Midrash sobre Êxodo 2:12

.And he said: Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? R. Yehudah says: Moshe was of twenty years at that time. They said to him: you are not yet worthy of being a ruler and a judge over as, for [it is said, Avot 5:21] "at forty [one aquires] wisdom." R. Nehemia said: He [Moshe] was of forty years at that time. They said to him: surely you are a man [of age], only you are not worthy to be a ruler and a judge over us. The sages say: They said to him: are you indeed the son of Yocheved? Then why do they call you son of Batya?! and you presume to be a ruler and a judge over us?! We will let be known what you did to the Egyptian. "Do you mean [Lit. say] to kill me?’ It is not written "do you mean", but "do you say". From this you learn, that [Moshe] uttered the proper name [of G-d] unto the Egyptian and killed him. When he [Moshe] heard this, his became fearful of Lashon Ha'ra [the evil tongue]. And he [Moshe] said "surely the thing is known". R. Yehudah son of R. Shalom said in the name of Hanina the Great and our sages who [in turn] said in the name of R. Alexandri: Moshe would wonder to himself and say: "what was Israel's sin, for which they became more enslaved than all other nation?" When he heard his [the Hebrew who struck his fellow's] words, he [Moshe] said: "such Lashon Harah [evil tongue] is amongst them, how would they be worthy of redemption?". And so he [Moshe] said: "Surely the thing is known" - now I know what is the cause of their enslavement....'He went out on the second day and behold to Hebrew men were fighting' - this was Datan and Aviram- who are called NITZIM fighting because of their end -- they were the ones who said this, they left over the Manna, they were the ones who said (Numbers 14:4) 'Appoint a head and let us return to Egypt', they rebelled at the Sea of Reeds. another explanation NITZIM they intended to kill each other...from here we recognize that a person who lifts up his hand to strike his friend, even though he doesn't (actually) hit him is called a wicked person....to teach that both of them were wicked

(Deut. 16:18:) YOU SHALL APPOINT <JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS> FOR YOURSELVES, and not for the peoples of the world.²¹Tanh., Deut. 5:5. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:18): YOU SHALL APPOINT <JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS> FOR YOURSELVES. <This> teaches that the judges were called in the name of Moses. Moreover, this is one of three things over which Moses risked his life and were called by his name.²²Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Shirata, 1 on Exod. 15:1; Exod. R. 30:4; Numb. R. 12:9. He offered his life over the Torah, [as stated (in Exod. 34:28): AND HE WAS THERE <WITH THE LORD> FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS; <HE ATE NO BREAD AND DRANK NO WATER>.] It was also called by his name, as stated (in Mal. 3:22 [4:4]): REMEMBER <THE> TORAH OF MY SERVANT MOSES. He offered his life over Israel, as stated (in Exod. 32:32): BUT NOW, IF YOU WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, <WELL AND GOOD;> BUT IF NOT, PLEASE BLOT ME OUT <OF THE BOOK THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN >. And where is it shown that they were called by his Name? Where it is stated (in Exod. 32:7, in which the Holy One tells Moses): FOR YOUR PEOPLE <WHOM YOU BROUGHT UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT> HAVE ACTED BASELY. He also offered his life over the judges, as stated (in Exod. 2:12–14): HE SMOTE THE EGYPTIAN <AND HID HIM IN THE SAND. WHEN HE WENT OUT ON THE SECOND DAY, HERE THERE WERE TWO HEBREW MEN FIGHTING>; SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE: WHY WOULD YOU STRIKE YOUR COMRADE? <BUT HE SAID: WHO APPOINTED YOU²³In an unvoweled text APPOINTED YOU could be read as “your name.” A PRINCE AND A JUDGE OVER US?> For that reason they were called in his name, as stated (in Deut. 16:18): YOU SHALL APPOINT JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS FOR YOURSELVES IN ALL YOUR GATES.

(Deut. 16:18:) “You shall appoint [judges and law officers] for yourselves”; and not for the peoples of the world. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:18), “You shall appoint [judges and law officers] for yourselves (literally, yourself)”: [This] teaches that the judges were called in the name of Moses. Moreover, this is one of three things over which Moses risked his life and were called by his name.¹³Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Shirata, 1 on Exod. 15:1; Exod. R. 30:4; Numb. R. 12:9. He offered his life over the Torah, [as stated (in Exod. 34:28),] “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights.” And it was called by his name, as stated (in Mal. 3:22), “Remember [the] Torah of My servant Moses.” He offered his life over Israel, as stated (in Exod. 32:32), “But now, if You will forgive their sin, [well and good; but if not, please blot me out].” And they were called by his name, as stated (in Exod. 32:7, in which the Holy One, blessed be He, tells Moses), “Go down, for your people have acted basely.” He also offered his life over the judges, as stated (in Exod. 2:12-14), “he smote the Egyptian [and hid him in the sand]. When he went out on the second day, [there were two Hebrew men fighting; so he said to the wicked one, ‘Why would you strike your comrade?’] But he said, ‘Who appointed you a prince and a judge?’” For that reason they were called in his name, as stated (in Deut. 33:21), “He chose for himself the best… he executed the Lord’s judgments, and His decisions for Israel.”