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Were Dasan VeAviram heads of working camps in Egypt? [closed]

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I seem to recall seeing that Dasan and Aviram were heads of work groups in Egypt and let themselves be beaten up instead of the Yidden workers? Can anyone confirm such a thing? Also, would that make them really Tzadikkim in a way?


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    Nice topic, I think there is a lot of Torah on it - Shmuel YaacovsonJan 31  '13 at 23:28
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2 answers!

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I add that I did find a different source that seems to indicate that at least Dasan was a task master. This is in Shemos Rabbah (1:28), which relates the story of Shlomis bas Divri, the wife of an unnamed Jewish task master, being violated by an Egyptian overseer. Later the Midrash mentions that Moshe said, that the Egyptian who was beating a Jew “had ‘violated the wife of Dasan’, an act for which he deserved to die”. This seems to identify Dasan as the previously unnamed task master.

However, in Pirkei D’Rebbi Eliezer (48), the Jew who Moshe saw being beaten by the Egyptian, is identified as a fellow member of the “Kehasi” branch of the Levite tribe. Pirkei DE supports this identification with the verse (Shemos 2:11) “…and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brothers”. [Note: This can’t possibly be identified as being one and the same as the Dasan referred to in Shemos Rabbah, since Dasan is known to have been a member of the tribe of Reuvain (cf. Bamidbar 26:9)].


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    That is really amazing, I once compiled a whole Teshuva about Dasan VeAviram and have to update it with this new reid. Perhaps I will add what I know about them as a new answer. - Shmuel YaacovsonJan 31  '13 at 23:20
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    להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה! - Webbe RebbeFeb 01  '13 at 12:25
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You may have seen the “Sifsei Chachamim” on Shemos (5:20) who posits so. He understands that verse, as a continuation of the previous one, which mentions the righteous Jewish “task masters”, and puts Dasan and Aviram as one of their colleagues. He further posits that this idea is supported by the Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 5:20).

This is in contrast with the opinion of the “Nachlas Yaakov”, quoted by the “Sifsei Chachamim”, who maintains that Dasan And Aviram were not members of the Jewish task masters.

As to the Sifsei Chachamim’s “proof” from the Midrash, I beg to differ. I suggest that it's possible that the Midrash merely intends to indicate that Dasan And Aviram were also present on location, at the very same time as the righteous task masters. The task masters were respectful towards Moshe and Aharon, while Dasan And Aviram were insolent rabble rousers.

However they were never colleagues, as the Midrash (ibid.) singles out the task masters for their righteousness; while Dasan and Aviram are always castigated for their wickedness. This goes so far as to direct us to attribute evil actions on Dasan Aviram whenever possible (see Yalkut Shimoni, 167, s.v. Mah) "ומי היו, דתן ואבירם. ולמה, כל מה שאתה יכול לתלות ברשעים תלה"


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