The story starts with a seemingly simple commandment: "This is the statute of the paschal offering." Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta paints a vivid picture: God, blessed be He, instructs Moses to be especially careful about the mitzvah, the commandment, of the Passover offering. Only those who are circumcised can partake. "No foreigner shall eat of it," God says, "but anyone’s servant, bought for silver, you shall circumcise him – [then he shall eat of it]." (Exodus 12:43-44).
Why this emphasis on circumcision? The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) uses a powerful analogy. Imagine a king throwing a magnificent feast for all his beloved subjects. But, the king declares, no one without the proper emblem can enter. In this case, the "emblem" is the covenant of Abraham, signified by circumcision.
According to our Rabbis, the Israelites in Egypt hadn't exactly been rushing to maintain this covenant. In fact, the Midrash states plainly that "Israel did not seek to circumcise in Egypt; in fact, they all abolished circumcision in Egypt," with one notable exception: the tribe of Levi. As (Deuteronomy 33:8-9) tells us, "And of Levi he said: Your Tumim [wholeheartedness] and Your Urim [lights]…[because] they observed Your word and kept Your covenant." The Tumim and Urim, often translated as perfection and light, were divinely inspired objects that were bequeathed to the tribe of Levi. The Midrash interprets these names as symbols of their steadfast commitment.
So, what’s a God to do when His people need redeeming, but lack the merit? God calls upon Moses, or some say it was Joshua, to circumcise the people. As (Joshua 5:2) says, "And again circumcise the children of Israel, a second time." But not everyone was thrilled with this proposition, shall we say.
Here's where it gets truly interesting. God decrees that they must perform the paschal offering. And once Moses does, God commands the four winds from the Garden of Eden to cleave to that offering. "Awake, north [wind], and come, south [wind]," as the (Song of Songs 4:16) puts it. The aroma of the offering becomes so potent, it travels for forty days! The people, famished by the tantalizing scent, beg Moses for a taste. But God is firm: "If you will not be circumcised you will not eat."
The result? The Israelites submit, and the blood of the paschal offering mingles with the blood of circumcision. And in that moment, a profound transformation occurs. God passes over them, taking each one, kissing and blessing them. As (Ezekiel 16:6) proclaims, "And I passed over you, and saw you wallowing in your blood [damayikh], and I said to you: In your blood, you shall live; I said to you: In your blood, you shall live." The Midrash understands damayikh, the plural form of blood, to signify both the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision.
So, what's the takeaway? This Midrash on Shemot Rabbah 19 isn't just a historical anecdote. It's a powerful reminder that redemption often requires commitment, sacrifice, and a willingness to embrace the covenant. It emphasizes that physical acts, like circumcision, can have profound spiritual consequences, especially when combined with sincere intention. It makes us consider the cost and the meaning of freedom, and reminds us that sometimes, the sweetest aromas come from the hardest-won battles.
“This is the statute of the paschal offering.” Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: When Israel departed from Egypt, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Caution Israel regarding the mitzva of the paschal offering: “no foreigner shall eat of it, but anyone’s servant, bought for silver, you shall circumcise him – [then he shall eat of it].”’ When Israel saw that He disqualified the uncircumcised to partake of the paschal offering, all Israel quickly stood and circumcised all their slaves and children and everyone who would come out with them, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went and did [as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron; so they did]” (Exodus 12:50). It is analogous to a king who made a feast for all those he loved. The king said: ‘If on one of the participants there is no emblem, he may not enter here.’ So, God made a feast for them: “Roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs” (Exodus 12:8), because He redeemed them from their distress. He said to them: ‘If the seal of Abraham is not in your flesh, you may not taste from it.’ Everyone who was born in Egypt was quickly circumcised. About them it is stated: “Gather My pious together to Me; those who make My covenant with an offering” (Psalms 50:5). Our Rabbis said: Israel did not seek to circumcise in Egypt; in fact, they all abolished circumcision in Egypt, except for the tribe of Levi, as it is stated: “And of Levi he said: Your Tumim [wholeheartedness] and Your Urim [lights] (Deuteronomy 33:8).”10The midrash is interpreting the meaning of the names of the Urim and Tumim, which were bequeathed to the tribe of Levi in Moses’s final blessing. Why? It is because “they observed Your word and kept Your covenant” (Deuteronomy 33:9) in Egypt. The Holy One blessed be He sought to redeem them [Israel] but they had no merit. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He called Moses and said: ‘Go and circumcise them.’ Some say that it was Joshua who was there and circumcised them, as it is stated: “And again circumcise the children of Israel, a second time” (Joshua 5:2). Many of them did not accept upon themselves to be circumcised. The Holy One blessed be He said that they [the children of Israel] should perform the paschal offering. Once Moses performed the paschal offering, the Holy One blessed be He made a decree for the four winds of the world that blow in the Garden of Eden. The winds went from the Garden of Eden and cleaved to that paschal offering, as it is stated: “Awake, north [wind], and come, south [wind]” (Song of Songs 4:16). Its aroma went a distance of forty days [travel]. All of Israel gathered near Moses, they said to him: ‘Please, feed us from your paschal offering,’ because they were famished from the aroma. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you will not be circumcised you will not eat,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: This is the statute of the paschal offering…[circumcise him, then he shall eat of it]” (Exodus 12:43–4). Immediately, they submitted and were circumcised, and the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of the circumcision intermingled, and the Holy One blessed be He would pass and take each of them, kiss him and bless him, as it is stated: “And I passed over you, and saw you wallowing in your blood [damayikh],11Damayikh is plural, indicating that there was more than one type of blood. [and I said to you: In your blood, you shall live; I said to you: In your blood, you shall live]” (Ezekiel 16:6); live with the blood of the paschal offering, live with the blood of circumcision.
