God's speeches of redemption

Summary: The account of the Burning Bush depicts Moses encountering a miraculous phenomenon — a bush engulfed in flames yet not consumed—where God, through both YHWH and Elohim aspects, reveals Himself and calls Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. In the Book of Exodus both names are now subsumed under the name YHWH. This is the God who “will be” with the Israelites throughout history. The narrative emphasizes God’s appreciation of the Israelites' suffering, and His promise to rescue them, offering Moses assurance and signs to validate his mission. The format of God's speech highlights past covenants with Abraham and future promises to Israel, focusing on God's active role in their redemption.The reason for God choosing Moses and the grouping of Ten Plagues are also discussed.

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The revelation at the Burning Bush

The forefathers of the Jewish people, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were very familiar with the two names of God YHWH and Elohim; and they brought their relationship with YHWH to new heights of intimacy and trust. They also appreciated the role of Elohim in assuring their place and that of their future offspring among the family of nations. These two types of relationships were first described in the two creation stories, continued with Noah at the time of the Flood, and were formalized by two covenants made with Abraham – the Covenant of the Pieces in which YHWH detailed hundreds of years of exile in Egypt for his descendants and the Covenant of Circumcision, in which Elohim promised the land of Canaan to his offspring.

However, as the sons of Jacob settled themselves in Egypt, knowledge of a relationship with YHWH became distant to them. When Joseph speaks about God, which he does frequently, he mentions only the name Elohim. Nevertheless, The Torah makes it clear that YHWH was still working behinds the scenes to further His plans for Jacob’s descendants — “And YHWH was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he remained in the house of his master” (Genesis 39:2).1 As centuries passed and the Children of Israel became slaves in Israel, as prophesied by the Covenant between the Pieces, their experiential knowledge of the presence of YHWH completely disappeared and they knew only of Elohim.

And it happened during those many days that the king of Egypt died, and the Children of Israel groaned because of the work and they cried out. Their outcry because of the work went up to Elohim. And Elohim heard their moaning and Elohim remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. And Elohim saw the Children of Israel and Elohim knew (Exodus 2:23-25).

Moses, the future savior of the Israelites, had an unusual childhood. He was saved from drowning in the Nile River as a newborn by a renegade daughter of Pharaoh, adopted by her and brought into the royal palace. He was also weaned by his mother, and it may be assumed also spent quality time with his biological family and learnt about the traditions of his ancestors.2 Hence, when God revealed Himself to Moses as “the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” this obviously resonated with him.

Moses had fled from Egypt after killing an Egyptian taskmaster and is now working for Yitro, a priest of Midian, as a shepherd, having married one of his daughters Zipporah. As he is leading the flock to new pastures in the wilderness, he sees a most unusual site. Flames of fire are emitting from a nearby bush and yet the bush is being not burnt up. On approaching this bush, Moses now finds himself in conversation with God:

An angel of YHVH appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the bush. He gazed and behold! The bush was ablaze in fire, yet the bush was not consumed. Moses said: “I will turn aside now and look at this wondrous site – why will the bush not be burned?” YHVH saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim called out to him from amid the bush and said: “Moses, Moses," and he replied: “Here I am!” And He [Elohim] said: “Do not come closer to here, take off your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:2-5).3

To his amazement, Moses discovers that not only is he beholding a vision of God, but the Deity is attempting to recruit him for a mission!

And He [YHWH] said: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. . . . YHVH said: “I have surely seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt and have heeded their outcry because of its taskmasters, for I know its pain. I shall descend to rescue it from the hand of Egypt and to bring it up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the outcry of the Children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Now go and I will send you to Pharaoh and you shall take My people, the Children of Israel, from Egypt” (ibid 3:6-10).

By which name is God revealing Himself to Moses? At first glance this paragraph seems mixed up. However, it should be readily apparent to the reader that Moses is seeing a manifestation of YHWH, in that the text states that “An angel of YHWH appeared to him. . .” Cassuto points out, however, that Moses recognizes God only from his aspect of Elohim, and thus only appreciates that Elohim is calling him: “YHWH saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim called out to him from amid the bush.” This would explain the changing names of God in this passage.4

Other indications that this is a YHWH-orientated passage are that it contains YHWH expressions and concepts from the Covenant of the Pieces, such as the “oppression” of Egypt and their displacement of the six nations in Canaan (although they are not exactly the same names). This passage also mentions that YHWH needs to “descend” to rescue the Israelites after He has already “seen,” “heeded,” and knows. The notion of God descending is found four times in the Torah, always in association with YHWH, and seems to be an idiom signifying likely involvement after investigation.5

It is noteworthy that his passage shouts out the oppression of the Jewish people, in that God hears their “outcry,” their “pain,” their “oppression,” their being “oppressed.” These are words that would resonate with a person like Moses who feels strongly about injustice.6

Nevertheless, Moses expresses grave doubts about his capability of accomplishing this mission, especially as it seems from God’s initial words that he himself will need to persuade Pharaoh to let the Children of Israel leave Egypt, and he will need to actually take them out.7

Moses replied to Elohim: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take the Children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11)

Following this comment, Elohim reassures him:

And He said: “For I shall be (eheyeh) with you — and this is the sign for you that I have sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you shall worship Elohim on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12).

Moses is mistaken. He will be but the messenger of God, and it is God Himself who will mainly take the initiative.8

Moses now wishes to know God’s name, since in the ancient world the name of a god reflected its attributes. This he needs for his own understanding and to convey his understanding to the Israelites.

In His reply to Moses’ question, God signs off so to speak on His name Elohim and provides understanding of the name YHWH, an understanding directly related to the verse quoted immediately above:

Moses said to Elohim: “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘The God of your forefathers has sent me to you, and they say to me what is His name? What shall I say to them?’ Elohim answered Moses: “I Shall Be What I Shall Be (eheyeh asher eheyeh).”’ And He said: “So shall you say to the Children of Israel: ‘I Shall Be (eheyeh) has sent me to you.’” Elohim said further to Moses: “‘So shall you say to the Children of Israel; YHWH the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My remembrance from generation to generation” (ibid 3:13-15).

This episode of the Burning Bush is unique in that it is the only instance in history in which a Divinity names Himself in a way that reflects His own attributes rather than being named by man.8 By contrast, the name Elohim reflects the human perception of the power of God.

God reveals that His name YHWH is based on the future tense of the verb “to be.”9 The name YHWH, in the third person future and third person present tense of the verb to be, is the God of relationships who revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Who is now forging a relationship with Moses and “will be" with him throughout this mission.10

It is noteworthy that God specifically refers to the Israelites twice as “My people,” thereby also identifying Himself as the tribal God of the Israelite people. As such, He also “will be” with the Israelite nation as they tread their way through world history.

Moses has been promised God’s assistance in this mission. He is now provided with “signs” that he can use to convince the Israelites of the authenticity of his revelation from God. He is also offered the assistance of his brother Aaron as his spokesman. Moses acquiesces to God’s request, and now returns home to Midian to prepare his family for returning to Egypt.

Moses has again become a social activist.

Why Moses?

Before going further, one might well ask the question — why did God chose Moses?

Clearly, God needed a leader who would work with Him to redeem the Israelites from Egypt and lead them to the land of Canaan.

But what type of person was He looking for?

A major requisite would be someone who could present himself as an equal to the Egyptian royalty and thus garner their respect. Also, someone who was familiar with the inner workings of the Egyptian court.

However, this alone would be insufficient. The CEO of an organization needs to reflect the values of that organization, especially when the organization is directed by God! Moses would need to exemplify the values that God wished imprinted on His people. He would also need to feel a strong identity and empathy with the people he was about to redeem.

Having been being brought up in the Egyptian court, there would have been no concerns as to how Moses would present himself to Pharaoh. However, having spent many of his adult years as a shepherd in Midian it is far from obvious that he would exemplify Jewish values and identify strongly with the Jewish people. Nevertheless, the Torah goes out of its way to emphasize that Moses possessed a foundational aspect of Judaism in that he was a self-made person with extremely strong feelings about social justice.

By the time Moses reached maturity, he was displaying the assertiveness of an Egyptian noble and a passion for social justice:

And it was in those days that Moses grew up and went out to his brethren and witnessed their burdens: and he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew man, one of his brothers. He turned this way and that and saw that there was no man, and he struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand (ibid 2:11-12).12

These are pivotal sentences. Despite his unusual upbringing in the Egyptian palace raised by a princess, Moses was clearly aware of his Jewish background. Twice this passage emphasizes the words “his brothers” — he "went out to his brothers.” Moreover, the slave being beaten was not only “a Hebrew man” but also “one of his brothers.”

Moses’ killing of the Egyptian was an extremely bold step. It was, in effect, an act of rebellion against the entire institution of Egyptian slavery and the enslavement and harsh treatment of the Israelites. He was also strongly declaring his identification with their suffering. However, from a practical perspective it was not a particularly smart move. In the absence of a political plan, it would have no effect whatsoever on Israelite servitude. Moreover, if the death of the Egyptian taskmaster was discovered, the blame would automatically fall on the Israelites. This could only be prevented by their denouncing Moses. The Israelite slaves would have had little compunction about doing this, since it is doubtful they recognized Moses as being one of the tribe.

The next day, Moses continues his social activism in the belief that injustice needs to be righted whatever its source:

He went out the next day and behold two Hebrew men were fighting. He said to the offender: ‘Why do you strike your fellow?’ He replied: ‘Who made you a man, a ruler, and a judge over us? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? (ibid 2:14).

His killing of the Egyptian had become generally known. It would not be long before “Pharaoh heard about this matter and sought to kill Moses” (ibid 2:15). Moses’ attempt at combating injustice had failed dismally, and there was no alternative but for him to flee Egypt.

Despite this, Moses’ feelings about moral rectitude remain unabated. On arriving in Midian, the seven daughters of the priest of Midian begin drawing water for their father’s sheep from a well but are driven away by shepherds. This arouses Moses’ ire: “Moses got up and saved them and watered their flock” (ibid 2:17).

To these young ladies, Moses looked like an Egyptian and acted like one. He is invited into the home of Ruel, the priest of Midian and marries one of his daughters. Yet Jewish by birth, and culturally an Egyptian aristocrat, he is unable to relate to either of those identities, any more than being a Midianite, the people with whom he is now living. This may be why he named his son Gershon:

He named him Gershom, for he said: “I have been a stranger in a strange land” (ibid 2:22).13

Identity-wise Moses is rootless. Nevertheless, it will not take much to draw him back to his Jewish roots.

Yet another reason is provided by R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch as to why Moses was such an appropriate leader for redeeming the Israelites.14 God was not seeking an individual with a strong ego that would jump at the opportunity for leadership. During God’s recruitment speech, Moses expresses considerable doubt he is the right person for this mission and feels the task is beyond his capabilities. He also lacks oratory skills. Such humility was precisely what God was looking for, since Moses was not undertaking his own mission but God’s.

God’s second recruitment speech

When Moses arrives in Egypt, the people are much heartened by Moses’ message:

And the people believed and they heard that YHWH had remembered the Children of Israel and that He saw their affliction, and they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves (ibid 4:31).

However, as God had previously warned him, Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh fails abysmally. Pharaoh not only refuses permission for the slaves to leave Egypt for a 3-day festival but they are now charged with finding their own straw for brick-making. The Israelites are devastated and understandably blame Moses for this reversal. Moses in turn questions God as to why this has happened:

“My Master,” Moses complains, “why have You harmed this people, why have You sent me? From the time I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has harmed this people, but You have not rescued Your people” (ibid 5:22-23).

The situation has now reached rock bottom for the Hebrew slaves. This occasions a second speech by God to persuade Moses to continue with this mission. In so doing, God joins the YHWH and Elohim aspects of His being solely into the YHWH aspects by joining together aspects of the Covenant of Circumcision with the Covenant between the Pieces. He does this because the future mission of the Children of Israel will be subsumed entirely by the name of God YHWH. This speech reads as follows:

Introduction:

And Elohim spoke to Moses and said to him, I am YHWH.

Section 1:

(A1) And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai, and My name YHWH was not known to them. And I also established (hakimoti) My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojourning (megurayhem), in which they sojourned (garu va).

(B1) And I have also heard the wail of the Children of Israel whom Egypt enslaves, and I have remembered My covenant. Therefore, say to the Children of Israel: I am YHWH.

Section 2:

(B2) And I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt. And I shall rescue you from their service, I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I shall take you to Me for a people, and I shall be a God to you, and you shall know that I am YHWH your God Who takes you out from under the burdens of Egypt.

(A2) I shall bring you to the land (ha’aretz) about which I have raised My hand to give it Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, and I shall give it to you as a heritage (morashah). I am YHWH. (ibid 6:2-8).

The literary format of God’s speech is that there is an introduction emphasizing that the Spokesperson is YHWH, followed by two sections, each of which is framed at its end by the phrase “I am YHWH.”

The first section 1 contains a summary of what God has already done for the Israelites, while the second section summarizes what YHWH promises to do in the future, the promises being directed at “you,” the Children of Israel.

Most writers nowadays answer points in the order in which they were posed. However, a frequently used literary style in the Torah is a chiastic structure. The chiasmus in this speech is in the form A1, B1, B2, A2, with A2 being a promise to resolve the issues raised in A1, and B2 a promise to resolve those issues raised in B1. The peak of the chiasmus at B1 and B2 emphasizes God’s exclusive role in redemption.

The first part of the speech in A1 borrows essential words from the Covenant of Circumcision. These include the words “El Shaddai” — “I am El Shaddai; walk before me and be perfect” (Genesis 17:1), and “establishing” a covenant — “I will uphold (vehakimoti) My covenant between Me and you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant to be a God to you (lelohim) and your offspring after you” (Genesis 17:7). The Covenant of Circumcision also refers exclusively to the “land of Canaan” and “sojourning” there — “and I will give to you and your offspring after you the land of your sojourns (megurecho) — the whole of the land of Canaan — as an everlasting possession, and I shall be a God (lelohim) to them” (Genesis 17:8) .

But there is an obvious question regarding this passage. How could the Torah say that the name YHWH was not “known” to the forefathers, when there are specific references in Genesis that they did know this name?15

Jewish commentators are in agreement that knowledge of God’s name means something other than knowledge that this name exists. One direction of commentators is that this new aspect of YHWH relates to actions He will perform in the future that were heretofore unknown to the forefathers.16 Another approach that pertains more to the direction of this essay is that the Torah is discussing attributes of God encompassed by the name YHWH that were previously unknown to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The name YHWH previously encompassed God’s providence to the forefathers, but now encompasses His providence to the Israelites as a nation. Of this, the forefathers could have had no knowledge of.

As distinct from the first section, A2 quotes from YHWH’s Covenant between the Pieces with use of the word “land” and the concept of inheriting. YHWH never uses the expression land of Canaan but only “the land,” and always uses the word inheriting rather than possessing or sojourning:

He [YHWH] said to him [Abraham]: “I am YHWH Who brought you out of Ur Kasdim to give you this land (et ha’aretz hazot) to inherit it (lerishta)’” (Genesis 13:7).

By bringing together the Covenant between the Pieces in A2 and the Covenant of Circumcision in A1 in one speech, the Torah is telling us that going forward the Children of Israel will no longer be under the influence of the aspect of God Elohim, but only YHWH. This is because the Israelites will now be forming an intimate relationship with YHWH as a people based on His laws.

There are three exceptions. The Decalogue is introduced by Elohim, although the commands themselves relate to YHWH — “And Elohim spoke all these words saying” (Exodus 20:1). In the story of Yitro visiting the Israelite people the name Elohim is used. The prophet Bilaam also stresses the fact to all that he can speak to YHWH, but the text makes clear that only Elohim will answer him.

In the second section, B2, are seven verbs indicating seven expressions of delivery and the exclusive involvement of God in the Israelite’s deliverance:17

I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt.

I shall rescue you from their service.

I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

I shall take you to Me for a people.

And I shall be a God to you.

I shall bring you to the land about which I have raised My hand to give it Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.

And I shall give it you as a heritage.

The equivalence between the first section containing God’s promises and the second section of God’s plan for redemption is also indicated in another numerical way. From the beginning of the first section beginning with the sentence “And I appeared to Abraham ….” until the end of the first paragraph, which ends with “Therefore, say to the Children of Israel: I am YHWH” (ibid 6:8). there are 50 Hebrew words. From this point on until the end of the second section there are also 50 Hebrew words. The equivalence between God’s actions in the past and His promises for the future will be established to the last word!

Unlike numbers 7, 8 and 40, number 50 is uncommon in the Torah. It is found only once in the description of the Yovel year. After 7 repetitions of the seven-year Sabbatical year cycle in which the land is at rest for one year in seven, the fiftieth year is also a year of rest for the land and is called the Yovel year. The Yovel year is the time in which you shall “proclaim freedom throughout the land for all its inhabitants” and everyone returns to their “ancestral inheritance” (Leviticus 25:10). It is also a time of social justice during which those in slavery are able to regain their freedom, return to their ancestral possession and become servants again only to God. These are also themes of the Exodus, in which freedom is bestowed on the Israelites to enable them to leave Egypt to serve God in freedom in their own land.

The redemption from Egypt will be entirely the work of YHWH and the people will be almost passive. Here too, an equivalence is apparent. The Israelites were passive in becoming slaves to Pharaoh and they will now be passive in their transfer to God’s service. Their sole involvement will be to demonstrate their allegiance to God before the Plague of the Firstborn by smearing blood on the doorposts of their homes from the blood of the Paschal lamb and to eat of this lamb roasted while dressed ready to leave Egypt.

One might think that after thousands of years of studying the same Five Books of Moses, new methods of interpretation of the text would be unlikely. However, a new direction within Orthodoxy (in that they have been the main promoters of this technique) is the literary analysis of the Torah text. That this is revealing many gems should not surprise us, since the Torah is more than an ordinary text. It is an esoteric text replete with messages waiting to be revealed. It is also a carefully woven book with interlinking stories and passages. The search for harmony within the Pentateuch represents a sea change within academia, which in the past was focused on searching for disharmony as a consequence of its presumed multiple authorship. The two speeches made by God when recruiting Moses for a leadership position are good examples of the gems that can be revealed by this method.

The Ten Plagues

The Ten Plagues were not ten natural devastations that happened to affect Egypt at an opportune time, but were part of a planned sequence of disasters brought about entirely by the agency of God. This message is emphasized in a number of ways:

God is able to turn the plagues on and off at will.

Hence, when Moses asks Pharaoh when he would like the plague of frogs removed, Pharaoh brazenly tests Moses by asking “for tomorrow” (ibid 8:6). Moses obliges: “As you say – so that you will know there is none like YHWH our God” (ibid 8:6). “Tomorrow” now becomes a feature of other plagues too, namely the removal of the mixed beasts (ibid 8:25) and the pestilence affecting the livestock (ibid 9:5).

God makes a separation between the Egyptians and Israelites for the plague of mixed beasts, the plague of darkness and the plague of the firstborn:

“And on that day, I shall distinguish the land of Goshen upon which My people stands, that there be no mixture of wild beasts there; so that you will know that I am YHWH in the midst of the land” (ibid 8:18).

With their incantations, Pharaoh’s magician advisors are able to replicate plagues that are already in existence, namely the plagues of blood and frogs. However, by the third plague, they admit that this plague is beyond their ability to reproduce:

And the lice-infestation was on man and beast. The sorcerers said to Pharaoh: “It is the finger of Elohim!" (ibid 8:15).

A finger, of course, is part of the hand of God. Unwittingly, they had announced that seven out of the ten plagues were yet to come!

There have been attempts to subdivide the plagues into different groups.18 A division of the plagues proposed by R’ Moshe Lichtenstein that I very much favor looks not so much at the details of the plagues but their purpose.19

On this basis, he divides the plagues into two groups. The purpose of the first seven plagues was to instill in Pharaoh and his people recognition of the existence of YHWH and His sovereignty over the universe.

As distinct from the first seven plagues, R’ Lichtenstein contends that the aim of the last three, that of the locusts, darkness and plague of the firstborn, was to persuade Pharaoh to finally give permission for the Israelites to leave Egypt, and to also buttress the faith of the Israelites in the omnipotence of God.

Hence, before the onset of the plagues, Moses and Aaron request permission from Pharaoh for the Israelites to go into the wilderness to celebrate to their God (ibid 5:1), to which Pharaoh exclaims:

“Who is YHWH that I should listen to His voice to send out Israel? I do not know YHWH, nor will I send out Israel” (Exodus 5:2).

In response to this, before the very first plague, God announces: “. . .. through this [the first plague] shall you [Pharaoh] know that I am YHWH” (ibid 7:17).

Similarly, when introducing the seventh plague of hail, God tells Moses to inform Pharaoh:

“For this time, I [God] shall send my plagues against your [Pharoah’s] heart, and upon your servants and your people, so that you should know that there is none like Me in all the world . . . On account of this I have left you standing, in order to show you My power and so that My Name may be declared throughout the world” (ibid 9:14,16).

This same point is also emphasized by Moses when he disperses this plague:

Moses said to him [Pharaoh]: “When I leave the city, I shall spread out my hands to YHWH, the thunder will cease and the hail will no longer be, so that you shall know that the earth is YHWH’s” (ibid 9:29).

Since the intent of the first seven plagues is for Pharaoh to appreciate the existence of God, Pharaoh’s necromancers or magicians are his advisors, since the Egyptians considered them to have a direct line to the spiritual world. Nevertheless, the Torah subtly pokes fun at their inability to impact on the spiritual forces they profess to control:

The necromancers could not stand before Moses because of the boils, because the boils were on the necromancers and all of Egypt (ibid 9:7).

By the end of the seventh plague, Pharaoh is prepared to acknowledge God’s omnipotence and is prepared to release his Israelite slaves:

Pharaoh sent and called to Moses and Aaron and said to them: “This time I have sinned, YHWH is the righteous One, and I and my people are the wicked ones. Entreat YHWH. The Godly thunder and hail have been much. I shall send you out, and you shall stay no longer” (ibid 9:27-28).

Pharaoh has come a lot way in his education! Nevertheless, he still cannot bring himself to issue the order that will bring about the slaves’ release. Despite his words, an extra push is needed. This is explained in God’s speech to Moses prior to the eighth plague:

YHWH said to Moses: “Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants in order to place these signs of Mine in his midst; and so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son how I made a mockery of Egypt and My signs that I placed among them – that you may know that I am YHVH” (ibid 10:1-2).

God is making sport with Pharaoh and his courtiers so that the Israelites will understand from these three plagues that it is the power of God that has brought about their release and they will relay this information to future generations. This leads to a number of differences between this last group of plagues compared to the previous seven:

In the previous 7 plagues, Pharaoh hardened his own heart, whereas in the last three plagues Pharaoh’s heart is hardened by God.

Until now the plagues had constituted a severe nuisance factor. They now become devastating. The plague of locusts covers the entire land of Egypt and destroys its agriculture. The 3-day plague of darkness brings Egypt to a complete standstill. It is a darkness described as being darker than dark. Finally, the plague of the firstborn completely breaks the will of the Egyptian people.

Because YHWH’s powers are no longer a theological issue, the nature of his advisors change after the sixth plague of boils. From the eighth plague on, his advisors are no longer his magicians but his “servants,” namely his counselors and civil servants. The plagues are leading to grave economic consequences for Egypt and it is only fitting that his civil servants be involved in the decision-making of the state.

There are additional dimensions to the tenth plague, the plague of the firstborn, related to Pharaoh’s recognition of the Israelites as God’s firstborn.

While on his way back to Egypt, God tells Moses:

“When you go to return to Egypt, see all the wonders that I have put in your hand and perform them before Pharaoh; but I shall strengthen his heart and he will not send out the people. So shall you say to Pharaoh: ‘So said YHWH, My firstborn son is Israel. So, I say to you: ‘Send out My son that he may serve Me - but you have refused to send him out; behold, I shall kill your firstborn son’” (ibid 4:21-23).

This raises the question — why it was it so important for one individual, the Pharaoh of Egypt, to acknowledge the supremacy of YHWH? Was it God’s intention that he convert Egypt to monotheism? The pressures against this from Egyptian society would have been considerable. There is also no evidence from Egyptian writings that a mass conversion ever took place.

One answer given is that in reality all the plagues were for the sake of the Jewish people, but that the lessons of the Exodus would impress themselves more on the Jewish people if they were also accepted by Pharaoh.

Another answer that seems closer to the literal meaning of the text is that the verses of the Ten Plagues are describing a struggle between Moses and Pharaoh as to the ownership of the Israelite slaves. Pharaoh as leader of Egypt assumes he can do with his slaves as he wishes, since he owns them. But YHWH, the God who walks with Israel through history, now claims that all power resides with Him, that the Israelites belong to Him as His people, and that they should leave Egypt to worship Him. Release of the slaves can only occur once Pharaoh acknowledges the supreme power of YHWH over the entire world and transfers ownership of the slaves to God. This Pharaoh does by the end of the seventh plague of hail (previously quoted - ibid 9:27-28) — although further prodding will be necessary to actualize the departure.

This also relates to Moses’ (although in reality God’s) disingenuous request that the Israelites leave Egypt for three days at his first meeting with Pharaoh (ibid 5:3). But who was he trying to fool? It would have been clear to everyone that once the slaves left with all their possessions they would never return. This is why it becomes an issue of contention between them. However, by requesting that the slaves leave for a distance of 3-days, Moses is suggesting a clear separation of ownership. If the slaves were only permitted to worship God within the boundaries of Egypt, even with their families, and even with all their possessions, then to all intents and purposes the slaves are still be under Pharaoh’s jurisdiction. They needed to leave Egypt for at least a three-day journey to pass beyond the borders of Egypt.

Conclusions

It is not an obvious claim — God, YHWH, controls every aspect of the natural world, as well as the course of world history, and He demands from Pharaoh that he release his Israelites slaves so that they can serve Him. He will also protect the Jewish people (provided they are worthy) as they walk through human history. This means that from this time on, Jewish history will become one of the central dynamics of world history, and the Jewish people will have dealings (often unfavorably) with almost all the major empires and religions of the world.

Israel is also to become God’s “firstborn son” (ibid 4:22). As R’ Joseph Soloveitchik explains:

This phrase implies that God had other children. Every nation is a child of God, for every human being was created in the divine image. At the moment that God revealed Himself to the Jewish people and gave us the Torah, we were chosen as a “treasured nation”; but God did not abandon the rest of the world. We are God’s firstborn – and a critical task of a firstborn child is to be a role model and an effective teacher for the other children. This is accomplished not only through learning, but by setting an example in our daily lives of sanctifying the Divine Name … This is what God had in mind when He gave Moses the task of redeeming the Israelites from slavery.20

The Jewish people will carry these messages through world history for themselves and the rest of mankind through their observance of the Jewish holidays and the symbols of the Passover night — the Paschal sacrifice, the Haggadah service, the matzah and the bitter herbs – as well as observance of other rituals such as phylacteries, mezuzot and fringes on their garments.21

But can God really claim to control history and promise Moses that He “will be” with the Jewish people throughout history? It is an axiom of Judaism that everyone has free will, and history results from the interplay of individual free wills. Simply put, there should be no room in history for God. However, all the prophecies made in the Torah and their fulfillment, the Ten Plagues, the redemption of the Israelites from Egypt, and the survival of the Jewish people tell us that the situation is otherwise. God is very much involved in human history.

There is no psychology research demonstrating how God is able to interfere with our decision-making processes, and it is unlikely there ever will be. However, when the Torah relates that “I have hardened his [Pharaoh’s] heart and that of his servants” (Exodus 10:1), it is announcing that He does have this capability. It is also telling us that God moves history by influencing the movers and shakers of this world. As the Book of Psalms says: “Like streams of water is the heart of a king in the hands of God, whatever He wishes, so He directs it” (Psalms 21:1). This is similarly stated in the Book of Kings in relation to the king Rechavam when he was confronted with the decision as to how to handle the complaints of the northern tribes: “The king did not listen to the people, for it was something brought about by YHWH, in order to fulfil His word that He had spoken through Achiya the Shilonite to Yeravam, the son of Nevat.” (I Kings 12:15). Rechavam’s bad decision would lead to the separation of the northern tribes from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and their eventual exile.

Jewish philosophers debate how God could have “hardened” the heart of Pharaoh without interfering with his free will.22 Sforno suggests that God made it possible for Pharaoh to ignore the evidence that was blatantly obvious to everyone else so that he could continue to harden his own heart. In a similar vein, Nachmanides explains that God gave Pharaoh the ability to withstand the pain of the plagues so that he could continue to resist sending out the slaves, just as he wanted to do at the beginning of the plagues. He still had the ability to choose between good and evil, so that his free remained intact.23 The Ralbag, on the other hand, sees kings as pawns in God’s hands to do with as He wishes:

Behold, the king’s heart and will are in the hands of God like streams of water that can be directed according to their need. So too, God directs the heart of the king wherever He desires. Here, we see that the acts of and thoughts of a king are limited by God, with the king being like an agent of God concerning matters of the state. This is just and wise, for if acts of a king were left to his total freedom, there could be great danger to that nation.24

Finally, can we be sure that the Exodus from Egypt really happened? Could it be that it is a Jewish myth, or at the very least a highly exaggerated account? A lot of Jewish theology is hanging on this issue. Because it is such an important question, the authenticity of the Exodus will be examined in the next chapter.

References:

The name of God YHWH also became somewhat distant to Jacob. It is mentioned in Genesis 32:10 just before he enters Israel and while still on the other side of the Jordan, but only once more towards the end of Genesis (49:18) when he blesses his sons. Another mention of YHWH being involved in Joseph’s life, although he was unaware of it, is found in Genesis 39:21 — “YHWH was with Joseph. . . ”.

2. The Abarbanel in his commentary to Exodus 2:1-10 emphasizes the impact of Moses’ palace upbringing. He writes “he was first exiled to Pharaoh’s palace so that he could learn the tactics of leadership and monarchy, which would cause him to develop courage and spiritual greatness.” Other commentators, on the other hand, such as Rashi to Exodus 2:9, Nachmanides to Exodus 2:2, and the Sforno and Malbim to Exodus 2:9 stress in addition the strong influence of his home environment.

3. There are Jewish commentators who see symbolism with respect to the Burning Bush. It could, for example, represent the lowly position of an eternal Jewish people being burnt but not consumed by Egyptian oppression. This is the explanation of Midrash Sh’mos, Hizkuni and Rabbeinu Bachya. The midrash Shemos Rabba 1:9 explains that no place, even a bush, is devoid of the Divine Presence. Rashi, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra view the Burning Bush as being “the sign for you that I have sent you” (Exodus 3:12) in God’s speech to Moses. On the other hand, fire as a manifestation of the presence of God is seen a number of times in the Torah — in the Covenant between the Pieces with Abraham, on Mount Sinai during the decalogue, and over the Tabernacle.

4. First Paragraph. The Theophany on Mount Horeb (III 1-15) in A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by Umberto David Cassuto, p32, Vara Books, Skokie IL, USA.

5. The most obvious example is in the Tower of Bavel story where God comes down to investigate the situation in Genesis 11:5. Also, Genesis 18:21, Exodus 19:11, and Exodus 34:5.

6. See “The Two Consecrations of Moses” by Rav Yonatan Grossman in Torah Mietzion, New Readings in Tanach. Shemot, p23, Editors Rav Ezra Bick and Rav Yaakov Beasley, Maggid Books, Yeshivat Har Etzion. In this insightful essay, the author points out that the nature of God’s recruitment speech at the Burning Bush fits in nicely with the notion that God was directing Himself primarily to an individual with a strong sense of moral rectitude, but not necessarily someone with a strong sense of Jewish identity at this stage.

7. This explanation follows the Rashbam to Exodus 3:11. He critiques other commentators who view Moses’ hesitation and his concern that Pharaoh and the people would not believe him as being an inappropriate response to God’s request (Ve’Eilleh Shemos Rabba, Abarbanel, Sforno, Nachmanides). In Exodus 4:1, Maimonides views Moses’ hesitation as reflecting his concern that signs alone would be inadequate to further belief of the people in his mission (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah 8:2).

8.There are various explanations of what “sign” God is discussing. Midrash Shemot Rabbah (3:4) sees the Burning Bush as the sign and explains that just as the bush was not consumed, so too, the Israelites would not be destroyed by their suffering in Egypt. This miraculous vision was meant to assure Moses that God would protect and redeem Israel. Another explanation of Midrash Shemot Rabbah (3:12) is that it will be the merit of Sinai, in that Israel’s eventual worship at Sinai was the reason for their redemption. Midrash Tanchuma (Shemot 17) explains that the sign is a future confirmation of Moses' divine mission and that once Israel actually worships at Sinai, it will prove that Moses was truly sent by God. Rashi and the Malbim suggest that the people will serve God at Sinai, confirming Moses' mission. Nachmanidees critiques Rashi’s explanation, arguing that a sign should be something immediate rather than something in the future. He suggests that the sign is that God has appeared to Moses and spoken to him in a miraculous manner. The significance of Sinai is that the people will worship there as proof that Moses was truly sent by God. For Ibn Ezra and Rashbam the "sign" could be the burning bush or future miracles. Sforno suggests that the sign is God's presence with Moses, ensuring success.

9. This name possesses special reverence both in its writing and in speech. However, how exactly it should be pronounced has been lost through the generations as it was only pronounced in the Tabernacle and Holy Temple.

10. To anyone but God, the tense of the verb to be should be in the third person - “He Will Be” (yihiye). However, if this were the case, the Hebrew spelling of YHVH should be YHYH, with the Hebrew letter yud (y in English) instead of vov (v in English) being the third letter of His name. This suggests that the letter vov indicates that God's name also contains within it aspects of the present tense, since the present tense of the verb "to be" is hava (הוה) containing a vav. Also within this name is the past tense of the verb to be haya (היה). The combination of all tenses of the verb “to be” in His name indicates God’s complete independence from time and His complete mastery over the past, present and all aspects of the future. This explanation is based on First Paragraph. The Theophany on Mount Horeb in A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by Umberto David Cassuto, p37, Vara Books, Skokie IL, USA.

11. An issue in these verses is whether God is showing that His name implies His involvement and protection or whether God is providing a deeper theological explanation for His name. Based on a midrash (Shemos Rabba 3:6) and the Talmud (TB Berachos 9b), Rashi sees in this name that God will be with the Jewish people during the difficulties of the Exodus as well as during future difficulties. Consider also: “YHWH said to Joshua: This day I will inaugurate your greatness in the sight of all Israel that they may know that as I was (hayiti) with Moses so will I be (eheye) with you” (Joshua 3:7). This is the explanation that I promote. On the other hand, there are midrashim that seek a deeper explanation and these are taken up by the commentators. Ibn Ezra reads “ehyeh” as highlighting God’s existence beyond the limitations of time. Nachmanides explains that “ehyeh” conveys both the immanent and transcendent qualities of God. While God is responsive and actively engaged with the world, His essence remains completely constant. R' Samson Raphael Hirsch suggests that the name YHWH describes the nature of God in relation to the universe He has created. Everything in the universe is the product of the laws of nature. Only God can “be” (and can do) whatever He wishes “to be” (and do), since He is not bound by the constraints of causality (R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch Commentary to the Pentateuch on Exodus 3:14).

12. Rashi to Exodus 2:11 follows Shemos Rabbah 1:27 and notes that the text says that he saw their burdens. In other words, this made an impression on him and distressed him . Nachmanides has a similar explanation.

13. The name “Gershom” comes from the Hebrew word “ger,” meaning a stranger. There could also be another meaning to this name besides his feeling distant from Midianite society. The root letters g-r-sh mean to drive out or to expel (legaresh). In other words, Moses also regretted being forced out of Egypt.

14. R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch Commentary to the Pentateuch on Exodus 3:12

15. The following are some examples. At the Covenant between the Pieces, God said to Abraham: "…. I am YHWH who brought you out of Ur Kasdim to give you this land to inherit it" (Genesis 15:7). Isaac was also familiar with the name YHWH and prayed to Him to relieve the infertility of his wife: “Isaac entreated YHWH opposite his wife because she was barren, and YHWH allowed himself to be entreated by him, and his wife Rebecca conceived” (Exodus 25:21). And when awakening from his vision of a ladder extending to heaven Jacob says: “Surely, YHWH is in this place and I did not know!” (Genesis 28:16).

16. Rashi based on Midrash Tanchuma and Shemot Rabba 6:3 sees in this name God’s assurance that He remains faithful to his word and will fulfill the promises He made to the forefathers (Rashi to Exodus 6:3). Nachmanides suggests that this new aspect of YHWH expresses the ability of God to function above the natural order of the world and represent God’s existence beyond time (past, present and future simultaneously). Abarbanel disagrees with this and argues that the forefathers also experienced supernatural events, as for example the plague that afflicted the Egyptian Pharaoh because of his conduct with Sarah, the overturning of Sodom and Gomorrah, the rescue of Lot, and the turning of Lot’s wife to a pillar of salt. He suggests, therefore, that the Patriarchs only understood God as the Creator and Sustainer, but Moses would see Him as an active redeemer. Malbim feels that the name El Shaddai denotes hidden miracles within nature, while YHWH represents open miracles. The Patriarchs experienced the former, but Moses and Israel would witness the latter. However, none of these suggestions relate specifically, as I suggest, to the meaning of the word YHWH as a derivation of the verb “to be.”

17. Jewish tradition considers four expressions of deliverance, and these are toasted with four cups of wine at the Passover eve Haggadah service. The phrases “I shall take you to Me for a people” and “And I shall be a God to you” are joined together as one, and the last two expressions are left for Messianic times. Nevertheless, a division into seven expressions of deliverance is compatible with biblical style of writing.

18. The best-known grouping is that of R’ Yehuda described in the Haggadah service of the Passover evening who divides the plagues into a first group of the first three plagues, a second group of the next three plagues, and his final group is the last four plagues. The first three plagues were brought about by Moses’ staff, Moses used no vehicle for bringing on plagues 4 to 6, and plagues 7 to 9 involved Moses’ hands, with or without the use of his staff. Nevertheless, it is difficult to see any profound meaning within R’ Yehuda’s grouping. In Chapter 7: The Education of Pharaoh: Recognizing Literary Patterns in Between the Lines of the Bible. Exodus. A Study from the New School of Orthodox Torah Commentary by Yitzchak Etshalom, p84, Urim Publications, Jerusalem and New York, 2012.

19. “Between Va’era and Bo” by Rav Moshe Lichtenstein in Torah Mietzion, in New Readings in Tanach. Shemot, Editors Rav Ezra Bick and Rav Yaakov Beasley, p101, Maggid Books, Yeshivat Har Etzion.

20. “My firstborn son is Israel” in Chumash with commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Shemos, OU Press, New York. 2014.

21. Nachmanides covers these and other points such as the truth of prophecy and the hidden miracles of everyday life in his commentary to Exodus 13:16. Commandments such as phylacteries, fringes and mezuzot are also reminders of the exodus from Egypt.

22. For a fuller discussion of this topic see Chapter 16, Hardening the Heart and other Instances Where God Seems to Remove Free Will in Illuminating Jewish Thought. Exploration of Free Will, the Afterlife, and the Messianic Era by Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank, pp 223-246, Maggid Books, 2018.

23. Nachmanides Commentary to the Torah, Exodus 7:3 and ibid, p232-233.

24. Ralbag to Proverbs 21:1. Quoted and translation from ibid, p236