Exodus 2: A Murder or a Metaphor?

YINR 929: Tanach Yomi · Nov 10, 2025 · 3m

“Some time after that, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his kinsfolk and witnessed their labors.” (Exodus 2:11)

וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיִּגְדַּל מֹשֶׁה וַיֵּצֵא אֶל־אֶחָיו וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָםHe saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his kinsmen.

וַיַּרְא אִישׁ מִצְרִי מַכֶּה אִישׁ־עִבְרִי מֵאֶחָיוHe turned this way and that and, seeing no one about, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. (Exodus 2:12)

וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וַיַּךְ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל These four verses explain Moshe’s realization that he is an Israelite and…