We all know the story of Moses, the plagues, and the ultimate escape from slavery. But there's a fascinating little detail, almost a backstage scene, that often gets overlooked. It involves a sacrifice, a powerful smell, and a life-changing decision.
See, according to Legends of the Jews, that incredible compilation of rabbinic stories and folklore, Moses was having a bit of a hard time convincing all the Israelites to get circumcised. Can you imagine trying to convince thousands of people to undergo surgery right before a long journey? It was a tough sell! But God, as the stories tell us, has a way of working things out.
So, how did God change their minds? This is where it gets really interesting.
God sent a wind. But not just any wind. This wind carried the most intoxicating, irresistible aroma – the sweet scents of Paradise itself! The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mysticism, often speaks of the sensory experiences that accompany spiritual awakening. This was something like that. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, the fragrance wafted across Egypt, reaching as far as a forty days' journey. Think of the most amazing smell you've ever experienced, and multiply it by a thousand.
People were drawn to Moses' paschal lamb, the one prepared for the special Passover sacrifice, like moths to a flame. They wanted a taste! But Moses, ever the faithful messenger, stood firm. "This is the command of God," he declared, "'No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.'"
Talk about a dilemma!
Faced with the choice between missing out on a taste of Paradise and fulfilling this important mitzvah, this commandment, the people made a collective decision: they all chose to undergo circumcision. Every single one of them!
Now, isn't that remarkable?
The story doesn't end there. As we find in Midrash Rabbah, when God passed through the land of Egypt during the final plague, God didn't just "pass over" the Israelite homes. God blessed every Israelite for fulfilling both the command of the paschal sacrifice and the command regarding circumcision. Two acts of faith, two steps toward freedom.
What's the takeaway here? This story, tucked away within the larger narrative of the Exodus, reminds us that sometimes, the path to doing what's right isn't always easy. Sometimes, it takes a little nudge, a little enticement, a little taste of something truly extraordinary to help us make the right choice. And sometimes, it's the combination of faith and action that truly earns us God's blessing. Maybe it's not always about grand miracles, but about the small, personal commitments we make along the way.