What event was Moshe referring to when he said, "and He rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh"?
Rashi #1: When Dasan and Aviram informed Pharaoh that Moshe had killed the Egyptian, and Pharaoh wanted to have Moshe killed, Moshe's neck turned to marble.
Rashi #2: Refer to 4:11:2:1 .
Yerushalmi Berachos, 9:1: 'When Pharaoh seized Moshe and ordered his head to be severed, the sword slipped from his neck on to the neck of the executioner and killed him.
Why does it say "v'Shem ha'Echad"? It should say "v'Shem ha'Sheni"!
R. Bachye #1: Because each one was 'one' (special) - Gershom was special to his mother - because he was the B'chor and because she was instrumentl in saving him, and Eliezer was special to his father - because he named him after his salvation.
R. Bachye #2: Because Moshe offspring proliferated via the only son of Eliezer (Rechavyah), and proliferation comes about from one. 1
R. Bachye #3 (citing the Tanchuma) Moshav Zekenim #1, Riva #1 and Hadar Zekenim (citing a Midrash): Moshe found Hashem saying, 'Eliezer my son 2 states that a Parah is two years old, and an Eglah (Arufah)is a yearling - and he Davened that R. Eliezer should descend from him. 3
Moshav Zekenim #2: Because the Torah only writes 'Sheini' after having written 'Rishon'. 4
Moshav Zekenim #3: He called him Eliezer because Hashem helped him, and Hashem is One.
Moshav Zekenim #4: Because Moshe loved each like an only child.
Tosfos ha'Shalem: Because Yisro gave his daughter to Moshe only on condition that he swore that the first son will be designated to idolatry. 5
R. Weiss: To teach us that a parent should treat each child like an only child (instruct him according to his nature, not like he trained his older siblings).
See R. Bachye.
The Tana R. Eliezer, in Mishnah Parah 1:1.
See R. Bachye for more details. See also Moshav Zekenim.
Hadar Zekenim: It is not proper to write 'Sheini' regarding Hashem. Moshav Zekenim citing R. Levi - Moshe mentioned Hashem's Name on Eliezer, but said about Gershom "Nochriyah" - because Yisro had given his daughter to Moshe only on condition that he swears that the first son will be for idolatry. (Refer to 18:3:152:1*). Due to this, Gershom's son Yehonasan ultimately served idolatry.
See Targum Yonasan to 4:4. Oznayim la'Torah - And it is therefore considered as if the two were from different nations and were not related.
Moshe should have given the name Eliezer to his first son, for he was saved from Pharaoh's sword before he became a stranger in a foreign land!
Rosh, Riva: He was not totally saved from Pharaoh until those who slandered him died (i.e. became poor). 1 He was still worried that they would find him and inform Pharaoh. 2
Tosfos ha'Shalem (7, citing R. Yehudah ha'Chasid:): The custom was to call the name for the most recent miracle. 3
Moshav Zekenim, citing R. Levi: Moshe mentioned Hashem's name on Eliezer, but not about Gershom "Nochriyah," because of Yisro's stipulation (see above, 18:4:151:2* ).
Seforno: Because the Par'oh who had tried to kill him was still alive when Gershom was born - but had died before the birth of Eliezer (and as long as he was alive he did not feel secure).
See Rashi to Shemos 4:19 .
Oznayim la'Torah: Just as one does not recite Birkas ha'Gomel until the danger has passed. See Oznayim la'Torah DH 'va'Yatzileini....'
I.e., now I ceased to be a Ger (refer to 18:3:151:1 - PF). Moshav Zekenim citing R. Moshe of Pontaiza says similarly.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "And He saved me from the sword of Pharaoh - ... [at the time] when Dasan and Aviram revealed the matter of the Mitzri [that Moshe had killed], and [Pharaoh] sought to kill Moshe; his neck became like a marble pillar." If so, why did Moshe have to flee to Midyan?
Gur Aryeh (to Shemos 4:11): Hashem does not suspend the natural course of events unnecessarily; His miracles approximate the normal as much as possible. Thus, even after Moshe's neck turned to marble (thwarting his execution), he fled, because 'miracles don't happen every day.' 1
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 19, p. 86): Pharaoh wanted to act against Moshe, by virtue of his power and Mazal as king. Hashem strengthened Moshe, such that Pharaoh could not have any effect on him, allowing him to escape. 2
See our comments to Shemos 4:11:2.1:1 ; there was a list of miracles that protected Moshe on that day.
Although Hashem saved Moshe from the threat of Pharaoh's metaphysical power, Pharaoh might still harm him in the natural, physical sense. Therefore, he had to flee. (EK) Also see the following question.
Rashi writes: "... Pharaoh sought to kill Moshe, but his neck became like a marble pillar." Why is the sword attributed to Pharaoh personally?
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 19, p. 86): The Midrash writes that "they took a sword of unparalleled strength, and applied it to Moshe's neck ten times; but Moshe's neck became like marble." The "sword" alludes to Pharaoh himself; a king has great power and Mazal. 1 The number 10 is the first inclusive number. 2
Rashi writes that Moshe's neck turned to marble, to save him from Pharaoh's sword. But in Parshas Shemos (4:11), he wrote that Hashem made Pharaoh dumb, his servants deaf, and the executioner blind!
Moshav Zekenim: Initially, his neck turned to marble, to save him from the sword. They wanted to kill him in a different way, and then they became mute, deaf and blind.
Gur Aryeh (to 4:11): Refer to 4:11:2.1:1 .
