Biblical Parallels Index – Shemot 6
Overview
This index is meant to help the reader explore Biblical parallels, be they two accounts of the same event, stories with similar motifs and themes, or units of text which are linguistically similar and perhaps alluding one to the other. The page includes links to tools that aid in comparison, primary sources that touch upon the parallels, and summaries of and links to articles which analyze them in depth.Parallels to the Covenants with Avraham
Hashem’s speech in Shemot 6 alludes to the two covenants in which Hashem promised the land of Canaan to Avraham: ברית בין הבתרים and ברית מילה. The chapter both explicitly mentions the promise of land to the Patriarchs (verses 4 and 8) and utilizes numerous linguistic hints to recall the covenantal agreements.
Articles
- See Va’era: Brit Bein Habetarim or Brit Milah?, by R. Menachem Leibtag, for analysis of how the verses allude to both covenants.
- See ‘ידיעת שם ה, by R. Yehuda Rock, for discussion of the chapter's connections to the covenant of circumcision and of the significance of the different names for God used in this speech and in the covenants.
Moshe's Missions
The prophetic mission Hashem gives to Moshe in Parashat Vaera is somewhat parallel to that given in Parashat Shemot. The doubling makes one question both why it was necessary for Hashem to repeat the mission and where (and why) the second mission differs from the first.
Tools
- See Makbilot BaMikra for links to the various verses which speak of Moshe's mission.
- To compare the two sets of chapters, see the Tanakh Lab.
Articles
- See R. Ezra Bick’s article, איך מושיעים את ישראל, for comparison and contrast of the mission as presented in Parashat Shemot and in Parashat Vaera. R. Bick notes that the second mission contains a new emphasis on Moshe’s message to the nation of Israel, and on the manner in which Hashem intends to change the nation’s slave mentality.
- See R. Yaakov Medan's article, קורות משה עד יציאת מצרים, and more recently, ולא שמעו אל משה, בתוך: כי קרוב אליך (תל אביב, 2014): 86-90, who suggests that thirty years had elapsed between the encounter at the burning bush and the mission of Chapter 6. Though the second mission is not fundamentally different than the first, it is addressed to a new generation.
Moshe’s Reluctance
Moshe exhibits reluctance to carry out Hashem's mission. Comparing the various episodes might help one understand his hesitations.
Tools
- Makbilot Bamikra points out the parallels between Shemot 6 and other instances in which Moshe expresses reluctance to accept his mission.
Articles
- Several of Nechama Leibowitz’s gilyonot on this chapter focus on understanding Moshe’s reluctance. See also Nechama Leibowitz’s Moshe: The Reluctant Leader for exploration of different approaches to understanding Moshe’s reticence.
Genealogy Lists
Throughout Tanakh there are genealogy lists which mention all the descendants of certain family lines. Several focus on the tribes of Israel, with Shemot 6 being a case in point.
Tools
Makbilot Bamikra points out the parallels between the genealogical lists that appear in Shemot 6, Bereshit 46, and Bemidbar 26. The list in Shemot 6 is unique in that it lists only the family lines of Reuven, Shimon, and Levi.
Articles
- See פרשת ייחוסי משה ואהרן, written by Shachar Stern based on a shiur by R. Menachem Weiner, for an overview of a wide range of exegetical approaches to the question of why the Torah includes the genealogy of these three tribes at this juncture in the narrative of Moshe’s assumption of leadership.
- See חשיבות היחוס, by R. Yair Kahn, for an explanation of why the Torah includes Moshe’s genealogy specifically at this point. R. Kahn suggests that, while Moshe’s role as a political leader could be attributed to his own personal qualities, his spiritual mission as Hashem’s messenger was necessarily rooted in his connection to the Jewish people as a whole. Therefore, before he assumes that aspect of his mission, the Torah expresses his identity in terms of his genealogy.