Filling Gaps on Moshe's Formative Years

Parshat Shmot

by Rabbi Avi Billet

With the new movie “Exodus: Gods and Kings” in theaters, the story of Moshe is being revisited by Hollywood once again, creating what could most positively be described as a modern Midrash. On the negative side, this new interpretation makes nary an effort at presenting this tale from any perspective based in Jewish sources, beyond a very loose adherence to the original Biblical account.

            

While the depiction of the plagues in Egypt is always fascinating on film, the motivation behind the punishment aimed at both Everyman Egyptian and the House of Pharaoh always leaves something unsaid. And while the human element of it all – did the Egyptians deserve what came upon them? – is touching, it is very hard to tap into the true feelings of the Israelites for the Egyptian citizenry and vice versa when considering that we simply don’t know, beyond that their cries reached heaven (2:23-25), how the Israelites felt in all their slavery and suffering. They certainly pine for and long for a return to Egypt many times in the books of Shmot and Bamidbar.

            

We do see that Moshe’s missive was originally embraced (4:31), but when the labor almost immediately became more intense with the cessation of the provision of straw for the bricks, Moshe quickly fell into disfavor (5:21)

            

Unlike in this latest film installment, there is very little indication in the text that Moshe was planning an armed revolt against Egypt (though one interpretation of 13:18 is that they left Egypt armed for battle). The Torah’s view is very clear that God intends to fight this battle, and that the end result for the Nation of Israel is to understand Who their God is as He demonstrates His wonders against the Egyptian oppressors, who took their role as slavemasters far beyond anything ever intended by the Covenant Between the Pieces (Bereshit 15:13-14).

            

The biggest challenge film adaptations face in terms of storyline is in filling the gap of Moshe’s formative years. With rare exception, none do it justice. And while this film has Moshe spending several years in Midian tending Yitro’s flock, marrying Zipporah, and raising Gershom, the numbers still don’t add up when we see the Torah clearly telling us Moshe was 80 when he approached Pharaoh (7:7). And where o where is the strange hotel incident? (4:24-26)
            

Everyone agrees he was a young man when he left Egypt as a fugitive for having killed an Egyptian. His age range at that time, as referenced in conflicting Midrashim, is upper teenager to 40 years old, leaving any retelling to fill in a 40 to over 60 year gap in his development. How does he change from being a Prince of Egypt, perhaps even a great warrior, to becoming a shepherd in Midian, and a worthy soul of experiencing a vision of the Divine, hearing a prophetic calling, and becoming God’s shepherd, to tend the flock that we call the Nation of Israel?

            

There is a book entitled “Divrei Hayamim Shel Moshe” (Chronicles of Moshe), which is cited by a number of great commentators. Ibn Ezra claims the book is bunk. With that air of cynicism hanging above us, Rashbam, Targum Yonatan, Daat Zekenim, Abravanel, Rabbi Chaim Paltiel and others quote it, and many of us are familiar with some of the tales that appear in it referencing Moshe’s early life in Egypt. One of its tales describes how Moshe lived, and actually ruled, in the Land of Cush for 40 years, symbolically marrying the Queen, former wife of King Nikanos, though he (Moshe) lived separately from her throughout his reign. (They claim Miriam was referring to this incident in Bamidbar 12:1, while many commentaries say there that the “Cushite woman” refers to Zipporah, while still others (most notably Yosef Ibn Caspi) suggest Moshe had taken a second wife at that time – either in addition to Zipporah, or after his first marriage ended, either through divorce (their children are referred to as “her sons” in Shmot 18:3) or through her death.) [See a thorough treatise on this here]

            

Abravanel paints Moshe as fathering Gershom at the age of 70, while the account of Moshe’s earlier years in Otzar HaMidrashim claims Yitro, who noted Moshe was a fugitive from Egypt, actually imprisoned Moshe for 7 years – during which time Zipporah fed him daily and he developed his relationship with God. After he was released he earned the right to marry Zipporah, and Gershom was born when Moshe was 77.

            

Giving Moshe so much more history may even help us understand better why his first son is named Gershom. The Torah’s explanation is that he said, “I was/have been a ‘ger’ (stranger) in a strange land (the Hebrew ‘sham’ means ‘there’).” The question is: in which strange land was Moshe a stranger? Egypt? Cush? Somewhere else in Moshe’s travels? Midian?

            

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Torah’s depiction of Moshe’s introduction to Yitro’s daughters comes after shepherds have “VayGarshum” (2:17) ויגרשם (chased them away) from the well. Perhaps Moshe’s luck in connecting with Yitro’s daughters at that time remained in his head, and inspired his naming his son גרשם. “I was a stranger. I had been a stranger. But since that moment I’ve been accepted. And I am no longer a stranger.” Perhaps Moshe's response to the act of those shepherds reminded him of why he felt so comfortable in this place. 

            

This realization on his part adds another dimension to our understanding of his background and development.

While filmmakers (and even some Midrashim) try to create a human story to fit the narrative, the story remains incomplete without the traditional interpretations and lessons that our heritage has passed along to us. With more complete study and deeper delving into all our questions, may we only merit to achieve qualitative understanding of the development of our People, our faith, and the Nation of Israel.