Mystery at the Malon/3/en

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Murder Mystery at the Malon

Points of Dispute

These are some of the central points of dispute (נקודות המחלוקת) between the various exegetes:

  • Who was at the lodging place?
    • Moshe's whole family – Most commentators
    • Just Zipporah and children – R. Saadia, R. Chananel
    • Moshe, Zipporah and Gershom – One opinion in Ramban
  • "וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ ה' וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ"
    • Hashem sent an angel to do the killing – Most commentators
    • The Satan was coming to kill – Jubilees, R. Shimon b. Gamliel, Midrash Vayosha
    • Hashem brought an illness – Shadal
    • Moshe became deathly ill – Ibn Kaspi
    • Prophecy came to Moshe bringing him near death – Abarbanel
  • Who was near death?
    • Moshe – Most commentators
    • Gershom – R. Yosef Kimchi, Shadal
    • Eliezer – R. Shimon b. Gamliel, R. Saadia, R. Samuel b. Chofni Gaon, R. Chananel
  • Which son was uncircumcised?
    • Gershom – R. Elazar HaModai, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, R. Yosef Kimchi
    • Eliezer – Most commentators
    • Neither – Ibn Kaspi
  • How does circumcision help?
    • Lack of circumcision was the cause – Most commentators
    • It acted as a sacrificial act of atonement – Rashbam
    • It served as a protective charm – Lekach Tov, Ibn Ezra, Ibn Kaspi
    • It is unconnected to both sin and punishment – Tzeror HaMor
    • It ensured that Moshe's family would stay in Midyan – Ibn Ezra, Shadal
  • Why Zipporah and not Moshe?
    • Moshe was incapacitated – Most commentators
    • Moshe was not present – R. Saadia, R. Chananel, Tzeror HaMor
    • Zipporah was at fault – R. Yosef Kimchi, Toledot Yitzchak, Shadal
  • "וַתַּגַּע לְרַגְלָיו" – Whose legs?
    • Moshe's legs (or genitals) – Midrash Vayosha, Rashi, Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, Ibn Kaspi, Shadal
    • The baby's genitals – R. Yosef Kimchi
    • The angel's legs – Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
  • Zipporah's return to Midyan
    • Zipproah was en route to Midyan when the incident occurred – R. Saadia, R. Chananel, Seforno
    • Zipporah returned immediately after the incident – Ibn Ezra, Tzeror HaMor, Shadal
    • Zipporah went to Egypt and only returned to Midyan at some later point – Ramban, Ibn Kaspi