VaEira 5725
Alef.
1.
RaShI: The shortness of breath/spirit resulted from immediate emotional
and physical stress.
Ibn Ezra: The condition is the result of having been in exile for
so long and therefore deprived of personal dignity and a sense of self-worth.
2. RaMBaN wishes to account for their belief in Hashem. If they
would have possessed such belief, then wouldn’t they have been excited
to hear from HaShem and His Prophet? The pressure under which they toiled
removed from them the possibility of being reflective and invoking their
religious beliefs.
3. Sephorno sees their lack of ability to “listen” to Moshe
as the reason why HaShem Decides to Stop working with that generation,
and concentrate upon their children. It is as if this condition of the
inability to reflect and call upon one’s faith had become irreversible
in the parental generation whose afflictions associated with slavery
had been so deep and constant at the hands of the Egyptians.
4. For most commentaries, “Kotzer Ruach” and “Avoda Kasha”
are two separate phenomena. For Sephorno, the reason why they had “Kotzer
Ruach” was the Avoda Kasha.
5. It would appear that RaMBaN, like the Midrash HaGadol, is excusing
the people for not strongly believing in HaShem and His Salvation because
their difficult circumstance precluded such an expectation.
Sephorno,
who states that as a result of their inability to properly hear and
understand Moshe’s message, God Decides to replace the parental generation
with their children, would seem to demonstrate that you are held
accountable for your religious attitudes, however much we understand
their causes, and thereby are ready to excuse those whose attitudes
have developed so negatively.
Beit.
שמות פרק ו
(י) וַיְדַבֵּר יְקֹוָק אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:
(יא) בֹּא דַבֵּר אֶל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם וִישַׁלַּח אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְצוֹ:
(יב) וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי יְקֹוָק לֵאמֹר הֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֵלַי וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם: פ
במדבר פרק כז
(טו) וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְקֹוָק לֵאמֹר:
(טז) יִפְקֹד יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה:
(יז) אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יָבֹא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יוֹצִיאֵם וַאֲשֶׁר יְבִיאֵם וְלֹא תִהְיֶה עֲדַת יְקֹוָק כַּצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהֶם רֹעֶה:
(יח) וַיֹּאמֶר יְקֹוָק אֶל מֹשֶׁה קַח לְךָ אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ בּוֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת יָדְךָ עָלָיו:
(יט) וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל הָעֵדָה וְצִוִּיתָה אֹתוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם:
(כ) וְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(כא) וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים לִפְנֵי יְקֹוָק עַל פִּיו יֵצְאוּ וְעַל פִּיו יָבֹאוּ הוּא וְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתּוֹ וְכָל הָעֵדָה:
(כב) וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְקֹוָק אֹתוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיַּעֲמִדֵהוּ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל הָעֵדָה:
(כג) וַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת יָדָיו עָלָיו וַיְצַוֵּהוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְקֹוָק בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה: פ
It would
seem that in the case of Shemot 6, if anything, Moshe is a bit afraid to oppose what HaShem
has Told him to do, especially in light of Shemot 4:14 :
שמות פרק ד
(יד) וַיִּחַר אַף יְקֹוָק בְּמֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלֹא אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ הַלֵּוִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי דַבֵּר יְדַבֵּר הוּא וְגַם הִנֵּה הוּא יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתֶךָ וְרָאֲךָ וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ:
So his
speaking is more to himself, even though he is aware that he is still
standing before HaShem. This would be in contrast to every other case,
such as BaMidbar 27, where Moshe has a direct communication with HaShem, asking Him for a specific thing, which will
require Moshe to very specifically direct his communication.
Gimel.
שמות ו
(יב) וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי יְקֹוָק לֵאמֹר הֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֵלַי וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם: פ
(ל) וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי יְדֹוָד הֵן אֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתַיִם וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמַע אֵלַי פַּרְעֹה:
בראשית כג
(יא) לֹא אֲדֹנִי שְׁמָעֵנִי הַשָּׂדֶה נָתַתִּי לָךְ וְהַמְּעָרָה אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ לְךָ נְתַתִּיהָ לְעֵינֵי בְנֵי עַמִּי נְתַתִּיהָ לָּךְ קְבֹר מֵתֶךָ:
(יג) וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל עֶפְרוֹן בְּאָזְנֵי עַם הָאָרֶץ לֵאמֹר אַךְ אִם אַתָּה לוּ שְׁמָעֵנִי נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה קַח מִמֶּנִּי וְאֶקְבְּרָה אֶת מֵתִי שָׁמָּה:
מיכה ז
(ז) וַאֲנִי בַּידֹוָד אֲצַפֶּה אוֹחִילָה לֵאלֹקי יִשְׁעִי יִשְׁמָעֵנִי אֱלֹקי:
העמק דבר על שמות ו:יב
... אבל מתחילה יש לדעת ההפרש בין לשון "ישמעני". בין "ישמע אלי".
ד"ישמעני" משמעו שיהא נשמע לקבל דברו כמו “אם אתה לו שמעני” והיינו יקבל מנו.
אבל "ישמע אלי" משמעו שיטה אזנו לשמוע דברו וממילא מובן הפי' ולא שמעו אל משה. היינו שלא הטו אוזן כלל לדבריו...
HaEmek Davar explains the difference as follows:
“Yishmaeini” = not only listening,
but also compliance.
“Yishma Eilai” = simple listening, with the hope that understanding and
compliance might follow, but no guarantees.
Applying this distinction
to the cases that were listed in the question:
a) Shemot 6:12 If the
Jews are not ready to even listen to me, why should Pharoah comply with
my request?
b) Ibid. 30 Pharoah won’t even listen to me (i.e., give me the time of day, needless to say that he won’t comply with my demand.)
c) Beraishit 23:11 “Avraham”, said Efron, “you haven’t understood (even if you have listened) to what I said.
I want you to have a burial place for free.”
d) Ibid. 13 “It’s you, Ephron, who doesn’t understand me! I want to pay for a burial place rather than receive
it as a gift.
e) Micha 7:7 I am hoping that HaShem not only Hears what I have
to say, but also Understands and Grants my wish for redemption.
Daled.
1. The problem
in the verse is that we are not
told what the contents of the
“Commandment(s)” regarding the
Jews and Pharoah were.
2. RaShI understands
that something was communicated to Moshe and Aharon regarding the manner
in which they are to approach the Jewish people and Pharoah.
Akeidat Yitzchak posits that HaShem Did something to Bnai Yisrael
and Pharoah to at least eventually make them agreeable to accepting
the directives that Moshe and Aharon would issue.
3. According to Akeidat
Yitzchak, in light of the problem that the content of the “Commandments” are not delineated, it makes more sense to surmise that
something internally was done to the objects of Moshe and Aharon’s verbal efforts,
than to assume that some information was literally communicated to Moshe
and Aharon.
Tehillim
33:9
For He spoke, and it was; He commanded, and it stood. (Describing
how HaShem Brought into existence the natural universe.)
I Melachim 17:4
And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and
I have Commanded the ravens to feed thee
there.'
Ibid. 9
'Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and
dwell there; behold, I have Commanded a widow there to sustain thee.'
Shemot 7:1
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'See, I have Set thee in God's
stead to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
4. By adding the descriptive term “Melech Mitzrayim”, something that
by this time is clearly superfluous, one could understand the addition
of these words as an emphasis that however evilly the individual conducted
himself, his official position merited his being spoken to with respect.
Heh.
1. RaShI, Ibn Ezra and RaMBaN all understood “Kotzer Ruach” as referring to
the physical and emotional exhaustion resulting from the heavy work
load that had been imposed upon the Jews by the Egyptians.
Shemot Rabba understands
“Ruach” as a reference
to religious beliefs, i.e., the reason why the people could not be persuaded
to believe in Moshe’s message was because their spirit was preoccupied by pagan
beliefs from which they were unable to divest themselves.
2. The Midrash understands “Avoda Kasha” as the sensibility
of the people when they resisted substituting worshipping HaShem for
their pagan worship. The former seemed so much more difficult to fulfill
than the latter.
3.
שמות ד'
(כט) וַיֵּלֶךְ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֶת כָּל זִקְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(ל) וַיְדַבֵּר אַהֲרֹן אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה וַיַּעַשׂ הָאֹתֹת לְעֵינֵי הָעָם:
(לא) וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כִּי פָקַד יְדֹוָד אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִי רָאָה אֶת עָנְיָם וַיִּקְּדוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ:
Perhaps
initially, the people did not understand that they would have to give
anything up in order for HaShem to Save them from their enslavement.
However, when it became apparent from Pharoah’s initial refusal and his increasing their workloads that
this would be a protracted struggle, that would also involve their accepting a different religious
lifestyle, they became resistant and did not enthusiastically embrace
the implied changes. (The fact that according to the Mechilta only a small percentage
of the Jews actually left—1/5, 1/50 or 1/500 based upon Shemot 13:18 :
(יח) וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹקים אֶת הָעָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר יַם סוּף וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
combined
with the sin of the Golden Calf gives ample evidence for the Midrash’s contention.)
Vav.
1. א.
כח וַיְהִ֗י בְּי֨וֹם דִּבֶּ֧ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
{ס}
כט וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר אֲנִ֣י ה' דַּבֵּ֗ר אֶל־פַּרְעֹה֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ
מִצְרַ֔יִם אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י
דֹּבֵ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
The
difficulty in Shemot 6:28 is that it appears not to be a complete sentence,
but rather a dependent
clause.
ב.
RaMBaN explains that since based upon the immediately preceding verses,
(כו) הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְדֹוָד לָהֶם הוֹצִיאוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַל צִבְאֹתָם:
(כז) הֵם הַמְדַבְּרִים אֶל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לְהוֹצִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם הוּא משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן:
it could
be understood that both Moshe and Aharon received Revelation from HaShem.
Consequently, v. 28 is necessary to clarify the fact that it was specifically
Moshe to whom HaShem Appeared,
although Aharon would then help Moshe to communicate what had been Revealed
by HaShem.
ג.
Those who established the Ta’amei HaMikra,
and placed a “Sof Pasuk” at the
end of 6:28 instead of a note that would allow for reading the v. 28-9 as a single verse, are traditionally supposed to have been
revealed to Moshe on Sinai.1 Ibn Ezra, seems to be referring
to a human being as opposed to the Divine,2 is suggesting an origin post-Sinai.
א וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ אֱמֹ֣ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן נְטֵ֤ה אֶת־יָֽדְךָ֙ בְּמַטֶּ֔ךָ
עַ֨ל־הַנְּהָרֹ֔ת עַל־הַיְאֹרִ֖ים וְעַל־הָֽאֲגַמִּ֑ים
וְהַ֥עַל אֶת־הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֖ים עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ
מִצְרָֽיִם׃
יב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ אֱמֹר֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן נְטֵ֣ה אֶֽת־מַטְּךָ֔ וְהַ֖ךְ
אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה לְכִנִּ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
2. Perhaps, since the expectation based upon Shemot 4:17 :
(יז) וְאֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָאֹתֹת:
was
that Moshe would catalyze the various plagues by waving the miraculous
staff. Consequently, the
first time that Aharon wields the staff, there is emphasis upon the
word Aharon. However, once it is established that Aharon will be initiating
at least some of the plagues,
it is not so remarkable, and less emphasis has to placed on Aharon’s name via the Ta’amei HaMikra.
1 …The Teamim of Taamei Hamikra (Biblical accents) are
very ancient, and according to Simcha Ben Samuel, a pupil of Rashi (1040-1105),
the method of chanting the Teamim was revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai with the rest of the Torah. However, the signs developed
much later and are most probably post-Talmudic… http://bible.ort.org/books/
2
I was surprised that even in the Mechokkei Yehuda edition of Ibn Ezra,
no comment is made identifying who the
“Ba’al HaPhesakot”might be.
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