Literary Devices – Shemot 4/0

Literary Devices – Shemot 4

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Key Words

דבר (speak) / פה (mouth) vs. יד (hand)

• Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the word that appears with greatest frequency in this chapter is “יד” (hand).¹ Two other words, related in usage, also appear frequently: “דבר” (speak) and “פה” (mouth).²  This may indicate a tension in the chapter between Moshe’s focus on speech as the instrument of redemption (leading to his concern about his lack of eloquence), and Hashem’s plan for redemption, which foregrounds powerful action and the performance of miracles.
• Secondary Literature – See Liberating the Spirit of the Israelites, by Ezra Bick, for exploration of Moshe’s understanding of speech as the means of raising the people’s spirits in contrast to the process by which liberation actually takes place.

"כבד"

The root "כבד" appears only twice in the chapter, but might be a key word throughout the narrative of the Exodus.

• Concordance – Using the concordance to trace the usage of the word "כבד" in Torah, reveals how it appears throughout the Exodus narrative, marking key points in the story. The first four instances of the word relate to the oppressive famine that initially sent the Israelites to Egypt. The word is then used to describe the shared Israelite and Egyptian mourning for Yaakov, representing the point at which the Israelites were welcomed into Egyptian society.  In the narrative of the Exodus in Shemot, the word is used in four contexts: to describe Moshe’s lack of eloquence, the oppressive, unparalleled nature of the plagues, the obduracy of Paroh, and the wealth with which the Israelites left Egypt. 

Techniques of Repetition

Connecting Phrases (מונחים מקשרים)

There are several terms that appear both in the story of Moshe’s family at the inn and in the preceding and following sections of the narrative.  The repetition serves to connect the scenes, highlighting that the story of the inn does not stand on its own but is an an intrinsic part of the surrounding narrative:

• Verses 22-23 have a threefold repetition of the word "son" (בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שַׁלַּח אֶת בְּנִי, אנֹכִי הֹרֵג אֶת בִּנְךָ בְּכֹרֶךָ ). In the next scene, a son also plays a central role (וַתִּכְרֹת אֶת עׇרְלַת בְּנָהּ), and according to some, it also speak of the potential death of a first born son.³
• In verse 19 Hashem tells Moshe: "מֵתוּ כׇּל הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמְבַקְשִׁים אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ". in verse 24, we read: "וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ"
• Verse 24 states that Hashem seeks to kill: "וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ י״י". In verse 25, Aharon goes to meet Moshe: "וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ בְּהַר הָאֱלֹהִים".

¹ It appears 12 times.

² They appear eight and seven times respectively.

³ The verses are ambiguous as to who is in danger of death: Moshe, his firstborn, or his second born.