Shemot 12:31

Here is the text of a note posted on Facebook by one of my friends. Below is my answer.

A popular thing for liberal rabbis in LA is to make a name for themselves by debunking the exodus story. The latest defamation of Jewish history comes from this Los Angeles Jewish Journal article: http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=19278

Even though his theory that the exodus story is a compilation of various ancient beliefs and practices he does leave us with one good question from the text.

In Exodus 12:22 G-d commands all of Israel not to leave their houses until the Morning. Several verses later, after G-d has punished Egypt by killing their first born, Pharoh summons Moshe and Aharon to him in the middle of the night and tells the Israelites to leave. How were Moshe and Aharon able to leave their houses in the middle of the night against G-d's command and did the Israelites also start leaving Egypt in the middle of the night? (See Ramban and Ibn Ezra on Exodus 12:31)

What are your thoughts?


Here is my answer:

Josh:

I'm going to try to answer your question. Please just bear in mind that I didn't have a lot of time to research the commentators.

How do we understand the phrase (Shemot 12:31) "And he (Paro) called to Moshe and Aharon ..."

Let's start with Rashi. Based on the Mechilta he explains that Paro was going from door to door and calling out asking the people where Moshe and Aharon lived. In other words, according to Rashi there is no hint that Moshe and Aharon went outside before daybreak.

Ibn Ezra takes a very different approach. He claims that on the night of the 15th of Nisan Moshe and Aharon stayed in the capital of Egypt. That is, they didn't return to Raamses where the rest of the Jewish people were that night. Then he says (my translation): "And behold they went out from the door of their house at the command of Hashem at midnight. And Moshe went with the servants of Paro to Raamses to take out the Jewish people." So according to Ibn Ezra, Moshe and Aharon did go out during the night, but this was only since they received an explicit command from Hashem. He goes on to say that the rest of the people did not leave their homes until after daybreak.

Ramban seems fundamentally to agree with Rashi. He begins by quoting Rashi, but then does not state any disagreement with Rashi, rather he explains Rashi. Here he brings in the Ibn Ezra (though not by name) that the night of the 15th of Nisan Moshe and Aharon stayed in the capital of Egypt. Ramban then relates that based on the visit from Paro, Moshe and Aharon sent a message to the Jews in Raamses that they had permission to leave. Ramban discusses that there is a distinction between "redemption" and "going out." The redemption from Egypt happened at night. With the death of the first born they received permission from Paro to leave. The going out from Egypt only occurred the next morning. This is based on the verse (Numbers 33:3) "... on the morrow after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians."

I hope this helps answer your question.