The Voice of Moshe and the ‘Voice’ of the Signs
We have previously
noted the significance of the fact that Moshe's parents are not introduced with personal
names, but with reference to their Levite heritage. This is more than simply a
ploy to conceal their identities. Rather, it is intended to create an association between Moshe’s family and their ancestor Levi. In the story of
Moshe's birth, his parents and older sister risk their lives to evade the
decree of Pharaoh and save Moshe, effectively mirroring Levi's earlier actions who
risked his life to rescue his younger sister from the hands of Shechem.
It is also interesting to briefly consider the parallels between the rescue of Moshe with
the rescue of Yishmael which further serve to highlight the heroic tradition of resistance in Moshe's family:
|
Rescue of Moshe (Shemot 1-2) |
Rescue of
Yishmael (Bereshit 21) |
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וַיְצַו
פַּרְעֹה לְכָל־עַמּוֹ לֵאמֹר כָּל־הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ... וְלֹא־יָכְלָה עוֹד
הַצְּפִינוֹ וַתִּקַּח־לוֹ תֵּבַת גֹּמֶא וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת וַתָּשֶׂם
בָּהּ אֶת־הַיֶּלֶד וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף עַל־שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר |
וַיִּכְלוּ
הַמַּיִם מִן־הַחֵמֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶת־הַיֶּלֶד תַּחַת אַחַד הַשִּׂיחִם |
|
וַתֵּתַצַּב
אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק לְדֵעָה מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ |
וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּשֶׁב
לָהּ מִנֶּגֶד הַרְחֵק כִּמְטַחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת כִּי אָמְרָה אַל־אֶרְאֶה
בְּמוֹת הַיָּלֶד |
|
וַתִּשָּׂא
אֶת־קֹלָהּ וַתֵּבְךְּ׃ וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹקים אֶת־קוֹל הַנַּעַר |
וְהִנֵּה־נַעַר
בֹּכֶה וַתַּחְמֹל עָלָיו |
|
וַתֵּרֶד
בַּת־פַּרְעֹה לִרְחֹץ עַל־הַיְאֹר וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ הֹלְכֹת עַל־יַד הַיְאֹר וַתֵּרֶא
אֶת־הַתֵּבָה בְּתוֹךְ הַסּוּף וַתִּשְׁלַח אֶת־אֲמָתָהּ וַתִּקָּחֶהָ |
קוּמִי שְׂאִי
אֶת־הַנַּעַר וְהַחֲזִיקִי אֶת־יָדֵךְ בּוֹ כִּי־לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל
אֲשִׂימֶנּוּ׃ וַיִּפְקַח אֱלֹקים אֶת־עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא בְּאֵר מָיִם |
|
וַיִגְדַּל
הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּבִאֵהוּ לְבַת־פַּרְעֹה וַיְהִי־לָהּ לְבֵן
וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מֹשֶׁה וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי מִן־הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ |
וַיְהִי אֱלֹקים
אֶת־הַנַּעַר וַיִּגְדָּל וַיֵּשֶׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיְהִי רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת |
Hagar sees her son is about to die so she casts him down and sits at a distance to escape the painful reality. In light of the correspondences listed above, Hagar’s actions appear to resemble the decree of Pharaoh. Though this is may be an exaggerated comparison, the verb ש-ל-ך generally refers to an act of disposal, if not aggression (see Bereshit 37:24), such that it emphasises the cruelty of the abandonment. Her reaction is one of despair and ‘she raises her voice to cry’. Moshe's parents, in contrast, refuse to surrender to the decree of Pharaoh. They give birth to a son and do everything in their power to ensure his survival, gently ‘placing’ him in the basket. Miriam stands to watch. As helpless as she may have felt, she refuses to abandon her younger brother. Through God’s providential hand, the boy is saved by Pharaoh’s own daughter.[1]
Moshe's
earliest recorded actions are very much in the same tradition. Moshe cannot
bear to see the abuse of his brethren. Without considering the consequences or
his personal safety, he intervenes to kill the Egyptian oppressor. On day two
he intervenes again though this time the fight is between two Israelites. He rebukes
the 'wicked' Israelite who has raised his arm to strike his fellow. Were his interventions
in these cases a little rash? Perhaps - but then again, so too were Levi's
action in Shechem.
'Not a man
of words'
Moshe's penchant
for action over speech accounts for his assumption that the people would not listen
to his words and would instead require miraculous signs. It would be necessary for them to see the ‘hand’ of
God to be convinced of the authenticity of the mission. When God presents
these signs to Moshe, God says that the people will (or ought to) to listen to the 'voice' of the
signs:
וְהָיָה אִם־לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לָךְ וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ לְקֹל הָאֹת
הָרִאשׁוֹן וְהֶאֱמִינוּ לְקֹל הָאֹת הָאַחֲרוֹן (שמות ד:ח)
The ‘voice of
a sign’ is obviously an unusual expression and appears intended to highlight the supernatural nature of the voice. This climaxes where they see God’s mighty hand at the splitting of the sea:
וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַיָּד הַגְּדֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה'
בְּמִצְרַיִם וַיִּירְאוּ הָעָם אֶת־ה' וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בַּה' וּבְמֹשֶׁה
עַבְדּו
(שמות יד:לא)
Moshe successfully leads the people to see the יד חזקה of God which is a fitting reflection of his own character and style of leadership as demonstrated in the early stories of his life.[2] against this background we can say that there appears to have been a deep truth to his declaration: "לא איש דברים אנכי". What Moshe did not appreciate is that this is precisely why he was chosen. It would, after all, be God's actions (i.e. the plagues) which would deliver the people whilst words would indeed fail to make any impact.
The dual purpose
of the plagues
This may shed
light on the meaning of the third sign provided to Moshe at the burning bush. Signs one and two, being the conversion of
the staff into a snake and the appearance of tzaraat on the hand of
Moshe, are immediately reversed. In fact, the reversal seems to be as
important, if not more important, than the initial event. The third act, however, where water poured from the river will turn to blood, is not reversed. Furthermore, whilst sign two is referred to as the ‘last sign’ the water into blood phenomenon is not referred to as a sign at all. This suggests that the third sign is materially different and is not an
independent sign at all. Rather, it is a consequence of the people not listening to the first
two signs and alludes to the commencement of the actual plagues, starting with the
plague of blood. The point is that although the plagues will be directed at the
Egyptians, they will also target the Israelites in terms of their message.
The plagues are as much a reaction to Pharaoh’s refusal to listen to Moshe’s
voice as they are a reaction to the people’s apathy. This is also
apparent from the kal va-chomer of Moshe which draws a
connection between the parallel missions to speak to Pharaoh and to the people:
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה' לֵאמֹר הֵן בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא־שָׁמְעוּ
אֵלַי וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם (שמות ו:יג)
Clearly some
form of response was expected of the people otherwise the kal va-chomer
makes no sense. The people would need to become an active
partner in the redemption process as much as it would be necessary for Pharaoh
to personally free the people. Having failed to achieve this goal
through verbal communication, such commitment would need to be garnered through miraculous
action. This need for reliance on miracles was represented by Moshe's staff.
The staff
as an alternative for speech
In
introducing the signs, attention is drawn to Moshe's staff:
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו ה' מזה [מַה־] [זֶּה] בְיָדֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר מַטֶּה (שמות ד:ב)
At first glance, this verse does not seem to add much to the narrative itself. The contribution, however, is to elevate the significance of the staff which
will play a central role from this point on in terms of initiating the miracles which will drive the redemption. Understanding the symbolic role of the staff in this way can shed light on the episode of Mei Merivah.
Without going
into the details of Moshe's transgression,[3] we can point to the critical
issue being the use of the staff instead of speech. Moshe has grown
accustomed to solving the nation's problems through the power of the staff and
is unable to replace it with power of speech. The need for signs and wonders is
understandable in light of the condition of the enslaved nation. The people’s natural
sense of curiosity and willingness to engage is numbed by the daily dirge of
forced labour and basic fight for survival:
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה כֵּן אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ
אֶל־מֹשֶׁה מִקֹּצֶר
רוּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה (שמות ו:ט)
In this setting,
signs and miracles are appropriate and they do indeed become the order of the
day during the sojourn in the wilderness where the slave mentality in the
nation is still plainly evident. However, the new generation raised as free
people, are expected to listen to a voice rather than merely observe the actions of
a staff. Listening to a voice requires active engagement on the part of the
listener – a vital attribute for discerning God within a natural reality as relevant upon entering the land.
With this
background, the differences between the two stories are illuminating. As at the
burning bush, at Mei Merivah God expressly instructs Moshe to take the staff in his
hand:
וְאֶת־הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ אֲשֶׁר
תַּעֲשֶׂה־בּוֹ אֶת־הָאֹתֹת (שמות ד:יז)
קַח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּה וְהַקְהֵל אֶת־הָעֵדָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ
וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל־הַסֶּלַע לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְנָתַן מֵימָיו (במדבר כ:ח)
Aside from one other place (Shemot 7:19 – at the start of the plagues), these are the only instances where Moshe is expressly instructed to take the staff. The difference, of course, is that in the episode of the rock, God specifically directs Moshe to ‘speak’ and not to use the staff. As already mentioned above, Moshe does not regard himself as 'a man of words', but words are precisely what is required now to lead the new generation.
The purpose of the signs provided to Moshe at the burning bush is to address the objection of Moshe that the people will 'not believe him':
וַיַּעַן מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר וְהֵן לֹא־יַאֲמִינוּ לִי וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי
At the episode of the rock, the failure of Moshe is described in terms which echo the very problem he projected onto the people:
יַעַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָכֵן לֹא תָבִיאוּ אֶת־הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתִּי לָהֶם (במדבר כ:יב)
Whilst Moshe's characterisation as a man of courageous and uncompromising action was the reason he was chosen to lead the people out of Egypt, the unwillingness to replace the staff with words is suggestive of the reason a new leader was required for the next generation.
[1] Fascinatingly, the Midrash places Hagar as a daughter of Pharaoh as well. See R. Amnon Bazak, Nekudat Petichah, p.128
[2] I have not had a
chance to fully develop the point, but it seems to me that this point is alluded to in the last
verse of the Torah which appears to ascribes the יד
חזקה
to Moshe himself. Rashi’s
comments there are highly noteworthy in view of this discussion.
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