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IIRC the Biblical narrative, after being born, Moses spends 3 months at home and then moving to the royal palace. His mother continues to breastfeed him for a certain period of time but then the link breaks.

Moses grows up, travels the land of Egypt, finally escapes to Midyan and comes back some 40 years later as the ultimate ruler of the Hebrews leading them out of the country to the promised land.

The Torah is usually very emotional about family ties, spending large detailed passages on family reunions, as with Yakov and Eisov, his sons, and more. However, I don't recall anything about Moses meeting his parents or children (after Matan Torah. Related "why-moses-didnt-care-for-his-sons").

The Torah is very explicit and descriptive about Moses meeting his in-law (nothing though about his wife or kids) but stays silent about him meeting his parent.

EDIT (thnx Double): Even if we say that both Amram and Yocheved died before Moses returned to Egypt, according to the Torah, he shows no interest in their fate at all. Besides, Amram being Gdol Hador it would be reasonable to mention his death and burial.

Did Moses meet his parents after the separation when before or after his escape? And why does the Torah totally omit such a sentimental story?


I personally feel that the "parentless" narrative of the Jewish leader is very purposeful in the story but don't know why.

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  • Maybe because it never happened? I don’t have any source offhand, pshat or midrashic, which addresses this in one fashion or another, but the simplest reading of the Pesukim indicates that he never reunited with them. Midrash infers that Amram died while Moshe was in Midyan; if Yocheved died around the same time, and if Moshe never left the palace before the two days which led to his being on the run, it’s likely he never would have had the opportunity to see them.
    – DonielF
    Nov 27, 2019 at 12:31
  • Moshe meets Aharon in the desert emotionally לֵךְ לִקְרַאת מֹשֶׁה הַמִּדְבָּרָה; וַיֵּלֶךְ, וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ בְּהַר הָאֱלֹהִים--וַיִּשַּׁק-לוֹ. And who says the parents were still alive?
    – Double AA
    Nov 27, 2019 at 12:44
  • @DonielF We are eager to interpret what we find in the text but rarely interpret what we don't find. What Midrash you're talking about? I edited the question to include your info.
    – Al Berko
    Nov 27, 2019 at 13:01
  • Amram's death is sort of mentioned. He lived to 137 years (Ex 6:20).
    – Double AA
    Nov 27, 2019 at 13:05
  • @AlBerko I’ll have to dig it up, but it’s on the fact that Hashem never associates His Name with the living, so when He tells Moshe that He is אלקי אביך it must be his father had died already. Also, we very frequently interpret a lack of something - you’ve clearly not learned enough Midrash.
    – DonielF
    Nov 27, 2019 at 13:43

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