<b>And he went out on the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together (Exod. 2:13).</b> Who were these men? They were Dathan and Abiram, who later said: <i>Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt</i> (Num. 14:4). They were the ones who rebelled at the Red Sea and kept some of the manna (as “leftovers,” not believing that God would supply them with more the next day), as it is written: <i>But some of them left of it until the morning</i> (Exod. 16:20). Likewise, they were the ones who went out to gather it up (on the Sabbath, which was forbidden), but were unable to find any (as Moses had warned). They were also the ones who participated in his (Moses’) conflict with Korah. Hence it is said: <i>It was Dathan and Abiram</i>. They were involved in wickedness from beginning to end. <i>He said to him that did wrong: “Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?”</i> (Exod. 2:13), that is to say: “Why do you strike one who is just as wicked as you are?” And they retorted: <i>Who made thee a man, ruler and judge over us?</i> This implied: “You are not yet a man, indeed you are only a lad, and yet you try to act as though you are a ruler and a judge over us.”
<i>Thinkest thou to kill me?</i> It does not say here “Do you desire to kill me?” but rather <i>Thinkest thou to kill me?</i> Thus you learn from this that he slew him merely by reflecting upon the Tetragrammaton. And Moses became fearful and said: <i>Surely this thing is known</i> (Exod. 2:14). He said to them: “You tell tales on each other, how can you be worthy of redemption?” <i>And when Pharaoh hear this thing</i> (ibid., v. 15). Apparently Dathan and Abiram informed against him (Moses), and he fled to Midian, where he remained twenty years, until Israel became worthy of redemption.
Forthwith <i>he sought to slay Moses, but Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh</i>. They had placed Moses upon the scaffold, and Pharaoh was about to have him executed when the Holy One, blessed be He, made Pharaoh mute, the counselors deaf, and the executioner blind. Thereupon, <i>Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh</i>. Whence do we know this? R. Johanan said: At the time that Moses replied: <i>I am not a man of words</i> (Exod. 4:10), the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: <i>Who hath made man’s mouth?</i> (ibid., v. 11). Pharaoh’s mouth ordered that Moses be placed upon the scaffold and executed but who made him mute, the counselor deaf, and the executioner blind? Who gave you the good sense to escape from Pharaoh? <i>Is it not I</i> (ibid.), the Holy One, blessed be He?
<i>And he dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well</i>. In so doing, he repeated what his ancestors had done previously. There were three who met their mates at a well: Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Isaac, as it is written: <i>And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi</i> (Gen. 24:62). Jacob, as it is written: <i>And he looked up, and behold, a well in the field</i> (ibid. 29:2). Moses, as it is written: <i>And he sat down by a well</i>.