Derasha 80 on Shemos 4:19

Parashas Shemos · Passuk 4:19

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֙תוּ֙ כׇּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Nedarim 65a (verified).

Sefaria — Exodus 4:19
Sefaria — Nedarim 65a
E-Daf — Nedarim 65a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Nedarim 65a
אלא אמר ריש לקיש: שֶׁיָּרְדוּ מִנִּכְסֵיהֶם. והאמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי: כל מקום שנאמר נצים ונצבים אינן אלא דתן ואבירם. אלא שירדו מנכסיהם.

English: ““For they have died” — Resh Lakish explained: they had become impoverished. The people seeking Moses were Dathan and Abiram, who were reduced in their property and therefore were considered as though dead.”

On the daf / in context: See the cited source for the full section.

Type of Learning

Talmudic interpretation of “death” as loss of wealth

What Is Learned

Chazal identify the men seeking Moses as Dathan and Abiram and explain that their “death” meant their loss of wealth; poverty is described as a condition comparable to death.