📖 Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 40

Chapter 40 of Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

Verses: 11

Verses

Verse 1

יְרִידָה חֲמִישִׁית, שֶׁיָּרַד לַסְּנֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וָאֵ��ֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם״. הִנִּיחַ כָּל הָהָר וְיָרַד לַסְּנֶה וְשָׁכַן בָּהּ, וְהַסְּנֶה צָרָה וְצוּקָה וְכֻלּוֹ קוֹצִים וְדַרְדָּרִים. וְלָמָּה שָׁכַן בְּתוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה שֶׁהִיא צָרָה וְצוּקָה? אֶלָּא שֶׁרָאָה יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרָה גְדוֹלָה וְאַף הוּא שָׁכַן עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּכָל צָרָתָם לוֹ צָר״.

MOSES AT THE BURNING BUSH THE fifth descent was when He came down to the thorn-bush, as it is said, "And I am come down || to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians" (Ex. 3:8). He abandoned the entire mountain, and descended into the thorn-bush, and He abode therein. And the thorn-bush was (an emblem of) grief and distress, and it was full of thorns and thistles. Why did He abide in the midst of the thorn-bush which was (an emblem of) grief and distress? Because He saw Israel in great grief and He also dwelt with them, thus fulfilling that which is said, "In all their affliction He was afflicted" (Isa. 63:9).

Verse 2

רַבִּי לֵוִי אוֹמֵר: אוֹתוֹ הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁנִּבְרָא בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת נִמְסַר לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מִגַּן עֵדֶן, וְאָדָם מְסָרוֹ לַחֲנוֹךְ, וַחֲנוֹךְ מְסָרוֹ לְנֹחַ, וְנֹחַ לְשֵׁם, וְשֵׁם מְסָרוֹ לְאַבְרָהָם, וְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק, וְיִצְחָק לְיַעֲקֹב, וְיַעֲקֹב הוֹרִיד אוֹתוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם, וּמְסָרוֹ לְיוֹסֵף בְּנוֹ. כְּשֶׁמֵּת יוֹסֵף וְשָׁלְלוּ בֵּיתוֹ, נִתְּנָה בְּפַלְטֵרִין שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה, וְהָיָה יִתְרוֹ אֶחָד מֵחַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, וְרָאָה אֶת הַמַּטֶּה וְאֶת הָאוֹתוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו, וְחָמַד אוֹתוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ, וּלְקָחוֹ וֶהֱבִיאוֹ וּנְטָעוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן שֶׁל בֵּיתוֹ, וְלֹא הָיָה אָדָם יָכוֹל לִקְרֹב אֵלָיו עוֹד.

Rabbi Levi said: That rod which was created in the twilight was delivered to the first man out of the garden of Eden. Adam delivered it to Enoch, and Enoch delivered it to Noah, and Noah [handed it on] to Shem. Shem passed it on to Abraham, Abraham [transmitted it] to Isaac, and Isaac [gave it over] to Jacob, and Jacob brought it down into Egypt and passed it on to his son Joseph, and when Joseph died and they pillaged his household goods, it was placed in the palace of Pharaoh. And Jethro was one of the magicians of Egypt, and he saw the rod and the letters which were upon it, and he desired in his heart (to have it), and he took it and brought it, and planted it in the midst of the garden of his house. No one was able to approach it any more.

Verse 3

כְּשֶׁבָּא מֹשֶׁה לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, נִכְנַס לְגַן בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל יִתְרוֹ וְרָאָה אֶת הַמַּטֶּה וְקָרָא אֶת הָאוֹתוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו וְשָׁלַף יָדוֹ וּלְקָחוֹ. וְרָאָה יִתְרוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה וְאָמַר: ״זֶה עָתִיד לִגְאֹל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם״. לְפִיכָךְ נָתַן לוֹ אֶת צִפֹּרָה בִּתּוֹ לְאִשָּׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיּוֹאֶל מֹשֶׁה לָשֶׁבֶת אֶת הָאִישׁ״.

When Moses came to his house he went into the garden of Jethro's house, and saw the rod and read the letters which were upon it, and he put forth his hand and took it. Jethro watched || Moses, and said: This one in the future will redeem Israel from Egypt. Therefore he gave him Zipporah his daughter to wife, as it is said, "And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter" (Ex. 2:21).

Verse 4

וְהָיָה מֹשֶׁה רוֹעֶה אֶת צֹאן יִתְרוֹ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וְלֹא שִׁכְּלָה אוֹתָם חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה, וְהָיוּ פָּרִים וְרָבִים הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, וַעֲלֵיהֶם הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל לו, לח) ״כְּצֹאן קֳדָשִׁים״.

Moses was keeping the sheep of Jethro for forty years, and the beasts of the field did not consume them, but they increased and multiplied exceedingly, and concerning them the Scripture saith, "As the flock of holy things" (Ezek. 36:38).

Verse 5

וְנָהַג אֶת הַצֹּאן עַד שֶׁבָּא לְחוֹרֵב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּנְהַג אֶת הַצֹּאן אַחַר הַמִּדְבָּר״. וְשָׁם נִגְלָה עָלָיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה, וְרָאָה מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַסְּנֶה בּוֹעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וְהָאֵשׁ אֵינָהּ אוֹכֶלֶת אֶת הַסְּנֶה וְהַסְּנֶה אֵינוֹ מְכַבֶּה שַׁלְהֲבוֹתָיו שֶׁל אֵשׁ וְהַסְּנֶה אֵינֶנָּה נִצְמַחַת בָּאָרֶץ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יֵשׁ מַיִם תַּחְתֶּיהָ. וְרָאָה מֹשֶׁה וְהָיָה תָּמֵהַּ בְּלִבּוֹ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד. אָמַר: ״מַאן יְקָרָא אִית לֵיהּ בְּגַוֵּהּ?״ אָמַר: ״אָסוּרָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הַמַּרְאֶה הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה מַדּוּעַ לֹא יִבְעַר הַסְּנֶה״. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: ״מֹשֶׁה, עֲמֹד עַל עָמְדְּךָ, שֶׁשָּׁם אֲנִי עָתִיד לִיתֵּן אֶת הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלוֹם״. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: ״לֵךְ מִכָּאן״. אָמְרוּ: כָּל מִי שֶׁנִּכְנָס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ צָרִיךְ לִשְׁלֹף נַעֲלוֹ, שֶׁכָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: ״שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ מֵעַל רַגְלֶיךָ״.

And he led the flock until he came to Horeb, as it is said, "And he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb" (Ex. 3:1). There the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed unto him from the midst of the thorn-bush. Moses saw the bush burning with fire, and the fire did not consume the bush, and the bush did not extinguish the flames of fire. Now the bush does not grow in the earth unless it has water beneath it. Moses saw and was wondering very much in his heart, and he said: What kind of glory is there in its midst? He said: I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the thorn-bush is not burnt. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses ! Stand where thou art standing, for there in the future will I give the Torah to Israel, as it is said, "And he said, Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground" (Ex. 3:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Go. Hence (the sages) said: Anyone who enters the Temple must remove || his shoe, for thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses: "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet" (ibid.).

Verse 6

אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: ״לֵךְ וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל פַּרְעֹה״. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹן שֶׁל הָעוֹלָמִים! לֹא כָּךְ אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ שָׁלֹשׁ וְאַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים, אֲנִי אֵין בִּי כֹּחַ שֶׁאֲנִי נִפְגָּם בִּלְשׁוֹנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' לֹא אִישׁ דְּבָרִים אָנֹכִי״? וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתָּה מְשַׁלְּחֵנִי לְיַד אוֹיְבִי וּמְבַקֵּשׁ רָעָתִי, וְעַל כֵּן בָּרַחְתִּי מִפָּנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיִּבְרַח מֹשֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״אַל תִּירָא מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ כָּל הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמְבַקְשִׁים אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ״.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Come and I will send thee unto Pharaoh" (Ex. 3:10). He answered before Him: Sovereign of all worlds ! Have I not spoken thus to Thee three or four times, that I have no power, for I have a defective tongue, as it is said, "And Moses said unto the Lord, O Lord, I am not eloquent" (Ex. 4:10). Not only this, but moreover Thou dost send me into the power of my enemy who seeks my hurt. For this reason I fled from him, as it is said, "But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh" (Ex. 2:15). He answered him: Do not fear him, for all the men who sought thy life are already dead.

Verse 7

וְכִי מֵתִים הָיוּ? וַהֲלֹא חַיִּים הָיוּ! אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּרְדוּ מִמָּמוֹנָם. מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁכָּל הַיּוֹרֵד מִנְּכָסָיו כְּאִלּוּ מֵת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ״כִּי מֵתוּ כָּל הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמְבַקְשִׁים אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״לֵךְ וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל פַּרְעֹה״. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: ״רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח״. רְצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר, בְּיַד אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שֶׁאַתָּה עָתִיד לִשְׁלֹחַ. אָמַר לוֹ: לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ ״וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל״ אֶלָּא ״לֵךְ וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל פַּרְעֹה״. וּלְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שׁוֹלֵחַ לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא וְכוּ' וְהֵשִׁיב לֵב אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים וְלֵב בָּנִים עַל אֲבוֹתָם״.

Were they dead? Were they not alive? Only they had diminished their wealth. Hence thou mayest learn that all who lose their wealth are as though they were dead, therefore it is said, "For all the men are dead who sought thy life" (Ex. 4:19). (God) said to him: "Come and I will send thee unto Pharaoh" (Ex. 3:10). He replied to Him: Sovereign of all worlds! "Send by the hand of him whom thou wilt send" (Ex. 4:13)—that is to say, by the hand of that man whom Thou wilt send in the future. He said to him: I have not said, "Come and I will send thee to Israel," but "Come and I will send thee unto Pharaoh" (Ex. 3:10). And as for that man of whom thou sayest that I should send him to Israel in the future that is to come, so it is said, || "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord come" (Mal. iv. 5). "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (ibid. 6).

Verse 8

אָמַר לְפָנָיו: ״רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים! תֵּן לִי אוֹת אוֹ מוֹפֵת״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״הַשְׁלֵךְ אֶת מַטְּךָ אַרְצָה״. וְהִשְׁלִיךְ אֶת מַטֵּהוּ אַרְצָה וְנַעֲשָׂה נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף. וְלָמָּה הֶרְאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה הַנָּחָשׁ שָׂרָף בַּמַּטֶּה וְלֹא הֶרְאָהוּ דָּבָר אַחֵר? אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַנָּחָשׁ נוֹשֵׁךְ וּמֵמִית לִבְנֵי אָדָם, כָּךְ הָיָה פַּרְעֹה וְעַמּוֹ נוֹשְׁכִין וּמְמִיתִין אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְחָזַר וְנַעֲשָׂה כְּעֵץ יָבֵשׁ. אָמַר לוֹ: ״כָּךְ יִהְיוּ פַרְעֹה וְעַמּוֹ יְבֵשִׁים כְּמוֹ הָעֵץ הַיָּבֵשׁ״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה שְׁלַח יָדְךָ וֶאֱחֹז בִּזְנָבוֹ״. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: ״רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, תֵּן לִי אוֹת אוֹ מוֹפֵת״. אָמַר לוֹ: ״הָבֵא יָדְךָ בְּחֵיקֶךָ״. וְהֵבִיא יָדוֹ בְּחֵיקוֹ וְהוֹצִיאָהּ וְהִנֵּה מְצֹרַעַת. וְלָמָּה הֶרְאָה לְמֹשֶׁה בְּדָבָר טָמֵא אוֹת פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא הֶרְאָהוּ בְּדָבָר טָהוֹר? אֶלָּא מָה הַמְּצֹרָע טָמֵא וּמְטַמֵּא, כָּךְ הָיוּ פַּרְעֹה וְעַמּוֹ טְמֵאִים וּמְטַמְּאִים אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְחוֹזֵר וְנִטְהָר. אָמַר לוֹ: ״כָּךְ יִטָּהֲרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִטֻּמְאַת הַמִּצְרִיִּים״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר הָבֵא נָא יָדְךָ בְּחֵיקֶךָ״.

(Moses) spake before Him: Sovereign of all worlds ! Give me a wonder or a sign. He said to him: Cast thy staff to the ground. He cast his staff to the ground, and it became a fiery serpent. Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, show unto Moses (a sign) with a fiery serpent, and why did He not show it to him with something else? But just as the serpent bites and kills the sons of man, likewise Pharaoh and his people bit and slew the Israelites. Afterwards it became again like a dry stick. Thus He spake: Likewise Pharaoh and his people shall become like this dry stick, as it is said, "And the Lord said unto Moses: Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail" (Ex. 4:4). He spake before Him: Sovereign of all worlds ! Give me a wonder. He said to him: "Put now thine hand into thy bosom" (Ex. 4:6). And he put his hand into his bosom, and he brought it out leprous like snow. Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, show unto Moses (a sign) by means of an unclean thing, and (why) did He not show it by means of a clean thing? But just as the leper is unclean and causes uncleanliness, likewise Pharaoh and his people were unclean, and they caused Israel to be unclean. Afterwards (Moses) became clean again, and He spake to him: Likewise shall Israel become clean from the uncleanliness of the Egyptians, as it is said, "And he said, Put now thine hand into thy bosom" (ibid.).

Verse 9

לָמָּה הֶרְאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה? אֶלָּא הָאֵשׁ אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ כָּאֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה״, וְהַסְּנֶה אֵלּוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ כְּקוֹצִים וְדַרְדָּרִים. אָמַר לוֹ: כָּךְ יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הָעַמִּים, לֹא אֵשׁ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹכֶלֶת הָעַמִּים שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ כְּקוֹצִים וְכַחֲרוּלִים, וְאֵין אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מְכַבִּין שַׁלְהֶבְתָּן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵן מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה. לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אִשָּׁן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹכֶלֶת הָעַמִּים שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ כְּקוֹצִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָיוּ הָעַמִּים מִשְׂרְפוֹת שִׂיד״.

Why did He show unto Moses the fire in the midst of the thorn-bush? || But the fire refers to Israel, who are compared to fire, as it is said, "And the house of Jacob shall be a fire" (Obad. 18). The thorn-bush refers to the nations of the world, who are compared to thorns and thistles. He said to him: Likewise shall Israel be in the midst of the nations. The fire of Israel shall not consume the nations, who are compared to thorns and thistles; but the nations of the world shall extinguish the flames of Israel—(these flames) are the words of the Torah. But in the future that is to come the fire of Israel will consume all the nations, who are compared to thorns and thistles, as it is said, "And the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime" (Isa. 33:12).

Verse 10

אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: ״רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים! הוֹדִיעֵנִי נָא אֶת שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁאֶקְרָא בְּשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ וְתַעֲנֵנִי״. וְהוֹדִיעוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה״, ״וַיֹּאמֶר עוֹד אֱלֹהִים״ וְכוּ'.

Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of all worlds! Make known to me Thy great and holy Name, that I may call on Thee by Thy Name, and Thou wilt answer me, as it is said, "And God said unto Moses, I am that I am" (Ex. 3:14). "And God further said (to Moses)" (Ex. 3:15).

Verse 11

וְרָאוּ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים שֶׁמָּסַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא סוֹד שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ לְמֹשֶׁה, וְעָנוּ: ״בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', חוֹנֵן הַדָּעַת״.

The angels saw that the Holy One, blessed be He, had transmitted the secret of the Ineffable Name to Moses, and they rejoined: Blessed art thou, O Lord, who graciously bestoweth knowledge.