Commentary for Exodus 4:27

AND HE MET HIM IN THE MOUNTAIN OF G-D. Thus you learn that Mount Sinai is between Midian and Egypt.

לך לקראת משה, to fulfill what G’d had already told Moses, i.e. that his brother Aaron was on the way to meet him joyfully. (verse 14)

לך לקראת משה המדברה, like a student who walks some distance to welcome his teacher even before he arrives in town. The student is what we call the “reception committee.” Aaron being a student of Moses although he was his senior has been confirmed already in verse 16 when G’d told Moses concerning his brother: “you will be his prophet, i.e. mentor.”

לך לקראת משה, "go towards Moses, etc!" Although we have heard G'd say to Moses already in 4,14 that his brother Aaron was on his way to meet him, the actual instruction to Aaron came from G'd while Aaron was still in Egypt. There is no question that the prophecy in this verse was adressed directly to Aaron even though we learned in Torat Kohanim 1 that wherever the Torah writes: "G'd spoke to Moses and Aaron," that the directive was spoken to Moses only and he in turn was to convey it to Aaron, this does not apply here. Even according to the view of Rabbi Yossi Haglili who excludes Aaron from receiving a communication from G'd directly even while both were in Egypt, he referred only to communications which concerned an independent mission to outsiders. There is no reason to believe that G'd did not speak to Aaron directly concerning what Aaron himself was to do. Our verse proves that Aaron was a prophet in his own right.

וישק לו, “he kissed him.” Aaron kissed Moses. Seeing that Moses was so humble, it would have been unseemly for him to take the initiative by kissing his senior brother. This accounts for the fact that contrary to similar encounters reported elsewhere, the Torah did not write “they kissed one another”). (compare Samuel I 20,41)

ויפגשהו בהר האלו-הים וישק לו, “he met him at the Mountain of G’d and he kissed him.” Tanchuma Shemot 27 comments on our verse that it is a perfect illustration of Song of Songs 8,1: “If only it could be as with a brother, as if you had nursed at my mother’s breast; then I could kiss you.” We also have a verse in Psalms 85,11: “love (kindness) and truth meet; justice and well-being kiss.” The word “kindness” is a metaphor describing Aaron of whom the Torah wrote (Deut. 33,8) “Your Tumim and Urim for your devout and loving man.” The word “truth” is a metaphor for Moses of whom G’d said (Numbers 12,6) “he is trusted in My entire house (because he is so truthful).” Moses is also described as the personification of צדק, righteousness, in Deut. 33,21 “he carried out G’d’s righteousness,” whereas Aaron personified שלום, peace, as we know from Malachi 2,6 “in peace (harmony) and equity he walked with Me.”

ויפגשהו וישק לו, “when he met him, he kissed him. (Aaron kissed Moses.)” This is alluded to in Psalms 85,11 חסד ואמת נפגשו, צדק ושלום נשקו, “loving kindness and truth meet; righteousness and peace kiss one another.” (Compare Sh’mot Rabbah Rabbah 5,10.) [The commentators on that Midrash have different views of what the author meant. Ed.] Basically, our sages describe Aaron’s predominant characteristic, virtue as that of chessed, leniency, whereas Moses’ predominant characteristic was truth, justice. Similarly, Moses was distinguished by insisting on righteousness, whereas Aaron strove for preserving or making peace where at all possible. Our author also quotes Malachi 2,6 בשלום ובמישור הלך אתי, “he walked with Me in peace and equity” as relevant to Aaron’s stature. [The whole chapter discusses the priests. Ed.]

AND HE KISSED HIM. Aaron kissed Moses, for Moses the humble one treated his older brother with respect. For this reason, it does not say that they kissed each other.

ויפגשהו בהר האלוקים. while Moses was already on his way back to Midian from his encounter at the burning bush, at the mountain of the Lord, all set to go to Egypt.

וישק לו, as one kisses a sacred object. We find the term used in this sense in Samuel I 10,1 וישקהו, ויאמר הלא כי משחך ה' על נחלתו לנגיד, ”he kissed him and said: ‘the Lord herewith anoints you ruler over His own people.”