Question: What did God ask Moses to remove when he spoke to him from the burning bush?
Answer: His sandals. (Exodus 3:5)
Comments: It seems natural that humans would eventually invent shoes to protect their feet. While shoes certainly serve a practical purpose, they may also possess a spiriutal dimension. Rabbi Moshe Chagiz reminds that after Adam's trasngression, the ground was cursed. (Genesis 3:17) As such, shoes provide a barrier between the individual and the cursed ground. Thus, it would make sense that when Moses encounters God, on Holy Ground, shoes would be unnecessary.
When God appears to Moses in the burning bush, the first divine command is to remove his sandals. The text does not state whether or not Moses complied, but it is assumed he obeyed.
Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." (Exodus 3:5, NASB)
In deference to this passage, there still exists a custom amongst certain chassidic groups to remove their shoes before approaching the gravesite of a holy person.
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