Shemos 5779 (Yom Chamishi)
How High?
בס"ד (with the help of heaven)
In today's Torah portion (Thursday of the week of Shemos) we find an interesting conversation between G-d and Moshe - A conversation whose source originates from the 7 days of creation, and whose consequences reverberate until the coming of Moshiach, may it be soon. In this conversation, Moshe himself argues with G-d (kind of a jewish thing) regarding the details of his responsibility in acting as a conduit for the miracles - and the 10 plagues to be brought against Egypt - and to be the leader who leads the Jewish people out from oppression to freedom, from bitterness to happiness, and from days of mourning to days of rejoicing.
Now, to preface: In yesterday’s portion of Chumash, Moshe came upon the burning bush, from which G-d spoke to him.
The Midrashic context of how that came to be is quite relevant to the ensuing conversation. Moshe was shepherding the sheep of Yisro, but one small lamb wandered away. After making sure that someone was paying attention to the rest of Yisro’s flock, he followed the strayed sheep, which continued to walk until it reached a small wellspring, where it stopped to drink. Moshe said to the lamb with intense feeling and empathy, “I see that you were thirsty, had I known this, I would have brought you to the water.” G-d pointed - metaphorically speaking (as the Rambam says, G-d has no body nor anything which can be compared to a body) - and said “This is the Shepherd to whom I will entrust my flock of sheep” (referring to the Children of Israel). and at that moment, Moshe discovered the Burning Bush.
Okay, so in today’s Chumash...
G-d spoke to Moshe and told him, “Go and gather together the elders of Israel, and say to them the G-d of your fathers has appeared to me, the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, to say ‘I have surely remembered you (פקד פקדתי - the secret sign that only the redeemer would carry, which was entrusted to Serach, Asher’s daughter, as i’ve discussed in other posts), and what has been done to you in Mitzrayim’. I will bring you up out of the suffering of Egypt, to the land currently in the hands of (The land did not belong to them, since they were children of Cham, who invaded land which was designated for the children of Shem, by the pact Noah’s 3 sons made after the flood. The Jews were children of Shem coming to reclaim their land from the invaders) the Canaanites, the Chitites, Emorites, Perizites, Chivites, and Yebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. They will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Mitzrayim and say to him ‘the G-d of the Hebrews has called out to us, and now we must go 3 days distance into the desert, and offer a sacrifice to Hashem our G-d there.’ I know that the king of Mitzrayim will not allow you to leave, and not with a strong hand. And I will stretch out my hand and strike the land of Mitzrayim with all of my wonders which i will do to them, and afterwards they will send you out. And I will put this people's favor in the eyes of the Mitzrim (Egyptians), and it will come to pass that when you go, you will not go empty handed. Each woman shall borrow from her neighbor and from the dweller in her house silver and gold objects and garments, and you shall put [them] on your sons and on your daughters, and you shall empty out Mitzrayim."
לֵ֣ךְ וְאָֽסַפְתָּ֞ אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵהֶם֙ יְ-הֹ-וָ֞-ה אֱלֹהֵ֤-י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ נִרְאָ֣ה אֵלַ֔י אֱלֹהֵ֧-י אַבְרָהָ֛ם יִצְחָ֥ק וְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר פָּקֹ֤ד פָּקַ֨דְתִּי֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְאֶת־הֶֽעָשׂ֥וּי לָכֶ֖ם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם: וָֽאֹמַ֗ר אַֽעֲלֶ֣ה אֶתְכֶם֘ מֵֽעֳנִ֣י מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ: וְשָֽׁמְע֖וּ לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ וּבָאתָ֡ אַתָּה֩ וְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֗יִם וַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ יְ-הֹ-וָ֞-ה אֱלֹהֵ֤-י הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙ נִקְרָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה נֵֽלֲכָה־נָּ֞א דֶּ֣רֶךְ שְׁל֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה לַֽי-הֹ-וָ֥-ה אֱ-לֹהֵֽ-ינוּ: וַֽאֲנִ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִתֵּ֥ן אֶתְכֶ֛ם מֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרַ֖יִם לַֽהֲלֹ֑ךְ וְלֹ֖א בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה: וְשָֽׁלַחְתִּ֤י אֶת־יָדִי֙ וְהִכֵּיתִ֣י אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹל֙ נִפְלְאֹתָ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶעשֶׂ֖ה בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן יְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶתְכֶֽם: וְנָֽתַתִּ֛י אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י תֵֽלֵכ֔וּן לֹ֥א תֵֽלְכ֖וּ רֵיקָֽם: שָֽׁאֲלָ֨ה אִשָּׁ֤ה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ֙ וּמִגָּרַ֣ת בֵּיתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֛סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּשְׂמָלֹ֑ת וְשַׂמְתֶּ֗ם עַל־בְּנֵיכֶם֙ וְעַל־בְּנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְנִצַּלְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־מִצְרָֽיִם:
Okay, now things get Interesting. Moshe asks a few questions, makes a few statements, and on each one, G-d rebukes him for asking them.
וַיַּ֤עַן משֶׁה֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר וְהֵן֙ לֹא־יַֽאֲמִ֣ינוּ לִ֔י וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְע֖וּ בְּקֹלִ֑י כִּ֣י יֹֽאמְר֔וּ לֹֽא־נִרְאָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יךָ יְ-הֹוָֽ-ה:
Moshe said “They will not believe me, and they will not listen to my voice”
To this, G-d responded with 2 pieces of rebuke in the form of 2 signs. The first one was turning the staff to a snake. The message was as follows: By saying that the Children of Israel will not believe that their redeemer has come, given the sign “פקד פקדתי” (I have surely remembered you), you are saying slander on them, Lashon Hara. To speak Lashon Hara against the people, you have grasped on to the behavior in the snake in the Garden of Eden, who said slander against his creator (the snake originally told Chava that G-d commanded to her and Adam not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil because G-d ate from the fruit of the tree and created the world, and then commanded them not to eat from the tree, that they should not become like him and create other worlds - very deep and worth discussing at a later time). The second sign was that of Tzara’as upon his hand, the biblical leprosy which was given as a punishment for speaking Lashon Hara.
וְהָיָה֙ אִם־לֹ֣א יַֽאֲמִ֣ינוּ לָ֔ךְ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֣ת הָֽרִאשׁ֑וֹן וְהֶֽאֱמִ֔ינוּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֥ת הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן:
G-d said “And if they do not listen and believe you after the first of the signs, they will listen by the last.”
On to the next statement/question and the next piece of rebuke?
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֣ה אֶל־יְ-הֹ-וָ-ה֘ בִּ֣י אֲ-דֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי גַּ֤ם מִתְּמוֹל֙ גַּ֣ם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּ֛ם מֵאָ֥ז דַּבֶּרְךָ֖ אֶל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֧י כְבַד־פֶּ֛ה וּכְבַ֥ד לָשׁ֖וֹן אָנֹֽכִי:
Moses said to Hashem, "I beseech You, My master. I am not a man of words, neither from yesterday nor from the day before yesterday, nor from the time You have spoken to Your servant, for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue."
When Moshe was a baby, Pharaoh had removed his crown, and Moshe picked it up and put it on his own head. Pharaoh’s advisers immediately noticed and came to Pharaoh, telling him that it was a sign that in the future, Moshe would come to overthrow him. On that, he was ready to have Moshe killed, but Yisro - who was working as an Advisor to Pharaoh at the time, realized that there was no reasoning with Pharaoh, and devised a way to /hopefully/ save Moshe’s life. He proposed that a test be made to see if Moshe was wise, or not. They would put in front of him a bowl of glowing coals, and a bowl filled with gold. If Moshe reached for the gold, it would be a sign that he was a threat to Pharaoh, and if he reached for the burning coals, it would be a sign that he would not threaten the throne. As Moshe was reaching for the gold, the Angel Gavriel came and grabbed Moshe’s hand, and directed it into the bowl of coals. Having burned his hand, Moshe pulled his hand back and placed his fingers in his mouth (with little bits of coals), burning his hand, and leaving him with a speech impediment which had plagued him until that day. (Shemos Rabbah)
G-d answered Moshe:
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְ-הֹ-וָ֜-ה אֵלָ֗יו מִ֣י שָׂ֣ם פֶּה֘ לָֽאָדָם֒ א֚וֹ מִֽי־יָשׂ֣וּם אִלֵּ֔ם א֣וֹ חֵרֵ֔שׁ א֥וֹ פִקֵּ֖חַ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א אָֽנֹכִ֖י יְ-הֹ-וָֽ-ה: וְעַתָּ֖ה לֵ֑ךְ וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶֽ-הְ-יֶ֣-ה עִם־פִּ֔יךָ וְהֽוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּֽר:
But Hashem said to him, "Who gave man a mouth, or who makes [one] mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, Hashem? So now, go! I will be with your mouth, and I will instruct you what you shall speak.”
On to the Third Statement/Question:
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׁלַח־נָ֖א בְּיַד־תִּשְׁלָֽח:
But he said, "I beseech You, Hashem, send now [Your message] with whom You will send."
Moshe understood that G-d wanted him to go, and understood that it needed to happen now... and now he answered with prophesy: “G-d, why are you sending me - should you not send Moshiach, your anointed one, who you have appointed to be the Redeemer of Israel from before creation? Will not he bring a permanent redemption, while I may not be able to?”
For this Hashem rebuked him sharply, While telling him that he would have the help of his brother Aharon.
Rabbi Joshua ben Korchah says: In every [instance that God’s] kindling anger [is mentioned, i.e., that God’s anger was sparked] in the Torah, it is stated [that there was] a consequence [i.e., it was followed by a punishment]. In this [instance, however,] no consequence is stated, and we do not find that a punishment came [to Moses] after this kindling of anger. Rabbi Jose said to him, “Here too you can see a consequence is stated: [namely in the question] ‘Is there not Aaron your brother, the Levite,’ who was destined to be a Levite and not a priest [kohen]. I had said that the priesthood would emanate from you, henceforth it will not be so, but he [Aaron] will be a priest and you the Levite, as it is said: ‘But as for Moses, the man of God-his sons were to be called in the tribe of Levi’ . (Rashi)
Finally after all this Rebuke, Moshe asks a final question, and one not brought clearly in the Chumash. The Midrash Rabbah says that Moshe asked “how am I supposed to bring 10 plagues upon Mitzrayim?” To which, Hashem answers not with rebuke, but with a simple command:
את המטה הזה תקח בידך אשר תעשה בו את האותות
This staff, take in your hand, with it you will perform those signs.
It almost seems like Chutzpah - After being told and rebuked over and over, that he was wondering how HE would perform - or as it were, make a preparation for Hashem to perform - the wonders which would bring the 10 plagues upon the Egyptians.
But the Midrash Explains it more deeply. Moshe’s question wasn’t “How should I perform 10 plagues”, but “I understand that through me, you will bring 10 plagues upon the Egyptians (or as it were, 9 plagues, aside from the plague of the First Born). What are the plagues, and in what order should they be performed?”
To which Hashem Responded “The staff, take in your hands, with it you will perform those signs”. The Midrash Continues:
זֶה הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁהָיוּ כְּתוּבִין עָלָיו עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת, שֶׁהָיָה כָּתוּב עָלָיו נוֹטָרִיקוֹן דצ"ך עד"ש באח"ב, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵלּוּ הַמַּכּוֹת אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְיָדֶךָ עֲשֵׂה אוֹתָם לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה עַל יְדֵי הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה.
This Staff (which was one of 10 things created in right as Shabbos was coming in during the 7 days of creation) has the 10 plagues written upon it, in a sign DaTZaCH ADaSH B’ACHaV (The same as the abbreviation for the plagues which Rebbi Yehuda gave us in the Pesach Haggadah!). Hashem said to Moshe: These are the plagues which I have placed in your hand, you will do them before Pharaoh through this staff.
In other words, Moshe certainly argued with G-d. That’s kinda our thing. But once he understood that it was his obligation and nobody else’s? That he was being told to jump?
He asked “How High”?
