Abstract
This chapter analyzes the rabbinic tradition on Moses’ behavior. Moses kills the Egyptian who had punished the Hebrew slave (Exodus 2: 12–13), an act that defies basic moral standards. Jewish tradition grapples directly with Moses’ disproportionate intervention but does not justify Moses’ act, expecting a leader to abide by moral standards. A radical view claims that Moses’ unsuitable behavior led to his punishment and he was forbidden to enter the land. The analysis of these commentaries indicates how deeply entrenched was the view of morality as a fundamental and invariably compelling element.
A previous version of this chapter appeared in Hebrew Union College Annual 67 (1996): 55–76. I am grateful for their consent to publish this revised version here.
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Notes
- 1.
France, twelfth century.
- 2.
R. Joseph Bekhor-Shor, Perushe R. Joseph Bekhor-Shor `al ha-Torah, ed. Yehoshafat Nevo (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1994), 99 [Heb].
- 3.
R. Joseph Patsanovski, Pardes Yosef: On Exodus (Lodz, 1936), 18 [Heb].
- 4.
Guide, II: 45, 396–397.
- 5.
See BT Sanhedrin 57a.
- 6.
See also Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, trans. Jacob Z. Lauterbach, vol. 2 (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2004), Tractate Nezikin, 1 V, 380: “Issi b. Akabyah says: Before the giving of the Torah we had been warned against shedding blood.”
- 7.
Some of these questions are formulated in the introduction of Naphtali Herz Wessely to his poem Shirei Tiferet (Warsaw, 1896), p. X [Heb]. Wessely’s questions also appear in the commentary of Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg, Ha-Ketav ve-ha-Kabbalah (Jerusalem, 1985), on Exodus 2:12, which I discuss later. For an analysis of Wessely’s answers, see Noah H. Rosenbloom, The Exodus Epic in the Enlightenment and Exegesis Era (Jerusalem: Rubin Mass, 1983), 82–88 [Heb].
- 8.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Goethe’s Saemtliche Werke Jubilaeumsausgabe, vol. 5 (Cotta: Stuttgart and Berlin, 1912), 250. See also 266. For an analysis of Moses’ behavior, see Zeev Levy, Judaism in the Worldview of J. G. Hamman, J. G. Herder, and W. v. Goethe (Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 1994), 226–242 [Heb]. Goethe’s perception of Moses was probably the basis of Wessely’s questions.
- 9.
For discussions of Moses’ behavior in rabbinic literature, see Avigdor Shinan, “Between Martyrdom and Execution,” in Sanctity of Life and Martyrdom, ed. Yeshayahu Gafni and Aviezer Ravitzky (Jerusalem: Zalman Shazar Center, 1992), 55–68 [Heb].
- 10.
Cf. Leon Roth, “Moralization and Demoralization in Jewish Ethics,” Judaism 11 (1962), 291–302.
- 11.
This is the rendering in the printed version, but in the manuscripts it is goy [Gentile]. See Dikdukei Sofrim, ad locum, § 7. The rendering in R. Menahem Meiri, Beit ha-Behirah, Sanhedrin 58b, is “ben Noah.”
- 12.
The quote reflects a play on words in the Hebrew text of Proverbs 20:25, which turned “snare” [mokesh] into “smites” [nokesh] and “rash saying” [yil’a] into “jaw” [lo’a].
- 13.
Poland 1868–1928.
- 14.
Meir David Paletsky, Keli Hemdah on Genesis-Exodus (Pieterkow, 1926), 137 [Heb].
- 15.
The source of the idiom “you are called men” that Rashi uses here is BT Yevamot 61a: “You are called men and heathens are not called men.”
- 16.
Hungary 1842–1906.
- 17.
This formulation appears in Hidushei ha-Ran, discussed later.
- 18.
Simha Bunem Sofer, She’arei Simha, Exodus (Jerusalem: Da’at Sofer, 1982), 101b–102a [Heb].
- 19.
Reuven Margaliot, ed., Sefer Hasidim (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1960), § 484, 329–330 [Heb].
- 20.
Exodus Rabba, 1: 29.
- 21.
Hidushei Ha-Ran on Sanhedrin (Bnei Brak, 1981), Sanhedrin 38b, s.v., kuti she-hikah.
- 22.
Ibid.
- 23.
R. Landau never mentions R. Nissim, but he may not have known this text, which was first published in Hamishah Shitot (Sulzbach, 1762). My references in the text are to “the author of Hidushei ha-Ran” because this commentary was probably not written by R. Nissim Gerondi, known as Ran, but rather by one of R. David Bonfil’s disciples. See Sanhedri Gedolah, Hidushei ha-Ran, 7–12.
- 24.
R. Yehezkel Landau, Tsiyun le-Nefesh Hayah, Sanhedrin 58b, s.v. amar R. Hanina (Jerusalem, 1959) [Heb].
- 25.
Poland, 1847–1922.
- 26.
Joab Joshua Weingarten, Helkat Yoab, vol. 1 (Bnei Brak, 1985), § 14, 326 [Heb].
- 27.
Ibid.
- 28.
See Chap. 11.
- 29.
The Code of Maimonides, vol. 11, The Book of Torts, trans. Hyman Klein, Laws of Wounding and Damaging 5: 3 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1954), 177.
- 30.
The Code of Maimonides, vol. 14, The Book of Judges, trans. Abraham M. Hershman, Laws of Kings and Wars 10: 6 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949), 236.
- 31.
Teshuvot Ha-Rambam, ed. Joshuah Blau, vol. 1 (Jerusalem: Rubin Mass, 1986), 149 [Heb]. In Laws of Kings 10: 9, Maimonides clarifies that the meaning of “deserves death” is declarative—“he is advised that he is deserving of death.” See also R. Joseph Karo’s commentary on Maimonides, Kesef Mishnah, on Laws of Sanhedrin 20: 3; Reuven Margaliot, Nefesh Hayah, Orah Hayyim (New York, 1983), § 156: 18; idem, Margaliot Ha-yam (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1996) Sanhedrin 58b, § 18. In his Kesef Mishnah gloss on Laws of Kings, Joseph Karo seeks another source for Maimonides’ ruling, but the interpretation suggested here is more plausible.
- 32.
Kesef Mishnah, Laws of Kings 10: 6.
- 33.
On the importance of the Sinai covenant for Maimonides, see his Commentary to the Mishnah, ed. R. Joseph Kapah (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1967), Hullin 7: 6 [Heb]. Maimonides emphasizes that only the Sinai covenant sets compelling laws, and the behavior of the patriarchs entails no normative implications. I thank Moshe Halbertal for drawing my attention to this source. See also Code, The Book of Judges, Laws of Mourning 1: 1 and Maimonides, Commentary on the Mishnah, ed. R. Joseph Kapah (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1964), Zera’im, and “Introduction,” 1–3, 7–12 [Heb]. Elsewhere, Maimonides claims that Moses was bound by the Sinai covenant and, therefore, his inferences from it, if any, “are not to be counted” [as de-oraita]. See Maimonides, The Book of Commandments, with Nahmanides’ Glosses, ed. Hayyim Dov Chavel (Jerusalem: Mosad Ha-Rav Kook, 1981), Shoresh Sheni [Heb].
- 34.
Turkey, 1657–1727.
- 35.
Judah Rosanes, Al Parashat Drakhim (Warsaw, 1879), 88 [Heb]. Rosanes relies here on the Midrash in Exodus Rabba 1:33 cited earlier.
- 36.
Belarus 1860–United States 1942.
- 37.
Baruch Halevi Epstein, Torah Temimah, Exodus 2:12 (Tel Aviv: Am Olam, 1969), § 36 [Heb].
- 38.
On hora’at sha’ah, see Maimonides, Code, Laws of Sanhedrin 18: 6.
- 39.
Maimonides, Guide II: 45, 396.
- 40.
Ibid., 397.
- 41.
France, 1249–1315.
- 42.
Menachem Meiri, Beit ha-Behirah, Sanhedrin 58b.
- 43.
On this distinction, see Jacob Katz, Exclusiveness and Tolerance: Studies in Jewish-Gentile Relations in Medieval and Modern Times (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1961), 114–128. See also Moshe Halbertal, “R. Menachem Ha-Meiri: Between Torah and Wisdom,” Tarbiz 63 (1994): 102–110 [Heb].
- 44.
Beit haBehirah, Avodah Zarah 26a.
- 45.
Ibid., Yoma 84b.
- 46.
French tosafist, d. 1280
- 47.
R. Isaac of Corbeil, Sefer Mitzvot Katan (Jerusalem, 1973), commandment 82, p. 48 [Heb]. See also R. Eliezer of Metz, Sefer Yere’im ha-Shalem, ed. Abba Shiff (Vilna: Rom, 1901), 84a [Heb]; Sefer haHinnuch, ascribed to Aaron haLévi, trans. Charles Wengrov, vol. 1 (Jerusalem/New York: Feldheim, 1978), commandment 34, 185. See also the discussion by Menahem Kasher, Torah Shelemah, vol. 4 (Jerusalem: Beth Torah Shelemah, 1992), Exodus 2:11 [Heb].
- 48.
Mecklenburg, Ha-Ketav ve-ha-Kabbalah, Exodus 2:11.
- 49.
Margaliot, Margaliot ha-Yam, ad locum.
- 50.
Mecklenburg, Ha-Ketav ve-ha-Kabbalah Exodus 2:11.
- 51.
BT Sanhedrin 72b.
- 52.
See Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, vol. 2, Tractate Kaspa, III, 473; Yalkut Shimoni, Mishpatim (Jerusalem, 1984), ch. 23 (§ 352). This stance fits the verse used as the justification of din rodef “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6). Note that R. Margaliot (Margaliot ha-Yam, Sanhedrin 72b, s. v. ve-ha-Torah amrah) queried the reliance of din rodef on this verse: “Had they meant to include Noahides, they would have cited the verse ‘Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.’ The warning is thus meant for Jews.” This problem is not relevant, however, if the a priori assumption is that the law applies only to Jews. See also Meiri, Beith ha-Behirah, Sanhedrin 72b.
- 53.
Exodus Rabba, 1: 28–29.
- 54.
Ibid.
- 55.
R. Pinhas Wolf, Diyukim al ha-Torah (Jerusalem, 1961), Exodus, 24 [Heb].
- 56.
Menachem Zaks, Menahem Zion (Jerusalem, 1961), 211 [Heb].
- 57.
Aaron Levin, Ha-Derash ve-ha-Iyyun, Part 2 (New York: Lithographers, 1969), 21 [Heb].
- 58.
For the source of this homily, see Genesis 6:3.
- 59.
Reuven Margaliot, ed. Tikkunei Ha-Zohar (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1978), 100:1 [Heb]. See also ibid., Nitsutse Hazohar (glosses to Tikkunei Hazohar), 8.
- 60.
Pirke-de Rabbi Eliezer (Jerusalem, 1973), ch. 21 [Heb].
- 61.
Exodus Rabba 1:29. See also the commentary of R. David Luria to Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer 21:38.
- 62.
R. Bahya ben Asher, Rabbenu Bahya on the Torah, ed. Hayyim Dov Chavel (Jerusalem, Mosad Harav Kook, 1982), 16 [Heb].
- 63.
Belarus 1817–Poland 1893.
- 64.
R. Naphtali Berlin, Ha’amek Davar, Exodus 2:12 (Jerusalem, 1937) [Heb].
- 65.
Emphasis in the original.
- 66.
Meir Cohen, Imrei Cohen, Part 2 (Warsaw, 1935), 18 [Heb]. See also Patsanovsky, Pardes Yosef, 19; Zaks, Menahem Zion, 211.
- 67.
Deuteronomy Rabba, Lieberman edn., Va-Ethanan, 59 [Heb]. See also Louis Ginzberg, ed., Ginzei Shechter, Book 1 (New York: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1928), 113 [Heb].
- 68.
See Deuteronomy Rabba 2:20.
- 69.
R. Aaron Jellinek, ed., Beit ha-Midrash, Part 1 (New York, 1938), 119 [Heb]; Judah David Eisenstein, ed., Otsar ha-Midrashim, vol. 2 (New York, 1915), 363 [Heb]. See also Shinan, “Between Martyrdom and Execution,” 57–58. This is not the only homily of this kind. In Torah Shlemah, vol. 3, 81, note 105, Kasher cites later homilies, claiming that Moses sinned and deserved to be punished. Church Fathers, from Augustine onward, strongly condemned Moses’ act. See Brevard S. Childs, Exodus: A Commentary (London: SCM, 1974), 41–42.
- 70.
Samson Raphael Hirsch, The Hirsch Chumash: The Five Books of the Torah, trans. Daniel Haberman, vol. 1 (Jerusalem/New York: Feldheim, 2002), Genesis 12:10–13, 305–306.
- 71.
Abraham Yitzhak Hacohen Kook, Ma’amarei Ha-Reayiah, vol. 2 (Jerusalem, 1984), 2, 509 [Heb]. See note 4, with numerous examples suggested by R. Zvi Yehudah Kook.
- 72.
Ibid.
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Sagi, A. (2021). “He Slew the Egyptian”: On Moses’ Act and Morality. In: Morality and Religion. Jewish Thought and Philosophy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82242-2_10
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