out for ourselves why it was changed.
In one section, Campbell looks at Moses as a hero. I would like to try to go through the hero part of the monomyth and see how it fits, and doesn't fit, with the story of Moses as the leader of Israel. First, there is a call to action. Moses certainly has this at the burning bush when G-d comes to him. This fits well with the monomyth as the hero is usually called by a mythical herald, normally a leprechaun or some other creature. Here it is a burning bush. As expected Moses has a refusal of the call. However, the outcome of this refusal is extremely different. Rather than being thrown to the abyss as many heros are, Moses is convinced to do his job. Usually heros deny their destiny for selfish reasons. They then need to go through trials and tribulations to see their true purpose. Moses does not have this same motive (at least based on the Midrashic literature), his refusal to go is a humble argument of feeling inadequate. As he begins his quest the hero is given supernatural aid, usually in both the form of creatures and mythical objects. Moses is given signs but his aid is not a creature but Aharon his brother. As he leaves the hero crosses the first threshold. Here the hero is threatened by a mythical creature whom he defeats by adhering to his tradition, which is his first test on the long road. I found it incredible how this fits in with the Moses story. On the way, seemingly inexplicably, G-d tries to kill Moses. This fits the monomyth well, but instead of Moses beating the challenge, it is his wife Zippora that circumcises their son to adhere to tradition. This difference from myth could be a vital one. Rather than having supernatural aids on his journey, Moses' brother and wife are the ones to help him. This is perhaps the first lesson we can take from the differences in the Bible of the importance of family and the family unit. Rather than being alone to pass the trials Moses has his family as backing because that is how we are supposed to live our lives.
After this the story gets even more weirdly related to the monomyth. The pattern follows but mostly with the entire Jewish people and not just with Moses. The people go through a road of trials rather than it being Moses alone. With all the miracles and eventually at Mount Sinai, the entire people have a "meeting with the godess". In this meeting usually the hero dies and comes back to life. In the text this seems to only happen to Moses (he is up there for 40 days without food or water), but the Midrash adds that each person died when they heard G-d's voice. When the hero meets the godess, he is also supposed to face a temptress who usually takes him off the path. Again, this not only happens with the Jewish people, but it doesn't even happen with Moses at all. Afterwards, the "father" atones the hero. This happens for the entire people and we commemorate this every year on Yom Kippur. Interestingly, the way the hero gets atonement is by explicitly believing in the father's mercy. Perhaps this is part of the "secret" of the 13 attributes of G-d's mercy. By believing and actively saying G-d is merciful, we subjugate ourselves admitting we need his mercy as the hero needs to do. After this is apotheosis, where the hero is transformed. This happens most with Moses with his newly glowing face but it also happens with the entire nation which is transformed into G-d's nation with the new covenant.
There is a lot more to the hero's journey but I think at this point it is clear. The Moses story continues to follow the paradigm but not as a singular hero but as a hero nation that succeeds as a people. Maybe this is because our focus should not be on the singular character of Moses. Rather it is all about the Jewish people. It is the nation that is vital, and Moses needed to take arole but it is not his story that it is important but the nation's story and the family story. When we discuss this story every year, Moses is absent, and maybe this is why. We follow the general mythology but dont agree that it is the hero that we should be keeping with. Additionally, the grave of the hero in mythology is usually prayed at and idolized. Here we don't know where Moses was buried because it is not him that is the focus it is the nation he served.
In this way we can all become heros. If we are able to do what is needed for our nation, not because of our own glory but to serve, each and everyone of us can be heros in our own right. Especially now the thousand faces of the Israeli soldiers in war now are all mythological heros by fighting for their family and for their nation.
