## Or HaChaim on Exodus Chapter 3 ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:1:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:1:1) **וּמֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳ וַיִּנְהַג וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ כִּי ה׳ סִבְּבוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן. אוֹ שֶׁהוּא נָהַג כְּמִנְהָגוֹ וְהַצֹּאן הָלְכוּ שָׁמָּה אֶל הַר וְגוֹ׳, כִּי שָׁם יְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו הָאֱלֹהִים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ומשה היה רועה…וינהג את הצאן, And Moses was a shepherd….and he led the sheep, etc.** The Torah means that G'd had His hand in this, i.e. He caused the sheep to move in that direction. Alternatively, it means that Moses was in the habit of guiding his flocks as usual but the sheep walked to that mountain on that occasion for G'd wanted to speak to him there. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:4:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:4:1) **וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי.** לֹא כִּשְׁמוּאֵל שֶׁלֹּא הִכִּיר הַקּוֹרֵא (שמואל א ג:ד), כִּי מֹשֶׁה נָבִיא הָיָה בְּטֶרֶם יָצָא מִבֶּטֶן אִמּוֹ וְהִכִּיר הַקּוֹרֵא. וְאוּלַי כִּי זֶה רָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **הַמַּרְאֶה הַגָּדוֹל** רָמַז אֶל גָּדוֹל הַמְיֻחָד: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויאמר הנני, he said: "I am ready."** This was different from the time G'd first called out to the prophet Samuel (Samuel I, 3,4) when Samuel thought that the High Priest Eli had called him. Moses knew right away that G'd was speaking to him. This was because Moses was a prophet already from birth; this was merely his first vision. On the other hand, perhaps the words את המראה הגדול הזה "this great spectacle," merely indicates that compared to previous contacts between G'd and Moses this one seemed infinitely more remarkable. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:5:1) **אַל תִּקְרַב וְגוֹ׳ שַׁל וְגוֹ׳.** הִנֵּה שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים יְצַו אוֹתוֹ ה׳, אֶחָד שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרַב, וְאֶחָד שֶׁיִּשְׁלֹף נַעַל רַגְלוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲמֹד בּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד בּוֹ, כְּאָמְרוֹ **הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו** כְּבָר **אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ הוּא**, וְצָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק לָמָּה לֹא הִקְדִּים לוֹמַר לוֹ הֲסָרַת מִכְשׁוֹל שֶׁכְּבָר הוּא נָתוּן בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד בְּמִנְעָלוֹ עַל אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יְצַו עָלָיו לְבַל יִקְרַב הֲלוֹם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **אל תקרב הלום, של נעליך, "Do not come closer; remove your shoes, etc."** G'd gave two instructions. 1) not to come closer. 2) to remove his shoes because even the site on which Moses was standing at that moment was already holy ground. Why did G'd not instruct Moses to remove his shoes **before** he had accidentally stepped on holy ground wearing shoes? At that time G'd could have warned Moses not to step on holy ground (even without shoes). ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:5:2) דַּע כִּי בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ גִּלָּה ה׳ דַּעְתּוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי עִקַּר הַקְפָּדָתוֹ וּמוּסָרוֹ הוּא עַל מִצְווֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, כִּי זֶה יַחְבּוֹל בַּנֶּפֶשׁ. וְהוּא טַעַם אָמְרוֹ (קהלת יב:ז) ״וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב וְגוֹ׳ אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ״, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קנב,ב): תְּנָהּ לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּתָנָהּ לְךָ. אֲבָל מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה הֵם הַשָּׂגַת הַטּוֹב כְּשֶׁיִּהְיוּ, וּבְהֵעָדְרָם אֵין עוֹנֶשׁ, זוּלַת עַל פְּרָטִים יְדוּעִים כְּגוֹן פֶּסַח וּמִילָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** We observe throughout the Torah that G'd's principal concern is with the negative commandments, since failure to observe them is injurious to the soul of the person who violates them. This is what Solomon referred to in Kohelet 12,7 when he spoke about the importance of the spirit G'd has given man returning to G'd after man dies. *Shabbat* 152 understand the word נתנה as if it it were written אשר נתנה לך, "which has been given to you," meaning that just as a pure soul was given to man so a pure soul has to be returned to G'd. On the other hand, positive commandments are designed to enable man to achieve the "good" G'd has made available to man. As a rule, failure to observe the positive commandments does not result in penalties with the exception of certain basic commandments such as Passover and circumcision [without which a Jew cannot demonstrate his Jewish identity, Ed.]. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:5:3) וְהִנֵּה כָּאן צִוָּה לוֹ ה׳ מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה וּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה. לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה הִיא **אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלֹם**, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עירובין צו,א; שבועות לו,ב) כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״פֶּן״ וְ״אַל״ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה הִיא **שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ.** וְאִם מֹשֶׁה יִקְרַב הֲלוֹם הֲרֵי עָבַר עַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וְאִם לֹא יָסִיר נַעֲלוֹ, הֲגַם שֶׁאֵינוֹ דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד לַמָּקוֹם, לֹא עָבַר אֶלָּא אַעֲשֶׂה מִמַּה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ ה׳ בִּלְשׁוֹן עֲשֵׂה. וְתָמִיד יַקְדִּים ה׳ הַשְּׁמִירָה לָעֲשִׂיָּה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ד:ו): ״וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם״, ״לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת״ (דברים טו:ה), ״מִשְׁמַרְתִּי מִצְוֹתַי״ (בראשית כו:ה). לָזֶה גַּם כֵּן הִקְדִּים הֶחָמוּר **אַל תִּקְרַב** לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ עֲשֵׂה **שַׁל** וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁיִּנְהַג כָּבוֹד בַּמָּקוֹם הַמְקֻדָּשׁ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** In this instance G'd commanded Moses both something negative, i.e. "do not come closer!" as well as something positive, i.e. "remove your shoes!" Our sages in *Eyruvin* 96 state that wherever the Torah uses the expression פן or אל such as here, what follows is a negative commandment. The words "remove your shoes," are a positive commandment, however. If Moses were to cross the invisible dividing line by approaching closer to the burning bush (as he had intended to) he would be violating a negative commandment. Were he to fail to remove his shoes, however, this would imply a lack of respect for G'd but it would not constitute transgression of a negative commandment because the commandment had been **phrased** positively, though it implied that no shoes were to be worn there. The Torah always speaks about שמירה, i.e. care not to violate a negative commandment, before demanding עשיה, performance of a related positive commandment (compare Deuteronomy 4,6; 15,5, Genesis 26,5 et al). This is why the sequence in which G'd commanded Moses at this point is no departure from the Torah's norm. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:5:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:5:4) אֶלָּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ לָדַעַת דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן, לָמָּה לֹא קָרָא אֵלָיו קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ, לְכָל יִקְרַב בְּנַעֲלוֹ אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלוֹ עַל אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ. וְאוּלַי כִּי אֵינוֹ רָאוּי הַדָּבָר לְהִתְיַחֵד הַדִּבּוּר עָלָיו כִּי אִם בְּצֵרוּף אַזְהָרַת **אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלֹם.** עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַדֵּשׁ הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁבּוֹ עָמַד עַד אַחַר כָּךְ, וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁכְּשֶׁרָצָה ה׳ לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ שָׁם בִּמְקוֹם עֲמִידָתוֹ רָצָה לְקַדְּשׁוֹ וְהִזְהִירוֹ קֹדֶם. וְאוּלַי כִּי לָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר תֵּבַת הוּא, כִּי לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא הַמָּקוֹם וְגוֹ׳ אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ, אֶלָּא נִתְכַּוֵּן הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ **הוּא** לוֹמַר וְלֹא הָיָה קֹדֶם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** We still have to answer what G'd had in mind when He did not call out to Moses before the latter had a chance to stand on holy ground clad in shoes. Perhaps Moses did not qualify for an address by G'd unless He had been told not to come still closer. Perhaps the site on which Moses stood at that time became sanctified only by reason of G'd having revealed Himself to Moses there. Perhaps the reason G'd wanted to speak with Moses at that site was in order to have an excuse to sanctify that spot. Perhaps this was the reason for the extra word הוא in the expression אדמת קודש **הוא**. That word was not really necessary. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:1) **וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ רָאֹה רָאִיתִי וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק לָמָּה כָּפַל לוֹמַר שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת. שֵׁנִית, לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לְפָרֵשׁ וְלוֹמַר ״אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרָיִם״, וְאִם לֹא יַכִּיר מֹשֶׁה עַמּוֹ שֶׁל הָאֱלֹהִים אֵינוֹ מְסֻיָּם אֶצְלוֹ בְּסִימָן זֶה ״אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרָיִם״, הֲלֹא כַּמָּה אֻמּוֹת הָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם. וְאוּלַי כִּי לֹא הָיְתָה אֻמָּה מְעֻנָּה וּמְרוּדָה בְּמִצְרַיִם כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין הַדַּעַת מְקַבֶּלֶת כִּי לֹא יָדַע מֹשֶׁה כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם עַם ה׳ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויאמר ה׳ ראה ראיתי את עני עמי, G'd said: "I have surely seen the plight of My people, etc."** Why did G'd speak about two "sightings?" Why did He have to add the words "in Egypt?" If Moses had not been aware of the fact that the Jews were G'd's people how would the fact that G'd referred to them as being in Egypt help Moses identify them? There were very many different peoples in Egypt! Perhaps no other people in Egypt suffered persecution except the Jewish people. At any rate, Moses must have known that Israel was G'd's people and His heritage on earth. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:2) אָכֵן יְכַוֵּן ה׳ לְהוֹדִיעַ כִּי רָאָה שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת. הָאַחַת שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיעַ הַקֵּץ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן **רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי**, וְהָעֳנִי הוּא **אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרָיִם**, פֵּרוּשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם שָׁם בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (י.) שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל שְׁנֵי סְלָעִים מֵילַת וְכוּ׳ נִתְגַּלְגֵּל הַדָּבָר וְיָרְדוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְמִצְרַיִם. וְהִקְשׁוּ הַתּוֹסָפוֹת, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נִגְזַר הַגָּלוּת בְּבֵין הַבְּתָרִים, וְאָמְרוּ שֶׁהָיָה יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים בּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל כָּךְ צַעַר וְעִנּוּי. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרָיִם**, פֵּרוּשׁ, וְלִבְחִינָה זוֹ שֶׁל כּוֹבֶד הַשִּׁעְבּוּד אֲנִי רוֹאֶה כִּי הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ עֲדַיִן קֵץ הַגְּאֻלָּה, הִגִּיעַ קֵץ פְּרָט בְּחִינַת הָעֳנִי אֲשֶׁר מְעַנִּים וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִים אוֹתָם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd mentioned that He had observed two distinctly different things. 1) The time of redemption had not yet arrived; in spite of this, however, G'd had taken into consideration the plight of His people and the misery they experienced in Egypt. *Shabbat* 10 tells that the immediate cause of the descent of the Jewish people to exile in Egypt was due only to the extra two *shekalim* Jacob had spent on Joseph's striped coat which had aroused the brothers' envy. *Tossaphot* challenge this explanation saying that exile had long ago been decreed in the days of Abraham? They answer that the exile prophecy could have come true in some other country where the Israelites would not have been enslaved so cruelly. The words אשר במצרים are to indicate that the very fact that the Israelites experienced their exile in Egypt instead of somewhere else was a reason for G'd to to commence the process of liberation already at this time. Although the time had not come for redemption, the time certainly had come for relief from the oppressive measures the Egyptians had introduced against the Jewish people. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:3) **עוֹד** יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר רָאָה הַצַּעַר שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם בּוֹ, וְעוֹד **רָאִיתִי עֳנִי עַמִּי** שֶׁהֵם חֵלֶק ה׳ עַמּוֹ, וְהָעֳנִי הוּא אֲשֶׁר הֵם בְּמִצְרַיִם, כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְעַכְּבִים עוֹד הֵם נֶאֱבָדִים בַּר מִינַּן, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (הגדה של פסח): וְאִלּוּ לֹא הוֹצִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עֲדַיִן וְגוֹ׳, כִּי אִם הָיוּ מִתְעַכְּבִים שָׁם עוֹד הָיוּ נִכְנָסִים בַּחֲמִשִּׁים שַׁעֲרֵי טֻמְאָה וְלֹא הָיְתָה תְּקוּמָה, לָזֶה גְּאָלָם מִיָּד וְלֹא שָׁהוּ אֲפִלּוּ שִׁעוּר שֶׁיַּסְפִּיק בְּצֵקָם לְהַחְמִיץ. הֲגַם שֶׁכְּבָר בָּטְלָה עֲבוֹדָה מֵהֶם וְהָיוּ שָׂרֵי צֹעַן, הַמָּקוֹם הוּא גּוֹרֵם עִנּוּי, וְהוּא טַעַם אָמְרוֹ (שמות יג:לט) ״וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ״, וְהוּא שֶׁרָמַז פִּי חָכָם בָּרוּךְ הוּא **אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרָיִם.** **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd may also have seen the pain the Jews were suffering. The Torah may have written ראיתי עני עמי in order to demonstrate G'd's identification with the Jews. Inasmuch as they were **His** people, **He** was part of their suffering. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:4) **עוֹד** יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **רָאֹה רָאִיתִי** שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת: אַחַת שֶׁנִּשְׁלְמוּ בֵּרוּרֵי נִיצוֹצֵי הַקְּדוּשָּׁה וְאֵין לָהֶם עוֹד הֲנָאָה בַּגָּלוּת, וּכְאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ט,ב; פסחים קיט,ב) בְּפָסוּק ״וַיְנַצְּלוּ אֶת מִצְרָיִם״ – עֲשָׂאוּהָ כִּמְצוּדָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגָן וְכִמְצוּלָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגִים, וְעוֹד רָאִיתִי שֶׁעִכּוּבָם שָׁם תַּרְעִיעַ לָהֶם לְהַטְמִינָם בַּקְּלִפָּה בַּטּוּמְאָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Another reason why G'd speaks of ראה ראיתי is that in addition to the suffering of the Jews which G'd had seen, He also saw that there were no more holy souls which had been taken captive by the forces of the קליפה and which were to be rescued by the Jewish people. Seeing that the exile had accomplished also this part of its function, the way was now clear for redemption. *Pessachim* 119 compares Egypt at the time to a pond which had been drained of fish. There was therefore no point in continuing to angle (for souls) there. Continued residence of the Jews in Egypt could only have counterproductive effects from that time on. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:5) **וְאֶת צַעֲקָתָם שָׁמַעְתִּי.** פֵּרוּשׁ, וְעוֹד בָּא לְפָנַי צַעֲקָתָם מִצָּרָה לָהֶם, כִּי הוֹסִיפוּ לְהָרַע עַד שֶׁצָּעֲקוּ צְעָקָה מִכְּאֵב לֵב, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק ״וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם וְגוֹ׳ מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה״. וְזֶה הַקְדָּמַת טַעַם לִשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ קוֹדֶם הַזְּמַן, שֶׁהוּא לְהַצִּילוֹ מִצָּרָה מֵעַכְשָׁיו, שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בּוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ הַמִּצְרִים מוּכִּים מַכּוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, כִּי מִיּוֹם שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ הַמַּכּוֹת בְּמִצְרַיִם נִסְתַּלֵּק הַשִּׁעְבּוּד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר בְּסָמוּךְ בְּפָסוּק ״וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ״. גַּם לְמַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּאָמְרוֹ **רָאֹה רָאִיתִי** שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן עַל צָרַת מִצְרַיִם כִּי הִגִּיעַ הָעֵת לְהִסְתַּלֵּק, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן צָרִיךְ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת מֵהַנִּצּוֹלִים, לָזֶה אָמַר **וְאֶת צַעֲקָתָם שָׁמַעְתִּי**: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ואת צעקתם שמעתי, "and I have heard their outcry," etc.** G'd added that in addition to factors already mentioned, He had also heard the outcry which was occasioned by the fact that the Egyptians had been more cruel than warranted in their application of Pharaoh's decrees. All these statements were in order to justify the fact that G'd was appointing a redeemer already at this time. The Israelites, of course, had believed that the exile would last for 400 years. Besides, G'd revealed to Moses that as soon as the Egyptians would suffer the first of the plagues G'd had in store for them, the Jewish people would cease to perform slave labour for them. I shall explain this in detail when commenting on verse eight. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:6 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:6) וְאָמְרוֹ **מִפְּנֵי נוֹגְשָׂיו** – אַחַר שֶׁהִזְכִּיר שְׁמִיעַת הַצְּעָקָה, וְלֹא כֵן הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא ״וְאֶת צַעֲקָתָם מִפְּנֵי נוֹגְשָׂיו שָׁמַעְתִּי״. עוֹד אָמַר ״צַעֲקָתָם״ לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים וְ״נוֹגְשָׂיו״ לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד וְלֹא הִשְׁוָה מִדַּת הַלָּשׁוֹן, נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר כִּי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל צָעַק לִבָּם אֶל ה׳ בִּתְפִלָּה, וְזֶה יַצְדִּיק מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק ״וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם״ וְגוֹ׳ (שמות ב:כג), וְאִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר ״וְאֶת צַעֲקָתָם מִפְּנֵי נוֹגְשָׂיו שָׁמַעְתִּי״ הָיָה נִשְׁמָע שֶׁהַצְּעָקָה הָיְתָה מֵהָעֲבוֹדָה, וְלֹא כֵן הוּא, שֶׁצַּעֲקָתָם הָיְתָה בִּתְפִלָּה לִפְנֵי ה׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** When the Torah added מפני נגשיו, "on account of **its** taskmasters," after having mentioned that G'd had heard צעק**תם** "**the**ir outcry" (plural instead of singular) whereas the word נגשיו is in the singular this may describe that the Jewish people prayed to G'd as a single body as we explained on the words ותעל שועתם. Had the Torah written: ואת צעקתם מפני נגשיו שמעתי, I would have thought that their outcry was merely a reflection of their forced labour without an element of prayer. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:7 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:7) וְטַעַם שֶׁאָמַר **צַעֲקָתָם** בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים וְ**נוֹגְשָׂיו** בִּלְשׁוֹן יָחִיד, לֶהֱיוֹת כִּי אֵין רַבִּים הַצּוֹעֲקִים שָׁוִים בְּצָעֳקָם אֶל ה׳, לָזֶה כִּנָּה אוֹתָם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּים, אֲבָל בְּעֵרֶךְ הַנּוֹגֵשׂ הָיָה נוֹגֵשׂ לְכֻלָּם יַחַד בְּשָׁוֶה, לָזֶה אָמַר מִפְּנֵי **נוֹגְשָׂיו** לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד. וְטַעַם אָמְרוֹ **מִפְּנֵי נוֹגְשָׂיו** הוּא לִרְמֹז כִּי טַעַם שֶׁקִּבֵּל צַעֲקַת לִבָּם אֶל ה׳ הוּא לְצַד שֶׁצָּעֲקוּ מִצָּרָה וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק ״מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה״. עוֹד יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **מִפְּנֵי נוֹגְשָׂיו** כָּאן רָמַז כִּי הַמִּצְרִיִּים נִתְמַלֵּאת סְאָתָם לִפָּרַע מֵהֶם אֲשֶׁר הֵרֵעוּ, הֲגַם שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עֲדַיִן לֹא נִשְׁלַם זְמַן הַגְּאֻלָּה, וְזֶה טַעַם אַחֵר לִשְׁלִיחוּת מֹשֶׁה קֹדֶם זְמַן הַגְּאֻלָּה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The reason that the word "their outcry" is in the plural whereas "its taskmasters" describes the people as a single unit is simply that no two people cry out with the same intensity. The more people cry out, the greater the divergence between the relative intensity of these various people. Since they all had the same taskmasters, however, the use of the singular with the word נגשיו is perfectly justified. These various factors contributed to the appointment of Moses as the redeemer long before the time the Israelites expected their exile to end. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:8 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:8) **עוֹד** יִרְמֹז **מִפְּנֵי נוֹגְשָׂיו** עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (ישעיה סה,כד) ״טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה״, וְכָאן הוֹדִיעַ כִּי קוֹדֶם נְגִישָׁתָם הָאָדוֹן מַרְגִּישׁ בְּצַעֲקַת בָּנָיו יְדִידָיו, וּלְדֶרֶךְ זֶה טַעַם אָמְרוֹ לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד לוֹמַר אֲפִלּוּ נְגִישַׁת רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבָּהֶם. וְאָמַר הַטַּעַם **כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאוֹבָיו** לוֹמַר הֲגַם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא צָעֲקוּ אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ וְנוֹתֵן לֵב עַל מַכְאוֹבָיו שֶׁל עַמִּי וְנַחֲלָתִי, גַּם בָּזֶה גִּלָּה עוֹצֶם אַהֲבָתוֹ עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּרַחֵם אָב רַחֲמָן וְגוֹ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Another meaning of the additional words מפני נגשיו is in line with Isaiah 65,24 והיה טרם יקראו ואני אענה, "before they pray I will answer." In our situation G'd explains that He is sensitive to the abuse practised by even a single one of Israel's taskmasters. He does not wait until they all exceed their authority and abuse His people. G'd adds that the reason for this is that "I know their pains." The implication is that G'd is aware even before the people bring this to His attention through their prayer/outcry. All of this underscores G'd's strong love for His people, a love comparable to that of a father for his son. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:9 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:9) וְלַדְּרָכִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי, כַּוָּנַת אָמְרוֹ **כִּי יָדַעְתִּי** וְגוֹ׳, לְהַגְדִּיל רוֹב צָרוֹתָם כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּ שְׂאֵת, כִּי רַבּוּ מַכְאוֹבֵיהֶם בַּנִּגְלֶה וּבַנִּסְתָּר. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** According to our earlier explanation, the words כי ידעתי את מכאוביו would refer to the pains that are already way beyond what Israel could be expected to bear. The words refer both to the visible and to the invisible hardship inflicted on Israel. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:10 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:7:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:7:10) עוֹד יִרְצֶה לְהוֹדִיעוֹ **כִּי יָדַעְתִּי מַכְאוֹבָיו**, פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא שֶׁקִּבְּלָם מֵהַצּוֹעֲקִים אֶלָּא הִכִּיר וְיָדַע שִׁעוּר הַמַּכְאוֹבִים, וְדָבָר זֶה יְחַיֵּב לְצַד מִדּוֹתָיו לְהַצִּיל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים״, כִּי לְצַד רְאִיָּתוֹ בְּצָרַת הַנִּבְרָאִים יִתְרַבּוּ רַחֲמָיו לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין, וּכְמוֹ כֵן הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּת יְדִיעַת הַמַּכְאוֹב שֶׁל יְדִידָיו יִתְרַבּוּ רַחֲמָיו, וּמִכָּל קִבּוּץ הַטְּעָמִים אָמַר **וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ.** **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd conveyed to Moses that He had not needed Israel's prayers in order to become aware of their problems. This awareness obligated Him to redeem Israel in accordance with His attributes. G'd's attribute of Mercy received further impetus when He looked at the injustices suffered by His creatures so that He decided to apply special yardsticks known as לפנים משורת הדין in order to alleviate their suffering. G'd told Moses that He had decided to "descend" in order to save His people. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:8:1) **וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ וּלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ **וָאֵרֵד**, כִּי לְפִי עֵרֶךְ גְּדֻלַּת אֵל עֶלְיוֹן אֵינוֹ מִכְּבוֹדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל הַנַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ דְּבָרָיו לְאָדָם נָבָל כְּפַרְעֹה וְלוֹמַר אֵלָיו דְּבָרִים מִשְּׁמוֹ, וּמַה גַּם כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגַת מֵיאוּן עַד הַגִּיעוֹ לוֹמַר (שמות ה:ב) ״מִי ה׳״ חָס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מַה שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ בְּרַבּוֹת בִּפְתִיחַת אֵיכָה (איכה רבה, פתיחתא י״ד) בְּפָסוּק (משלי כט:ט) ״אִישׁ חָכָם נִשְׁפָּט אֶת אִישׁ אֱוִיל״ – שָׁפַט לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא נִשְׁפָּט וְכוּ׳ יְעֻיַּן שָׁם דִּבְרֵיהֶם. לָזֶה אָמַר ה׳ **וָאֵרֵד** – הִסְכִּים עַל מִעוּט כְּבוֹדוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל לְצַד הַצָּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״לְהַצִּילוֹ״. וְכַוָּנַת הַצָּלָה זוֹ הִיא שֶׁיַּצִּילוֹ מֵעַכְשָׁיו מֵהָעִנּוּי וּמֵהַשִּׁעְבּוּד, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם** הַמְשַׁעְבְּדִים בָּהֶם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **וארד להצילו… ולהעלותו מן הארץ ההיא, "I shall descend in order to save…and to bring them out of this land, etc."** The reason G'd speaks about His "descent" is that it is not really in keeping with the dignity of the supreme G'd to convey His instructions to a vile human being such as the Pharaoh who now oppressed the Jewish people. This was all the more so seeing that Pharaoh had the effrontery to exclaim "who is G'd that I should heed His words?" (5,2) G'd explained that He waived some of the honour due to Him in order to expedite the redemption of Israel. It is worthwhile to study the comment in the introduction to *Eycha Rabbah* section 14 on Proverbs 29,9: איש חכם **נשפט** את איש אויל ורגז ושחק ואין נחת. "If a wise man goes to Court with a fool there is no peace whether the fool rages or laughs." It is remarkable that Solomon uses the form נשפט instead of שפט. He means that getting involved in litigation with a known fool can only result in the so-called wise man becoming convicted. G'd had to mention that He was going to "descend" to show that despite the fact that it was inappropriate for Him to deal with Pharaoh, He would do so for the sake of Israel. The meaning of להצילו refers to the near-term cessation from their slave labour, whereas the expression ולהעלותו refers to the longer term objective of G'd's intervention. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:8:2) וְאָמְרוֹ **וּלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ זְמַן הַגְּאֻלָּה מִכָּאן עַד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ אַעֲלֶה אוֹתוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳, לְבַל יִתְעַכֵּב שָׁם עוֹד אֲפִלּוּ בְּלֹא עִנּוּי. וְטַעַם שֶׁלֹּא הֶעֱלָה אוֹתָם תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד, הוּא לְצַד שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיעַ זְמַן הַגְּאֻלָּה אֲשֶׁר קָצַב ה׳. וּבָזֶה נָחָה דַּעְתִּי בַּחֲקִירָה אַחַת לָמָּה הֶאֱרִיךְ ה׳ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בְּמַכּוֹת הַמִּצְרִים, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה ט,יב) מֵהֶם אָמְרוּ שֶׁהַמַּכָּה הָיְתָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת שְׁלֹשָׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וְהַהַתְרָאָה שָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד, וּמֵהֶם אָמְרוּ לְהֵפֶךְ, וְלָמָּה יְאַחֵר ה׳ הַגְּאֻלָּה, וְהָיָה לוֹ לְהָבִיא הַמַּכּוֹת זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ וְיִגְאָלֵם מִיָּד, וְתַסְפִּיק הַהַתְרָאָה בְּיוֹם אֶחָד אוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת כְּדִין הַתְרָאַת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין צָרִיךְ בָּהּ זְמַן, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁאֵינָן צְרִיכִין הַתְרָאָה. גַּם לָמָּה לֹא הִסְפִּיק הַתְרָאָה אַחַת עַל כָּל הַמַּכּוֹת. אֶלָּא לְצַד שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיעַ הַזְּמַן הָיָה ה׳ מַלְבִּישׁ הַזְּמַן הַהוּא לְהַשְׂבִּיעָם מְרוֹרוֹת בֵּינֵי בֵּינֵי עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעַ הַזְּמַן וּגְאָלָם מִיָּד בְּלֹא שׁוּם עִכּוּב. וְאִם תֹּאמַר וּמַה בְּכָךְ אִם הָיָה ה׳ גּוֹאֵל אוֹתָם קֹדֶם זְמַן זֶה. עוֹד, לָמָּה ה׳ הוֹצִיאָם בְּזִבּוּלָא בַּתְרַיְתָא בִּזְמַן שֶׁאִם הָיוּ מִתְעַכְּבִים קְצָת הָיוּ נִלְכָּדִים עַד שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְמַהֵר וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ וְהָיָה לוֹ לְהוֹצִיאָם בִּזְמַן מְרֻוָּח? **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Seeing the time for the redemption was not yet at hand, there had to be an interval of at least 12 months between the time G'd spoke to Moses and the actual Exodus. *Shemot Rabbah* 9,12 debates whether the plagues usually lasted one week with three weeks warning or vice versa. At any rate, our sages seem agreed that the plagues extended over a considerable period. Why would G'd have deliberately delayed the redemption once He had embarked on the process? He could have given Pharaoh a single day's warning before each plague something that is certainly legal when a Jew is warned not to commit a transgression. In fact, Gentiles do not need to be warned specifically at all not to commit acts which they know to be criminal. We must assume, therefore, that G'd waited for a certain date to be able to justify the Exodus although He wanted to relieve the burden of the Jewish people in the interval. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:8:3) **הִנֵּה** לְמַה שֶׁקָּדַם לָנוּ כִּי עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת הוּא לְבָרֵר הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנִּטְמְעוּ בַּחֲמִשִּׁים שַׁעֲרֵי טֻמְאָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁצִּיַּנְתִּי דָּבָר זֶה כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים (בראשית מט:ט), בָּזֶה יָנוּחַ דַּעַת בִּשְׁתֵּי הַשְּׁאֵלוֹת, כִּי אִם הָיָה מוֹצִיאָם קוֹדֶם זֶה הָיוּ מַפְסִידִים בֵּרוּר הַחֵלֶק הַהוּא. וְתֵדַע שֶׁעַם ה׳ הִשִּׂיגוּ בִּבְחִינַת כְּלָלוּתָם הַכָּלוּל בְּמֹשֶׁה שֶׁנִּתְיַחֵס בְּשֵׁם עַמּוֹ הַשָּׂגַת מ״ט שַׁעֲרֵי בִּינָה, וְטַעַם שֶׁלֹּא הִשִּׂיג שַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים הוּא לְצַד שֶׁאֵין הַמּוּשָּׂג אֶלָּא בְּהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת הַמַּשִּׂיג, וּלְצַד שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל לֹא נִכְנְסוּ בַּחֲמִשִּׁים שַׁעֲרֵי טֻמְאָה לְבָרֵר אוֹתוֹ לֹא הִשִּׂיגוּ בְּחִינַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וְהֻבְטַחְנוּ כִּי לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא יַשְׁפִּיעַ בָּנוּ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן תּוֹרַת חַיִּים שֶׁבְּשַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים וְהַשָּׂגָתוֹ הוּא בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַגָּלֻיּוֹת, וּבִפְרָט גָּלוּת הָאַחֲרוֹן אָנוּ מַשִּׂיגִים הַדָּבָר. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** In view of our premise that the principal purpose of the exile in Egypt was to salvage the souls which had been contaminated with the 50 levels of impurity at the time the forces of the קליפה "captured" some of the holy souls from Adam when the latter ate from the tree of knowledge (compare our comments on Genesis 49,9), we can understand that if G'd had redeemed the Israelites prematurely this would have aborted the plan to rescue all those lost souls. We have already explained that Moses himself was equated with the Jewish people inasmuch as Moses achieved the 49th level of בינה, intellectual insights, out of a possible total of 50 such levels. The reason that Moses never reached the ultimate level of בינה was that the achievement must parallel the effort expended on achieving the goal in question. Had the Israelites descended to the 50th level of impurity the effort at gaining the 50th level of insights would have been possible. Since Israel was never quite at the bottom of the spiritual levels, the effort to reach the top was of necessity a little less than total. Moses' achievements were directly related to the condition of the Jewish people whom he represented. We have been assured that in the future G'd Himself will influence us by means of the Torah so that we will be able to achieve the fiftieth level of בינה. We will be indebted to the cumulative exile experiences for that eventual achievement. The most important individual factor will be our present and final exile. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:8:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:8:4) וְטַעַם שֶׁנִּסְתַּכְּנוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּבֵרוּר שַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים, לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בְּנֵי תוֹרָה, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן דּוֹרוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנִים בְּאֶמְצָעוּת תּוֹרָתָם יַשִּׂיגוּ לִיכָּנֵס לְשַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים וּלְהוֹצִיא בָּלְעוֹ מִפִּיו, וְאָז סָפוּ תַמּוּ בְּחִינַת הַטֻּמְאָה. וּמֵעַתָּה כָּל שֶׁהָיָה ה׳ מוֹצִיא יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹדֶם זְמַן כָּל שֶׁהוּא הָיוּ מְמַעֲטִים הַבֵּרוּר וְהָיוּ מִתְמַעֲטִים בַּמּוּשָּׂג, וְלָזֶה הוֹצִיאָם בַּנְּקֻדָּה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁל מ״ט וְקוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לְשַׁעַר הַחֲמִשִּׁים, וְהוּא אָמְרָם זַ״ל וּגְאָלָם מִיָּד (פסחים פרק י משנה ה לגירסת הרמב״ם). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** One of the reasons the generation of the first exile was not able to attain that level of insight was that they had not yet had the benefit of Torah. Once we shall reach that level of insight we will be able to recapture any holy souls still under the control of the forces of the קליפה, i.e. Satan. At any rate, had G'd led the Jewish people out of Egypt even a single day sooner than He did, the number of souls which had not yet been rescued would have been commensurably greater. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:9:1) **וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה צַעֲקַת וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה כָּפַל הָאָמוּר, שֶׁכְּבָר אָמַר ״וְאֶת צַעֲקָתָם״ וְגוֹ׳. עוֹד דִּקְדּוּק אָמְרוֹ **וְעַתָּה.** עוֹד אָמְרוֹ **הִנֵּה.** עוֹד אָמְרוֹ **בָּאָה אֵלַי** כִּי לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ״אֵלַי״. עוֹד אָמְרוֹ **וְגַם רָאִיתִי** שֶׁכְּבָר אָמַר זֶה לְמַעְלָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ועתה הנה צעקת בני ישראל באה אלי, "And now, the outcry of the children of Israel has reached Me, etc."** Why did G'd repeat here something that He had already told Moses in verse seven? Besides, what did G'd mean by the word: "and now?" Why was there a need for the word הנה? The words באה אלי also seem superfluous. G'd **again** mentioned that He had seen the stress the Jewish people were under. Why the repetition? ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:9:2) וְנִרְאֶה כִּי מוֹדִיעוֹ ה׳ לְמֹשֶׁה כִּי אָז בְּעוֹדוֹ מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ בָּאָה צַעֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵחָדָשׁ, וְלָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **וְעַתָּה**, וְגַם אָמַר **הִנֵּה** כְּמַרְאֶה לוֹמַר הִנֵּה הוּא לְפָנַי. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** It appears that G'd told Moses that while he was speaking with him the repeated outcry of the Jewish people had again come to His attention. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:9:3) וְאָמַר **בָּאָה אֵלָי**, לְצַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ הַדְרָגוֹת בַּתְּפִלּוֹת הַמֻּגָּשׁוֹת לִפְנֵי הַנֶּעְתָּר: יֵשׁ מֵהֶם שֶׁמְּבִיאִין אוֹתָם מְשָׁרְתֵי עֶלְיוֹן וּמַגִּישִׁים אוֹתָם לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶם שֶׁהֵם מְעֻלִּים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם כֹּחַ שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִין אֶמְצָעִי לְהַגִּיעָם לִפְנֵי הַבּוֹרֵא אֶלָּא הֵם מֵעַצְמָם נִגָּשִׁים לְפָנָיו. לָזֶה אָמַר **בָּאָה אֵלָי** פֵּרוּשׁ, בְּלֹא אֶמְצָעִי. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd said: באה אלי, because the prayers which come to the attention of G'd are not all of the same category. Some prayers are presented to G'd by one of His angels; others are of a calibre that do not need the intervention of any angel as the people who offer them are deserving. G'd now told Moses that some of the prayers of the Jewish people had reached Him without the assistance of any of the angels. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:9:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:9:4) וְאָמְרוֹ **וְגַם רָאִיתִי אֶת הַלַּחַץ**, לְפִי דִּבְרֵי הַתַּנָּא (בהגדה של פסח) שֶׁאָמַר זֶה הַדֹּחַק, הוּא פְּרָט שֶׁלֹּא נִרְשַׁם בְּדִבְרֵי ה׳ הַקּוֹדְמִים לָזֶה, הֻצְרַךְ ה׳ לְאָמְרוֹ. וְנִתְכַּוֵּן בְּאָמְרוֹ **רָאִיתִי** לְהַגְדִּיל מְדוּרַת חֵפֶץ הַפִּדְיוֹם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ בַּפָּסוּק (שמות ב:כה) ״וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים״. וְהַכַּוָּנָה בְּהוֹדָעַת כָּל זֶה לוֹמַר **וְעַתָּה לְכָה** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד בְּלֹא שׁוּם עִכּוּב, לְצַד הַדֹּחַק אֲשֶׁר הֵם נִדְחָקִים אֵין לְהַמְתִּין שׁוּם זְמַן. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd added: "I have also seen the stress that the Egyptians subject the Jewish people to." In the *Haggadah shel Pessach* the author describes the word לחץ as meaning דחק. This is a detail which had not been mentioned before. This is why G'd had to tell Moses all this. When G'd added the word וראיתי He meant to tell Moses why the matter of commencing the process of redemption had suddenly assumed a degree of urgency. G'd continues in verse 10: ועתה לכה to indicate that the matter had **now** become urgent. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:10:1) **לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ** לְלֹא צֹרֶךְ, כִּי מִן הַסְּתָם כְּשֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ ״לְכָה״ וַדַּאי כִּי הוּא הַמְּשַׁלְּחוֹ. גַּם הִקְדִּים הַהֲלִיכָה קֹדֶם הַזְכָּרַת הַשְּׁלִיחוּת, לוֹמַר כִּי לֹא הֲלִיכָה זוֹ לְבַד הִיא הַשְּׁלִיחוּת, אֶלָּא אַחַר הַהֲלִיכָה תִּהְיֶה הַתְמָדַת הַשְּׁלִיחוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכֵּן הָיָה שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁהָלַךְ הוּא שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹלְחוֹ פַּעַם אַחַר פַּעַם לְהוֹצִיא וְגוֹ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **לכה ואשלחך, "Go please, and I will send you, etc."** Why did G'd say: "I will send you," after He had already told Moses to go? Besides, if anything had to be repeated the sequence should have been the reverse, i.e. "I will send you, go please!" Clearly then G'd wanted that Moses should understand that the actual going to Egypt was not the essence of the mission, only its preamble. Indeed we find later on, after Moses had already gone to Egypt, that G'd instructs him repeatedly to take the Jewish people out of Egypt, i.e. **that** was the essence of his misssion. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:10:2) עוֹד רָמַז לוֹ כִּי לֹא בַּהֲלִיכָה זוֹ לְחוּד יוֹצִיא בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא שֶׁיַּחְזוֹר שְׁלִיחוּת אַחַר שְׁלִיחוּת, וְהַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה כִּי עֲתִידוֹת יַשְׁמִיעֵהוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִתְרַצֶּה פַּרְעֹה לְשַׁלְּחָם תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd also used this form of instruction to hint to Moses that one mission would not suffice to take the people out of Egypt but that he would have to perform many errands on behalf of G'd and the people before the Exodus would finally take place. Pharaoh would not agree at once. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:10:3) עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם (מכות י.) בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ, לָזֶה אָמַר אֵלָיו **לְכָה** פֵּרוּשׁ, אִם אַתָּה חָפֵץ בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ לָלֶכֶת אָז אֲנִי אַשְׁלִים חֶפְצְךָ וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ, וּמִזֶּה אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁאִם הוּא יִמְאַס מֵהֲלוֹךְ לֹא יִשְׁלָחֶנּוּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** There is another element hinted at in the way G'd instructed Moses. We are taught in *Makkot* 10 that "G'd leads people on the path they have chosen for themselves." Therefore He first said to Moses: "Go, please!" He meant that if you Moses are willing to perform this commandment, I will send you, i.e. I will fulfil your wish and make you My messenger. From this you learn that if Moses would have refused the mission G'd would not have forced it upon him. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:10:4) **וְאוּלַי** כִּי לָזֶה הָיָה מֹשֶׁה מֵשִׁיב בִּטְעָנוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה דְּבַר מֶלֶךְ שִׁלְטוֹן, אֶלָּא אִם יִרְצֶה הָיָה מְגַלֶּה דַּעְתּוֹ כִּי יֵשׁ לוֹ טְעָנוֹת מוֹנְעוֹת, וְהָיָה ה׳ מְשִׁיבוֹ עַל כָּל טַעֲנָה וְטַעֲנָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ מִדַּעְתּוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר בְּסָמוּךְ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Perhaps this is the reason that Moses argued with G'd. He did not feel that G'd had commanded him to accept the mission but had left it up to his own volition. Moses felt that G'd had given him leeway and would reply to any reservations he had about accepting such a mission. G'd wanted that when Moses would finally accept the mission he should do so because he wanted to and not because he had been forced to do so. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:10:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:10:5) עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיֵּשֶׁב בִּשְׁלִיחוּת יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף (בראשית לז:יג), פֵּרוּשׁ ״לְכָה״, וְאִם תָּחוּשׁ לְמִקְרֶה רַע ״וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ״, וּשְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָן נִזּוֹקִין, וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּמָּלוֹן (שמות ד:כד) שֶׁלֹּא הֱמִיתוֹ הַמַּלְאָךְ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** You may also take a look at what I have written in connection with Jacob sending Joseph on his fateful mission. G'd may also have assured Moses that if he were concerned about any mishap, he would be a messenger of G'd who had no reason to fear for his safety. In fact this fact saved him in the incident at the inn (Exodus 4,26). ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:11:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:11:1) **מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, אֲפִילּוּ בִּשְׁלִיחוּת שֶׁאֵינָהּ הֵפֶךְ רְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי אֵינִי חָשׁוּב לְדַבֵּר לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ, וּמֵאֶמְצָעוּת כֵּן לֹא יֵאָמֵן בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ וְיִסְתַּכֵּן, שֶׁהָאָדָם בַּעַל בְּחִירָה וְרָצוֹן. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּאֲמַר שְׁמוּאֵל (שמואל א טז:ב) ״אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי״, וְתִמְצָא שֶׁלֹּא יֵאָמֵן אָדָם בִּנְבוּאָה לְצַד בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁפְלוּת, כָּאָמוּר בִּנְבוּאַת עָמוֹס (קהלת רבה א א ב) שֶׁהָיוּ מְזַלְזְלִין בּוֹ בְּנֵי דּוֹרוֹ וְכוּ׳. וְעוֹד **כִּי אוֹצִיא** וְגוֹ׳, כִּי לָזֶה צָרִיךְ אָדָם גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲשִׂים שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לִזְכוּת גָּדוֹל כָּזֶה, וְחָשׁ שֶׁמָּא יֶאֱרַע תַּקָּלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶמְצָעוּת מְנִיעַת זְכוּתוֹ, וְזֶה מֵהָעֲנָוָה וְהַשִּׁפְלוּת. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **מי אנכי כי אלך, "who am I that I should be qualified to go?"** Moses meant that even if he were anxious to accept such a mission he did not consider himself qualified to speak up in front of a king. Seeing that he lacked that self-confidence his mission was unlikely to succeed. We have other examples of prophets who lacked confidence that their mission would succeed because they were personally not confident; compare Samuel I 16,2 or Amos who is reported in *Kohelet Rabbah* 1 as having suffered from a lack of self-confidence because his peers belittled him. Moses added וכי אוציא את בני ישראל, "and that I should lead the Israelites out of Egypt," in order to emphasize the enormity of the task G'd was about to place on his shoulders, i.e. to orchestrate the Exodus. He implied that in order for such an undertaking to succeed the messenger G'd chose would have to be an outstanding personality. He was afraid that if Israel would suffer some setback on the road to freedom he might be held responsible since he was not qualified to be that leader. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:12:1) **וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ** וְגוֹ׳. צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה תְּשׁוּבָה מְשִׁיבוֹ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן ״כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ״, הֲלֹא וַדַּאי כִּי יָדַע מֹשֶׁה כִּי מִכֹּחוֹ הוּא בָּא, אֶלָּא שֶׁטָּעַן כִּי לְצַד מִעוּט עֶרְכּוֹ לֹא יִצְטַדָּק. עוֹד קָשֶׁה אָמְרוֹ **וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת** וְגוֹ׳, אֵין יָדוּעַ הָאוֹת, וְאִם עַל אוֹת שֶׁלֹּא אֻכָּל הַסְּנֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ״י, אֵין הַדַּעַת מִתְיַשֶּׁבֶת בָּזֶה, וְכִי מֹשֶׁה הָיָה סָפֵק אֶצְלוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם הֲיָכוֹל יוּכַל הַצִּיל. וְעוֹד קָשֶׁה מַה שֶׁגָּמַר אוֹמֶר **כִּי אָנֹכִי** וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁמַּשְׁמָע כִּי הָיָה מִסְתַּפֵּק אִם ה׳ שׁוֹלְחוֹ, וְזֶה אֵינוֹ אֱמֶת כִּי לֹא אָמַר מֹשֶׁה דָּבָר שֶׁיַּגִּיד סְפֵקוֹ בָּזֶה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויאמר כי אהיה עמך. He said: "For I shall be with you, etc."** How was this answer going to put Moses' mind at rest? Surely he had been aware that as G'd's messenger he would enjoy G'd's assistance! He had not argued that G'd would not help him but that his own inadequacy might become the cause of his failure. Another difficulty in this verse are the words וזה לך האות, "and this will be a sign for you, etc." How could G'd describe a sign as "this" when we have never heard about this sign? If the reference had been to the bush not having been consumed by the fire, as Rashi explains, did Moses perhaps entertain any doubts about **G'd's ability** to save the Jewish people? Another difficulty in this verse is G'd saying: כי אנכי שלחתיך, which suggests that Moses still entertained some doubt that it had been G'd Who had addressed him in the first place and Who wanted to appoint him as His messenger. Moses had not indicated the slightest doubt in this respect! ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:12:2) **אָכֵן** כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁבָּא ה׳ לְהָשִׁיבוֹ עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן. כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ ״מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל פַּרְעֹה״, דַּע כִּי שָׁם אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, וּמֵעַתָּה גְּדֻלָּתְךָ גְּדוֹלָה מִגְּדֻלָּתוֹ וְכִתְרְךָ גָּדוֹל מִכִּתְרוֹ, וְאֵימָתְךָ מוּטֶּלֶת עָלָיו מִמַּה שֶׁמוּטֶּלֶת אֵימָתוֹ עָלֶיךָ, וְרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת בְּעֵינֶיךָ הֶדְיוֹט. גַּם בָּזֶה סָתַר לוֹ מַה שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהוֹצִיא, כִּי הֵן הֶרְאָהוּ ה׳ שֶׁהַשָּׂגָתוֹ גְּדוֹלָה. וְאָמְרוֹ **וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת**, פֵּרוּשׁ, וְזֶה לְךָ הָאוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה רָאוּי לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר גָּדוֹל כָּזֶה, וּמַה הוּא הָאוֹת – ״כִּי אָנֹכִי שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ״, וְאִלּוּ לֹא הָיִיתָ רָאוּי לֹא הָיִיתִי שׁוֹלְחֲךָ, וּמַה מָקוֹם לַחֲשָׁשַׁת שֶׁאֵינְךָ רָאוּי. וְאָמְרוֹ **בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ** וְגוֹ׳, יְכַוֵּן לוֹמַר לוֹ כִּי תַּעֲלֶה בְּיָדוֹ הַמִּצְוָה עַד תַּכְלִיתָהּ וְיוֹצִיא הָעָם הוּא וְיַעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ׳, וּמֵעַתָּה תַּמָּה טַעֲנַת ״וְכִי אוֹצִיא״, כִּי הֲרֵי מוֹדִיעוֹ ה׳ תַּכְלִית הַדָּבָר, וְאֵין סָפֵק כַּאֲשֶׁר יַגִּיד ה׳ מֵהָעֲתִידוֹת. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** We need to view G'd as replying to Moses' arguments one by one, in the order in which he presented them. G'd first answers Moses' question: "who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?" G'd replies that He Himself will be with him during that interview. This would automatically raise Moses' stature to one exceeding that of Pharaoh. Moses was to regard Pharaoh as no more than an ordinary person. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:12:3) **עוֹד** יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **וְזֶה לְּךָ** וְגוֹ׳, עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: דָּבָר זֶה שֶׁאַתָּה מַקְטִין עַצְמְךָ וְאוֹמֵר ״מִי אָנֹכִי״, זֶה לְךָ לְאוֹת כִּי בְּאֶמְצָעוּת קְנִיָּתְךָ מִדָּה זוֹ ״אָנֹכִי שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ״. וְאָמְרוֹ **בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ** וְגוֹ׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּהָ בְּסָמוּךְ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** G'd also contradicted Moses who had said that he was not fit to lead the Jewish people out of Egypt. He demonstrated to him that זה לך האות the sign that he was quite capable of achieving the task G'd alotted to him was that if He, G'd, did not consider Moses as suitable, would He have appointed him to perform such a gigantic task? G'd added another dimension by telling Moses that when he would lead the Jewish people out of Egypt, they (including Moses) would serve Him at the very spot Moses was standing on at that moment. This promise should convince Moses that he would indeed complete his mission successfully. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:12:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:12:4) עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, **וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת כִּי אָנֹכִי** גָּמַרְתִּי הַדָּבָר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שְׁלִיחוּת זֶה עַל יָדְךָ, **בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ** וְגוֹ׳ **עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה** סִינַי בַּקֹּדֶשׁ, פֵּרוּשׁ הָהָר הַנָּמוּךְ שֶׁבָּהָרִים, וְאֵין אֲנִי בּוֹחֵר בֶּהָרִים הָרָמִים כְּתָבוֹר וְחֶרְמוֹן, הָא לָמַדְתָּ כִּי אֵין אֲנִי חָפֵץ אֶלָּא בַּנְּמוּכִים כָּמוֹךָ הֶעָנָיו וְהַשָּׁפָל בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבָהָר הַנָּמוּךְ הַזֶּה, וְכָל זֶה תְּשׁוּבָה לְטַעֲנַת ״וְכִי אוֹצִיא״ וְגוֹ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** By saying: זה לך האות, G'd may also have indicated to Moses that the very fact that he did not consider himself as adequate for the task was the factor which had made G'd choose him. G'd needed a humble person, not an arrogant one. The reference to that mountain which was not a high mountain was to confirm that G'd preferred the humble and the modest to the high and mighty, and therefore arrogant. G'd could have chosen Mount Hermon as the site for the revelation; instead He chose Mount Sinai. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:13:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:13:1) **הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָא וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, הֲרֵינִי מַסְכִּים לָבוֹא בִּשְׁלִיחוּת זֶה, וְאֵין מָקוֹם לַטְּעָנוֹת שֶׁטָּעַנְתִּי, אֶלָּא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ קֹדֶם לְהֵאָמֵן לְנָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְצָרִיךְ אֲנִי לָבוֹא לָהֶם מִקּוֹדֶם. **וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ** – פֵּרוּשׁ, בִּפְשִׁיטוּת הוּא אֶצְלִי שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ, וְהַטַּעַם כִּי תִמְצָא שֶׁבְּכָל נְבוּאַת הַבְטָחוֹת הָאָבוֹת יַזְכִּיר לָהֶם ה׳ שְׁמוֹ. בְּאַבְרָהָם אָמַר בְּפָרָשַׁת לֶךְ לְךָ (בראשית טו:ז): ״אֲנִי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, וּבִנְבוּאַת הַבְטָחַת הַזֶּרַע וְהָאָרֶץ עוֹד אָמַר לוֹ (בראשית יז:א): ״אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי״, וְכֵן בְּיַעֲקֹב אָמַר בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיֵּצֵא (בראשית כח:יג): ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי ה׳״, עוֹד בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיִּשְׁלַח אָמַר אֵלָיו (בראשית לה:יא): ״אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי״ וְגוֹ׳. הָא לָמַדְתָּ כִּי בְּכָל הַהַבְטָחוֹת יַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ הַמַּבְטִיחַ, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁלַח נָבִיא לְזוּלַת, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר שֵׁם הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ. וְאוּלַי כִּי בְּכָל נְבוּאָה אֲשֶׁר יִנָּבֵא ה׳ לַעֲבָדָיו יִזְכּוֹר שְׁמוֹ, וְיִלָּמֵד סָתוּם מֵהַמְפֹרָשׁ. וְלֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁכְּשֶׁדִּבֵּר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה בִּנְבוּאָה זוֹ לֹא הִזְכִּיר לוֹ שְׁמוֹ, אֶלָּא כֵּן אָמַר לוֹ: ״אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, לָזֶה אָמַר אֵלָיו: **הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם** כְּמַאֲמַר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה **אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם** בְּלֹא הַזְכָּרַת הַשֵּׁם, **וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ** – פֵּרוּשׁ, לְצַד שֶׁאֵין אֲנִי מַזְכִּיר הַשֵּׁם בְּזִכְרוֹנוֹ הֵם יִשְׁאֲלוּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **הנה אנכי בא אל בני ישראל, "When I come to the children of Israel, etc."** At this point Moses had agreed in principle to accept the mission, conceding that the arguments he had voiced previously had now become irrelevant. However, he needed accreditation as a prophet in order to make the Israelites accept him as such. As soon as he would come to them they would ask him to identify himself by revealing the name of the G'd Who he claimed had spoken to him. We find that whenever G'd began to speak to the patriarchs He identified Himself by stating His name (compare Genesis 15,7; 17,1; 28,13). Moses wanted to know which of G'd's names he was to mention when he would come to the Israelites. Moses had been wondering that seeing G'd had identified Himself to him as "the G'd of your father Abraham, the G'd of Isaac, and the G'd of Jacob" without adding any **other** attribute as part of His identification, whether he should similarly identify G'd to the children of Israel when they would ask him who had communicated with him and had appointed him as their redeemer. Did G'd really think that this would suffice as an identification for the people to accept Moses as their leader? ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:13:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:13:2) וּבָזֶה תָּנוּחַ הַדַּעַת בַּחֲקִירָה אַחַת, וְהוּא מָה אוֹת וְהַמּוֹפֵת בִּידִיעַת הַשֵּׁם אוֹ בְּהַזְכָּרָתוֹ, מִמָּה נַפְשָׁךְ: אִם שֵׁם זֶה יָדוּעַ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין בָּזֶה אוֹת לְטוֹבָה, כִּי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁיְּדָעוּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יְדָעוֹ גַּם כֵּן מֹשֶׁה וְאֵין הוֹכָחָה, וְאִם אֵין הַשֵּׁם יָדוּעַ כִּי זֶה שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְעַד עַתָּה וּמִי יַאֲמִין אֵלָיו כִּי זֶה שֵׁם נוֹרָא. וְרָאִיתִי מֵהַמְפָרְשִׁים שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ פֵּרוּשִׁים וּדְרָכִים רְחוֹקִים, וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חֵיךְ טוֹעֵם יִטְעַם דְּבָרֵינוּ וְיִהְיוּ לְפִיו צַפִּיחִית כִּי לֹא לְאוֹת וּלְמוֹפֵת הוּא חָפֵץ בְּהַזְכָּרַת הַשֵּׁם, וְתִמְצָא שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ ה׳ שֵׁם ״אֶהְיֶה״ הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ שֶׁהוּזְכַּר בְּכָל הַנְּבוּאוֹת לָאָבוֹת וּמִן הַסְּתָם לֹא יִהְיֶה יָדוּעַ לַבָּנִים אֶלָּא שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁהוּכְּרוּ לְהָאָבוֹת, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי שֶׁאֵין אוֹת וְלֹא מוֹפֵת בְּהַזְכָּרַת הַשֵּׁם אֶלָּא טַעְמוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ. וְזֶה תְּחִלַּת הַכָּרַת מֹשֶׁה כִּי נֶאֱמָן פָּשׁוּט הוּא בְּכָל שְׁלִיחוּתָיו וּנְבוּאוֹתָיו שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק דִּבְרֵי ה׳ שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר הַשֵּׁם, וְלֹא סָמַךְ עַל דַּעְתּוֹ לוֹמַר כִּי יְפָרֵשׁ מִדַּעְתּוֹ וְיַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ אַחַר שֶׁהוּשַּׂג אֶצְלוֹ אֱמוּנַת הַנְּבוּאָה, וּמִן הַסְּתָם וַדַּאי שֶׁיָּדוּעַ הָיָה לְמֹשֶׁה שֵׁם אֶחָד מִשְּׁמוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַמְנַבֵּא. וְעוֹד אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן מֹשֶׁה לְהַרְוִיחַ דַּעַת מַה הִיא הַמִּדָּה שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ ה׳ בָּהּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Moses implied that inasmuch as both he and the Israelites were already familiar with that aspect of G'd, in what way was Moses better or more intimate with G'd that they should believe he was a prophet sent on such a great mission? On the other hand, if Moses were to claim that the name of the G'd in whose name he had come was one that was unfamiliar to them, why would such a name carry any weight with them at all? I have seen many different commentaries on this verse, but I do believe that any person with an ounce of common sense will appreciate the way I have presented the problem Moses poses here. At this stage Moses most certainly did not ask G'd to provide him with a miracle he would be entitled to perform in order to prove that his claim was not spurious. You will note that G'd told Moses to tell the Israelites that He had identified Himself as אהיה. It is true that this was an attribute that G'd had never employed in His communications with the patriarchs. Moses realised now that as a true messenger he would never presume to interpret something G'd had said without first making certain that he had understood G'd correctly. No doubt Moses had been familar already with more than one attribute of G'd. However, he did not dare to convey to the people something he himself thought G'd had meant without checking. It is also possible that this verse merely reflects Moses' curiosity to learn more about the attribute G'd presently employed when speaking with him. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:14:1) **וַיֹּאמֶר אֶהְיֶה וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, הוֹדִיעוֹ מִדָּה שֶׁבָּהּ מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, וְשֵׁם זֶה יִתְיַחֵס לְמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים וַאֲשֶׁר הִיא בְּחִינַת הַמּוֹצִיא מֵעַבְדוּת לְחֵרוּת, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּסֵפֶר הַתִּקּוּנִים (תיקון ל׳) סוֹד חֲמִשִּׁים פְּעָמִים שֶׁנִּזְכְּרָה יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בַּתּוֹרָה, וְגַם הוּא טַעַם שֶׁלָּקוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים חֲמִשִּׁים מַכּוֹת כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה פ״ה). וְשֵׁם זֶה כְּבָר רָמְזוֹ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן בְּנֹעַם דְּבָרָיו בְּאָמְרוֹ לוֹ ״כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ״. וְאוּלַי כִּי לָזֶה סָמַךְ וְאָמַר **וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת כִּי אָנֹכִי שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, בְּחִינַת ״אָנֹכִי״, וְהוּא שֶׁהִזְכִּיר ה׳ בְּהַר סִינַי פֶּתַח דְּבָרָיו ״אָנֹכִי וְגוֹ׳ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, אֶלָּא שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה לֹא הֵבִין עָמְקָן שֶׁל דְּבָרִים כִּי ה׳ יָדַע כִּי יָבֹא מֹשֶׁה לִשְׁאֹל עַל הַדָּבָר וְנָתַן אוֹמֶר הַמְבַשֵּׂר צָבָא רַב בְּחִינָה הַמְדַבֶּרֶת וְסוֹדָהּ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויאמר…אהיה אשר אהיה, G'd said:** *Ehyeh asher Ehyeh*. G'd revealed the attribute He was using while speaking with Moses. This attribute is closely related to the attribute of Mercy, an attribute employed in leading someone from slavery to freedom. It is interesting to study what is written in the *Sefer Tikkunim* section 50 about the mystical dimension of why the Torah mentions the Exodus from Egypt a total of 50 times. This is also the mystical dimension of why G'd smote the Egyptians with 50 plagues at the sea as mentioned in *Shemot Rabbah* 23,9. Actually, G'd had already alluded to this name when He had said to Moses וזה לך האות כי **אנכי** שלחתיך, when the meaning of **אנכי** is the attribute that G'd would employ during that entire mission. The same name occurs again at the revelation when G'd commences the decalogue by referring to **אנכי** ה׳ אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך. At the present juncture Moses had simply not yet understood the connection between אנכי and אהיה. G'd had been aware from the beginning that Moses would question Him as to how to identify the G'd Who had spoken with him. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:14:2) וְאוּלַי כִּי מֹשֶׁה הִשְׂכִּיל וְהֵבִין, אֶלָּא שֶׁשּׁוֹאֵל אִם יַזְכִּיר שֵׁם זֶה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאָמְרוֹ **אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה** הוּא טַעַם הַשֵּׁם שֶׁנִּקְרָא כֵּן לְצַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרָתָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה יב,א) טַעַם שֵׁם שַׁדַּי – שֶׁאָמַר לְעוֹלָמוֹ דַּי, טַעַם צְבָאוֹת – שֶׁהוּא אוֹת בִּצְבָאוֹ (חגיגה טז,א), טַעַם שֵׁם הֲוָיָה – לְצַד שֶׁהָיָה וְהֹוֶה וְיִהְיֶה (זהר ח״ג רצז,א), כְּמוֹ כֵן אֶהְיֶה – לְצַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה** וְכָאן הוֹדִיעוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה סוֹד הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ט,א) דָּרְשׁוּ אֶהְיֶה עִמָּם בְּצָרָה זוֹ אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה עִמָּם בְּצָרָה אַחֶרֶת. גַּם יֵשׁ בָּזֶה סוֹד שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּתָרִים, וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Perhaps Moses was aware of these meanings and only asked if he were to reveal these meanings to the people when they would ask him. G'd responded אשר אהיה, i.e. that the reason He employed this attribute was because it was appropriate when He would share the pain of the Israelites whenever they would endure suffering. The Talmud *Chagigah* 12 has already explained this. G'd identified Himself sometimes as שדי to indicate that it was He who put a stop to ongoing proliferation of the universe (*Chagigah* 16). He employs the attribute צבאות when He acts as the Commander-in Chief of His hosts. The attribute הויה reflects that He is an eternal Presence, was, is, and will be (*Zohar* third volume page 297). G'd revealed the mystical dimension of His great name to Moses at this point, namely that He would always be at the side of His people whenever they would find themselves in distress. There is also an allusion in that attribute to the three "crowns" [Torah-Priesthood-Royalty, Ed.]. Students of the Kabbalah will get my meaning. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:14:3) **וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה תֹאמַר וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, הֲגַם שֶׁגִּלָּה אֶל מֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ סוֹד הַשֵּׁם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה״, חָזַר לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּאָמוּר אֶלָּא הַזְכָּרַת הַשֵּׁם, וְהוּא גַּם כֵּן אָמְרוֹ **אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם**, אֲבָל מַה שֶׁהוֹסַפְתִּי לְגַלּוֹת לְךָ ״אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה״ הוּא בְּבַל תֹּאמַר. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויאמר כה תאמר לבני ישראל, He said: "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, etc."** Although G'd revealed to his servant Moses the mystical dimension of His attribute, i.e. אשר אהיה, He repeated that all this was only contained in the "name," i.e. אהיה. As far as Moses was concerned he was to tell the Israelites only that the One who calls Himself אהיה had sent him. As to the aspect of that name which referred to the future, i.e. אשר אהיה, that G'd would also demonstrate that attribute of His when the Jewish people would face problems in the future, this was something Moses was not to mention. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:14:4) וְרַזַ״ל אָמְרוּ (ברכות ט,א) שֶׁהֶחְזִיר מֹשֶׁה לְקוֹנוֹ בְּטַעֲנַת ״דַּיָּהּ לְצָרָה בִּשְׁעָתָהּ״, וְהִצַּצְתִּי וְרָאִיתִי כִּי דְּבַר חָכְמָה וְצֶדֶק דִּבְּרוּ מִכֹּחַ הַכָּתוּב עַצְמוֹ, כִּי אִם סוֹף דִּבּוּר כִּתְחִלַּת דִּבּוּר וְלֹא הָיְתָה חֲזָרָה מִדִּבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן אֶלָּא שֶׁגּוֹמֵר דְּבָרָיו לִנְבִיאוֹ נֶאֱמַן בַּיִת – לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״וַיֹּאמֶר״ בְּאֶמְצַע דִּבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן, לָזֶה אָמְרוּ כִּי הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאָמְרוֹ ״אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה״ גָּמַר אוֹמֶר הָעִנְיָן, וּלְצַד סִבָּה חָזַר לוֹמַר אֲמִירָה אַחֶרֶת. וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין הַהֶפְרֵשׁ שֶׁבֵּין דִּבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן לְדִבּוּר שֵׁנִי וְהַמְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו, וְיֵדַע הַמְּנִיעָה וְהַמּוֹנֵעַ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Our sages in *Berachot* 9 have already stated די לצרה בשעתה, it suffices to deal with one problem at the time it is topical. They claim that Moses suggested to G'd not to draw attention to the אשר אהיה aspect of this attribute. I have made a careful search of the text and found that the sages in the Talmud who attributed this reply to Moses were absolutely correct. If there had been no new dimension added at the end of the verse which had not been present at the beginning, why would the Torah have inserted the word ויאמר once more within the same verse? Our sages therefore concluded that G'd had originally meant to conclude His answer with the words אהיה אשר אהיה. He added the new version, i.e. אהיה שלחני as a result of Moses' question "why speak about future troubles already now?" ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:14:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:14:5) וְאִם תֹּאמַר, אֵיךְ מִתְּחִלָּה לֹא חָשׁ ה׳ עַל הַדָּבָר עַד שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ מֹשֶׁה לוֹמַר לְפָנָיו וְכוּ׳? הִנֵּה בְּמַה שֶׁנְּדַקְדֵּק דְּבָרָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ תֵּדַע כִּי יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת חָכְמָה הִשְׂכִּיל עַל דָּבָר, וְהוּא שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בִּתְחִלַּת דְּבָרָיו **כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל**, לְצַד שֶׁתְּשׁוּבָה זוֹ בָּא עַל טַעֲנַת מֹשֶׁה ״וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ״, הָיָה צָרִיךְ לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ ״כֹּה תֹאמַר״. אֶלָּא לְצַד שֶׁיָּדַע כִּי לֹא יַעֲמֹד הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה כֵּן בְּמַה שֶׁיִּטְעֹן מֹשֶׁה כְּמוֹ שֶׁטָּעַן אַחַר כָּךְ, דַּיָּהּ לְצָרָה, לָזֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֵצְאוּ דְבָרָיו לְבַטָּלָה לֹא אָמַר ״כֹּה תֹאמַר״, וְאָמַר דְּבָרָיו שְׁקוּלִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּמַשְׁמָעוּתָם שֶׁהַכֹּל הוּא תְּשׁוּבַת ״מָה אֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם״. וּכְשֶׁבָּא מֹשֶׁה וְטָעַן, אָמַר כִּי לֹא יֹאמַר אֶלָּא ״אֶהְיֶה״, וּמַה שֶׁאָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה״ הוּא הוֹדָעָה לְמֹשֶׁה, גַּם הוֹדָעָה לְדוֹרוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְמְכוּ לִבָּם בִּרְאוֹת כִּי שׁוֹכֵן סְנֶה יִהְיֶה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל צָרָתָם. וְאִם הָיָה מְפָרֵשׁ דְּבָרָיו מִתְּחִלָּה וְאוֹמֵר ״כֹּה תֹאמַר וְגוֹ׳ אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם״, הָיְתָה נֶעְדֶּרֶת יְדִיעָה זוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, בְּאֹפֶן כִּי תְּחִלַּת הַמַּחְשָׁבָה הָיְתָה סוֹף הַדִּבּוּר. אֶלָּא מֹשֶׁה חָסֵר מְעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים, וְאוּלַי שֶׁיָּדַע וְהִבְחִין אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא סָמַךְ עַל עִיּוּנוֹ וְרָצָה שֶׁיְּגַלֶּה לוֹ ה׳ דַּעְתּוֹ בְּפֵרוּשׁ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** You will no doubt ask how it is that G'd was not sensitive to that consideration even before Moses raised it? When you examine G'd's words closely you will observe that G'd had already indicated His awareness of that aspect. When G'd instructed Moses to speak to the children of Israel, His instructions should have commenced with the words: כה תאמר לבני ישראל, as this would have been the appropriate answer to Moses' question: "when they say to me what is His name what shall I say to them?" However, since G'd already knew that Moses would query that answer G'd immediately pre-empted his question by explaining that he should identify G'd first as the One who is known as אהיה. If G'd first spoke about אהיה אשר אהיה, this was privileged information for Moses only at this time that just as G'd could be relied upon in this crisis so He could also be relied on in any future crises; however, Moses was to keep the latter part of the promise to himself at this stage. In the future, after the Torah would be revealed and the generation reading this had already experienced G'd's salvation, they would realise that the same G'd who appeared to Moses out of the burning bush would also be at their side in any future troubles. If G'd would have answered Moses by saying immediately: "The G'd of your fathers has sent me to you, etc.," then the words אהיה שלחני would have lost their impact since the principal message had already been delivered. It is also possible that seeing that Moses was exraordinarily perceptive he only wanted to hear G'd spell out in detail what he had already surmised to be the meaning of אהיה. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:15:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:15:1) **וַיֹּאמֶר עוֹד וְגוֹ׳ כֹּה תֹאמַר וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם שֶׁחָזַר לוֹמַר פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה שֵׁם הֲוָיָה בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק לוֹ הוֹדָעַת שֵׁם אֶהְיֶה, לְצַד כִּי שֵׁם הֲוָיָה הוּא כּוֹלֵל כָּל הַבְּחִינוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת, יָחִיד וּמְיֻחָד בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִתְּחִלָּה לֹא הִזְכִּיר לוֹ אֶלָּא שֵׁם בְּחִינָה אַחַת מִבְּחִינוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת אֲשֶׁר יִתְכַּנֶּה בָּהּ ה׳ בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרָה, וּבִזְמַנּוֹ דִּבֵּר שֶׁהָיוּ בְּצָרָה לָזֶה הִזְכִּיר שֵׁם אֶהְיֶה לְצַד דָּבָר בְּעִתּוֹ וְהִזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְיֻחָד. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ויאמר עוד אלוקים, G'd continued to say, etc.** The reason the 4-lettered name of G'd is repeated here once more when G'd could have been content with having the 4-lettered name אהיה is that the latter 4-lettered name of G'd comprises all the holy aspects that are unique to G'd. To begin with, G'd had revealed only a single one of these attributes which G'd ascribes to Himself when intervening at a time when the Jewish people are in difficulties. The attribute אהיה was used to address itself to Israel's current problem. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:15:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:15:2) עוֹד טַעַם שֶׁחָזַר לוֹמַר ״כֹּה תֹאמַר וְגוֹ׳ ה׳״ וְגוֹ׳, לְצַד שֶׁחָשׁ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן שֶׁיָּבִין מֹשֶׁה שֶׁשָּׁלַל ה׳ מִדַּעְתּוֹ לוֹמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֵׁם הֲוָיָ״ה, גַּם שָׁלַל מִלּוֹמַר מַה שֶׁאָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ ״אֱלֹהֵי וְגוֹ׳ שְׁלָחַנִי״ וְגוֹ׳ וְלֹא יֹאמַר אֶלָּא ״אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי״ וְגוֹ׳, לָזֶה חָזַר לוֹמַר כִּי יֹאמַר גַּם כֵּן **ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם** וְגוֹ׳. וְאֶרְאֶה כִּי בַּאֲמִירָה זוֹ רָמַז גַּם כֵּן שֵׁם אֶהְיֶה בִּתְחִלַּת שְׁמוֹת הָאָבוֹת: א׳ דְּאַבְרָהָם וּשְׁנֵי יוּדִי״ן, אֶחָד בְּיִצְחָק וְאֶחָד בְּיַעֲקֹב: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Another reason why G'd repeated the words כה תאמר "Thus you shall say, etc.," is that G'd realised that Moses had misinterpreted His reluctance to have invoked the 4 lettered name י־ה־ו־ה to mean that He would also not invoke the fact that He was the G'd of the patriarchs at this stage and would content Himself with the Identification: אהיה שלחני אליכם. G'd therefore added mention of His 4-lettered name י־ה־ו־ה- in association with identifying Himself as the G'd of the patriarchs. I believe that by doing so G'd alluded to the fact that His name אהיה which has a numerical value of 21 was also the numerical value of the respective first letters in the names of the patriarchs, א=אברהם, י=יצחק, and י=יעקב, a total of 21. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:15:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:15:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:15:3) **עוֹד** יְכַוֵּן ה׳ שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הוּא זֶה הַמַּבְטִיחַ לְהָאָבוֹת הַבְטָחַת הַגְּאֻלָּה, כִּי שֵׁם אֶהְיֶה לֹא הוּבָא בַּכְּתוּבִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הַבָּאִים בַּהַבְטָחוֹת. גַּם לְצַד שֶׁעֲדַיִן יַשְׁמִיעֵם דִּבְּרוֹת קָדְשׁוֹ וּפֶתַח דְּבָרוֹ יֹאמַר ״אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״, לָזֶה הִקְדִּים לְהוֹדִיעָם שֵׁם אֶהְיֶה וְשֵׁם הֲוָיָ״ה. שֵׁם אֶהְיֶה הָרָמוּז בְּאָנֹכִי, וְשֵׁם הֲוָיָ״ה כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּצְדִּיקוּ דִּבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁיְּדַבֵּר ה׳ וְיֹאמַר ״אָנֹכִי ה׳״, וְהָבֵן. נִמְצֵינוּ אוֹמְרִים כִּי צָרִיךְ מֹשֶׁה לוֹמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּסֵדֶר זֶה ״אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם״, וּלְצַד שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם חָדָשׁ לִידִיעָתָם וְנִקְרָא עַל שֵׁם הַמְּאֹרָע, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁהָיָה עִמָּם בְּצָרָתָם, יַחְזֹר וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם ה׳ **אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם.** וְאוּלַי שֶׁגַּם רָמַז שָׁלֹשׁ אוֹתִיּוֹת הָרְשׁוּמִים בִּשְׁמוֹת אֲבוֹתָם שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם אֶהְיֶה נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מִלְמַעְלָה. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Verse 15 has yet another message. It is that the G'd now identifying Himself as אהיה is none other than the One who had promised the patriarchs there would be redemption even though this name of His had not appeared in that connection previously. G'd had to introduce this name also because in the future He would reveal legislation attesting to the holiness of His name. The name אהיה was alluded to when G'd said: אנכי, whereas the 4-lettered name י־ה־ו־ה was spelled out directly in order to justify what Moses told the people, i.e. that when G'd would speak to them (at Mount Sinai) He would use the words אנכי י־ה־ו־ה. These considerations suffice to explain the sequence of these verses. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:16:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:16:1) **לֵךְ וְאָסַפְתָּ וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם כֶּפֶל הַדְּבָרִים פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה, נִרְאֶה שֶׁיְּכַוֵּין ה׳ לוֹמַר כִּי בְּעֵת בִּיאָתוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם בַּתְּחִלָּה וּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה יֹאמַר לְכָל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הוּא בָּא שָׁלִיחַ מֵה׳ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יְקַבֵּץ כָּל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַחַד וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם שְׁלִיחוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּי פָקַד אֶת עַמּוֹ וְגוֹ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **לך ואספת את זקני ישראל, "Go and gather the elders of lsrael,etc."** The reason that G'd repeats here again what Moses is to say maybe that when Moses would arrive in Egypt he was to tell the entire people that he had come as messenger from G'd. After that he would assemble the elders and tell them the nature of his mission, namely that G'd had remembered His people and was about to redeem them. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:16:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:16:2) וְטַעַם קְדִימַת הוֹדָעַת לַכֹּל כִּי אִישׁ שָׁלוּחַ הוּא לָהֶם מֵה׳, כְּדֵי שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּת כֵּן יִתְקַבְּצוּ אֵלָיו, כִּי זוּלַת זֶה מִי יַטֶּה אֵלָיו אֹזֶן לְהִתְקַבֵּץ. גַּם נִתְחַכֵּם ה׳ לְהוֹדִיעוֹ דְּבָרִים שֶׁיֹּאמַר לְכָל אִישׁ וְאִישׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וּדְבָרִים אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר בַּאֲסִיפַת זְקֵנִים, וְטַעַם הַזְּקֵנִים לְבַד, לְצַד הַכָּבוֹד, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ויקרא רבה יא,ח) לֹא מָקוֹם אֶחָד וְכוּ׳: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** The reason that Moses was to announce the fact that he came as G'd's messenger to the whole people first, was to make them assemble around him. Who would bother to gather around him unless he had first made an announcement that would make the Israelites take notice of him? In His wisdom G'd had instructed Moses what to say to the Israelites and what to say to the assembly of elders. He was to address the elders separately out of respect for them as we know from *Vayikra Rabbah* 11,8 that in the future G'd will allocate a special place where the elders will be seated. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:16:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:16:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:16:3) **פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי.** אָמַר שְׁתֵּי פְּקִידוֹת כְּנֶגֶד פְּקִידַת קֵץ הַגְּאוּלָה וּכְנֶגֶד פְּקִידָתָם מִצָּרָתָם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֶתְכֶם** כְּנֶגֶד קֵץ הַגְּאוּלָה, **וְאֶת הֶעָשׂוּי לָכֶם** כְּנֶגֶד צָרָתָם בְּמִצְרַיִם כְּדֵי לִגְאוֹל אוֹתָם מֵהַצָּרָה וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע. וְרָמַז לָהֶם כִּי זוּלַת הֶעָשׂוּי לָהֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם שֶׁהוּא הַלַּחַץ וְגוֹ׳ עוֹדֶנּוּ זְמַן הַקֵּץ. גַּם רָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **הֶעָשׂוּי** כִּי בָּא לִפָּרַע מֵהַמִּצְרִיִּים אֶת אֲשֶׁר כְּבָר עָשׂוּ לָהֶם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **פקוד פקדתי, "I have surely remembered, etc."** G'd speaks of two separate remembrances, 1) the final stage of the redemption, 2) the end of their suffering. When G'd says: אתכם He referred to the final stage of the redemption, when He said: ואת העשוי לכם He referred to the torture the Israelites were experiencing while performing slave labour. G'd also hinted to the Israelites that He would punish the Egyptians for what they had done to the Israelites already. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:1) **וְשָׁמְעוּ לְקוֹלֶךָ.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ **לְקוֹלֶךָ** יְכַוֵּן לְהוֹדִיעוֹ כִּי יַאֲמִינוּ וִיקַבְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר לָהֶם מַה שְּׁמוֹ. וְלָזֶה אִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר ״וְשָׁמְעוּ לִדְבָרֶיךָ״ אוֹ ״אֵלֶיךָ״, עֲדַיִן יֵשׁ בַּנִּשְׁמָע כִּי טַעַם הַקַּבָּלָה לְצַד דְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים מִמֶּנּוּ. וּמֵאָמְרוֹ **לְקוֹלֶךָ**, הִנֵּה הַקּוֹל הוּא מֻגְבָּל הֱיוֹתוֹ מֵאָדָם הַמּוֹצִיאוֹ לֹא מִזּוּלָתוֹ, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁיִּתָּכְנוּ לְהָאוֹמֵר אוֹתָם וְהֵם דִּבְרֵי הַזּוּלַת. לָזֶה אָמַר **לְקוֹלֶךָ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי כְּשֶׁיּוֹצִיא קוֹלוֹ קוֹל מְבַשֵּׂר יְקַבְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבָזֶה שָׁלַל שֶׁאֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר מְעַכֵּב לָהֶם הָאֱמוּנָה, לֹא שְׁאֵלַת הַשֵּׁם וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ושמעו לקולך, "they will listen to your voice, etc."** G'd added the apparently superfluous word לקולך when the word לדבריך would have sufficed, in order to convince Moses that the people would believe him even if he did not reveal to them an additional name of G'd. The word קול implies something that is effective only for those who actually hear it. דברים are effective even if not heard directly. G'd wanted Moses to know that anyone who would hear Moses' voice, i.e. the good tidings he would convey, would believe him as there was no impediment such as a lack of faith standing in the people's way. Moses would not even have to perform miracles in order to gain the confidence of the Jewish people. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:2 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:2) **ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִיִּים.** הִנֵּה הָאָדוֹן ה׳ צְבָאוֹת נִתְחַכֵּם לוֹמַר אֵלָיו כִּי אֵינוֹ מִתְרַצֶּה שֶׁיִּקָּרֵא שְׁמוֹ אֶלָּא עַל הָעִבְרִים, וְלֹא הוֹדִיעַ שֵׁם הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה אֶלָּא לְהָעִבְרִים, וְהַכַּוָּנָה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לוֹ מָקוֹם לְפַרְעֹה לוֹמַר ״לֹא יָדַעְתִּי״ וְגוֹ׳, וַהֲלֹא גַּם ה׳ אָמַר ״אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים״, אֲבָל אַתָּה אֵינְךָ מַכִּיר כִּי בָּזוּי אַתָּה מְאֹד, וּמַה יַכִּיר אִישׁ שָׂדֶה בְּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת? **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ה׳ אלוקי העברים נקרה עלינו, "G'd, the Lord of the Hebrews has manifested Himself to us, etc."** G'd revealed here that although He did not want that His four-lettered name be associated except with the Hebrews, and that this was the reason He had not revealed it except to the Hebrews, He wanted the Egyptians to know about this name so that when Moses would appear to Pharaoh citing that attribute of G'd, the latter could not claim that he had never heard of such a G'd. He was not familiar with that name because he had not qualified for familiarity with such an exalted name of G'd seeing he was a contemptible person. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:3 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:3) **נִקְרָה עָלֵינוּ.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְבַל יַחְשׁוֹב כִּי יִהְיוּ רְגִילִים בְּכָךְ וְיִהְיֶה כָּזֶה יוֹם מָחָר וְכֵן עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ. גַּם אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיֹּאמַר לָהֶם אַחֲרֵי כֵן שֶׁיַּתְמִידוּ בָּעִנְיָן, לָזֶה אָמְרוּ כִּי דָּבָר זֶה אֵינוֹ בִּתְמִידוּת גַּם אֵינוֹ דָּבָר הָרָגִיל אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ מִקְרֶה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **נִקְרָה עָלֵינוּ**: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **נקרה עלינו. "manifested Himself to us."** G'd did not want Pharaoh to think that Moses was in regular communication with G'd day by day. It is also possible that the choice of the word נקרה, i.e. a chance encounter, was to forestall Pharaoh demanding to see that Moses and Aaron would receive communications from G'd on a regular basis. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:4 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:4) **וְעַתָּה נֵלְכָה נָּא.** אָמְרוֹ **וְעַתָּה** פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי דָּבָר זֶה הֵם צְרִיכִין לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד בְּלֹא שׁוּם שְׁאֵלַת זְמַן, כִּי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם לֹא קָבַע זְמַן. אוֹ יִרְצֶה, כִּי אֵינוֹ דָּבָר זֶה אֶלָּא לְפִי שָׁעָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּ״נִקְרָה עָלֵינוּ״, וְהַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה מֵהַטַּעַם עַצְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר **נֵלְכָה נָּא דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים.** **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ועתה נלכה נא, "and now let us go, etc."** Moses used the word "now" to indicate that this request was an urgent one, requiring immediate action; G'd had not said that these sacrifices were to be offered on a specific date. It is also possible that Moses wanted to indicate to Pharaoh that as far as he was aware this march into the desert for three days in order to offer sacrifices there was a one time affair. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:5 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:5) **שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים.** וְטַעֲמָן שֶׁל דְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַר כֵּן, לְצַד שֶׁאָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ ״וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ״ וְגוֹ׳, וְאִם לֹא יֹאמְרוּ כֵן אֵין מְצִיאוּת לִשְׁאוֹל מֵהֶם וּלְהַלְווֹתָם כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וְגוֹ׳ וְלָצֵאת בִּרְכוּשׁ גָּדוֹל. וּבָזֶה תָּנוּחַ הַדַּעַת לָמָּה צִוָּה ה׳ שְׁאֵלַת כֶּסֶף וְגוֹ׳ מֵהַשְּׁכֵנוֹת בִּזְמַן מוּקְדָּם, וְלֹא הִמְתִּין עַד עֵת בֹּא דְּבָרוֹ הַטּוֹב לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְשָׁם יֹאמַר לָהֶם, וּמַה גַּם שֶׁהַדְּבָרִים שָׁם בִּמְקוֹמָן וּבִזְמַנָּם נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּיוֹם שֶׁלְּמָחָר יֵצְאוּ, וְאִם כֵּן מַה צוֹרֶךְ לְאָמְרָם קוֹדֶם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חוֹדֶשׁ. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **שלושת ימים. "Three days."** Moses had to make it appear that the Israelites meant to go for only three days because G'd told him in verse 22 to tell the Israelites to borrow silver trinkets from the Egyptians. Unless the Egyptians would believe that the Jews planned to return they would not lend them the silver trinkets. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:6 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:6) וְהָיָה נִרְאֶה לוֹמַר כִּי זֶה הָיָה לְחַזֵּק לְבָבָם בַּאֲמִתּוּת הַגְּאֻלָּה, וְאֵין זֶה עִקָּר. וּלְדַרְכֵּנוּ כַּפְתּוֹר וָפֶרַח, כִּי הֻצְרַךְ ה׳ לוֹמַר לָהֶם הַטַּעַם שֶׁהוּא הַסּוֹבֵב שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ ״נֵלְכָה דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים״ וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁבָּזֶה ״וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה״ וְגוֹ׳ לְצַד שֶׁדַּעְתָּם לַחְזוֹר. וּבְסָמוּךְ יִתְבָּאֵר עוֹד תֵּבַת ״וְעַתָּה״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** This explains also why G'd announced the matter of borrowing the silver trinkets already now, 12 months before the Israelites would actually "borrow" these trinkets. Had that instruction been issued only on the night of the Exodus (when the Torah mentions it as being carried out) it would have been difficult to carry out. We might have assumed that mentioning it at this juncture was merely to make the Israelites believe that the Exodus was really at hand. This is not correct, however. We believe that the reason we have proposed, i.e. that in order to make the eventual request for these trinkets plausible, the Egyptians first had to be under the impression that all the Jewish people really wanted was a three day religious holiday in the desert, away from Egyptian urban areas. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:7 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:7) **וַעֲדַיִן** צָרִיךְ לָתֵת לֵב, סוֹף כָּל סוֹף לָמָּה יְצַו ה׳ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָם מֵהַמּוּסָר, לִגְנוֹב דַּעְתָּם בֵּין בַּהֲלִיכָה בֵּין בְּהַשְׁאָלַת חֶפְצֵיהֶם. וְהָאֱמֶת כִּי כָל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הוּא מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק, כִּי לְצַד שֶׁשִּׁעְבְּדוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין לְהַעֲלוֹת שְׂכַר שָׂכִיר, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִתְּשׁוּבַת אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם (סנהדרין צא,א) כְּשֶׁתָּבְעוּ מֵהֶם כְּלֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר שְׁאָלוּם. אֶלָּא לָמָּה יַעֲשֶׂה ה׳ הַדָּבָר דֶּרֶךְ עָרְמָה, כִּי חָס וְשָׁלוֹם לֹא קָצוֹר קָצְרָה יָדוֹ מִפְּדוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעַל כָּרְחָם וּלְהוֹצִיא מָמוֹנָם וְעֵינֵיהֶם רוֹאוֹת וְכָלוֹת? **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** We still have to account for the fact that G'd instructed Moses to deceive Pharaoh by asking for a three day religious pilgrimage when in fact he did not mean for the people to return to Egypt at all? G'd appears to have tricked the Egyptians both regarding the nature of the Israelites' departure and regarding the nature of the "borrowings." Actually, everything G'd told Moses to say was perfectly just and fair. Firstly, inasmuch as the Israelites had performed many decades of slave labour for which the Egyptians had not paid any wages, they were entitled to recompense themselves, if only partially. *Sanhedrin* 91 records a disputation in front of Alexander the Great on that subject when the Egyptians demanded the return of these borrowed trinkets. The representative of the Jews at that time, a certain Gevihah ben Pesisah, succeeded in making the Egyptians withdraw their claim seeing that what the Jews had taken was so much less than what had been owed them at the time of the Exodus. Still, why did G'd have to resort to trickery? Surely G'd was capable of executing all His designs without having to resort to some form of deception! ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:8 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:8) **וְנִרְאֶה** לוֹמַר כִּי נִתְכַּוֵּן ה׳ בָּזֶה לְהַטְעוֹתָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְדְּפוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהִכָּבֵד בְּפַרְעֹה וְגוֹ׳, וְזוּלַת הַהַשְׁאָלָה גַּם זוּלַת הֲלִיכָתָם בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה עַל דַּעַת לַחְזוֹר, לֹא הָיוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים רוֹדְפִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם. וְעַיֵּן מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּשַׁלַּח בְּפָסוּק ״וַיֵּהָפֵךְ לְבַב פַּרְעֹה״ וְגוֹ׳ (שמות יד:ה). **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** We must assume therefore that the reason G'd deceived the Egyptians (on both counts) was in order to orchestrate the pursuit of the Jews by the Egyptian army and the crossing of the sea as well as the drowning of the Egyptian cavalry. Had the Egyptians not felt themselves deceived by the Israelites they would never have undertaken a chase. Compare what we have written on Exodus 14,5 that Pharaoh had a change of heart. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:9 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:9) **וְתִמְצָא** אוֹת לִדְבָרֵינוּ, כִּי אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה יד,ג) שֶׁבִּימֵי הָאֲפֵלָה גִּלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַצְפּוּנֵי הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְיָדְעוּ אוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם וּסְגֻלּוֹתֵיהֶם וְחֶפְצֵיהֶם, וּבְיוֹם שְׁאֵלָתָם לֹא הָיוּ הַמִּצְרִים יְכוֹלִים לְהַכְחִיד. מָארֵי דְּאַבְרָהָם, וְלָמָּה לֹא נְטָלוּם אָז וְאֵין מֵבִין דָּבָר? אֶלָּא וַדַּאי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן ה׳ שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ כְּסֵדֶר זֶה לִרְדּוֹף אַחֲרֵיהֶם כַּנִּזְכָּר וְיִכָּבֵד בָּהֶם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** You will find a sign that we are on the right track when you read *Shemot Rabbah* 14,3 that during the plague of darkness the Jews who were not affected by this discovered the secret hiding places of the Egyptians so that at the time of the Exodus they could prove that the Egyptians lied when they claimed not to possess the items the Jews wanted to borrow. The question is, of course, why, if G'd already enabled the Jews to discover these trinkets, why did He not allow them to help themselves at once? It was only a few days prior to the Exodus! No doubt G'd wanted that the Egyptians should remain under the impression that the Jews were only borrowing these trinkets so that once they realised they had been deceived they would feel morally entitled to pursue the Jews and to retrieve these items. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:10 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:10) וּבְעִנְיַן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה מִצַּד עַצְמוֹ שֶׁנָּטְלוּ מָמוֹנָם אֵין אִסּוּר בָּזֶה לְהַצִּיל אָדָם אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ מֵהָאַנָּס, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִיַּעֲקֹב שֶׁהָיָה מַעֲרִים לְהַצִּיל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ מִיַּד לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּעֲשֶׂה שְׁלֹשָׁה תַּנָּאִים (יומא פג,א) אֲשֶׁר הִצִּילוּ פִּקְדוֹנָם מֵאֵשֶׁת כִּידוֹר בְּדֶרֶךְ עָרְמָה וְאֵין בָּזֶה אִסּוּר, וְהוּא אֹמֶר הַנָּבִיא (תהלים יח,כז): ״וְעִם עִקֵּשׁ״ וְגוֹ׳. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** Now let us look at the legality of the matter. If the Jews had helped themselves to what they discovered in the homes of the Egyptians during the days of darkness they would have been perfectly in order. When a person is forcibly deprived of his possessions there is no law which prevents him to take back what was his. Jacob used subterfuge to compensate himself for what Laban had tricked him out of. The Talmud tells of an occurrence involving three great sages in *Yuma* 83. When two of them were swindled out of money they had deposited with the innkeeper, they resorted to deception in order to retrieve what was rightfully theirs. Not only did their action not involve a forbidden practice but they did what David refers to in Psalms 18,27 as a practice employed by G'd Who engages in being wily with those who have been devious themselves. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:11 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:11) וּמַה שֶׁלְּפָנֵינוּ הָעִנְיָן הוּא יוֹתֵר נָקִי וּבַר, כִּי דִּקְדַּקְתִּי בְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בָּעִנְיָן וְאֵין בָּהֶם דְּבַר שֶׁקֶר, כִּי לֹא הִזְכִּירוּ בִּלְשׁוֹנָם הַחֲזָרָה כְּלָל. וְגַם לָשׁוֹן זֶה לְצַד מַעֲלַת קָדְשׁוֹ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא רָצָה לְכַנּוֹת הַדְּבָרִים אֵלָיו, אֶלָּא הֵם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יְדַבְּרוּ כָּזֶה. וְלָזֶה אָמַר תֵּיבַת **וְעַתָּה**, פֵּרוּשׁ לוֹמַר כִּי הֵם דִּבְרֵי עַצְמָם לֹא דִּבְרֵי עֶלְיוֹן. שֶׁאִם לֹא אָמַר ״וְעַתָּה״ הָיָה הַכַּוָּנָה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ ״נִקְרָה עָלֵינוּ וְאָמַר נֵלְכָה״ וְגוֹ׳. וּכְמוֹ כֵן תִּמְצָא בְּדִבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה עִם פַּרְעֹה אָמַר לוֹ (שמות ה:א) ״שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי וְיָחֹגּוּ לִי בַּמִּדְבָּר״, לֹא הִזְכִּיר זְמַן, אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמְרוּ לוֹ (שמות ה:ג) ״נֵלְכָה נָּא דֶּרֶךְ״ וְגוֹ׳. וַהֲגַם שֶׁבְּדִבְרֵיהֶם שָׁם לֹא אָמְרוּ ״וְעַתָּה״, סָמַךְ עַל פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן. וַהֲבִינוֹתִי בְּאִמְרֵי נֹעַם בְּאָמְרוֹ ״שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי וְיָחֹגּוּ לִי בַּמִּדְבָּר״ כִּי כָל דְּבָרָיו צֶדֶק וֶאֱמֶת, שֶׁהֲרֵי דּוֹר שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לֹא חָגְגוּ אֶלָּא בַּמִּדְבָּר, כִּי שָׁם נָפְלוּ פִּגְרֵיהֶם וְאֶת בְּנֵיהֶם הִכְנִיס ה׳ לָאָרֶץ. וַהֲגַם שֶׁאוֹתָם גַּם כֵּן יָצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא יֵחָשְׁבוּ הֵם אֶלָּא הַגְּדוֹלִים הָעוֹבְדִים וְהַזּוֹבְחִים וְהֵם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, וּבָזֶה כָּל דִּבְרֵי ה׳ אֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק. גַּם הַשְׁאָלַת הַכֶּסֶף וְגוֹ׳ אֵין בּוֹ דְּבַר שֶׁקֶר, בְּתוֹרַת שְׁאֵלָה בָּא לְיָדָם אֶלָּא שֶׁעִכְּבוּהוּ בְּעַד תְּבִיעָתָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם כְּנֶגֶד שְׂכַר שָׂכִיר שֶׁעָבְדוּ אוֹתָם וּבָנוּ כַּמָּה בִּנְיָנִים, וּכְשֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן יְדַיְּקוּ הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְיַשְׁלִימוּ לָהֶם הַמִּצְרִיִּים מַה שֶׁנּוֹגֵעַ לָהֶם. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** In our situation the matter is even more clear-cut. If you examine the text, you will find that Moses (at G'd's behest) did not utter a single lie. He never mentioned a word about the Israelites ever returning to Egypt. Furthermore, Moses was careful that the deceptive words could not be attributed to G'd himself but only to the Israelites, if at all. The words starting with: "and now we want to go," were to be spoken by Moses, Aaron and the elders. They were not part of what G'd had said. If the Torah had not inserted the word ועתה, we would indeed have assumed that they said, quoting G'd: "Now let us go three days travel into the desert, etc." In chapter 5, verse 1 we do indeed find that Moses quoted G'd saying: "send My people off so that they can celebrate for Me in the desert." He did not mention any time frame at that time. It was only the Israelites who added (in 5,3) "let us go **for three days** into the desert, etc." While it is true that at that point the Israelites did not say ועתה, they simply assumed that the word ועתה Moses had mentioned in 3,18, was sufficiently clear. The fact that even the Jews had not lied to the Egyptians is proven by history. The Jews who left Egypt celebrated **only in the desert** seeing that the whole generation died before they came to the land of Canaan. While it is true that many of the children of that generation entered the Holy Land and celebrated there also, it was not the minors who had negotiated with Pharaoh about their release from bondage. People under twenty years of age were under no obligation to offer sacrifices to G'd. The Israelites also did not **lie** when they asked for the silver trinkets as the Torah says: "they asked for, etc." Initially, they borrowed these trinkets. When the Egyptians did not pay them the wages owed, they kept the trinkets as partial payment. They planned to present the Egyptians wih a bill for the balance at a future date. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:12 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:18:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:18:12) **וְאַחַת** שָׁאַלְתִּי עָמְדָה לִי, וּמַה הִכְרִיחַ הַדָּבָר לִהְיוֹת כֵּן לִרְדֹּף הַמִּצְרִים אַחֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָמָּה לֹא יִכָּבֵד ה׳ בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל עַמּוֹ וְיַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם הַיְאוֹר בַּדָּבָר עַצְמוֹ אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ, וְשָׁם יָצֵף ה׳ לְפַרְעֹה וּלְכָל עַמּוֹ וְגַם הַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף, וְלֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְכָל הָאָמוּר, וְיוֹצִיא יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכֶסֶף וְזָהָב בְּעַל כָּרְחָם, אוֹ שֶׁיִּטְלוּ הַכֹּל בְּשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי אֲפֵלָה (שמות רבה פי״ד) כִּי לָהֶם הָיָה אוֹר וְחִפְּשׂוּם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּסָמוּךְ. וְאוּלַי כִּי עָשָׂה ה׳ כָּכָה לִשְׁנֵי טְעָמִים, הָאֶחָד כִּי קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּפְלָאָיו פִּרְסְמוּ גְּדֻלָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וּכְבוֹדוֹ מָלֵא עוֹלָם כַּיָּדוּעַ מַה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה כֵן בְּאֹפֶן אַחֵר. וְטַעַם שֵׁנִי כִּי ה׳ מוֹדֵד מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יא:) כִּי הַמִּצְרִיִּים נִתְחַכְּמוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשַׁעְבְּדָם בִּתְחִלָּה בְּפֶה רַךְ וְאַחַר כָּךְ בְּפָרֶךְ, וְהַשּׁוֹפֵט בְּצֶדֶק מָדַד בַּמִּדָּה עַצְמָהּ כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה בְּפֶה רַךְ ״נֵלְכָה שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים״, ״הַשְׁאִילוּנוּ כַּסְפֵּיכֶם שִׂמְלוֹתֵיכֶם״ וְגוֹ׳, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בְּפָרֶךְ, וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים נִתְחַכֵּם הָאָדוֹן שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא גַּם מִפִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּבַר שֶׁקֶר כַּנִּזְכָּר (מיכה ז:כ) ״תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** One problem has bothered me for a long time; why did G'd not simply drown the Egyptians who deserved drowning by letting the river Nile spill over? This would have been the appropriate punishment for the people who had drowned the Jewish babies in the Nile. Why did G'd wait till the Egyptians had pursued the Jewish people and He had to perform a major miracle by splitting the sea and allowing the Jews to cross on dry land? Also, why the devious method of the Jews borrowing the silver instead of their helping themselves to it during the days of darkness? After all, according to the interpretation of the *Midrash* the meaning of Exodus 11,23 that the Jews "had light in their dwellings" is that they had light "even in the Egyptians' dwellings?" Perhaps G'd was motivated by two considerations. 1) The splitting of the sea and everything connected with it aggrandised His name amongst mankind in a way that could not have been achieved by any other means. 2) G'd applies the yardstick of "measure for measure." *Sotah* 11 states that the Egyptians had cleverly inveigled the Israelites into slave labour by sweet-talking them into such patriotic service, whereas gradually they became more and more cruel and demanding. G'd orchestrated the steps leading to redemption in a similar fashion. First He had Moses speak about a three day religious holiday for Pharaoh's labourers as well as borrowings of the Egyptians' silver and of their fancy garments. G'd gradually upped the ante, just as the Egyptians had done in their treatment of the Jews. At the same time G'd was still careful so that even the Jews themselves did not utter a lie. The prophet Micha was quite correct (Micha 7,20) when he characterised one of the greatest Jewish virtues with the words: "You give truth to Jacob." ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:21:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:21:1) **לֹא תֵלְכוּ רֵיקָם.** כָּאן רָמַז ה׳ מִשְׁפַּט עֶבֶד עִבְרִי, דִּכְתִיב בּוֹ (דברים טו:יג-יד): ״לֹא תְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ רֵיקָם, הַעֲנֵק תַּעֲנִיק לוֹ״. **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **לא תלכו ריקם, "You will not leave empty-handed."** At this point the Torah already foreshadowed the legislation applicable when a Jewish servant is to be released by his master. The Torah commands in Deut. 15,13-15 that you must not set him free empty-handed but that you have to provide him with a stake so that he can establish an economic base for himself. Presumably, this is also measure for measure. What G'd did for you, you in turn are to do for the servant you set free. ###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:22:1 [Or HaChaim on Exodus 3:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/3:22:1) **וְנִצַּלְתֶּם וְגוֹ׳.** כָּאן רָמַז הֶתֵּר הַצָּלַת אָדָם מָמוֹנוֹ מֵאַנָּס. אוֹ יִרְמוֹז שֶׁבָּזֶה יְסוֹבְבוּ לְמִצְרַיִם לָרֶדֶת בִּמְצוּלוֹת יָם, כִּי בְּאֶמְצָעוּת שְׁתֵּי הַמְצָאוֹת שֶׁיְּדַבְּרוּ לָלֶכֶת דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, גַּם כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁאֲלוּ מֵהֶם כְּלֵיהֶם, זֶה יְסוֹבֵב אוֹתָם לִרְדּוֹף אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְיֵרְדוּ בַּמְּצוּלוֹת: **Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:** **ונצלתם את מצרים, "you will empty Egypt."** Here the Torah alludes to the fact that a person may rescue his possessions from someone who robbed him by force. Alternatively, our verse may be a preview of what caused the Egyptians to drown in the sea, i.e. the combination of the Israelites' demand to borrow their silver trinkets and their declared intention to travel a distance of three days into the desert. The two demands eventually prompted the Egyptians to pursue the Jews believing their leader Moses had overstepped his authority. As a result G'd drowned them in the sea.