The verse we've been discussing since Sunday tells us that our teacher Moshe married a Cushite. The official tradition, taught to school children, is that the word "Cushite" is a sort of code for "drop dead gorgeous" This is Rashi's view, supported by the Ball Haturim who helpfully supplies a gematriah: Yefat Mareh = Cushite.
*Aside*
Miriam: Hey, Aaron! Our brother, that uppity leader of Israel married a Cushite!
Aaron: Huh? No. He didn't. He married Tziporah.
Miriam: Do the math moron!
Aaron: Huh?
Miriam: Ooo-day the ematriah-gay. It's an ode-cay.
Aaron: Oh..... [Furies brow. Does the sums] Aahhh. I get it. Kewl!
Miriam [eye roll]
*End Aside*
Nonetheless, this is by no means the only Torah True approach to the puzzle.
Rashi's own grandson, the Rashbam (see Num 12:1) seeks to undercut Rashi's interpretation and tells us that pshat (ie the simplest, basic, most accurate interp. of the verse) is that Moshe ruled as King of Ethiopia for 40 years, and took an Ethiopian princess as his wife - but never consummated the marriage. This coincides with the legend retold by Josephus, I shared with you earlier today. The story also appears, with more detail, in the Sefer Hayashar.
Close readers will notice that the Sefer Hayashar's account differs from the story Josephes tells in one crucial detail. According to J, Moshe and his Ethiopian hottie lived as husband and wife. Sefer Hayashar, written 9-14 centuries later, says the marriage was never consummated. What explains the change? Did the author of the Sefer Hayashar doctor the tradition to fit medieval sensibilities? Perhaps. The audience that knew Josephus would have been less likely to object to an interracial marriage. Readers of the Sefer Hayashar, on the other hand, would have been scandalized.
Bonus Exegesis
Courtesy of my friend, the kofer, I give you this non-Torah true approach (Warning: Not encouraged. May lead to bad shidduchim and/or angry inlaws/spouses)
PEOPLE!!! THE TEXT IS CORRUPT!!! THE FIRST PASUK IS FROM A DIFFERENT TRADITION ABOUT WHAT AARON AND MIRIAM SPOKE ABOUT AND IT WAS BROUGHT TOGETHER WITH THE "WE'RE PROPHETS TOO" TRADITION BY A REDACTOR!! THE REST OF THE "KUSHITE" STORY IS LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET A FREAKING ****CLUE****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Aside*
Miriam: Hey, Aaron! Our brother, that uppity leader of Israel married a Cushite!
Aaron: Huh? No. He didn't. He married Tziporah.
Miriam: Do the math moron!
Aaron: Huh?
Miriam: Ooo-day the ematriah-gay. It's an ode-cay.
Aaron: Oh..... [Furies brow. Does the sums] Aahhh. I get it. Kewl!
Miriam [eye roll]
*End Aside*
Nonetheless, this is by no means the only Torah True approach to the puzzle.
Rashi's own grandson, the Rashbam (see Num 12:1) seeks to undercut Rashi's interpretation and tells us that pshat (ie the simplest, basic, most accurate interp. of the verse) is that Moshe ruled as King of Ethiopia for 40 years, and took an Ethiopian princess as his wife - but never consummated the marriage. This coincides with the legend retold by Josephus, I shared with you earlier today. The story also appears, with more detail, in the Sefer Hayashar.
Close readers will notice that the Sefer Hayashar's account differs from the story Josephes tells in one crucial detail. According to J, Moshe and his Ethiopian hottie lived as husband and wife. Sefer Hayashar, written 9-14 centuries later, says the marriage was never consummated. What explains the change? Did the author of the Sefer Hayashar doctor the tradition to fit medieval sensibilities? Perhaps. The audience that knew Josephus would have been less likely to object to an interracial marriage. Readers of the Sefer Hayashar, on the other hand, would have been scandalized.
Bonus Exegesis
Courtesy of my friend, the kofer, I give you this non-Torah true approach (Warning: Not encouraged. May lead to bad shidduchim and/or angry inlaws/spouses)
PEOPLE!!! THE TEXT IS CORRUPT!!! THE FIRST PASUK IS FROM A DIFFERENT TRADITION ABOUT WHAT AARON AND MIRIAM SPOKE ABOUT AND IT WAS BROUGHT TOGETHER WITH THE "WE'RE PROPHETS TOO" TRADITION BY A REDACTOR!! THE REST OF THE "KUSHITE" STORY IS LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET A FREAKING ****CLUE****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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