Snakes and Serpents

Va’era

Exodus 6:2 - 9:35

Précis: In this second parasha in the book of Exodus, God reiterates His intention to free the Israelites from bondage and to create a covenant with them. Moses goes back to Pharaoh to seek release of the Israelites. Pharaoh refuses and we see the first seven of the fabled plagues: blood, frogs, fleas, beetles, cattle disease, boils, and hail. Pharaoh relents after each plague begins, deciding to let the people go, but then God “hardens Pharaoh’s heart” and he refuses to allow them to leave.

Ex. 7:8-9 “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, 'Produce your marvel,' you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it down before Pharaoh.’”

         Yossi Ziffer, in MyJewishlearning.com (1/12/15) makes note of the fact that Moshe and Aaron must convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, while at the same time, convince the Israelites to accept them as leaders and messengers from God. How they go about this dual-track process shows how the message to each are different.

            Last week, the process of negotiation with Pharaoh and with the Israelites began, and it continues this week. In both cases, miracles and signs are required. If we look at those miracles, they offer a clue to the different approach Moshe and Aaron takes with Pharaoh and with the Israelites.

            Last week, Moshe tells God that the Israelites will not believe him. God gives Moshe several “signs” (miracles) designed to prove to the Israelites that Moshe is the real thing. Moses is to toss his staff on the ground, where it becomes a snake (in Hebrew, "nachash"); when he reaches for the snake’s tail, it becomes a staff once again.

            This week, Aaron tries the snake miracle before Pharaoh and throws down his staff, which turns into a serpent (tanin). Pharaoh’s servants toss their staffs down, which also turn into serpents. Aaron’s serpent eats those of the Egyptians.

            We see similar miracles with subtle differences. For the Israelites, Moses' staff turns into a snake (nachash), while for the Egyptians, Aaron's staff turns into a serpent (in Hebrew, "tanin"). What does this difference signify?

            For insight, we can review the earliest parts of Genesis, where we find snakes and serpents in the two distinct accounts of creation. The first chapter of Genesis focuses on God as the universal Creator. On the 5^th day, God decides (Gen 1:21) to create living creatures, including  the great taninim (serpents), the forbearer of Aaron’s staff .

            In Genesis Chapter 2, most of the Creation story relates to the creation of man and woman, and their eventual downfall as a result of the snake (nachash), the ancestor of Moses’ staff. So how does this help with our question about the differences between Moshe’s and Aaron’s staffs?

            It may be that the symbols show the different messages Moshe and Aaron were transmitting. To Pharaoh,  who did not recognize God's rule over the world, Aaron uses the imagery of Genesis Chapter 1, where God's as Cosmic Creator is stressed. On the other hand, Moshe focuses on the God of Genesis Chapter 2 who is an intimate, caring God. And even though Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden because of the “nachash” Moshe shows the Israelites that, by his converting it back to a staff, the way is open for the Israelites to return to an intimate, personal relationship with God.

            This comparison of the snake/serpent miracles also shows us the purpose of the Exodus: The Israelites were not merely freed from Egyptian slavery; they were liberated so that they could enter into a close relationship, or covenant, with God at Sinai.

            Sometimes a word or two can make a major difference in our understanding of stories which we have ready many, many times. This is just one such example.