Parshas Shemos: Medrash - The Long History of Moshe's Staff
"What is in your hand?"
And he said, "A staff." (Shmos 4:2)
The staff was created on the sixth day of Bereishis at Bain HaShmashos. It was given to Adam in Gan Aiden. Adam transferred it to Chanoch, who transferred it to Noach. Noach gave it to Avrohom, Avrohom to Yitzchok, and Yitzchok to Yaakov. Yaakov brought it to Egypt and gave it to Yosef. When Yosef died, the staff was taken to the house of Pharaoh. Yisro was one of Pharaoh's advisors and wanted the staff. He took it and planted it in his garden. When Moshe saw the Shem HaMeforash of Hashem and the abbreviations for the 10 plagues carved on it, he removed it from the garden. Yisro saw that Moshe successfully removed the staff after so many others had tried and failed. He gave the staff to Moshe as well as giving him his daughter Tzipporah for a wife. - Pirkei D' Rebbi Eliezer -