## Or HaChaim on Exodus Chapter 5

###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:1:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:1:1)

**וְאַחַר בָּאוּ וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, אַחַר שֶׁהֶאֱמִין הָעָם. וְכֵן הֵם דִּבְרֵי ה׳, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ג:יח): ״וְשָׁמְעוּ לְקוֹלֶךָ״ וְאַחַר כָּךְ ״וּבָאתָ״ וְגוֹ׳, וְלָזֶה הִפְסִיק הַפְסָקָה קוֹדֶם ״וְשָׁמְעוּ לְקוֹלֶךָ״, הֲגַם שֶׁהוּא סִיּוּם עִנְיָן הַנּוֹגֵעַ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּסְמָכָהּ עִם ״וּבָאתָ״ וְגוֹ׳ וְהָבֵן:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ואחר באו משה ואהרון ויאמרו אל פרעה, afterwards Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and said, etc.** The word "afterwards" means after the people had believed that G'd had despatched Moses to them as their redeemer. The verse refers to fulfilment of what G'd had told Moses in 3,18. We now appreciate the dividing tone sign *etnachta* under the word לקולך in 3,18; we would have expected the words "and you will proceed to Pharaoh" to be part of the same sequence. Inasmuch as some considerable time passed between what was mentioned in the first half of that verse and the completion of what it was meant to lead to, the Torah repeats here that **now** the second part of verse 18 in chapter 3 was being played out.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:2:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:2:1)

**״אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע וְגוֹ׳ לְשַׁלַּח״ וְגוֹ׳.** יְכַוֵּן לוֹמַר: מַה כֹּחוֹ הַגָּדוֹל לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹלוֹ בְּדָבָר גָּדוֹל כָּזֶה לְשַׁלַּח וְכוּ׳? וְחָזַר לוֹמַר שֶׁדְּבָרָיו לִרְבוּתָא נֶאֶמְרוּ, הֲגַם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה גָּדוֹל עַד מְאֹד לֹא יוֹעִיל זֶה לְשַׁלַּח יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֵין כַּוָּנָתוֹ בָּזֶה שֶׁהוּא יוֹדְעוֹ, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּדוֹל בְּעֵינָיו לְשַׁלַּח יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדְעוֹ כָּל עִקָּר, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **״לֹא יָדַעְתִּי״** וְגוֹ׳. וְאָמְרוֹ **״וְגַם״**, פֵּרוּשׁ, וַהֲגַם שֶׁיּוֹדִיעֵהוּ וְיַשְׂכִּיל כִּי גָּדוֹל הוּא, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן ״אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא״ וְגוֹ׳, וְהֵם תְּחִלַּת דְּבָרָיו, וְהָבֵן.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**אשר אשמע בקולו, "that I should listen to His voice."** Pharaoh challenged Moses regarding his G'd's great power. Surely the Jewish G'd was not so powerful that He could demand such obedience in a matter of such overriding importance! He added gratuitously: "to dismiss the Jewish people," meaning that however great His power it would surely not suffice to liberate the Jewish people. Pharaoh did not mean to concede that he did know of the Jewish G'd after all, but that the latter was not great enough to make such a demand; rather he said: 1) "I do not know of Him;" 2) even if I would be told that He does indeed exist this would not mean that He could demand the freeing of the Jewish people." The word גם refers to a hypothetical situation.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:3:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:3:1)

**וַיֹּאמְרוּ וְגוֹ׳ פֶּן יִפְגָּעֵנוּ.** דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ הֵם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה ה,יד) שֶׁהַזְּקֵנִים נִשְׁמְטוּ אֶחָד אֶחָד, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אַחַר כָּךְ דִּבְּרוּ דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ. וְעַל שֶׁלֹּא בָּאוּ יַחַד עִם מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נֶעֶנְשׁוּ. אוֹ אוּלַי שֶׁכָּל הָעָם נִכְנְסוּ יַחְדָּיו אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ דִּבְרֵי טַעַם, כִּי יוֹתֵר טוֹב לוֹ שֶׁיְּשַׁלְּחֵם וְיֵשׁ תִּקְוָה שֶׁיָּשׁוּבוּ אַחַר כָּךְ מִשֶּׁבֶת שָׁם וְיִכְלוּ בַּדֶּבֶר וְגוֹ׳, גַּם דָּבָר זֶה יִפְחַד מִמֶּנּוּ פַּרְעֹה כִּי יִגַּע עַד לִבּוֹ דֶּבֶר וְחֶרֶב הַבָּא לִשְׁכוּנָתוֹ. וְאוּלַי נִתְחַכְּמוּ לְהַפְחִידוֹ פֶּן יִפְגָּעֵהוּ לְפַרְעֹה וְגוֹ׳, וְהִלְבִּישׁוּ הַקְּלָלָה בָּהֶם לְצַד כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויאמרו אלוקי העברים ..פן יפגענו "The G'd of Israel…. lest He punish us."** The last words were spoken by the Israelites. Even though our sages in *Shemot Rabbah* 5,14 told us that the elders melted away on the way to the first confrontation with Pharaoh, the Israelites expressed fear of being punished by G'd. The elders were punished for not accompanying Moses and Aaron. Perhaps the entire nation went to see Pharaoh and told him it would be in Pharaoh's own interest to excuse the Jewish people from work for three days and to take the chance that they would return; otherwise, if they would be punished by their G'd, Pharaoh would lose their labour altogether if they were to die of a pestilence. Perhaps they even implied that such a pestilence would also pose a problem for Pharaoh himself who might become infected. They used the well known method of describing such a plague as afflicting them rather than Pharaoh, as they did not want to threaten Pharaoh outright.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:4:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:4:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר וְגוֹ׳ לָמָּה מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ לְפָנָיו מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וְהַזְּקֵנִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים״ וְגוֹ׳, וְהֶחְזִיר פָּנָיו אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאָמַר: אֵין תְּלוּנָתִי עַל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי הֵם נָפַל עֲלֵיהֶם פַּחַת וָפַחַד מֵהַחֶרֶב וְהַדֶּבֶר, וְהַתְּלוּנָה הוּא עֲלֵיכֶם שֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים: הָאֶחָד – שֶׁבָּאתֶם בִּשְׁלִיחוּת אֵלַי מֵאֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אִם כֵּן הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בִּי, אִם כֵּן מַה מָקוֹם לְהַפְחִיד הָעָם פֶּן יִפְגָּעֵם בַּדֶּבֶר, וַהֲלֹא אֵינָם בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמָם וַאֲנוּסִים הֵם. מַה תֹּאמַר, כִּי הֵם יְכוֹלִין לָצֵאת בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמָם? אִם כֵּן לָמָּה בָּאתָ אֵלַי בִּשְׁלִיחוּת לְשַׁלְּחָם? וְאוּלַי כִּי לָזֶה נִתְכַּוְּנוּ רַזַ״ל (שמות רבה ה,טו) שֶׁאָמְרוּ וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״אַתֶּם לָמָּה, דִּבְרֵיכֶם לָמָּה?״ פֵּרוּשׁ, אַתֶּם לָמָּה בָּאתֶם אֵלַי, דִּבְרֵיכֶם שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם לָעָם הַזֶּה מִפִּי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם פֶּן וְגוֹ׳ לָמָּה? – שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים סוֹתְרִים. וְהֵשִׁיב פָּנָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַר **לְכוּ לְסִבְלוֹתֵיכֶם**, כִּי מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמָן הָיוּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויאמר..למה משה ואהרון תפריעו את העם, He said: "Why Moses and Aaron to you deter the people, etc.?"** After Pharaoh had first faced both the elders and Moses and Aaron and they had told him about the demands of the Hebrew G'd, Pharaoh now turned to Moses and Aaron telling them that he had no complaint against the elders who were obviously motivated by their fear of pestilence. His complaint was directed against Moses and Aaron on two counts. 1) Seeing that Moses and Aaron had brought a message from their G'd, it appeared that the decision was up to him. They had therefore not been entitled to threaten the people with punishment by their G'd for something that was not up to them but up to him! 2) If Moses and Aaron had told the people that they could simply leave Egypt without being granted permission, why had they come to ask his permission at all? Perhaps this is what our sages had in mind in our *Midrash* when they said: "why does the Torah write אתם and why the word למה? This may mean that Pharaoh asked why they came at all, and why they told the people in the name of G'd that they could leave. Pharaoh then turned towards the Israelites and told them: לכו לסבלותיכם, "go and do your work!"


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:5:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְצַד שֶׁהֵם רַבִּים אֵינָם בַּת יָכִיל (מלכים א ז:כו) לְהָסִיר מֵהֶם מוֹרֶךְ לֵבָב זֶה שֶׁל פְּגִיעַת חֶרֶב מִכֻּלָּם, וְדָבָר זֶה יִהְיֶה גּוֹרֵם שֶׁתַּשְׁבִּיתוּ אוֹתָם מִסִּבְלוֹתָם כִּי יִתְחַמֵּץ וְיֵרַךְ לְבָבָם, וְתַרְעוֹמֶת זֶה הוּא עַל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן. אוֹ יִטְעוֹן כְּנֶגֶד הַנּוֹגְשִׂים אֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחוּ אוֹתָם לָבֹא לְפַרְעֹה וּבִטְּלוּ עֲבוֹדָתָם, וְאָמַר כִּי הֵן רַבִּים הֵם וּזְמַן מוּעָט שֶׁל בִּטּוּל עֲבוֹדָתָם יַעֲשֶׂה הַרְבֵּה רֹשֶׁם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויאמר פרעה הן רבים עתה עם הארץ, Pharaoh said: "now the people in the land are very numerous, etc."** Pharaoh meant that in view of the large numbers of people involved it was impossible to convince all of them that they did not face a danger if they did not march to the desert to offer sacrifices to their G'd. This was why he held Moses and Aaron responsible for the work stoppage if it would occur. He directed this accusation exclusively at Moses and Aaron. Pharaoh meant that even a brief work stoppage was a major economic disaster considering the number of people involved.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:6:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:6:1)

**וַיְצַו פַּרְעֹה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא.** פֵּרוּשׁ, דַּוְקָא בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, וְהַטַּעַם כְּדֵי שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּת תֹּקֶף הַצָּרָה שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ שְׂאֵת תִּשָּׁכַח מֵהֶם הַמַּחְשָׁבָה הַהִיא שֶׁל הַמּוֹרָא וְיִפְנוּ לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָתָם, וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין כִּי צָרָה הַמְזֻמֶּנֶת תַּשְׁכִּיחַ מֵחוּשׁ צָרָה הָעֲתִידָה וְשֶׁכְּבָר עָבְרָה, וְזֶה מֵהַמֻּרְגָּשׁ לַמַּשְׂכִּיל עַל דָּבָר. וְשִׁעֵר כִּי יַסְפִּיק לָזֶה יוֹם אֶחָד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויצו פרעה ביום ההוא, On that day Pharaoh issued orders, etc.** This directive was to be effective only on that particular day. He hoped that by forcing the people to concentrate on their immediate and overwhelming problem they would forget about their fear of what might happen if they failed to offer sacrifices to their G'd in the desert. Any intelligent person understands that an immediate and pressing problem is apt to push other problems that are not so immediate into the background. Pharaoh hoped that a single day of the new decree would suffice to accomplish this objective.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:6:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:6:2)

**אוֹ** יְכַוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לִרְמוֹז שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁאַר עוֹד לָהֶם בָּעֲבוֹדָה אֶלָּא יוֹם הַהוּא, כִּי לְמָחָר בָּא מֹשֶׁה וְהִכָּה יְאוֹר מִצְרַיִם, וְנִשְׁבְּרָה מַקֵּל הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, כְּמַאֲמָרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה מֵעֵת שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ הַמַּכּוֹת נִסְתַּלֵּק הַשִּׁעְבּוּד מֵעֲלֵיהֶם, וְאַדְרַבָּה הִתְחִילוּ לְהוֹזִיל כַּסְפָּם בְּעַד מַשְׁקֵה מַיִם, כָּאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה ט,י). וְאֵין לְהַקְשׁוֹת מֵאָמְרוֹ ״גַּם תְּמוֹל גַּם הַיּוֹם״, כִּי יוֹם שֶׁלְּפָנָיו לֹא כִלּוּ חֻקָּם לְצַד שֶׁהָיָה יוֹם בְּשׂוֹרָה וְהָיוּ מְקֻבָּצִים לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁעָשָׂה לְעֵינֵיהֶם הָאוֹתוֹת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
On the other hand, the Torah could have indicated with the words ביום ההוא that there was only a single day left on which the Israelites performed slave labour, seeing that on the morrow Moses and Aaron would turn the life-giving river Nile into blood. According to our tradition no more slave labour was performed from the day the plague of blood occurred. Not only that, but the Egyptians would pay the Israelites good money to obtain some drinking water from them seeing that water did not turn into blood once the Israelites held it in their hands (compare *Shemot Rabbah* 9,10). The expression כתמול שלשום, poses no problem as the Israelites did not complete their quota on the day prior to Moses' interview because it was a public holiday.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:8:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:8:1)

**כִּי נִרְפִּים הֵם וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מִי תָּלָה צַעֲקַת עֲבוֹדָה לֵאלֹהִים לְצַד שֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה רְפוּיָה עֲלֵיהֶם. וְאוּלַי שֶׁיְּכַוֵּין לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ לָלֶכֶת לִזְבּוֹחַ אֶלָּא לְצַד שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁהֵיטִיב ה׳ עִמָּהֶם שֶׁהֵקֵל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם הַשִּׁעְבּוּד וְהֵם בְּטֵלִים, **עַל כֵּן** וְגוֹ׳ פֵּרוּשׁ, עַל זֶה הֵם צוֹעֲקִים לֵאמֹר נִזְבְּחָה וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, לְהָבִיא קָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה עַל הַטּוֹב שֶׁהוֹצִיאָם מִצָּרַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה מַה טוֹבַת ה׳ עֲלֵיהֶם לְהִתְחַיֵּב לִזְבּוֹחַ לוֹ. לָזֶה אָמַר **תִּכְבַּד הָעֲבוֹדָה** עֲלֵיהֶם וּמֵעַתָּה לֹא יְדַבְּרוּ עוֹד בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר, כִּי אֲפִילּוּ כְּפִי דַּעְתָּם אֵין לָהֶם לִזְבּוֹחַ כִּי פָּסְקָה טוֹבַת רִפְיוֹן הַצָּרָה מֵעֲלֵיהֶם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**כי נרפים הם, "for they are lazy!"** Who had ever suggested that the idea to sacrifice to their G'd originated in the relatively light burden of work that Pharaoh had imposed on the Israelites up until then? Perhaps what Pharaoh meant was that the Israelites felt that now that Moses had arrived their lot would become easier and that therefore they wanted to thank their G'd for that by offering up thanksgiving sacrifices so that He would cancel out the servitude altogether. Pharaoh countered this euphoria by making the workload heavier so that they would not even entertain any idea of their servitude being near an end, i.e. those lies that Moses had fed them.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:8:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:8:2)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה, כִּי מֵאָמְרָם **נֵלְכָה וְנִזְבְּחָה** וְגוֹ׳, זֶה יַגִּיד כִּי טַעְמָם הוּא כִּי מַה שֶׁיְּבַטְּלוּ מֵעֲבוֹדָתָם יִשְׁנוּ בְּהִשָּׁבוֹן, כְּשֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ יִדְחֲקוּ עַצְמָם לַעֲבוֹד בְּכָל יוֹם חֵלֶק יוֹתֵר מֵהָרָגִיל עַד תַּשְׁלוּם מְלַאכְתָּם אֲשֶׁר בָּטְלָה. לָזֶה אָמַר **לֹא תֹאסְפוּן לָתֵת תֶּבֶן** וְגוֹ׳ וְאֶת מַתְכֹּנֶת וְגוֹ׳, וְהַטַּעַם כִּי נִרְפִּים וְגוֹ׳ **עַל כֵּן הֵם צוֹעֲקִים לֵאמֹר**, פֵּרוּשׁ צְעָקָה שֶׁאַחֲרֶיהָ אֲמִירָה אַחֶרֶת שֶׁהִיא הַתַּשְׁלוּם הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ בַּחֲזָרָתָם, אִם כֵּן **תִּכְבַּד** וְגוֹ׳, וְהָבֵן:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Pharaoh also reacted to the Israelites having said: נלכה נזבחה, "let us go slaughter, etc." He understood this as an implied promise that the Israelites planned to make up the time lost by working extra hard after their return. He reasoned that if they could really do this it was proof they had not been working hard enough thus far. This is why he withdrew the supply of straw which had been provided up until then and referred to them as lazy. Eventually, their holiday would backfire and the would cry out, i.e. צועקים that they had to work too hard. Pharaoh wanted to head off all these complications by ordering now that the straw would be withdrawn so that the people would stop dreaming about all kinds of improvements in their lives.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:8:3
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:8:3)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **וְאַל יִשְׁעוּ** לְשׁוֹן רִפְיוֹן. וְאָמַר סִבַּת הָרִפְיוֹן הוּא בַּדָּבָר הַנֶּאֱמַר לָהֶם מִמֹּשֶׁה שֶׁבְּעֵינֵי פַּרְעֹה הוּא שֶׁקֶר, וְהַכַּוָּנָה הוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק ״וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּם״ וְגוֹ׳, כִּי בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַמּוֹרָא פֶּן יִפְגָּעֵם יִכָּנֵס מוֹרֶךְ בִּלְבָבָם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָּהֶם כֹּחַ לָעֲבוֹדָה הַכְּבֵדָה שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם, לָזֶה ״תִּכְבַּד״ וְגוֹ׳ כַּנִּזְכָּר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
The expression ואל ישעו reflects weakness. Pharaoh interpreted the people's weakness as stemming from the "illusions" (in his view) which Moses had come to feed them. As a result they had expressed fear of punishment by their G'd if they did not offer the sacrifices their G'd demanded. When people live in fear they are weak and it undermines their ability to perform good work. Pharaoh wanted to stop this process at the source, hence his decree to suspend the deliveries of straw.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:11:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:11:1)

**כִּי אֵין נִגְרָע וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ ״כִּי אֵין״ וְגוֹ׳ וְלֹא אָמַר ״וְאֵין נִגְרָע״, הָכִי פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: כֹּה אָמַר פַּרְעֹה וְגוֹ׳ **אַתֶּם לְכוּ** וְגוֹ׳, וּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ אֵין בָּהֶם בְּשׂוֹרָה רָעָה, וְאַדְרַבָּה הֵם חֲפֵצִים בַּדָּבָר, לְהָקֵל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם מְלֶאכֶת הַבִּנְיָן וְלַעֲשׂוֹת מְלָאכָה זוֹ לְקוֹשֵׁשׁ קַשׁ לַתֶּבֶן. לָזֶה אָמַר טַעַם הַגְּזֵרָה הִיא **כִּי אֵין נִגְרָע**, וְאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא הַמְעָטַת הַזְּמַן בְּדָבָר זֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁתַּעֲשׂוּ עֲבוֹדַתְכֶם בִּזְמַן מוּעָט.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**כי אין נגרע מעבודתכם, "for your workload will not be diminished."** Why did the taskmasters say: כי אין נגרע "for it will not be reduced" instead of ואין נגרע? "and it will not be reduced?" When the taskmasters had first said: "go and get your own straw," the Israelites had thought of this as a welcome diversion. They considered collecting straw as less demanding than either building, or forming bricks. The taskmasters "dropped the second shoe" by adding that it was not as the Israelites thought that collecting straw was **instead** of their other work; rather it was **in addition** to their regular work. They explained that the reason for the decree was precisely so as not to diminish the Israelites' workload.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:22:1)

**וַיָּשָׁב מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳ לָמָה וְגוֹ׳.** כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: **לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה**, פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי לֹא אָמַרְתָּ לִי אֶלָּא שֶׁיְּחַזֵּק לִבּוֹ וְלֹא יִשְׁלַח אֶת הָעָם, אֲבָל לֹא שֶׁיִּכְבַּד עֲלֵיהֶם הָרַע. וְאִם תֹּאמַר שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיעַ הַקֵּץ לְהָקֵל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם הַשִּׁעְבּוּד וְזֶה הוּא סִבַּת הָרַע, אִם כֵּן **לָמָּה זֶּה שְׁלַחְתָּנִי**, פֵּרוּשׁ בִּזְמַן זֶה, וְהָיָה לְךָ לְהַמְתִּין עַד קֵץ הַשִּׁעְבּוּד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**וישב משה אל השם, Moses returned to G'd, etc.** The verse must be understood in this order: "Why did You G'd not tell me at the time when You told me that You would harden Pharaoh's heart that this would involve additional hardship for the people? If You were to answer that the appointed time for relieving the burden of their servitude has not arrived yet, why did You send me already **at this time?** Moses implied that G'd should have waited with sending him on this mission until the actual slave labour of the Israelites had come to an end.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:2
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:22:2)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ לְמַעְלָה, כִּי גִּלָּה ה׳ אֵלָיו שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא קָרַב קֵץ גְּאוּלָה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הוּא מַקְדִּים לְהַצִּיל אוֹתָם מֵהָעֹנִי, וּכְשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ קֵץ הַגְּאוּלָה לְאַחַר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ יַעֲלֶה אוֹתָם. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה**, וְאִם תֹּאמַר מוּטָב שֶׁיִּסְבְּלוּ צָרָה זוֹ לְתַכְלִית הַגְּאוּלָה, אִם כֵּן ״לָמָּה זֶה שְׁלַחְתָּנִי״, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּל עִקַּר הַשְּׁלִיחוּת מִקֹּדֶם זְמַן הַגְּאוּלָה הוּא לְצַד הֲסָרַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, וְאִם אֵין תַּכְלִית טוֹב לַדָּבָר אֶלָּא הַיְּצִיאָה וְלֹא הַצָּלָתוֹ מִצָּרָה, אִם כֵּן **לָמָּה זֶּה שְׁלַחְתָּנִי.** וְרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **זֶה** לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁנִּתְעַכְּבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם מִזְּמַן זֶה עַד הַגְּאוּלָה, וְחָשַׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה כִּי צָרָה זוֹ שֶׁהִכְבִּיד פַּרְעֹה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּהְיֶה כֵן עַד זְמַן יְצִיאָתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
We have a reaction by Moses to what G'd had told him previously, namely that the end of the redemption process was not yet at hand but that He, G'd, would advance the time for rescuing the Jewish people by saving them from their oppression. At the end of twelve months the Exodus itself would take place. Moses now asked: "why did You bring harm upon this people?" He meant that if G'd were to tell him that this suffering would advance the redemption, "why did You send me already now? You Yourself have told me that the only reason to commence the mission now was to relieve the people of having to perform slave labour. If as it now appeared, my mission was to be effective only at the time of the Exodus, why did You send me ?" The word זה (numerical value 12) in Moses' question was an allusion to the 12 months the people still had to wait for the redemption. Moses was clearly afraid that Pharaoh's most recent decree would be in effect for the 12 months until the redemption.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:3
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:22:3)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה, לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּת הַמִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים וְכַת שֶׁאֵינָם מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים וְהוּא שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי, לָזֶה אָמַר כְּנֶגֶד כַּת הַמִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים **לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה**, אָמַר ״הַזֶּה״ לִשְׁלוֹל שֶׁאֵינָם מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים, וּכְנֶגֶד כַּת שֶׁלֹּא גָּרַם לָהֶם רָעָה אָמַר **לָמָּה זֶּה שְׁלַחְתָּנִי**, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא הוֹעַלְתִּי בִּשְׁלִיחוּתִי כְּלוּם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Perhaps Moses also referred to the fact that amongst the Israelites there were those who had to perform slave labour, and others, such as the the tribe of Levi, who were free from that burden. Concerning the former group Moses asked: "why have You brought harm upon them?" Concerning the latter group he asked: "why did You send me on this mission?"


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:4
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:22:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:22:4)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: **לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה** לְעַמְּךָ, וּבְהֶכְרֵחַ לְהָשִׁיב בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַשְּׁלִיחוּת יָצְתָה הָרָעָה, אִם כֵּן **לָמָּה זֶּה שְׁלַחְתָּנִי**, וְרָמַז בְּתֵיבַת ״זֶה״ לוֹמַר כִּי עַל זֶה הָיָה מְמָאֵן מִלֵּילֵךְ בְּעֵת הַשְּׁלִיחוּת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Moses may also simply have asked: "why did You cause harm to Your people?" G'd's answer would have to be that the harm was the result of Moses' mission. To this Moses retorted: "Why is this (**זה**) that You have sent me on this mission?" Moses' adding of the word **זה** was his way of saying that **this** was why he had been unwilling to undertake the mission in the first place.


###### Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:23:1
[Or HaChaim on Exodus 5:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Exodus/r/5:23:1)

**לְדַבֵּר בִּשְׁמֶךָ וְגוֹ׳ וְהַצֵּל וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, מִלְּבַד טַעֲנוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, עוֹד הוּא קוֹבֵל לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ אֵיךְ יִהְיֶה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, כִּי מֵאָז דִּבַּרְתִּי לָרָשָׁע זֶה בִּשְׁמֶךָ לֹא דַי שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה אֶלָּא הוֹסִיף לְהָרַע. וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **מֵאָז**, פֵּרוּשׁ, מִשָּׁעָה עַצְמָהּ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר לוֹ שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ נִתְמַלֵּא חֵמָה, כִּי בָּזֶה יוּכַּר הַדָּבָר כִּי מַה שֶׁעָשָׂה הוּא מִשִּׂנְאָתוֹ אֶת ה׳ וּמִמִּיעוּט עֶרְכּוֹ בְּעֵינָיו נִתְכַּוֵּן לְזַלְזֵל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְאֵין לְךָ מֵרִים יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ וְנוֹגֵעַ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ כָּזֶה. וְנִתְכַּוֵּן מֹשֶׁה בָּזֶה לוֹמַר, כִּי אֵיךְ לֹא נִתְקַנָּא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן לִכְבוֹד שְׁמוֹ לְהַצִּיל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִיָּדוֹ לְמָנְעוֹ מֵהָרַע לְעַמּוֹ תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד, הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ רְאוּיִים יִשְׂרָאֵל לְנֵס מִצַּד עַצְמָן – יִהְיוּ רְאוּיִים לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ אֲשֶׁר חִלֵּל רָשָׁע בְּגוֹבַהּ לִבּוֹ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ** בִּתְמִיהָה, אֵיךְ לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ אוֹתָם לְמַעַן מְנַאֵץ שְׁמֶךָ. וְכָפַל לוֹמַר שְׁתֵּי הַצָּלוֹת, לִרְמוֹז כִּי בְּלֹא טַעַם זֶה הֵם עוֹמְדִים לְהַצָּלָה וְלָזֶה שְׁלָחוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**לדבר בשמך…והצל לא הצלת את עמך. "to speak in Your name…but You have not saved Your people."** Moses added another argument to his previous ones. He wanted to know how it was possible that since he had spoken to this wicked king in the name of G'd, not only had He not responded but He had actually made things worse for the people whom Moses represented. He emphasised the word מאז to point out that Pharaoh's obstinacy appeared to have been a direct consequece of G'd's intervention through Moses. Clearly what Pharaoh did was motivated by his hatred for G'd. He was unparalleled in his rebellious behaviour against the king of the universe. Moses was amazed at G'd's apparent lack of jealousy of His reputation. Surely G'd now had an additional reason to redeem Israel immediately. Even if Israel did not merit redemption at this time due to its own merit, it had to be redeemed as a gesture against the blaspheming Pharaoh! The words והצל לא הצלת should be read as a question expressing Moses' amazement that G'd had not yet saved His people. Moses spoke of two "salvations," i.e. the one due to Israel's merit and the one due to Pharaoh's excesses.