Shemos 4:26 · unit 1 — He released him

Parashas Shemos

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּ֖רֶף מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אָ֚ז אָֽמְרָ֔ה חֲתַ֥ן דָּמִ֖ים לַמּוּלֹֽת׃ {פ}

And when [God] let him alone, she added, “A bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision.”

Chabad.org — 4:26

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to R’ Yehudah bar Bizna — Nedarim 32a (verified).

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

וירף ממנו — דרש ר׳ יהודה בר ביזנא: בשעה שנתרשל משה רבינו מן המילה באו אף וחמה ובלעוהו ולא שיירו ממנו אלא רגליו.

English: “And He released him” — R’ Yehudah bar Bizna expounded: When Moshe our teacher delayed the circumcision, Anger and Wrath came and swallowed him, leaving only his feet.

On the daf / in context: The dramatic image explains why Tzipporah’s action on the feet was sufficient to end the attack.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Chazal describe the angelic attack as having consumed Moshe except for the feet, the site of the delayed mitzvah.