Moses and Aaron
As Moses moves toward Egypt at the end of Shemot 4, God speaks directly to Aaron, instructing him to go greet Moses in the desert.[1] Aaron unhesitatingly obeys, and the brothers have an affectionate reunion at "God's mountain," replete with a kiss.[2] A filial partnership begins to take shape as Moses informs Aaron of God's instructions and the signs that He provided.
When and where, exactly, did this meeting on the mountain take place? Is this the same "mountain of God" in the desert where Moses encountered the burning bush? Because Moses is already on his way to Egypt (and the text does not indicate that he reversed course), "God's mountain" may have been situated between the lodge (4:24) and Egypt.[3] Perhaps, however, the text is not in chronological order, and Moses' meeting with Aaron (recorded in 4:27-28) actually took place earlier, at the conclusion of Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush. God did, in fact, inform Moses at that episode's conclusion (4:14) that Aaron was already on his way to greet him. The reunion, the kiss, and the shared information may therefore have taken place prior to Moses' return to Yitro (in 4:18), and Aaron's arrival at the mountain would thus be the close of the burning bush narrative.[4] In this schema, Aaron has a role in Moses' initial encounter with God on Sinai, arriving as the story concludes. This foreshadows Aaron's unique role later when Moses receives the Torah on Sinai, and Aaron accompanies him – perhaps partway – up the same mountain (Shemot 19:24).[5]
If these verses are out of order, then why do they appear at the end of chapter four, just prior to Moses' arrival in Egypt? Perhaps they are placed here to illustrate that Moses enters Egypt with Aaron's support, respect, and partnership. Although they have not seen each other for many years, Aaron will function as Moses' spokesman, and their brotherly love lays the groundwork for the construction of a unified society. It is possible that the episode appears here because of its linguistic connection to the preceding incident at the lodge, where God encounters (vayifgesheihu) "him" (presumably Moses) and wishes to kill "him" (4:24). Aaron encounters Moses just a few verses later, using the same exact grammatical form of the verb (vayifgesheihu). Aaron functions to counter the divine danger; his partnership with Moses will enable Moses to properly fulfill his task and deflect God's anger at Moses' recalcitrance.[6]
At long last, Moses begins to carry out God's commission. First, he shares with Aaron what he had failed to mention to Yitro when he returned from the burning bush – God's words, his divine mission, and the signs that God gave him. Moses' use of the word shalakh, to send, in describing his mission is especially significant. This key word has already appeared fourteen times since the beginning of God's message to Moses in 3:10 (making Moses' use here the fifteenth), and it signals Moses' newfound commitment to the mission on which he has been sent.[7]
The Elders and the Nation
Moses' arrival in Egypt is not formally announced. Instead, both he and Aaron suddenly appear to be in Egypt, bursting into action. Their first act is to gather "all the elders of the children of Israel" (4:29), as God had instructed in 3:16.[8] This inclusive phrase – instead of the usual, "elders of Israel" – indicates that they have gathered the representatives for the entire nation. Moreover, the brothers' presence seems to attract "the nation" as a whole, as they appear in the next verse without having been summoned. Here, Aaron launches his role as Moses' spokesman, speaking "all the words that God said to Moses" (4:30).[9] These words are not directed specifically to the elders, and presumably they are heard by the nation as well. At this point, either Moses or Aaron performs the signs before the nation,[10] and the people respond with faith "that God has remembered the children of Israel and has seen their afflictions." Silently, they bow and prostrate themselves – in gratitude, submission, awe, or some combination of these emotions.
Linguistic and plot elements reappear here from God's commissioning of Moses at the bush, bringing the narrative full circle. The two-verse description of Moses' first encounter with the nation (4:30-31) weaves words from the commission scene (spoke/daber, heard/shama, remember/pakad, saw/ra'a, believe/aman) into the brief account, illustrating its success.[11] As laid out in 4:15-16, Aaron now conveys to them (vayedaber) the words that God had spoken (asher dibber) to Moshe.[12] As promised in 3:16-18, the people hear (shama) that God has remembered them (pakad). They believe that God has seen (ra'a) their affliction, as God proclaimed at the opening of His speech to Moses (3:7).[13] The signs that God gave Moses to help the nation acquire faith (4:5) succeed in accomplishing just that (4:31, vaya'amen ha'am), alleviating the skepticism that Moses expressed previously (4:1): "And they will not believe (ya'aminu) me, and they will not listen (yishmeu) to my voice."
This brief sketch of Moses' initial encounter with the nation does not just bring fulfillment and closure to the previous narrative; it also propels the story forward, functioning as the beginning of the movement toward liberation. While Israel's faith will fluctuate over the course of events (see 6:9), the Exodus story is framed by a faith-filled response of the people, who believe (vaya'amen) in God's word brought by Moses. The people bow and prostrate themselves both here (vayikdu vayishtachavu) and in anticipation of the tenth plague (vayikod ha'am vayishtachavu, 12:27). The Exodus narrative climaxes by citing the nation's faith (vaya'aminu) in God and Moshe, following the drowning of the Egyptian army and the conclusive end to Israel's enslavement (14:31).
Moses and Pharaoh: The Initial Encounter
Success with the nation imbues Moses with confidence for his next task. Without fanfare, the next verse portrays Moses and Aaron speaking to Pharaoh.[14] The text does not see fit to explain how they obtain an audience with the mighty king. It is tempting to resort to Moses' childhood in the palace and posit that Moses called upon a longstanding acquaintance with this Pharaoh, but the text never mentions such a relationship. The narrative of Moses' childhood in the palace does not appear designed to grant him privileged access to the corridors of power. In the text, God's appointees simply have unrestricted and unquestionable access to Pharaoh; they enter freely – with no obstacles – throughout the narrative.[15]
Even more surprising is the lack of courtesy or obsequiousness that attends their initial speech to the powerful king, who is situated at the helm of Egypt. Moses and Aaron seem filled with confidence as they deliver God's brusque command: "So says God: Send out My people so they can make a pilgrimage to Me in the desert" (5:1).[16] Pharaoh's response is immediate, decisive, and dismissive: "Who is God that I should listen to His voice to send out Israel? I do not know God, and also, Israel, I will not send!" In this display of monarchical arrogance, Pharaoh is both blasphemous and caustic, rejecting God's authority and regarding himself as impervious to God's power. It turns out that Moses' fears about the nation in 4:1 ("They will not listen to my voice") were misplaced – it is Pharaoh, not the Israelite nation, who refuses to listen to Moses' divine message. Pharaoh disavows any moral responsibility to release Israel from slavery, to allow them the freedom to worship, or express their national identity. During the remainder of the narrative, Pharaoh will never again use the name Israel, referring to them instead as "the nation," or "the men," until the moment of their emancipation (12:31).[17]
Pharaoh's irreverent words launch one of the story's primary themes: the conflict between a mighty human king and the supreme divine King.[18] Pharaoh's words, "I do not know (lo yadati)," are intended to denigrate God, whose reputation seems not to have preceded Him. Textually, however, Pharaoh's lack of knowledge mingles and collides with God's unequivocal knowledge of Pharaoh's impending recalcitrance: "And I know (va'ani yadati ) that Pharaoh will not let you go" (3:19).[19] God's omniscience trumps Pharaoh's self-proclaimed ignorance, twisting Pharaoh's disrespectful words into an unwitting admission of his own limitations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the word yadati becomes a keyword of the plague narrative, which will compel Pharaoh to acquire knowledge of God.
Pharaoh seems intent on actively battling this God, despite having declared that His existence is both questionable and inconsequential. The king's officials present Pharaoh's words using an introductory formula identical to the one Moses and Aaron use to introduce God's words: "So says Pharaoh!" (5:10). Pharaoh's commands (vayetzav, 5:6) clash with God's commands (tzivahu, 4:28); while God sends Moses to deliver the nation from slavery, Pharaoh intensifies their slavery, categorically refusing to send them out. In fact, Pharaoh calls God's words (from 4:30, cited by Moses and Aaron in 5:1 and 3) "false words" (divrei sheker). As a punitive response to Moses and Aaron, Pharaoh instructs his taskmasters not to continue to give (lo tosifun latet) the Hebrew slaves straw for their brickmaking, nor may they subtract from their quotas (lo tigre'u) one bit. This exactitude will echo in the precise manner in which God will later instruct Israel to follow His laws:
Do not add (lo tosifu) upon this thing that I have commanded you and do not subtract (ve-lo tigre'u) from it, to keep the commandments of God, your God, that I command you. (Devarim 4:2)[20]
Who will exercise control over this nation and whose laws will this nation obey in precise manner? Ultimately, whom will this nation serve? God possessively calls Israel "My nation" (ami) in 5:1, insisting that their role is to serve Him (4:23). In contrast, Pharaoh regards them as a nation of the land (am ha-aretz), consigned to serve him (5:5).[21] Instead of acceding to their request to "go" (neilkha) and sacrifice to God (5:3), Pharaoh later dismisses the delegation of officers with the words, "go and labor" (lekhu ivdu) in his service (5:18)![22] Whose power will prevail over the hapless slaves? In his words to Pharaoh, Moses brandishes fear of God's sword (5:3), but the slaves see the sword of Pharaoh as the proximate, concrete threat (5:21). This chapter directs our attention to the core struggle between Pharaoh and God (which we already saw in chapter 1), each of whom vie for the perception of power, especially in the eyes of the Hebrew slaves. It remains to be seen who will prevail.
Pharaoh's scornful speech does not silence Moses and Aaron, but they certainly appear deflated, offering Pharaoh in 5:3 a second, toned-down version of their petition. Dropping the imperial tone of demand, Moses and Aaron do not explicitly address the king, and they resort to a meeker tone. They use the word na, which suggests an entreaty, and set a timeframe for their pilgrimage, limiting it to three days – a considerable concession. They also alter their terminology, referring to Israel as Hebrews and omitting the Tetragrammaton in their reference to God. Eschewing their previous confident approach, Moses and Aaron appear to be humbly asking Pharaoh for a favor, citing their own fear of God's reprisals as a reason for their appeal.[23] It is impossible to know what Moses and Aaron are thinking when they resort to this humbler tone. Perhaps they hope that a more diplomatic approach will yield better results. Possibly, they attribute their lack of success to the fact that they used their own formulation instead of citing God. Indeed, the phrasing of 5:1 does not conform to the wording given to Moses in 3:18 or 4:22-23. Their second attempt, on the other hand, cites God's words from 3:18 nearly verbatim, adding only their fear of God's reaction if they fail to comply with His demand. It bears mentioning that despite their obvious disadvantage before the powerful and irate king, Moses and Aaron are not deterred, and they courageously continue to press forward with their objectives.
Still, the second attempt fares no better. If anything, Pharaoh's response is harsher, censuring Moses and Aaron directly and even calling them out by name (which he never does again). Pharaoh's erratic fluctuation between second person and third person address of God's emissaries seems to reveal a flustered and furious demeanor: "And the king of Egypt spoke to them: Why should Moses and Aaron disturb the nation from their tasks? Go to your toil!" (5:4).
Pharaoh dismisses them to their labor, which suggests that he regards them as slaves, or perhaps even consigns them to slavery from this point forward.[24] Even if not, Pharaoh has publicly shamed them, reducing their effectiveness as leaders. It turns out that – for the moment – Moses and Aaron are no match for the imperious Pharaoh. This contains an important lesson; Israel will shortly learn that there is only one force that can effortlessly topple Pharaoh's great might – rooted as it is in the trappings of human achievement – and that is God.
Discounted and degraded, Moses fades briefly out of the story (5:6-19), overshadowed by the looming figure of the all-powerful Pharaoh. He will reappear only at the end of the narrative sequence, as the recipient of the nation's ire, which he will then hurl at God (5:20-23). The account of the initial failure of Moses' mission spawns many questions – for the reader, for the nation, and for Moses himself, who will conclude this section with a piercing challenge of God's designs.
Pharaoh and the Hebrew Slaves
Having peremptorily dismissed the self-proclaimed (in his view) liberators of the Hebrews, Pharaoh speaks again, this time to no one in particular. Irritated by the presumptuousness of his petitioners and alarmed by the prospect of losing his cheap labor, even for a brief holiday, Pharaoh appears to grumble angrily to himself: "They are many now, the nation of the land, and you will have them cease from their burdens!?" (5:5). Pharaoh's first words ("they are many," hen rabim) recall his predecessor's paranoia regarding the increasing numbers of Israel (1:9-10). In the interim, this Pharaoh has cleverly channeled that problem into an efficacious workforce, and he has no intention of surrendering control over the prolific nation.
Pharaoh's next moves function as a blueprint for any autocratic, brutal regime seeking to maintain a system that exploits and enslaves others. To weaken the stirrings of liberation, Pharaoh unleashes the forces of his oppressive regime, thrusting the Hebrews into a new, even more exhausting regimen of labor. Pharaoh informs his taskmasters that from now on, the Hebrews must gather their own straw for the brickmaking, without reducing the quota of bricks that they are required to provide. More significantly, Pharaoh promptly enacts this brutal decree "on the same day" (5:6) of Moses and Aaron's audience. This way, the entire nation understands that the efforts of their erstwhile redeemers led to this new, harsher decree. There is little doubt that under these circumstances, the suffering nation will turn against their new leaders, who have not liberated them but instead have only aggravated their situation.
To explain his sudden decision to exacerbate the labor, Pharaoh cites their laziness, which surely prompted their indulgent desire to go worship their God (5:17). This accusation twists the burden of responsibility from the oppressor to the oppressed, allotting to them the bad character traits – a faulty work ethic – that spawned their deserved suffering. Blaming the indolence of the Hebrews eases the guilt of those in charge and offers a modicum of hope to the slaves that they can extract themselves from their plight: if only they will work harder, their slavery will be eased.[25] Of course, Pharaoh has no intention of reducing their labor. The aim is to prevent them from submitting more bold petitions and to preclude the possibility of organized resistance. There will be no time off and no leniencies offered for holidays. There will be neither time nor energy for reflection or rebellious thoughts. This plan patently succeeds; when Moses brings the people God's lofty and inspiring speech of 6:2-8, they simply cannot hear him, because of their "shortness of breath and difficult labor" (6:9).
Pharaoh's decrees seem to have successfully broken the spirits of the Hebrew slaves. Nevertheless, it will soon be seen that Pharaoh's attempt to distract the slaves is bound for failure; once roused, the human longing to be free cannot easily be quashed.
[1] Biblical commentators discuss Aaron's prophetic office at length. While Aaron generally does not himself receive a direct message from God, this does occur on two other occasions (Vayikra 10:8; Bamidbar 18:1). Shemot Rabba 5:9 maintains that in fact, God did not speak specifically to Aaron here either. In the midrash's view, God speaks once and His speech splits into two parts – one message is for Moses in Midian, directing him to return to Egypt (4:19) and the other to Aaron in Egypt, instructing him to greet Moses.
[2] Shemot Rabba 5:11 discusses the lack of clarity surrounding the subject and the recipient of the kiss – the verse says, "and he kissed him" (Shemot 4:27), with no indication of which pronoun refers to whom. Nachmanides and Netziv 4:27 opine that Aaron kissed Moses, also suggesting alternatively that this verb indicates they each greeted each other with a kiss. The fact that it remains ambiguous suggests that both brothers are equally likely to have greeted the other with deference and excitement.
[3] See Nachmanides, whose methodological assumption is that the text is written in chronological order (unless explicitly indicated otherwise). See also Seforno and Cassuto, Exodus, p. 62. Mekhilta de-Rabbi Yishmael Amalek 3:16 seems to adopt the chronological approach, claiming that it is at this initial meeting (after the incident at the lodge), that Aaron convinces Moses to send his wife and children back to Midian. To resolve some of these issues, Bekhor Shor suggests that the brothers meet at a different mountain of God, not the one where Moses encountered the burning bush.
[4] Textually, this may be indicated by the linguistic parallel between Moses' arrival in the desert, at the mountain of God, in 3:1, and Aaron's movement toward the desert, and encounter with Moses at the mountain of God, in 4:27. Parallel language suggests that these verses bracket the story, making 4:27 the closing of the narrative sequence that began in 3:1.
[5] Rashi assumes that Aaron does not get as close as Moses to God's presence (as explicitly stated in Shemot 24:1-2). Mekhilta De-Rashbi Shemot 19:24 suggests that Moses and Aaron each remain within their own separate "partition," even as they stand in the same location. In Shemot 24:14, Aaron stays with the people – to serve in a judicial role in lieu of Moses – while Moses again ascends the mountain.
[6] This, of course, is only one approach (of many) to understand the enigmatic incident at the lodge (see shiur #18). Nevertheless, the fact that Moses encounters death at God's hand on his way to Egypt suggests that God is displeased with some aspect of Moses' journey.
[7] Cassuto, Exodus, p. 63 notes the significance of the word shalakh here, as well as its appearance seven times in 3:10-20 and seven times in 4:4-23.
[8] Shemot Rabba 5:14 notes that the task assigned to the elders seems to be left unfulfilled. God instructs Moses to go along with the elders of Israel to the king of Egypt and speak to him together with them (3:18). Yet, despite their initial appearance in 4:29, they do not seem to accompany Moses and Aaron to speak to Pharaoh. The midrash explains that the elders are overcome with fright at the prospect of confronting Pharaoh and therefore they abscond from Moses, "one by one," during the journey to the palace. By the time Moses and Aaron arrive, none of the elders remain, and they enter the palace alone. This midrash both explains the elders' absence and conveys the frightening hold that Pharaoh exerts over the enslaved nation.
[9] Oddly, Aaron's role as Moses' spokesman is rarely portrayed in the story, which generally presents Moses speaking both to Pharaoh (e.g., 8:5, 22; 9:29) and to Israel (e.g., 12:21; 14:13) on his own. On one occasion, the text portrays Moses instructing Aaron to speak to Israel on his behalf (16:9). Biblical interpreters note this peculiarity and offer different explanations for it. Ibn Ezra (Shemot 7:2), for example, explains that even when the text does not mention Aaron's presence when Moses meets Pharaoh, Aaron is always with him. (Presumably, Ibn Ezra means to say that Aaron always acts as Moses' spokesman to Pharaoh.)
[10] Ibn Ezra 5:1 and Malbim 4:20 suggest that Aaron performs these signs. Radatz Hoffman 4:29 and Cassuto, Exodus, p. 62, posit that Moses performs the signs.
[11] Cassuto, Exodus, p. 63, notes that the root ra'a (like shalakh – see above) appears fourteen times in the section prior to this appearance.
[12] The word davar ("to speak," or the nominal, "words") appears three times in this verse, recalling its eightfold appearance in 4:10-16.
[13] See also 2:25; 3:16-17.
[14] It is interesting that the word describing their speech is in plural form, indicating that Moses and Aaron speak together. When Moses and Aaron act together later in the story, the verb usually appears in singular form, seeming to point to Moses' primacy even in their joint ventures (for a small representation of the many examples, see e.g. 4:29; 7:6, 10; 8:8; 10:3; 16:6; 24:9; Vayikra 9:23; Bamidbar 1:17).
[15] Midrashim will address this phenomenon later in the narrative, claiming that it is part of the divine protection afforded Moses. See, e.g., Yalkut Shimoni, Shemot 6:1.
[16] Many have discussed why God instructs Moses first to request leave for a religious pilgrimage (3:18) rather than demanding complete deliverance, which certainly is the real aim. Some posit that the request was a ruse from the outset, designed to compel the Egyptians to pursue Israel and meet their end in the Reed Sea (e.g. Shemot Rabba 3:8). Others suggest that this is to illustrate Pharaoh's intransigent position; he is unwilling to consider even a three-day sojourn! (See, e.g., Abravanel.)
[17] Pharaoh certainly does not recognize them as an autonomous nation; his omission may be intent on obliterating their nationhood. Balak similarly refers to Israel as "this nation," rather than by name (Bamidbar 22:6).
[18] This "conflict" is not genuine of course – from the biblical perspective, there is no doubt who wields power: a confrontation between divine and human might is no contest at all. It is, however, important to bear in mind that doubts surface from a human perspective, especially from those Israelite slaves who have been subject to Pharaoh's might. For the purposes of the Bible, this story's conclusion throws relief on God's role as divine King for the world at large. Until this story, the Bible has not referred to God as a King. It is this narrative that illustrates God's evident superiority over human regal power, concluding with the words: "God shall reign (yimlokh) forever and ever (15:17)." God's triumphant victory over Pharaoh's power allows Him to be recognized by the world as the absolute, divine Monarch.
[19] See also 2:25, where God "knows."
[20] A similar formulation appears in Devarim 13:1.
[21] The word avad, serve, appears seven times in this chapter, all in the context of service to Pharaoh.
[22] The Exodus story concludes with Pharaoh reversing his words in a panic, in the midst of the plague of the firstborn, imploring Moses and Aaron to "go and serve" (lekhu ivdu) God, as they themselves had initially demanded (12:31).
[23] Shemot Rabba 5:15 (cited by Rashi) opines that this statement in 5:3 is actually a veiled threat, couched in courtesy. This approach seems unlikely, considering the general tone of the verse.
[24] Nachmanides notes that the simple meaning is that Pharaoh sends them back to slavery, only releasing Moses and Aaron from slavery after they earn his respect by bringing signs and plagues. However, most biblical commentators adopt the notion that members of the tribe of Levi (like Moses and Aaron) were never enslaved (see, e.g., Midrash Tanchuma Vaera 6). Considering this, Rashi explains that Pharaoh's intent is to send Moses and Aaron back to their household labor. Shemot Rabba 5:16 posits that Pharaoh believes it is because Moses and Aaron are not enslaved that they are making trouble; he therefore consigns them to slavery as of now. Ibn Ezra explains that Pharaoh is not speaking to Moses and Aaron, but to the slaves they represent, dismissively sending them back to their labors.
[25] This recalls the sign that hung at the entrance to Auschwitz: "Work Makes Free," though that was clearly a ruse, designed to lull the arrivals into a false sense that the death camp was actually a labor camp.
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