שמות, פרק ד׳, פסוק כ״ח

The reunion of Moses and Aaron in the desert marks a critical turning point, uniting the two brothers as they prepare to lead the Israelites toward freedom. In this intimate moment, Moses shares the full scope of his divine revelation and the mission ahead. The primary approach among commentators is that he relayed the exact messages intended for the people and for Pharaoh [שד״ל], along with a vivid account of the burning bush and God's watchful care over the nation [העמק דבר, רבנו בחיי]. Going beyond the surface details, Moses also entrusted Aaron with the profound secret of God's explicit name that had been revealed to him [רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, העמק דבר]. Furthermore, Moses did not simply pass on raw information; he provided the deep explanations and instructions on how to understand these divine messages, sharing them much like an oral tradition [העמק דבר].

Moses' account was defined by absolute honesty. He shared everything, not even hiding the fact that he had repeatedly refused God's call and was ultimately sent on this mission against his will [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, רבנו בחיי, ביאור יש״ר]. Alongside these divine matters, the brothers discussed personal and family affairs. Moses recounted his journey and mentioned bringing his wife to their lodging. Hearing this, Aaron expressed sadness that Moses would bring his family into Egypt, noting that the suffering of the Israelites already living there was more than enough. This conversation ultimately led to the decision to send Moses' wife back to her father's home [חזקוני].

The brothers also navigated their future roles. To ensure there was no lingering resentment, Moses honored his brother by sharing the news that God had chosen Aaron for the priesthood, while Moses himself would remain a regular Levite [שפתי כהן]. When discussing their duties, some commentators suggest Moses informed Aaron that Aaron would serve as the spokesman to the Israelites, while the task of confronting Pharaoh was, at this stage, assigned solely to Moses [מלבי״ם]. Another perspective offers that Moses intentionally spoke of the mission as if he were the sole messenger to test Aaron for any signs of jealousy. When Moses saw that Aaron harbored no resentment whatsoever, the two brothers united completely, moving forward with a single heart [אלשיך].

Finally, Moses detailed the miraculous signs he was commanded to perform [ביאור יש״ר]. These specific wonders were designed to be shown first to the Israelites to secure their belief in the mission, with a separate set of signs planned for Pharaoh later on [אבן עזרא]. With the full picture shared and a mutual understanding of their shared destiny, Moses and Aaron set off for Egypt to gather the elders of the people, just as God had originally instructed [ביאור שטיינזלץ, קאסוטו].