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asher553ALIYAH 2 [Exodus 1:18 - 2:10] - MOSES IS RESCUED.
"Despairing of cooperation from the Hebrew midwives in his genocidal project, Pharaoh now enlists the entire Egyptian population in a search-and-destroy operation." (Robert Alter on 1:22, p. 216.) Moses' mother, Yokheved, places the infant Moses in a wicker ark (the Hebrew word for "ark" [tevah] is the same word used for Noah's vessel) and floats him down the Nile, where he is rescued by Pharaoh's daughter. Moses' older sister Miriam, looking on, approaches the Egyptian princess and asks to have Moses nursed by his own mother. Yokheved nurses Moses until he is weaned.
ALIYAH 3 [Exodus 2:11-25] - MOSES TURNS VIGILANTE, AND FLEES EGYPT.
Moses witnesses an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, and, believing himself unobserved, kills the Egyptian. The next day, seeing two Hebrews fighting, he challenges the aggressor, who retorts "Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" He flees to Midian, where he marries Tzipporah, daughter of Jethro; they have a son, Gershom. Meanwhile, the Hebrews in Egypt call out to G-d.
We can picture Moses' state of mind on that fateful second day. He has just killed a man - has killed a master, one of his ostensible countrymen, in defense of a slave. He can't have slept well that night. Now he sees two of his unacknowledged kinsmen fighting, and he snaps. And then he learns that his secret is out.
ALIYAH 4 [Exodus 3:1-15] - THE BURNING BUSH.
At his new day job, shepherding for his father-in-law, Moses sees a bush that is burning yet is not consumed by the fire. G-d speaks to Moses, and declares that He will deliver the Israelites.
ALIYAH 5 [Exodus 3:16 - 4:17] - MOSES' MISSION, AND HIS DOUBTS.
G-d commands Moses to convene the Israelites and tell them the hour of their deliverance is at hand; then to approach Pharaoh to demand permission to travel a three days' journey into the wilderness, backed up by miraculous signs from the Creator. When Moses epresses doubt that Pharaoh will listen, G-d demonstrates His power by turning Moses' staff into a snake, and by afflicting Moses' hand with whiteness (or "leprosy" in some translations).
Still reluctant, Moses protests that he is "heavy-mouthed and heavy-tongued" (Alter's translation of 4:10). To this, the Creator retorts (4:11): "Who gave man a mouth, or who makes him mute or deaf or sighted or blind?" Further, G-d promises to send Moses' brother Aaron (who hasn't been mentioned until this point, 4:14) and that "he will be a mouth for you".
What's interesting about this passage is that it seems we've got one problem, but two solutions. If the solution to the problem (Moses' difficulty with speaking) is in the hands of the One Who " gave man a mouth, or who makes him mute or deaf or sighted or blind", then why bring Aaron into this at all?
ALIYAH 6 [Exodus 4:18-31] - MOSES SETS OUT FOR EGYPT.
Moses takes his wife, Tzipporah, and their two sons, and they set out for Egypt. On the way, there is a mysterious incident involving an angel, Tzipporah, and Moses' son. Moses and Aaron meet up, and together they address the Israelite elders.
ALIYAH 7 [Exodus 5:1 - 6:1] - REQUEST DENIED.
Moses and Aaron meet Pharaoh and present their demands. The Egyptian king scornfully rejects the request, and instead increases the workload on the Hebrews. Moses cries out to G-d, and G-d promises: "Now will you see what I shall do to Pharaoh, for through a strong hand will he send them off and through a strong hand will he drive them from his land." [612]
"Despairing of cooperation from the Hebrew midwives in his genocidal project, Pharaoh now enlists the entire Egyptian population in a search-and-destroy operation." (Robert Alter on 1:22, p. 216.) Moses' mother, Yokheved, places the infant Moses in a wicker ark (the Hebrew word for "ark" [tevah] is the same word used for Noah's vessel) and floats him down the Nile, where he is rescued by Pharaoh's daughter. Moses' older sister Miriam, looking on, approaches the Egyptian princess and asks to have Moses nursed by his own mother. Yokheved nurses Moses until he is weaned.
ALIYAH 3 [Exodus 2:11-25] - MOSES TURNS VIGILANTE, AND FLEES EGYPT.
Moses witnesses an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, and, believing himself unobserved, kills the Egyptian. The next day, seeing two Hebrews fighting, he challenges the aggressor, who retorts "Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" He flees to Midian, where he marries Tzipporah, daughter of Jethro; they have a son, Gershom. Meanwhile, the Hebrews in Egypt call out to G-d.
We can picture Moses' state of mind on that fateful second day. He has just killed a man - has killed a master, one of his ostensible countrymen, in defense of a slave. He can't have slept well that night. Now he sees two of his unacknowledged kinsmen fighting, and he snaps. And then he learns that his secret is out.
ALIYAH 4 [Exodus 3:1-15] - THE BURNING BUSH.
At his new day job, shepherding for his father-in-law, Moses sees a bush that is burning yet is not consumed by the fire. G-d speaks to Moses, and declares that He will deliver the Israelites.
ALIYAH 5 [Exodus 3:16 - 4:17] - MOSES' MISSION, AND HIS DOUBTS.
G-d commands Moses to convene the Israelites and tell them the hour of their deliverance is at hand; then to approach Pharaoh to demand permission to travel a three days' journey into the wilderness, backed up by miraculous signs from the Creator. When Moses epresses doubt that Pharaoh will listen, G-d demonstrates His power by turning Moses' staff into a snake, and by afflicting Moses' hand with whiteness (or "leprosy" in some translations).
Still reluctant, Moses protests that he is "heavy-mouthed and heavy-tongued" (Alter's translation of 4:10). To this, the Creator retorts (4:11): "Who gave man a mouth, or who makes him mute or deaf or sighted or blind?" Further, G-d promises to send Moses' brother Aaron (who hasn't been mentioned until this point, 4:14) and that "he will be a mouth for you".
What's interesting about this passage is that it seems we've got one problem, but two solutions. If the solution to the problem (Moses' difficulty with speaking) is in the hands of the One Who " gave man a mouth, or who makes him mute or deaf or sighted or blind", then why bring Aaron into this at all?
ALIYAH 6 [Exodus 4:18-31] - MOSES SETS OUT FOR EGYPT.
Moses takes his wife, Tzipporah, and their two sons, and they set out for Egypt. On the way, there is a mysterious incident involving an angel, Tzipporah, and Moses' son. Moses and Aaron meet up, and together they address the Israelite elders.
ALIYAH 7 [Exodus 5:1 - 6:1] - REQUEST DENIED.
Moses and Aaron meet Pharaoh and present their demands. The Egyptian king scornfully rejects the request, and instead increases the workload on the Hebrews. Moses cries out to G-d, and G-d promises: "Now will you see what I shall do to Pharaoh, for through a strong hand will he send them off and through a strong hand will he drive them from his land." [612]
no subject
Date: 2025-01-27 03:13 (UTC)I wonder if that's so the Israelites won't write him off completely. Moshe (in their eyes) is a quasi-Egyptian who never had to work and certainly was never a slave; Aharon was with them the whole time and knew what they were experiencing. Maybe Aharon is there to bridge that gap.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-27 04:36 (UTC)