Excerpt from Parasha Shemoth
| ד וַיַּרְא יְהוָה, כִּי סָר לִרְאוֹת; וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו אֱלֹהִים מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה, וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה מֹשֶׁה--וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי. | 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: 'Moses, Moses.' And he said: 'Here am I.' |
| יא וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, אֶל-הָאֱלֹהִים, מִי אָנֹכִי, כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל-פַּרְעֹה; וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִמִּצְרָיִם. | 11 And Moses said unto God: 'Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?' |
| יב וַיֹּאמֶר, כִּי-אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, וְזֶה-לְּךָ הָאוֹת, כִּי אָנֹכִי שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ: בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ אֶת-הָעָם, מִמִּצְרַיִם, תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים, עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה. | 12 And He said: 'Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.' |
COMMENT:
We will look at these verses as recording Moshe caught in Avraham's question:"How can I know that I will inherit the land?" *
Hashem's answer to Avraham is to make with him the eternal covenant. How can Hashem's answer to Moshe here be understood as an application to Moshe of that covenant, and therefore the same answer that Hashem gave to Avraham?
And how does this answer to Moshe expand upon the meaning of the covenant as it was explained to Avraham? See my further comments at the end of this post.
The following is based on the Study series by Shabbat Shalom's Avigdor Bonchek's "What's Bothering Rashi?" It is a product of the Institute for the Study of Rashi and Early Commentaries. An opportunity to receive a subscription to this series can be found here: http://mail.shemayisrael.com/mailman/listinfo/wb-rashi_shemayisrael.com
And He said: "Because I will be with you: Rashi: He answered on the first (question) first and the last (question) last. What you said 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh - this is not your matter rather it is Mine because I will be with you.
And this vision which you have seen, the bush, it is a sign that I have sent you. That I am capable of saving, as you have seen that the bush has done My bidding and is not consumed likewise when you do My bidding and neither will you be harmed. And regarding what you asked: What merit does Israel have that they should be taken out of Egypt? It is a big matter for Me this exodus because they are destined to accept the Torah on this mountain three months after the exodus. Another interpretation: Because I will be with you and that you will be successful in this missions will be for you as a sign for another promise - that which I promise you that you when you will take them out of Egypt you will serve Me on this mountain that you will receive the Torah on it. And that is the special merit that Israel has.
This is a complicated Rashi. He bases his comment on this verse on the previous verse. In that verse Moses asks two questions. G-d's answer relates to these two comments.
What are the two questions?
Answer: Moses asks rhetorically "who am I that I should go to Pharaoh" meaning I am not worthy to be the one to go to Pharaoh.
The second question is: Are the Jews worthy of being taken out of Egypt?
How G-d does answer these questions according to Rashi?
An Answer: Moses need not necessarily be worthy; because this is G-d's mission and He will be with Moses.
The Jews are worthy of being taken out of Egypt because they have an important mission - to receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
In this comment Rashi explains something that is difficult in the verse.
What do you see as difficult in this verse?
An Answer: The verse says "And this is a sign for you that I sent you - when you take the people out from Egypt you will serve G-d on this mountain."
Do you see the difficulty?
Moses fears the People (or Pharaoh) will not accept him as a G-d appointed leader and thus will not follow him out of Egypt. If the sign is you will serve G-d on this mountain, what good is a sign that will only be known months after the Exodus? When the time for the Exodus comes, the truth of the sign will not yet be known!
How does Rashi's comment deal with this?
An Answer: Rashi gives two answers to this question. In his first interpretation he says the sign is to show Moses that he has no reason to fear not succeeding in G-d's mission. The burning bush is the sign - just as the bush did G-d's will and was not harmed, so too Moses will do G-d's will and not be harmed.
In his second interpretation Rashi says the sign is Moses' success in taking the People out of Egypt and this is the sign that Moses can accomplish another mission which is to take the People to Mt Sinai and receive the Torah there.
So in both interpretations the sign is meaningful. It is not as we thought originally - that the sign was receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
The Ramban has a different answer to the question we asked - what was the sign?
Ramban says that Moses had two fears. One was that he was too insignificant to influence Pharaoh to let the People go. And the second fear was that while the People would gladly follow anyone to leave Egypt and get out of their slavery, but why would they follow Moses all the way to the Land of Canaan (and have to fight the strong nations there)?
The sign was, says Ramban, the People hearing G-d at Mt. Sinai and receiving the Torah there. Once they saw this happen that would be a sign that would convince them to follow Moses all the way to the Promised Land.
Sounds convincing! Unfortunately even after the miraculous event at Sinai the People could still make trouble for Moses! A stiff necked People they were. _____________________________________
*
This is from http://www.shlomoyeshiva.org/eretz-yisrael/
Avraham avinu said to G-d, “How shall I know that I shall inherit the land?” I am always asking on this: Avraham didn’t inherit the land – his children inherited the land! Avraham should have said to G-d, “How do I know You will give me the land?” not “inherit.” My answer is, Avraham was given Eretz Yisrael on the level of kedushat ha-aretz, the holiness of the land. But, Eretz Yisrael, on the level of clal Yisrael, that Avraham Avinu inherits from us.
Basically, a father doesn’t inherit from his children unless, G-d forbid, his children die in his lifetime. Everybody knows that Avraham saw the galut. The exile, and saw that Mashiach is coming. All the Jewish children who died in exile, in Auschwitz, all the children who died – Avraham avinu inherits Eretz Yisrael from them. That is what he meant when he asked, “How can I know that I will inherit the land?”
Avraham asked G-d, “Who will be the last one before Mashiach comes?” G-d answered, “You will be the one.” All those souls who died, giving Eretz Yisrael back to Avraham avinu, Avraham gives it over to us. The way he gives it to us is: “Go thou from thy land, from thy father’s house.” When I inherit through my zaida (grandfather) I inherit because it belongs to me. But, when it goes back to Avraham, it goes back to “go thou from thy Iand.” Our generation inherits from Avraham. The whole teshuva (return to Judaism) movement began after Auschwitz, after the children gave Eretz Yisrael back to Avraham avinu, and Avraham gave it back to us. The way he gave it back to us is “Lech lecha” – (“Go thou out”) – G-d should give us the strength to leave the whole world behind us, and run to Eretz Yisrael.
COMMENT: Avraham's question was:
"How can I know that I will inherit the land?"
Hashem's answer to Avraham is to make with him the eternal covenant. We might say that Avraham's pronoun, "I" was corporate. Moshe's question was how could he know that he would be worthy to lead Israel to the fulfillment of the covenant. Just as Avraham's soul would inherit the land, and thereby give true testimony to the true G-d, so Moshe's soul would lead All-Israel to the realization of her true testimony to the true G-d, in receiving the Torah and wholly fulfilling it in the whole land of Israel.
Avigdor Bonchek
On verse 12) And He said: "Because I will be with you and this shall be for you as a sign that I have sent you."RASHI
And He said: "Because I will be with you: Rashi: He answered on the first (question) first and the last (question) last. What you said 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh - this is not your matter rather it is Mine because I will be with you.
And this vision which you have seen, the bush, it is a sign that I have sent you. That I am capable of saving, as you have seen that the bush has done My bidding and is not consumed likewise when you do My bidding and neither will you be harmed. And regarding what you asked: What merit does Israel have that they should be taken out of Egypt? It is a big matter for Me this exodus because they are destined to accept the Torah on this mountain three months after the exodus. Another interpretation: Because I will be with you and that you will be successful in this missions will be for you as a sign for another promise - that which I promise you that you when you will take them out of Egypt you will serve Me on this mountain that you will receive the Torah on it. And that is the special merit that Israel has.
WHAT IS RASHI SAYING?
This is a complicated Rashi. He bases his comment on this verse on the previous verse. In that verse Moses asks two questions. G-d's answer relates to these two comments.
What are the two questions?
TWO QUESTIONS ACCORDING TO RASHI
Answer: Moses asks rhetorically "who am I that I should go to Pharaoh" meaning I am not worthy to be the one to go to Pharaoh.
The second question is: Are the Jews worthy of being taken out of Egypt?
How G-d does answer these questions according to Rashi?
TWO ANSWERS ACCORDING TO RASHI
An Answer: Moses need not necessarily be worthy; because this is G-d's mission and He will be with Moses.
The Jews are worthy of being taken out of Egypt because they have an important mission - to receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
In this comment Rashi explains something that is difficult in the verse.
What do you see as difficult in this verse?
WHAT IS BOTHERING RASHI?
An Answer: The verse says "And this is a sign for you that I sent you - when you take the people out from Egypt you will serve G-d on this mountain."
Do you see the difficulty?
Moses fears the People (or Pharaoh) will not accept him as a G-d appointed leader and thus will not follow him out of Egypt. If the sign is you will serve G-d on this mountain, what good is a sign that will only be known months after the Exodus? When the time for the Exodus comes, the truth of the sign will not yet be known!
How does Rashi's comment deal with this?
UNDERSTANDING RASHI
An Answer: Rashi gives two answers to this question. In his first interpretation he says the sign is to show Moses that he has no reason to fear not succeeding in G-d's mission. The burning bush is the sign - just as the bush did G-d's will and was not harmed, so too Moses will do G-d's will and not be harmed.
In his second interpretation Rashi says the sign is Moses' success in taking the People out of Egypt and this is the sign that Moses can accomplish another mission which is to take the People to Mt Sinai and receive the Torah there.
So in both interpretations the sign is meaningful. It is not as we thought originally - that the sign was receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
RAMBAN'S UNDERSTANDING
The Ramban has a different answer to the question we asked - what was the sign?
Ramban says that Moses had two fears. One was that he was too insignificant to influence Pharaoh to let the People go. And the second fear was that while the People would gladly follow anyone to leave Egypt and get out of their slavery, but why would they follow Moses all the way to the Land of Canaan (and have to fight the strong nations there)?
The sign was, says Ramban, the People hearing G-d at Mt. Sinai and receiving the Torah there. Once they saw this happen that would be a sign that would convince them to follow Moses all the way to the Promised Land.
Sounds convincing! Unfortunately even after the miraculous event at Sinai the People could still make trouble for Moses! A stiff necked People they were. _____________________________________
*
This is from http://www.shlomoyeshiva.org/eretz-yisrael/
Avraham avinu said to G-d, “How shall I know that I shall inherit the land?” I am always asking on this: Avraham didn’t inherit the land – his children inherited the land! Avraham should have said to G-d, “How do I know You will give me the land?” not “inherit.” My answer is, Avraham was given Eretz Yisrael on the level of kedushat ha-aretz, the holiness of the land. But, Eretz Yisrael, on the level of clal Yisrael, that Avraham Avinu inherits from us.
Basically, a father doesn’t inherit from his children unless, G-d forbid, his children die in his lifetime. Everybody knows that Avraham saw the galut. The exile, and saw that Mashiach is coming. All the Jewish children who died in exile, in Auschwitz, all the children who died – Avraham avinu inherits Eretz Yisrael from them. That is what he meant when he asked, “How can I know that I will inherit the land?”
Avraham asked G-d, “Who will be the last one before Mashiach comes?” G-d answered, “You will be the one.” All those souls who died, giving Eretz Yisrael back to Avraham avinu, Avraham gives it over to us. The way he gives it to us is: “Go thou from thy land, from thy father’s house.” When I inherit through my zaida (grandfather) I inherit because it belongs to me. But, when it goes back to Avraham, it goes back to “go thou from thy Iand.” Our generation inherits from Avraham. The whole teshuva (return to Judaism) movement began after Auschwitz, after the children gave Eretz Yisrael back to Avraham avinu, and Avraham gave it back to us. The way he gave it back to us is “Lech lecha” – (“Go thou out”) – G-d should give us the strength to leave the whole world behind us, and run to Eretz Yisrael.
COMMENT: Avraham's question was:
"How can I know that I will inherit the land?"
Hashem's answer to Avraham is to make with him the eternal covenant. We might say that Avraham's pronoun, "I" was corporate. Moshe's question was how could he know that he would be worthy to lead Israel to the fulfillment of the covenant. Just as Avraham's soul would inherit the land, and thereby give true testimony to the true G-d, so Moshe's soul would lead All-Israel to the realization of her true testimony to the true G-d, in receiving the Torah and wholly fulfilling it in the whole land of Israel.
As G-d's covenant was that he would be with Israel in exile, so he would be with Avraham's soul and with Moshe's soul in whatever aspect of the exile remained in the process of coming fully into the inheritance of the land, whatever short-falling that occurred in Israel it would not prevent the final fulfillment. For G-d was present with Israel at the lowest point and did not leave her, so he would also be with her at ever point of her elevation.
Indeed, it was his assurance to Avraham and to Moshe that it was he, G-d himself, who brought Israel down into Egypt, to her lowest point, that he might be there with her, in order that they might have assurance that their witness of Torah service to him might be certain in the land on the day of her testimony.
And what does this mean for those whose spirit is alive in the spirit of Mashiach, who are the heirs of Avraham according to the promise? For those who are disciples of Moshe it means that their souls are exiled to their lowest points without being separated from G-d's presence, even if they, like Avraham and Moshe, need reassurance of this. And it is this very exile from the place of promise, this exile together with G-d's word and his Spirit, which suffer according to his covenant with us, which is our assurance that we will wear the word of G-d upon our forehead and upon our arm in the Land of Israel in the day of her testimony.
Rashi in summary
G-d says "I am G-d" -- Rashi says that G-d is saying here to Moshe
that G-d is competent to send Moshe. Or as it has been said: "When
you are doing what G-d wants, you have infinite power.
COMMENT: When G-d says to testify to the world that his covenant with Israel is kept through the blood of Mashiach nothing will be able to prevent you from testifying in the power of his grace.
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