SHMOT/Vaera - Moshe's Geulah

In parsha Vayera, Torah tells us a most perplexing episode on Moshe Rabbeinu’s return from Midian to Mitzrayim:

“And it came to pass on the way, at the lodging-place, that Hashem encountered him and sought to kill him. And Tziporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and touched it to his feet, and said: ‘A bridegroom of bloods you are to me.’ So He let him alone.” (Shemos 4:24–26).

In the above pasuk it is unclear whether the “him” is referring to Moshe, or to his infant son Eliezer. Rashi, seems to imply that it was Moshe, but in Nedarim 32a Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says it was the infant, because Moshe failed to circumcise him in time. But this is puzzling, because Torah does not proscribe a death penalty for failure to circumsise. In fact the entire people were not circumcised until the night of Exodus (Rashi on Exodus 12:6) as well as all those born during the entire 40 years of wondering in the desert (Joshua 5:2 and Rashi there). So we are left with a question:

Why?

Why would Hashem seek to kill Moshe — the very redeemer of Yisrael? The key lies in the previous pasuk:

“

And Hashem said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt,...then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says Hashem: Israel is My first-born son. And I said to you: Let My son go, that he may serve Me; but if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your firstborn son.” (Shemos 4:21-23)

Hashem had just declared the slaying of the Egyptian first-born. Which begs the question: was Moshe himself an Egyptian first-born?

Indeed, the Torah testifies, that after Moshe was wiened from his mother, Pharaoh'd daughter adopted him: “And he was to her for a son” (Shemos 2:10) — Batya, Pharaoh’s daughter, adopted him fully as her own son. Not “like” a son, but an actual son. Add to this the testimony of Yisro’s daughters: “An Egyptian man saved us” (Shemos 2:19). Apparently, Moshe identified as an Egyptian, both as Batya’s son, and to the daughter of Yitro. He thus fell within the decree of Egyptian first-born.

Thus, Hashem “sought to kill him.”

Why now? What’s the rush?

Rashi (Shemos 4:24) brings that Hashem sought to kill Moshe because he had delayed circumcising his son. Chazal (Nedarim 31b–32a) explain: Moshe reasoned whether to circumcise before setting out, but Hashem was angered that he delayed.

But why the urgency at this exact moment?

Answer: This question can be answered if we postulate that the day Hashem was seeking to kill Moshe was Erev Pesach, and the time had come for Moshe himself to eat a korban Pesach before nightfall. Yet the Torah forbids this: “No uncircumcised male shall eat of it” (Shemos 12:48). And furthermore, one who has a son left uncircumcised is barred from Pesach offering (Yevamos 71b). To eat korban Pesach while ineligible is a capital transgression (karet).

Thus, Moshe is squeezed for time: this is Erev Pesach, he must eat korban Pesach, but he can’t because his son is uncircumcised. The clock is ticking, the time for korban Pesach is approaching, but Moshe is not ready, and it is time to hurry. This is parallel the story when Avraham was entertaining his 3 guests, and he asked Sarah to "hurry" to make cakes (Genesis 18:6). Rashi says it was Pesach (Rashi on Genesis 18:10)

How do we know this was Erev Pesach?

The chronology fits exactly:

1. Moshe is at an inn — poised to re-enter Mitzrayim.

2. Yetzias Mitzrayim itself occurred on the 15th of Nissan.

3. Ten plagues intervened. Chazal say (Shemos Rabbah 9:12; Midrash Tanchuma, Va’eira 14) that each plague lasted one month: one week of the plague itself (cf. Shemos 7:25, “seven days were completed after Hashem struck the Nile”), and three weeks of warning and respite.

Thus 10 plagues required10 months.

4. Before the plagues began, Moshe spent two months gathering the Elders (Zekeinim), speaking to Pharaoh, and preparing Am Yisrael (see Ramban to Shemos 5:4; also implied from the long exchanges before the first plague).

Thus: 2 months preparation + 10 months of plagues = 12 months.

That places our episode at the inn exactly on Erev Pesach 14th of Nissan, 12 months before the Exodus

What did Tziporah’s act accomplish?

* Moshe became eligible to eat the korban Pesach that very evening.
* He thus entered his own “personal geulah” through the two damim (bloods):
* Dam milah, blood of circumcision of his son.
* Dam Pesach, blood of Pesach offering.

Chazal already speak of these two bloods as the merit of the Exodus (Pirkei d’Rebbi Eliezer 29; Tanchuma Bo 5). Here Moshe himself removed the last remaining vestiges of personal Egyption bondage, before leading Israel out of their Egyption bondage.

The Death of the Inner Firstborn

We thus see that Moshe left Egypt 2 times and killed 2 Egyptians - the first time was when he saw an Egyptian strike an Israeli, he killed that external Egyptian and escaped from Egypt. The second time was here at the inn. By eating the korban Pesach on that night, Moshe “killed” his own inner Egyptian — the Egyptian identity he carried by virtue of Batya’s adoption. The bloods atoned and severed him from the First Born of Egypt’s decree.

With that death of the bechor she’b’Mitzrayim, Moshe was able to cleave fully and permanently to the Shechinah. His personal Exodus was then complete. Only then could he return to Mitzrayim to lead the nation in their national Exodus.

Conclusion

The mysterious episode at the inn is no random encounter. It is Moshe’s personal Pesach exactly 12 months to the day before the national Pesach, his own redemption from Egypt. Moshe’s geulah preceded Klal Yisrael’s geulah. With his inner firstborn slain and the covenant sealed in blood, Moshe was now ready to be the leader of the national Exodus.