A Secret in the Hebrew Grammar — The Passover Lamb and the Lamb of God
"Go Into Pharaoh" — What the Hebrew Really Says
The opening command of our Torah portion contains a phrase that most translations miss entirely. Literally in the Hebrew God says to Moses,
"Go into Pharaoh!"
What does it mean, "Go into Pharaoh?"
God is saying to Moses, both as instruction and direction, that he must not be satisfied with just coming and talking to Pharaoh. To Moses, God says, '...that you have to break through to Pharaoh's heart, because I have strengthened his heart. For I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants.' Actually, God is telling Moses that he must go into Pharaoh's heart and speak to him in a way that Pharaoh could understand.
I learn from this text that the Lord understands men's hearts, and understands that, without the impact of the plagues, Pharaoh and the people will not understand. The brain is not enough for people to understand God and His plan and program. The message from God has to be transmitted to Pharaoh through both his brain and his heart. We too can only understand the Lord when our brain and our heart are working together and receiving from God, through the Word first, and then through our experience and heart, from within, through our hearts, just as Pharaoh's heart has to receive the challenges of love, hope, and faith! In my opinion that is why the Lord speaks to Moses differently than all the previous times, saying —
"Go inside of Pharaoh I have hardened his heart!"
That is to say, now you go inside of Pharaoh and communicate my heart!
A Secret Hidden in the Grammar
The parasha has another secret — and this one is hidden in the Hebrew grammar of Exodus 12:5,6:
"Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight." — Exodus 12:5,6 [NKJV]
Please look at verse 6:
"Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight."
Grammatically it should be written "shall kill them." It is not possible for the whole congregation of Israel to kill one ("kill it"). Why do you think that John the Baptist calls Yeshua and says,
"Behold the Lamb of God that takes the sins of the world!"
Yeshua is called the Lamb of God, related to the Passover.
This is Rashi's commentary on this verse:
"And they shall slaughter it etc. — But did they all slaughter it (one alone did this on behalf of the company formed to eat that particular lamb; cf. Chullin 29b)? But we derive from this statement the legal principle that a man's agent is as himself (this is derived from the fact that although one alone slaughtered the lamb on behalf of many, Scripture still states: they shall slaughter it) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:6:2; Kiddushin 41b.) it speaks here of assembly, congregation, Israel, whilst one of these terms alone would have sufficed; hence they (the rabbis) said: the paschal-lambs of the congregation (a term used in contrast to that which was sacrificed by an individual on the 14th of the second month; cf. Numbers 9:9-14) are to be slaughtered in three groups, one after the other — the first group entered and the doors of the court were closed, etc. as is to be found in the Talmud, Treatise Pesachim (64a)."
This commentary of Rashi above is just one of many rabbinical commentaries that understand this text is special and that it has a secret. It is a hint for what would happen over a thousand years later, and on the same day in the same afternoon of the 14th day of Nissan, the Lamb of God, Yeshua, is condemned to death by the authorities of Israel collectively. Some of the rabbis understood that this unusual text has a secret that involves all of Israel.
The Hebrew text of the Bible is filled with treasures often hidden beneath translation. Sometimes a single word, an unusual grammar, or a strange expression opens a window into a much deeper spiritual reality. May we keep digging into the Word with joy, and discover more of God’s heart revealed through Yeshua.
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Joseph Shulam
Founder
Joseph is the pioneering founder of Netivyah, one of Israel’s first official Messianic non-profits. Dedicated to restoring the Jewish roots of the faith, he has authored numerous books and lectured globally for over 50 years.
Glossary
Rabbi (רַבִּי) means “my teacher” and refers to a Jewish teacher or spiritual leader.
Talmud (תַּלְמוּד) means “study” or “learning” and refers to a collection of rabbinic discussions, teachings, laws, stories, and interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures and discussions of applying God’s commandments to daily life
Torah (תּוֹרָה) means “instruction” or “teaching” and often refers especially to the Five Books of Moses. Psalm 119:1 reminds us that those who walk in God's Torah are blessed.
Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) is the Hebrew name of Jesus, meaning "salvation"
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