Parshas Yisro: Rav Elyashiv Shlit"a - Moshe the Businessman Forgoes His Business
Before Matan Torah Moshe went up to Hashem. When he came down it says (Yisro 19:14), "Vayeired Moshe Min HaHar El Ha'Am; Moshe went down from the mountain to the nation.' The Medrash Yalkut Shimoni says we see from here that when Moshe came down he did not turn to his business nor did he go to his home, but rather he went straight from the mountain to the people.
Rav Elyashiv asks (Divrei Aggadah), "Exactly what kind of business did Moshe Rabbeinu have that the Medrash sings his praise that after he came down he tended Klal Yisrael and not his business?" He answers with the Rambam, who says that the reason why Chachomim yearn for Moshiach is not so the Jews be on top of the world, only so that they can be free to learn Torah and Chochma in order to earn Olam Haba.
"That being the case," says Rav Elyashiv, "Moshe's 'business' was to learn Torah and its Chochma in order to secure his eternal reward. Moshe, however, decided to forgo both the earthly pleasure and otherworldly reward. He gave up his personal spiritual ascent for the benefit of the people. When he came down from the mountain he did not seclude himself in his home and immerse himself in Torah. He went straight to the nation, to raise them and teach them Torah.
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