That righteous anger, that impulse to act – it's a deeply human experience, and it’s one that Moses himself knew well.
The story goes that one day, long after he'd left the sheltered life of Pharaoh's palace and grown into a man, Moses ventured into the land of Goshen. Goshen was the area in Egypt where the Israelites, his people, lived. And what he saw there cut him to the core. He witnessed the back-breaking labor, the crushing burdens placed upon them. He saw their pain etched on their faces.
Naturally, he asked, "Why? Why this heavy service?"
And the Israelites poured out their story. They told him of Pharaoh's cruel edicts, decrees issued even before Moses was born, condemning their newborn sons to death. They spoke of the wicked counsel of Balaam, a figure we'll encounter again. They recounted how, as a mere child, Moses had unknowingly placed Pharaoh's crown upon his own head – an act that Balaam had interpreted as a sign of future rebellion and power (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews).
Imagine that moment. Moses, finally understanding the full weight of his people’s suffering, the insidious plots against them, and even against him as a child. It’s no wonder that wrath ignited within him.
He focused his anger particularly on Balaam. The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mysticism, paints Balaam as a figure of immense, dark power, a sorcerer of unparalleled skill. Moses saw Balaam as the architect of much of their misery, and sought a way to neutralize him.
But Balaam, ever cunning, sensed Moses's growing animosity. Like a desert fox, he knew when to disappear. He fled Egypt, taking his two sons with him, and sought refuge at the court of Kikanos, the king of Ethiopia.
Why Ethiopia? What role would this new location play in the unfolding saga? Well, that's a story for another time. But for now, let's sit with this image of Moses, awakened to the plight of his people, and the shadowy figure of Balaam slipping away into the desert night. The seeds of rebellion have been sown, and the stage is set for a confrontation that will change the course of history.