We will read on Shabbat about the middle stages of our exodus from Egypt. We also have a lot in the Parsha regarding the interaction between Moshe Rabeinu and Pharaoh.
In this context, the following Pasuk reads :
וּמֹשֶׁה֙ בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן בֶּן־שָׁלֹ֥שׁ וּשְׁמֹנִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה בְּדַבְּרָ֖ם אֶל־פַּרְעֹֽה׃ {פ}
“And Moshe was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three, when they made their demand on Pharaoh”. (Shemot 7.7)
The Ibn Ezra is wondering as to what is so important in their age at this specific point in time ? He goes on to explain that they were the only two people who were (becoming) prophets at that old age, and had the highest degree of prophecy. Perhaps there is another important message here;
Yes, we do know that people can still be active at an older age. I fondly remember how, as a teenager – I was honoured to be at the daily Shiur of Rav Shach זצ”ל who at age 90 was not only saying a most challenging weekly Shiur, but was so delighted with each new nuance that he introduced into the Tractate that we were studying, that it was hard not to get excited – with him.
(Lehavdil!) I remember watching Arthur Rubinstein playing in the most beautiful elan, the 5th symphony, when he was well into his eighties. I was a youngster and was delighted both by the performance and by his vitality
So – this is all rare – but not so rare as to explain why the Torah goes out of its usual way to tell us the age of Moshe Rabeinu and Aharon HaKohen.
Indeed we see here a different and astonishing story. Moshe Rabeinu, “the most humble man on earth”, was not only “going strong” in his old age. Rather – he was embarking on a new, and most demanding leadership position – at age eighty (and Aharon HaKohen eighty three years old). This is indeed an undertaking which is worth telling.
The Torah never tells something without ramifications for us. In this instance it teaches us that we should not only “keep going”. But always be ready to learn, undertake and adapt to new situations. The ability to not only “carry on with life” , but learn and experience new challenges – is the ultimate expression of Life. Of Chaim.
Shabbat Shalom and warm regards
Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld