Shemos 4:19 · unit 2 — for they have died

Parashas Shemos

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֙תוּ֙ כׇּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

GOD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who sought to kill you are dead.”

Torah Temimah points to R’ Yochanan in the name of R’ Shimon ben Yochai — Nedarim 64b (verified).

Core Text

כי מתו — מאי מתו? \ldots אלא שירדו מנכסיהן.

English: “For they have died” — what is the meaning of “died”? \ldots Rather, they declined in their property (became impoverished).

On the daf / in context: Dasan and Aviram are again identified; “death” is read as loss of wealth, which removes their power to harm Moshe.

Custom

Chazal teach that the “death” of Moshe’s pursuers was the loss of their wealth and influence.