Why God Spoke to Moses Outside the City in the Land of Egypt

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 187:2

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying" (Exodus 12:1). I might understand that the speech was to Moses and to Aaron [it is written in section 181]. "In the land of Egypt" -- outside the city. Or perhaps it means within the city? When it says, "as soon as I have gone out of the city" (Exodus 9:29), and is this not an argument from the lighter to the heavier: if for prayer, which is the lighter matter, Moses prayed only outside the city, then for speech, which is the weightier matter, it is only right that He spoke with him only outside the city. And why did He not speak with him within the city? Because it was full of abominations and idols. Before the land of Israel was chosen, all lands were fit for divine speech; once the land of Israel was chosen, all other lands were excluded. Before Jerusalem was chosen, all places were fit for offering sacrifices; once Jerusalem was chosen, all other places were excluded, as it is said, "Take heed that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see." Before the eternal House was chosen, [Jerusalem was fit for the Shekhinah; once the eternal House was chosen], Jerusalem was excluded, as it is said, "For the LORD has chosen Zion" (Psalms 132:13), and it says, "This is My resting place forever" (Psalms 132:14). Before Aaron was chosen, all Israel was fit for the priesthood; once Aaron was chosen, all the rest of Israel was excluded, as it is said, ["it is an everlasting covenant of salt"], and it says, "and it shall be his and his seed's after him" (Numbers 25:13). Before David was chosen, all Israel was fit for kingship; once David was chosen, all the rest of Israel was excluded, as it is said, "Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom to David?" And if you should say, I reason from the prophets that He spoke with them outside the land -- He spoke with them only by the merit of the fathers, as it is said, "A voice is heard in Ramah... Thus says the LORD, Refrain your voice from weeping... and there is hope for your future" (Jeremiah 31:14-16). And some say: even though He spoke with them outside the land by the merit of the fathers, He spoke with them only in a place of purity of water, as it is said, "and I was by the river Ulai" (Daniel 8:2), "and I was by the side of the great river, which is the Tigris," "the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the son of Buzi the priest... by the river Chebar" (Ezekiel 1:3). And some say: He spoke with him in the land and He spoke with him outside the land, as it is said, "it came (hayoh hayah)" -- ["hayoh," that He spoke with him in the land], "hayah," that He spoke with him outside the land. Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Tzadok used to say: behold it says, "Arise, go out into the plain" (Ezekiel 3:22) -- this tells that the plain is fit. Know that the Shekhinah is not revealed outside the land, as it is said, "and Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from before the LORD." And does one flee from before the LORD? Is it not already said, "Where shall I go from Your spirit... if I ascend to heaven, You are there" (Psalms 139:7)? Rather [Jonah] said, I will go outside the land, where the Shekhinah is not revealed. "Saying" -- go out and say to them, immediately, as it is said, "and he went out and spoke" [the words of Rabbi Yishmael]. Rabbi Eliezer says: go out and say to them and bring back my answer, as it is said, "and Moses returned the words of the people to the LORD" (Exodus 19:8).

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