It all centers around Moses, and a rather interesting agreement he makes with Jethro (also known as Yitro), his future father-in-law.
Remember, Moses has just fled Egypt after, shall we say, an unfortunate incident involving an Egyptian taskmaster. He finds himself in Midian, where he helps Jethro's daughters at a well. Jethro, impressed by Moses's character, invites him to stay. Then comes the verse: "Moses decided to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter Tzipora to Moses" (Exodus 2:21). Simple enough, right? But what does "Moses decided" really mean?
That's where our Rabbis jump in with some fascinating interpretations. Rabbi Yehuda suggests that the Hebrew word for "decided" – vayoel – isn't just about making a choice. According to Rabbi Yehuda, it’s an expression of an oath. He sees echoes of this meaning elsewhere in the Bible, like in the book of Samuel where it says, "Saul administered an oath [vayoel] to the people" (I Samuel 14:24). So, what oath did Moses take?
Apparently, Jethro was a little wary. He knew that Jacob, the patriarch, had left Laban's household rather… unceremoniously, taking Laban’s daughters (Jacob’s wives) with him without Laban’s permission. Jethro perhaps thought: "If I give my daughter to this man, will he do the same to me?" So, to ease Jethro's concerns, Moses swore an oath that he wouldn't run off with Tzipora without Jethro’s consent. Can you imagine the scene? A powerful moment of commitment and trust, born out of a little bit of understandable suspicion.
But wait, there's more! Rabbi Nehemiah offers another take. He understands vayoel as an expression of staying the night. He draws a parallel to the Book of Judges, where we find the word hoel, meaning "please agree and stay the night" (Judges 19:6). So, according to Rabbi Nehemiah, Moses agreed to stay with Jethro, to be a guest and a part of his household.
And our Rabbis, may their memories be a blessing, add yet another layer: Moses accepted the responsibility of herding Jethro's flocks. They see vayoel as an expression of beginning – of starting something new. By marrying Jethro's daughter, Moses was also committing himself to a new life, a new role, as a shepherd in a foreign land.
Now, fast forward a bit. Tzipora gives birth to a son, and Moses names him Gershom. Why Gershom? Because, as Exodus 2:22 tells us, Moses said, "I was a stranger [ger] in a foreign land." The Rabbis point out that it’s a tradition among righteous people to name their children after significant events in their lives.
Think about Joseph. As Genesis 41:51-52 recounts, Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh, "because God has made me forget [nashani] all my toil." And his second son he named Ephraim, "because God has made me fruitful [hifrani] in the land of my affliction." Joseph wanted to remember the miracles God performed for him.
Similarly, Moses named his son Gershom to remember that he was a stranger, a ger, in a foreign land, and that the Holy One, blessed be He, had brought him success even there. It’s a beautiful way to acknowledge God’s presence in his life, even in the midst of exile.
So, what does this all mean for us? It’s a reminder that even seemingly simple decisions – like agreeing to stay with someone, or naming a child – can be loaded with meaning, with history, and with a deep connection to our faith. And it reminds us that sometimes, even in moments of uncertainty and vulnerability, we can find ourselves on the path to something truly extraordinary.