Moses Gathers the Elders With a Secret Sign

Midrash Rabbah Shemot Rabbah 3:8 View source
Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team ·

The passage we're looking at begins with God instructing Moses: "Go and gather the elders of Israel, and say to them: The Lord, the God of your fathers, God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have remembered you, and what is being done to you in Egypt" (Exodus 3:16).

Why the elders? Shemot Rabbah emphasizes the vital role elders play in upholding Israel. It draws a parallel to (Joshua 8:33), which describes all of Israel, with its elders, officers, and judges, standing on either side of the Ark. The text suggests that Israel's strength, its very ability to stand, is contingent upon the presence and wisdom of its elders. When the Temple stood, people consulted the elders, as (Deuteronomy 32:7) says, “Ask your father and he will tell you; your elders and they will say to you.” Because, the text reminds us, whoever seeks counsel from elders will not fail.

To illustrate this point, Shemot Rabbah recounts a story about King of Israel and ben-Hadad. Ben-Hadad demands the King's silver, gold, women, and children. At first, the King seems ready to comply. But then ben-Hadad ups the ante, demanding "everything precious" (maḥmad) to the King (I Kings 20:6). What could be more precious than gold, women, or children?

This is where the elders step in. The King realizes that ben-Hadad isn't just after material possessions; he's after something of ultimate value: the Torah itself, which (Psalms 19:11) calls "more precious than gold." The King understands that this decision isn't his alone to make. He consults the elders, and together they refuse ben-Hadad's demand. Because the king heeded the counsel of the elders, immediately, “The king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and the chariots” (I (Kings 20:2)1). This story underscores the idea that true strength and wisdom lie in collective counsel, especially that of the elders.

But there’s more to the verse than just the importance of elders. God tells Moses to say, "pakod pakadeti," "I have surely remembered you." Why this double expression? The midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) explains that this is a sign, a tradition passed down from Joseph himself, who said, "God will surely remember (pakod yifkod) you" (Genesis 50:24). According to Shemot Rabbah, the double expression signifies a double redemption: pakod in Egypt, pakadeti at the sea. It speaks of remembrance in both the future and the past.

Furthermore, God says, "I have remembered…what is being done to you in Egypt." This isn't just about recalling the suffering of the Israelites; it's about holding the Egyptians accountable. It's a divine promise to repay them for their actions, echoing the sentiment in I (Samuel 15:2), "I remember what Amalek did to Israel."

Finally, the text touches on the deceptive strategy employed by Moses and the elders when they approach the Pharaoh. They ask for a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to God (Exodus 3:18). Why three days? Why not ask for freedom outright? Shemot Rabbah suggests this was a deliberate tactic to mislead the Egyptians. The Egyptians would think the Israelites would return after three days, and when they didn't, the Egyptians would pursue them, leading to their ultimate demise in the Red Sea – a fitting punishment for their cruelty, mirroring their decree to cast newborn Israelite boys into the Nile (Exodus 1:22).

So, what does all this mean for us today? Perhaps it's a reminder to value the wisdom of those who came before us. To seek counsel, to listen to the stories and experiences that have shaped our communities. And, perhaps, it's a call to remember, to never forget the struggles of the past, and to strive for a future where justice and compassion prevail. Just as God remembered the Israelites, we too must remember our history and use its lessons to guide our actions.

Themes

Creation Hell/Gehenna Noah & Flood Patriarchs Joseph Moses King David Job Torah Temple Prophecy Miracles Holy Land Egypt

Continue Reading

Midrash Aggadah The Righteous Cry That Pierced Through Heaven A discussion of "rana," which can be translated as a cry or supplication. But it's not just any cry; it's a cry of right... Midrash Rabbah When Kings of the Earth Recognized Divine Justice It turns out, even ancient texts grapple with these questions, offering surprising insights into universal ethics. to Ba... Midrash Rabbah Moses and Creation of Sinai Today, we're diving into Bamidbar Rabbah 11, a section of a Midrash, a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book o... Midrash Rabbah The Hidden Destiny Buried in the Hebrew Word Was It might seem like just a simple Hebrew word meaning "was," but in the world of Jewish thought, it can unlock hidden mea... Midrash Rabbah Fires of Gehenna It's not just a love poem, you know. Jewish tradition sees it as an allegory, a story of the love between God and Israel... Midrash Aggadah Haman Cast Lots by Astrology to Destroy the Jews The story of Haman, the villain of the Purim story, is full of them. And according to the Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation ... Midrash Rabbah Rabbis — Aaron at the Dawn of Creation Here, we're unpacking the story of the sotah, the woman suspected of adultery, and the unique ritual designed to determi... Midrash Rabbah The Nazirite Vow and the Song of Songs Connection This Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), or interpretive commentary on the Book of Numbers, opens with a verse a... Midrash Rabbah Samson at the Dawn of Creation It's a fascinating passage, brimming with insights about responsibility, destiny, and the power of prayer. The passage o...