Difference between revisions of "אחר שלוחיה – Who Sent What to Whom/2"
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<point><b>Use of שלח</b> – The opinions in the Mekhiltas link שלח here with its use in the context of divorce in <a href="Devarim24-1" data-aht="source">Devarim 24:1-4</a>. See <a href="Dictionary:שלח" data-aht="page">שלח</a> for similar cases, and for a discussion of the terms used for divorce in Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew.</point> | <point><b>Use of שלח</b> – The opinions in the Mekhiltas link שלח here with its use in the context of divorce in <a href="Devarim24-1" data-aht="source">Devarim 24:1-4</a>. See <a href="Dictionary:שלח" data-aht="page">שלח</a> for similar cases, and for a discussion of the terms used for divorce in Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew.</point> | ||
<point><b>Chronology</b> – See <a href="When Did Zipporah Return to Midyan" data-aht="page">Zipporah's Return to Midyan</a> for the different possibilities as to when the divorce could have taken place. The difficulty according to all of the variations, though, is that the Torah makes no mention of a divorce until Shemot 18.<fn><multilink><a href="Rashbam18-2" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="Rashbam18-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 18:2</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About Rashbam</a></multilink> notes the difficulty – see below. Additionally, this position needs to say that "Yitro took Zipporah" refers either to his taking in of Zipporah after she was divorced (in which case the expected past perfect is lacking), or to his bringing back of Zipporah (in which case אַחַר does not mean immediately after, but rather after a considerable time had passed).</fn></point> | <point><b>Chronology</b> – See <a href="When Did Zipporah Return to Midyan" data-aht="page">Zipporah's Return to Midyan</a> for the different possibilities as to when the divorce could have taken place. The difficulty according to all of the variations, though, is that the Torah makes no mention of a divorce until Shemot 18.<fn><multilink><a href="Rashbam18-2" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="Rashbam18-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 18:2</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About Rashbam</a></multilink> notes the difficulty – see below. Additionally, this position needs to say that "Yitro took Zipporah" refers either to his taking in of Zipporah after she was divorced (in which case the expected past perfect is lacking), or to his bringing back of Zipporah (in which case אַחַר does not mean immediately after, but rather after a considerable time had passed).</fn></point> | ||
− | <point><b>Yitro's initiative</b> – If Moshe divorced Zipporah, why is Yitro bringing her back, and why does he still refer to Zipporah as Moshe's wife in 18:6? <multilink><a href="RDZHoffmann18-2" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann</a><a href="RDZHoffmann18-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 18:2</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. D"Z Hoffmann</a></multilink> asks these questions and suggests that perhaps the divorce was only a formality intended as a temporary measure until Moshe would be out of danger.<fn><a href="http://www.etzion.org.il/vbm/archive/15-parsha/17yitro.rtf" rel="external">R. Elhanan Samet</a> is bothered by an additional question of why Moshe's sons remained with Zipporah if she had been divorced. However, R. Elazar HaModai would likely respond that the terms of Moshe's marriage placed the sons under Yitro's control – see his opinion in <multilink><a href="MekhiltaAmalek1" data-aht="source">Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a><a href="MekhiltaAmalek1" data-aht="source">Yitro Amalek 1</a><a href="Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael" data-aht="parshan">About the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a></multilink> regarding Moshe's agreement with Yitro (see <a href=" | + | <point><b>Yitro's initiative</b> – If Moshe divorced Zipporah, why is Yitro bringing her back, and why does he still refer to Zipporah as Moshe's wife in 18:6? <multilink><a href="RDZHoffmann18-2" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann</a><a href="RDZHoffmann18-2" data-aht="source">Shemot 18:2</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. D"Z Hoffmann</a></multilink> asks these questions and suggests that perhaps the divorce was only a formality intended as a temporary measure until Moshe would be out of danger.<fn><a href="http://www.etzion.org.il/vbm/archive/15-parsha/17yitro.rtf" rel="external">R. Elhanan Samet</a> is bothered by an additional question of why Moshe's sons remained with Zipporah if she had been divorced. However, R. Elazar HaModai would likely respond that the terms of Moshe's marriage placed the sons under Yitro's control – see his opinion in <multilink><a href="MekhiltaAmalek1" data-aht="source">Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a><a href="MekhiltaAmalek1" data-aht="source">Yitro Amalek 1</a><a href="Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael" data-aht="parshan">About the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a></multilink> regarding Moshe's agreement with Yitro (see <a href="Mystery at the Malon" data-aht="page">Mystery at the Malon</a> and cf. Bereshit 31:31,43). It is also possible that Zipporah was still nursing at least one of the sons and that the travails of the journey through the desert were too much for them.</fn></point> |
<point><b>Motivation</b> – It is possible that this position is motivated by a desire that Moshe not be married to the daughter of an idolatrous priest when he becomes the leader of the Jewish people – see <a href="Moshe's Family Life" data-aht="page">Moshe and Zipporah's Marriage</a>. If so, it is possible that Moshe never remarries Zipporah. See also <a href="BEM12$" data-aht="page">Bemidbar 12</a> for the various positions regarding Moshe's marriage to (or divorce from) the Cushite woman.</point> | <point><b>Motivation</b> – It is possible that this position is motivated by a desire that Moshe not be married to the daughter of an idolatrous priest when he becomes the leader of the Jewish people – see <a href="Moshe's Family Life" data-aht="page">Moshe and Zipporah's Marriage</a>. If so, it is possible that Moshe never remarries Zipporah. See also <a href="BEM12$" data-aht="page">Bemidbar 12</a> for the various positions regarding Moshe's marriage to (or divorce from) the Cushite woman.</point> | ||
</opinion> | </opinion> |
Version as of 14:21, 12 January 2015
"אחר שלוחיה" – Who Sent What to Whom?
Exegetical Approaches
The commentators offer a number of different possibilities regarding the meaning of שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ:
Moshe Sent Zipporah Away
שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ refers to Moshe's sending (שלח) of Zipporah back to her father's home. This possibility subdivides regarding the meaning of this action:
Moshe Divorced Zipporah
Moshe Only Sent Zipporah Home but Did Not Divorce Her.
Zipporah Sent Messengers
שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ describes Zipporah's sending (שלח) of messengers to find out where Moshe was encamped. According to this approach, Zipporah is actively seeking to reunite with Moshe, and Yitro is attempting to assist her. See Yitro's Purpose.
Dowry or Gifts
שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ refers to a dowry given by Yitro to Zipporah or gifts sent by Zipporah to Moshe. According to all of the commentators who adopt this possibility, the word is linked to the two other Biblical appearances of the noun שִׁלּוּחִים. However, they disagree regarding who gave what to whom and as to when this happened. These questions greatly depend on whether the term שִׁלּוּחִים can describe any gift or only a dowry – see שלח for the basis of the dispute on this matter.
Yitro Gave Zipporah Now
Yitro gave Zipporah her dowry now since he was returning her to Moshe.
Yitro Gave Zipporah Previously
Yitro previously gave Zipporah her dowry11 when she married Moshe.
Zipporah Gave Moshe Now
Zipporah sent gifts to Moshe immediately prior to her arrival.
According to all of the above approaches, and regardless of how one explains אַחַר שִׁלּוּחֶיהָ, it is clear from Shemot 18:1-6 that Zipporah was sent home at some point. For an analysis of the various positions on the timing of this event – see Zipporah's Return to Midyan.