[Avodah] General: The Three Zechusim

[Moshe Y. Gluck]

R' YL:
Another myth bites the dust

Torn asunder?
<Snipped>
>From Kollel Iyun HaDaf:
I have been asked to find the mekor for the well-known statement that Klal
Yisroel were saved from Mitzrayim B'Zechus of the three things they kept -
they did not change their names, their language and their clothing.
<Snip>
The Kollel replies:

The earliest source seems to be Eliyahu Bachur (c. 1500), who quotes it the
way we often hear it in the introduction to his Sefer Meturgeman. Shlomo
Buber, in his notes to Pesikta d'Rav Kahana (Parshas Vayehi Beshalch fn.
#66) makes your point and says Eliyahu Bachur has absolutely no source in
Midrash. (It is not clear to me how the quote became so popular, perhaps it
was used to defend Chasidic garb.)
<SNIP>
To me it would seem that the truth is Eliyahu Bachur's source is Bamidbar
Rabah 13:20 where 3 (not 4) Zechuyos are counted and the third is that they
were Gedurim Min ha'Ervah (and not that they were not Parutz b'Arayos - as
it appears in every other Midrash). Gedurim means they took measures to
prevent Arayos and it might refer to adopting the immodest Egyptian mode of
dress. We find such Gedurim m'Ervah in practice in Chazal, such as in Rashi,
Sanhedrin top of 74b.
------------------------------

Hanach Lahen LiYisroel - Im Lo Nevii'm Heim, B'nei Neviim Heim. Besides, R'
Eliyahu Bachur might have had Midrashim that are no longer extant. Also, R'
Eliyahu Bachur doesn't say that it was in the merit of these three things
that they were redeemed - he just says that they didn't _change_ these three
things. That doesn't preclude there being other Zechusim, nor does it even
say that he felt that these were any of the three, nor does it necessitate
that this be sourced to one Maamar - it could just as easily have come from
three different Midrashim or Gemaros. For those interested, I quote the
text: "U'k'she'ba Avraham L'eretz K'naan Hayah Hu V'zar'o Medabrim Sefas
K'naan She'hi Lashon Hakodesh Mamash, V'af K'she'hayu Yisroel B'Mitzrayim Lo
Azavuhu _K'mo She'amru Rabboseinu Zichronam L'vrachah Shloshah Dvarim Lo
Shinu Yisroel B'Mitzrayim Shemosam, U'malbusham, U'l'shonam._"

KT,
MYG