What are the connotations of "Venasata me'Hodcha alav"?
Rashi, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It refers to the radiance of Moshe's face, which he transferred on to Yehoshua.
Rashi #2 (in Divrei Hayamim 1, 29:25) and Seforno: It refers to the splendor of majesty ? to transfer his 'sovereignty' on to Yehoshua (by conferring upon him some task of authority already in Moshe's lifetime so that the people would already begin to show him respect - Seforno). 1
Rashi (in Divrei ha'Yamim 1, 29:25): And everyone would say that he is fit to rule. See also Ba'al ha'Turim.
Why did Hashem add the 'Mem' in "Venasata me'Hodcha alav"?
Rashi: It implies that Moshe should place only some of his radiance on Yehoshua, but not all of it - to teach us that Moshe's face shone like the sun, and Yehoshua's, like the moon. 1
Bava Basra 75a: The elders of that generation declared 'Moshe's face was like the sun, and Yehoshua's is like the moon. Woe to the shame! Woe to the embarrassment!?
Why did all of Yisrael need to hear when Moshe placed some of his radiance on Yehoshua?
Rashi, Ramban and Seforno (on Pasuk 19) 1 : Because that would encourage them to treat him with respect and with awe. 2
Targum Yonasan: So that they would then be willing to accept his authority.
Why does the Torah write "Lema'an Yishm'u" regarding the radiance and not "Lema'an Yir'u"?
Chagigah, 16b: Because if someone looks at a Nasi his eyes become dim. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 33.
Considering that Moshe was known to be the greatest Navi of all time, what was the shame if Yeshoshu'a was not on as great as him?
Torah Temimah: Because Yehoshua remained inferior even after Moshe, exceeding Hashem's instructions, placed both hands on Yehoshua, and conferred his rediance upon him generously. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: Based on the Gemara in Succah, 28a, which describes how Hillel had thirty Talmidim who were worthy of the Shechinh resting on them like Moshe Rabeinu, thirty who were worthy of stopping the sun, like Yehoshu bin Nun and twenty Beinonim, the Zekenim bemoaned the fact that the drop was so extreme - that Moshe's successor was not even on the level of a Beinoni. 2
The Gemara says in Bava Basra (75a) that the elders of that generation declared 'Moshe's face was like the sun, and Yehoshua's is like the moon. Woe, to that shame!' Why did only the elders say this?
Kol Eliyahu: One could think that Moshe was at a higher level because he was older, and when Yehoshua gets older, he will be like Moshe is now! It was only the old people who knew Moshe in his youth, who realized that Yehoshua was not like Moshe was at that age. 1
The Ibn Ezra and Ramban (Shemos, 33:11) imply that Yehoshua was fifty-six about the time of Matan Torah - twenty-five years younger than Moshe.. If so, one did not need to be so old to compare them! However, Moshe was not in Egypt from the age of twelve (Shemos Rabah 5:2), until he returned sixty-eight years later, so only very old people could compare them. (PF)
