Today, we're diving into a fascinating passage from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, that explores just that, through the lens of Moses and the establishment of the cities of refuge.
The passage opens with a tantalizing question: What prompted Moses to dedicate himself to creating these cities of refuge? Rabbi Levi offers a compelling insight: "One who ate the dish knows its taste." In other words, Moses' own experiences, his own brushes with danger and the law, gave him a unique understanding of the need for such places of sanctuary.
To understand this, we have to rewind a bit. Remember when Moses killed the Egyptian? The story continues that the next day, he encountered Datan and Aviram quarreling. As it says in (Exodus 2:13), "He emerged on the second day, and behold, two Hebrew men were fighting." Rabbi Aivu identifies Datan as the "wicked one" who then challenged Moses with the accusatory question: "Do you propose to kill me?" (Exodus 2:14).
This accusation reached Pharaoh, who, according to the text, had been patient until now. "How many things have I heard and been silent," Pharaoh supposedly said. "Now that he has arrived at bloodshed, apprehend him." So, how did Moses escape?
Rabbi Yannai paints a dramatic picture: when the executioner's sword came down on Moses' neck, it miraculously blunted, turning his neck into marble! A testament to divine protection, perhaps echoed in Solomon's words in the Song of Songs (7:5): "Your neck is like an ivory tower." Rabbi Evyatar adds a twist: the sword not only failed to harm Moses, but it rebounded and struck the executioner! He finds support for this in (Exodus 18:4), where Moses says, "He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh" – implying, according to Rabbi Evyatar, that the executioner wasn't so lucky. Bar Kappara suggests an angel, appearing as Moses, facilitated his escape, confusing the Egyptians. Rabbi Yehoshua further emphasizes the miraculous nature of Moses' flight, noting that God rendered some of Pharaoh's scholars mute, deaf, or blind, ensuring Moses' safe passage.
All this leads to a powerful point. When God later sought to send Moses on his mission, Moses hesitated. But God reassured him, reminding him of the miracles he had already performed. As we find in (Exodus 4:11), "The Lord said to him: Who gives a mouth to a person, or who renders one mute, or deaf, or sighted, or blind?" The implication being: If God stood with Moses then, He would stand with him now.
Rabbi Yitzchak then offers a beautiful reflection on the difference between human patrons and God's protection. A mortal patron might offer protection, but their reach is limited. When someone is on trial, the patron might intervene. But when the execution is underway? Where is the patron then? But the Holy One, blessed be He, is different. Even as Moses stood before Pharaoh, facing execution, God delivered him. As it says in (Exodus 18:4), "He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."
The passage continues with similar examples: Daniel in the lions' den, Abraham in the fiery furnace, Jonah swallowed by the whale. In each case, a mortal patron would be powerless. But God's protection transcends all earthly limitations. Daniel was saved because "My God sent His angel, and he shut the lions’ mouths" (Daniel 6:23). Abraham was rescued from the furnace, as God declares in (Genesis 15:7), "I am the Lord, who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans" – Ur also meaning "fire" in this context. And Jonah was released from the belly of the fish, because "The Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah upon the dry land" (Jonah 2:11).
Finally, we return to the cities of refuge. Rabbi Aivu suggests that when Moses fled, he sang a song of praise, just as the Israelites sang at the well (Numbers 21:17). Rabbi Levi adds that Moses sang because the concept of the city of refuge, a place for those who had unintentionally killed someone, was now in effect through him. His own experience of fleeing after killing the Egyptian gave him a profound understanding of the need for such a system of justice and mercy.
So, what does all this tell us? Perhaps it's that true leadership comes from a place of lived experience, from understanding the nuances of justice and mercy, and from recognizing the constant, unwavering protection that God offers, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. And maybe, just maybe, it's a reminder that even our mistakes can shape us into instruments of divine purpose.
What did Moses see that led him to devote himself to [designating] the cities of refuge? Rabbi Levi said: One who ate the dish knows its taste. How so? When Moses killed the Egyptian, he went out on the second day and found Datan and Aviram quarreling with one another, as it is stated: “He emerged on the second day, [and behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the wicked one: Why do you strike your neighbor?]” (Exodus 2:13). Rabbi Aivu said: This [wicked one] was Datan. [Datan] began demeaning him: “Do you propose to kill me?” (Exodus 2:14). When Pharaoh heard this, he said: ‘How many things have I heard and been silent. Now that he has arrived at bloodshed, apprehend him.’ How did he flee from Pharaoh, as it is written: “Moses fled from Pharaoh” (Exodus 2:15)? Rabbi Yannai said: The executioner came to place the sword on his neck; the sword was blunted on his neck, which turned into marble. Solomon lauded him: “Your neck is like an ivory tower” (Song of Songs 7:5). Rabbi Evyatar said: Moreover, the sword caromed off his neck and it turned onto the executioner. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4) – Moses said: The Holy One blessed be He delivered me but not the executioner. Bar Kappara said: An angel descended in Moses’s image and facilitated his flight. They thought the angel was Moses. Rabbi Yehoshua said: See the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on behalf of Moses: All of Pharaoh’s scholars, some of them became mute, some of them became deaf, some of them became blind, and Moses fled and they did not see him. Know that when the Holy One blessed be He sought to send him on a mission, he began hesitating. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Do you not recall what I did to Pharaoh’s scholars,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said to him: Who gives a mouth to a person, [or who renders one mute, or deaf, or sighted, or blind]” (Exodus 4:11)? ‘At that time I stood with you, and now, will I not stand with you?’ Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Come and see that the actions of the Holy One blessed be He are not like the actions of mortal man. The way of the world is that mortal man procures himself a patron who protects him. If he is apprehended and placed on trial, [his friends] go and find his patron and say to him: ‘A member of your household has been apprehended.’ He says to them: ‘I will protect him.’ But if he is taken out to be executed, where is he and where is his patron? But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. The ministering angels said to Him: ‘A member of your household, Moses, has been apprehended.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ They said to Him: ‘He is standing before Pharaoh; his sentence is being read; he is being taken out for execution.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ He was taken out for execution, and the Holy One blessed be He delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4). Another matter: A person who has a patron and he is apprehended in his sin and cast to a place of beasts – where is he and where is his patron? Daniel was cast into the lions’ den, and the Holy One blessed be He delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “My God sent His angel, and he shut the lions’ mouths” (Daniel 6:23). Another matter: If a person procures himself a patron and performs a sin, and the judge decrees upon him that he is to be burned, where is he and where is his patron? But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘A member of Your household, Abraham, was apprehended.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ They said to Him: ‘He is standing before Amrafel, his sentence is being read, and he is about to be burned.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ [Abraham] was cast into the fiery furnace, and the Holy One blessed be He descended and delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He said to him: I am the Lord, who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7).63The word Ur can also be translated “fire,” as in Isaiah 47:14. Another matter: If a person procures himself a patron and he is apprehended in his sin, and the judge decrees upon him that he is to be cast into the sea, where is he and where is his patron? But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. Jonah was cast into the sea, and the Holy One blessed be He delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah [upon the dry land]” (Jonah 2:11). Another matter: “Then Moses designated” – Rabbi Aivu said: When Moses fled, he began to sing a song [of praise], as it is stated: “And he settled in the land of Midian, and he sat at the well” (Exodus 2:15). Just as Israel sang a song at the well,64See Numbers 21:17. so Moses sang a song at the well. Rabbi Levi said: [He sang] because the portion of the murderer in the city of refuge took effect through him.65The portion begins: “Then [az] Moses designated,” indicating that he sang, just as the song at the sea begins: “Then [az] Moses and the children of Israel sang” (Exodus 15:1). The reason he sang is that he himself had been rescued after having killed someone.
