(Exodus 14 — 11) "And they said to Moses — Is it for lack of

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Mekhilta Tractate Vayehi Beshalach 3:17

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 11, 2025

(Exodus 14:11) "And they said to Moses: Is it for lack of graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert!" After they had placed "leavening in the dough" (i.e., after the evil inclination began to overcome them), they came to Moses and said (Ibid. 12) "Is not this the thing that we spoke to you in Egypt?" Now what did Israel say to Moses in Egypt?—(Ibid. 5:19-21) "And they met Moses and Aaron … and they said to them: May the L–rd reveal Himself to you and judge, etc." We were aggrieved over the subjugation of Egypt. The death of our brothers in the (plague of) darkness was more grievous to us than our subjugation to Egypt. We were aggrieved over the death of our brothers in the darkness. "Our death in the desert" is more grievous to us than the death of our brothers in the darkness. For our brothers (who died in the darkness) were mourned and buried, whereas for us—our corpses will be cast to the heat of day and to the cold of night!—

Themes

Moses Death Holy Land

Biblical References

Exodus 14:11

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