
Book Two – Exodus
Parashat Shemot
פרשת שמות
שמות Exodus 1:1 to 6:1
This opening chapter sets the scene for the confrontation between the Divine Power and the Power of the State in the guise of Pharaoh.
Chapter 1, verses 1 through 8 – Thing take a turn for the worse for the Israelites
The Israelites were very prolific, so much so that the Egyptians were faced with a serious demographic problem. We are not told to what extent the Israelites integrated into Egyptian society or the degree of their personal interactions. Did they remain “a people apart”?
Jacob’s generation died out and a new king was on the throne ”who knew not Joseph” (ויקם מלך חדש על מצרים אשר לא ידע את יוסף), perhaps due to a palace coup or external invasion. The Egyptian people probably remembered how Joseph reengineered Egyptian society during the years of famine, reducing the farmers to serfdom. Possibly, they may have also resented the Israelites privileged class granted under the previous Pharaoh.
Verses 9 through 22 – The Israelites are enslaved; murder of the newborn males
The Israelites were enslaved. There was even an attempt to reduce their numbers through genocide that is thwarted by the two midwives to the Hebrews. This begs the question as to how a people that became so numerous and spread out over Egypt could be served by only two midwives. Midrash has the two midwives, named in the Torah as Shifrah(שפרה) and Puah(פועה) , as actually being Mariam, Moses’ sister, and Yocheved (יוכבד), Moses’ mother but there is nothing in the Torah to support this.
Note verse 22: “Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying ‘Every boy that is born you shall throw into the Nile’ …”. From the wording, it appears to mean that Pharaoh even commanded the Egyptians to kill their newborn sons, not just the Hebrews! Some commentators, including Rashi have postulated that this severe order was due to a prediction by Egyptian astrologers that a savior of the Hebrews (either Hebrew or Egyptian) would soon be born and so all must be killed as a preventive measure. Does this have echoes of a future time and King Herod’s supposed killing of the newly born that is the cornerstone of Christianity?
There is no mention of the oppressed Israelites calling out to G-d. Why was He silent? No reason for G-d permitting the enslavement is given in the Torah. Perhaps it was because this was the natural order of things during this period of history, at least in the Middle East.
Chapter 2, verses 1 through 10 – Birth of Moses and his apoption
Birth of Moses and adoption by Pharaoh’s daughter – Note that reason for placing the newborn in a basket and setting adrift is not given. Most likely in a desperate attempt to save him. Pharaoh’s daughter said to the Hebrew nurse (unbeknownst to her that she is the infant’s mother) “I will pay your wages”. Wages for a slave?
Pharaoh’s daughter (unnamed in the Torah, although a midrash gives her name as Batia (בתיה – daughter of G-d), named the child Moses or Moshe (משה), derived from the Egyptian language for “drawn out of water”. We are not told if his biological mother gave him a Hebrew name.
Verses 11 through 15 – Moses kills an Egyptian
Moshe went out from the court to see “his people”. To what degree did he identify with his kin? The Torah does not offer any clues as to the life of the young Moses in Pharaoh’s court. Was he seen as a foreigner? Did he have any previous interactions with the enslaved Hebrews?
When observing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, Moses first looked about him before interacting. Was he making sure that he would not be overseen before deciding to act, or hoping that there would be someone of authority to intercede, and only after determining that there was none, he acted?
Why did the quarrelling Hebrews expose Moses? After all, “he was on their side”. Perhaps they resented his privileged position.
Verses 16 to 25 – Moses flees to Median; G-d remembers his covenant
Moses seeks refuge in the faraway land of Median. As with Joseph before him, he apparently settled down and integrated into his new surroundings. He ingratiated himself with the local priest Reuel (רעואל). Further in the narrative, Reuel is variously referred to as Jethro (יתרו), Hovav (חבב), and Yeter (יתר). Moses was given one of his daughters, Zipporah (צפרה) as a wife. His eldest son is named Gershom (גרשם) which can be interpreted as coming from the roots “גר” (stranger) and “שם” (there). Moses said “I have been a stranger in a strange land” (גר הייתי בארץ נכריה). This may reflect his unease or perhaps frustration with his descent from living a privileged position in Pharaoh’s court to being a fugitive and now a herder, a position despised by the Egyptians.
Note the wording. “Their cry for help from the bondage rose up to G-d”. These is no indication that they cried out to G-d. Did they forget Him? “G-d remembered his covenant.” He needed to be reminded?! Most likely, G-d decided for his own reasons that it was time to end the bondage, most likely because his prophesied 400 years were up.
Chapter 3, verses 1 through 10 – Moses witnesses the burning bush; encounters G-d
Moses, now a shepherd for his father-in-law Jethro, is settled in Median. He was amazed to observe a bush that was burning and not consumed by the fires. His curiosity aroused, he turned to look and had his first encounter with G-d. G-d told Moses that He is aware of the sufferings of the Israelites. He has come to rescue them from Egypt and bring them into Canaan, a land of milk and honey. Moses shall be His messenger for the task.
Verses 11 through 15 – Moses is a reluctant protagonist
Moses was a reluctant protagonist. Why? And the name of G-d (אהיה אשר אהיה – “I will be what I will be”) – what does that mean? Perhaps this means that G-d does not want an argument here and a more correct translation would be “I am what I am” (there is no present tense for “to be” in Hebrew). Is this an indication that G-d or that our understanding of G-d is still evolving as circumstances warrant? This “name” does not appear in any other place in the Torah. In the next paragraph, Moses is instructed to tell the Israelites that YHVH sent him!
Verses 16 through 22 – Moses receives his mission from G-d
G-d charged Moses to assemble the elders of Israel and inform them that G-d is cognizant of what has befallen them in Egypt, and although Pharaoh will be opposed to letting them go, G-d will smote the Egyptians until Pharaoh relents. Further, the Israelites will not leave Egypt empty handed. Each woman shall “borrow” gold, silver, and clothing from their Egyptian neighbors and boarders (ומגרת ביתה). Some commentators have trouble rationalizing this possibly deceitful act. It is hard to imagine how a despised slave would have Egyptian neighbors, let alone Egyptian boarders.
Chapter 4, verses 1 through 9 – A reluctant Moses needs reassurance
Moses was still a reluctant hero and had reservations as to whether he will be believed. G-d had Moses perform three miraculous acts (or perhaps magic tricks) that should serve to convince the elders that he speaks the truth.
Verses 10 through 18 – Moses still reluctant, G-d dispatches Aaron to be his spokesperson
Moses remained both fearful and full of doubts. He made excuses and rationalities to avoid being the messenger. “…slow of speech, slow of tongue…” (כבד פה וכבד לשון אנכי). Did he have a speech disorder or is it that he simply was not sufficiently conversant in the Hebrew or Egyptian languages? After all, he was raised to adulthood in the Egyptian court and so he probably did not have occasion to speak Hebrew. Also, as he had lived in Median for the past sixty years, he had probably either forgotten Egyptian or only retained a rudimentary knowledge of it.
Moses implored G-d to pick someone else. G-d became somewhat miffed at Moses, although he had a backup plan. His brother Aaron was on his way to meet him and will be his spokesperson. The Torah does not record how G-d summoned Aaron and what Aaron’s reaction was. A resigned Moses goes to take his leave of his father-in-law Jethro and to receive his blessing. He did not confess his true mission to Jethro, only that he wanted to see how his kinsmen are faring.
Verses 19 through 26 – Moses dispatched back to Egypt; strange incident at a night encampment
G-d assured Moses that the coast is clear for him and his family to return to Egypt.
Why will G-d stiffen Pharaoh’s heart? If he is deprived of free will, can he be truly guilty or responsible for his actions and worthy of punishment (the plagues)?
Verses 24 through 28 – Why the strange event at the night encampment? I have not encountered a convincing argument as to the significance of this incident, where G-d almost kills either Moses or one of his sons (it is not clear from the text), and the intended victim is only saved when Moses’ wife Zipporah circumcises one of Moses’ two sons. Not clear if this refers to the afore mentioned Gershom or a second son, Eliezer (אליעזר) who will only be mentioned once in the Torah (Chapter 18, verse 4). Some commentators speculated that the reason for this violent episode was Moses’ omission in not circumcising his younger son before setting out on the journey.
Verses 27 through 30 – Moses and Aaron meet the elders of Israel
Moses was united with his older brother Aaron. Both met with the elders of Israel as G-d had instructed and succeeded in convincing them that G-d is aware of their plight.
Chapter 5, verses 1 through 23 and Chapter 6, verse 1 – Pharaoh does not look kindly on Moses; increases the Israelites’ burdens
Pharaoh did not look kindly upon Moses’ reasonable request, perhaps sensing the stirrings of a slave rebellion that needed to be cruelly and decisively suppressed before it took hold. And so, he set additional burdens on the enslaved Israelites. Where previously they were provided with straw to make bricks, now they had to gather straw themselves but still produce the same quota of bricks. The Israelites turned upon Moses and Aaron. A chastised Moses turned to G-d to complain about the people’s added burdens, but G-d assures him that in the end Pharaoh will be forced to let the Israelites go.
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