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Discover the Top 14 Amusing and Fascinating Facts About Moses You Never Knew

illustration of moses
Embark on an enlightening journey through the lesser-known side of Moses, the staff-wielding hero of biblical proportions, with these amusing and intriguing fun facts!

1. Fashion-Forward Moses

Before Lady Gaga went gaga with her meat dress, Moses rocked an unlikely couture choice—sheep's blood, and that too, on doorposts: Moses, with unyielding faith, chose to suffer with God's people instead of living as Pharaoh's fancy-pants offspring, heroically led the Israelites through the Red Sea, and guarded his peeps against the firstborn-destroying force by celebrating Passover with doorpost blood art, credited to God's mystical powers.
Source => bible.com

2. Moses in Tinseltown

While Moses has been parting Red Seas in Tinseltown for decades, from Cecil B. DeMille's Hollywood classic to Christian Bale's high-strung interpretation: it's Sir Ben Kingsley who takes home the proverbial burning bush for his eloquently complex portrayal in the 1995 TV movie, Moses, earning widespread acclaim for his psychologically rich and captivating approach to the iconic biblical figure.
Source => decentfilms.com

3. The First Holy Siblings

Miriam, Moses, and Aaron: the original holy trinity that put the "sis" in exodus, navigated the desert using nothing but a trusty staff, and made parting seas look like child's play – despite their biblical sibling rivalry: On a serious note, Moses, with the help of his sister Miriam and brother Aaron, played a pivotal role in freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, with Miriam providing vital support and care for the fledgling community during their arduous journey to freedom.
Source => tamidnyc.org

4. Moses' Three-Act Life

Moses' personal resume reads like a biblical version of "The Hangover": Started as a pampered prince, woke up one day as a desert nomad, and ended up being God's go-to guy on a 40-year-long adventure! But seriously: Moses spent 40 years as an Egyptian prince, another 40 years as a shepherd in the desert, and the final 40 years of his life leading the Israelites towards the Promised Land as ordained by God.
Source => home.snu.edu

Aaron's Magical Staff

5. Aaron's Magical Staff

Whoever said sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me clearly hadn’t met Moses’ brother Aaron, who wielded a rod with some truly biblical superpowers: Not only did this magical staff transform into a snake, caused all sorts of plagues, and even part the Red Sea, it also had a starring role in the Ark of the Covenant, tucked alongside the Ten Commandments and a jar of manna, just to remind those grumbling rebels that God means business.
Source => carm.org

6. Moses' Late Redemption

Moses' first shot at freeing the Israelites must have felt like trying to part the Red Sea with a rubber duck: hilariously fruitless! However: he found redemption at 80, when God called upon him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt after spending four decades in the wilderness.
Source => thegospelcoalition.org

7. Moses' Speech Mystery

It's a case of "speak no evil, hear no evil" for our biblical buddy Moses: His speech impediment could have been due to a mischievous angel who made him put a hot coal in his mouth as a baby, according to a midrash. While Rashi suggests Moses had a genuine impediment, the lack of narrative details in the Torah hints that it might have just been something Moses himself believed he had, rather than a noticeable handicap to others.
Source => myjewishlearning.com

8. Moses: The Hebrew Harry Potter

You could say Moses was the original Harry Potter, battling a cosmic Voldemort and choosing his true heritage over his adoptive one: Moses straddled both Egyptian and Hebrew roots, but opted to champion justice for his fellow Hebrews against the oppressive Egyptians, sparking his defiance with a Hebrew-saving killing of an abusive Egyptian.
Source => thetorah.com

9. Mount Sinai's Hipster Makeover

If Moses climbed Mount Sinai today, he'd be able to snag a trendy handwoven rug from the gift shop and cozy up in a cabin, just like the hipster-hebrew hero we know him to be: Mount Sinai, owned by a local family, not only offers religious history and stunning views but also features well-built cabins for tourists and a nearby shop showcasing traditional crafts, a centuries-old monastery with a still-growing burning bush, and a basement displaying the remains of deceased priests.
Source => tripadvisor.com

Moses' 613 Commandments

10. Moses' 613 Commandments

You know that feeling when you can't decide on a Netflix show, so you end up browsing forever? Well, Moses had a similar predicament with commandments – it took 613 of them before he was satisfied: In Jewish tradition, the Talmud lists 613 commandments, both positive and negative actions, which Moses transmitted to the Israelites. This number became prominent in later rabbinic literature, but some rabbis debate its authenticity and significance. Nonetheless, the concept of 613 commandments is widely accepted and practiced among many Jews today.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. The Ultimate Magic Staff

If you thought Harry Potter's wand had a few tricks up its sleeve, wait till you hear about Moses' levitating, sea-parting, rock-hydrating staff: According to the Book of Exodus, Moses boasted a staff that could transform into a snake and back, split the Red Sea, and even generate water from a rock upon God's command. Curiously, it remains a topic of debate whether this magical staff was one and the same as his brother Aaron's, while its alleged current residence is rumored to be the Topkapı Palace Museum in Istanbul.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Aaron's Flashy Role

While Moses was busy parting seas and carving tablets, his brother Aaron was making family gatherings awkward by rocking his flashy High Priest attire and stealing the spotlight: Aaron, an older sibling of Moses, is often overshadowed in biblical stories, but he played a crucial role as Moses' spokesperson, assisting him throughout their journey, and became the first high priest of Israel - bling and all.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

13. Moses Makes Kosher

With Torah-power, Moses "meat" the Israelites kosher: Moses, the infamous leader of the Israelite exodus, didn't himself establish the kosher laws, but he played a starring role in their inception, according to Leviticus, which outlines the divine dietary dos and don'ts. These enduring regulations continue to guide the plates of faithful foodies in Jewish communities worldwide today.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

14. Tug-of-War Over Moses' Body

Talk about an unearthly squabble: When Moses kicked the bucket, he couldn't just rest in peace like the rest of us. In fact, his body became a tug-of-war prize between the archangel Michael and the devil, as mentioned in Jude 1:9. Some speculate that the devil wanted to turn Moses' burial site into a shrine for temptation, while Michael was guarding it for a future (and hopefully less contentious) resurrection.
Source => gotquestions.org

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