שמות רבה ג׳Shemot Rabbah 3

Section 1א׳

וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יד, טו): פֶּתִי יַאֲמִין לְכָל דָבָר [וגו'], מַהוּ פֶּתִי, נַעַר, שֶׁכֵּן בַּעֲרַבְיָא קוֹרִין לְנַעַר פְּתַיָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵין פֶּתִי אֶלָּא לָשׁוֹן פִּתּוּי, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (שמות כב, טו): וְכִי יְפַתֶּה אִישׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן בַּר נְחֶמְיָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּגְלָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל משֶׁה טִירוֹן הָיָה משֶׁה לַנְּבוּאָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם נִגְלָה אֲנִי עָלָיו בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל אֲנִי מְבַעֲתוֹ, בְּקוֹל נָמוּךְ בּוֹסֵר הוּא עַל הַנְּבוּאָה, מֶה עָשָׂה נִגְלָה עָלָיו בְּקוֹלוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו, אָמַר משֶׁה הִנֵּנִי, מָה אַבָּא מְבַקֵּשׁ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינִי אָבִיךָ אֶלָּא אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ, בְּפִתּוּי בָּאתִי אֵלֶיךָ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא תִּתְיָרֵא, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב. שָׂמַח משֶׁה וְאָמַר הָא אַבָּא נִמְנֶה עִם הָאָבוֹת, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא גָדוֹל, שֶׁנִּזְכַּר תְּחִלָּה. וַיַּסְתֵּר משֶׁה פָּנָיו, אָמַר אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי עוֹמֵד כָּאן וְאֵינִי מַסְתִּיר פָּנָי. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה וְרַבִּי הוֹשְׁעְיָא, אֶחָד מֵהֶן אוֹמֵר לֹא יָפֶה עָשָׂה משֶׁה כְּשֶׁהִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו, שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי לֹא הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו גִּלָּה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה מַה לְּמַעְלָה וּמַה לְּמַטָּה וּמַה שֶּׁהָיָה וּמַה שֶּׁעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת. וּבַסּוֹף בִּקֵּשׁ לִרְאוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לג, יח): הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת כְּבֹדֶךָ. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה אֲנִי בָּאתִי לְהַרְאוֹת לְךָ וְהִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ, עַכְשָׁו אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ (שמות לג, כ): כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי, כְּשֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתִּי לֹא בִקַּשְׁתָּ, וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הֶרְאָה לוֹ, בִּשְׂכַר וַיַּסְתֵּר משֶׁה פָּנָיו (שמות לג, יא): וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים, וּבִשְׂכַר כִּי יָרֵא (שמות לד, ל): וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו. וּבִשְׂכַר מֵהַבִּיט (במדבר יב, ח): וּתְמֻנַּת ה' יַבִּיט. וְרַבִּי הוֹשְׁעְיָא רַבָּה אָמַר יָפֶה עָשָׂה שֶׁהִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי בָּאתִי לְהַרְאוֹת לְךָ פָּנִים, וְחָלַקְתָּ לִי כָבוֹד וְהִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ, חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאַתָּה עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת אֶצְלִי בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה, לֹא לֶאֱכֹל וְלֹא לִשְׁתּוֹת, וְאַתָּה עָתִיד לֵהָנוֹת מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו. אֲבָל נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא פָּרְעוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶן וְזָנוּ עֵינֵיהֶן מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד, יא): וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ, וְהֵם לֹא קִבְּלוּ עַל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ.

“He said: I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses hid his face, for he was afraid of looking at God” (Exodus 3:6). “He said: I am the God of your father” – that is what is written: “A fool [peti] believes everything” (Proverbs 14:15). What is a peti? It is a lad, as in Arabia they call a lad petaya. Alternatively, peti is nothing but an expression of seduction, as it is stated: “If a man seduces [yefateh] a woman” (Exodus 22:15). Rabbi Yehoshua Ha-Kohen bar Neḥemya said: At the moment that The Holy One blessed be He appeared to Moses, Moses was a novice at prophecy. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I appear to him in loud voice, I will terrify him; in soft voice, he will take prophecy lightly.’ What did He do? He appeared to him with the voice of his father. Moses said: ‘Here I am; what does Abba want?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I am not your father [Amram], but rather the God of your father. I have come to you with inducements so you will not be afraid.’ “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” – Moses was joyful and said: ‘Abba is enumerated with the patriarchs. Moreover, he is greater, as he was mentioned first.’ “Moses hid his face” – he said: ‘The God of my father is standing here and I am not hiding my face?’ Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa and Rabbi Hoshaya, one of them says: Moses did not act properly when he hid his face, as had he not hidden his face, The Holy One blessed be He would have revealed to him what is above, what is below, what was, and what is destined to be. Ultimately, he requested to see, as it is stated: “Please show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I came to appear to you, and you hid your face. Now I say to you: “For man will not see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20); when I wanted, you did not want.’ Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Nevertheless, He showed him. As reward for “Moses hid his face” – “the Lord spoke to Moses face to face” (Exodus 33:11); as reward for “For he was afraid,” – “they were afraid to approach him (Exodus 34:30); as reward for “of looking [mehabit]” – “and the likeness of the Lord he beholds [yabit]” (Numbers 12:8). Rabbi Hoshaya the Great said: He acted properly when he hid his face. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I came to reveal My face to you, and you honored Me and hid your face; by your life, you are destined to be with Me on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, without eating and without drinking, and you are destined to enjoy the aura of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face glowed” (Exodus 34:29). However, Nadav and Avihu uncovered their heads and feasted their eyes on the aura of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Against the nobles of the children of Israel He did not extend His hand” (Exodus 24:11), and they did not receive punishment for what they did.

Section 2ב׳

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב יא, יא): כִּי הוּא יָדַע מְתֵי שָׁוְא, יָדַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָעָם הַמֵּתִים עַל הַשָּׁוְא לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, יָדַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָעָם הָעֲתִידִים לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁוְא וְנֶהֱרָגִים, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (ישעיה ג, כה): מְתַיִךְ בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ. אֶלָּא (איוב יא, יא): וַיַּרְא אָוֶן וְלֹא יִתְבּוֹנָן, כֵּיצַד, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצְאָה הָגָר מִבֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם הִיא וּבְנָהּ, מַה כְּתִיב (בראשית כא, טו טז): וַיִּכְלוּ הַמַּיִם מִן הַחֵמֶת וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּשֶׁב לָהּ מִנֶּגֶד, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה הִתְחִילָה מַטַּחַת דְּבָרִים כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה, אָמְרָה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים אֶתְמוֹל אָמַרְתָּ לִי (בראשית טז, י): הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֵךְ, וְהַיּוֹם הוּא מֵת. מִיָּד (בראשית כא, יז): וַיִּקְרָא מַלְאַךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶל הָגָר. אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן בִּקְשׁוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לְקַטְרְגוֹ, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים אָדָם שֶׁעָתִיד לְהָמִית בָּנֶיךָ בַּצָּמָא אַתָּה מַעֲלֶה לוֹ אֶת הַבְּאֵר, נָאֶה לְהַעֲלוֹת לְשִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ (שמות טו, ב): זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ. אָמַר לָהֶם עַכְשָׁו צַדִּיק הוּא אוֹ רָשָׁע, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו, צַדִּיק הוּא. אָמַר לָהֶם אֵינִי דָן אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעָתוֹ, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב (איוב יא, יא): וַיַּרְא אָוֶן וְלֹא יִתְבּוֹנָן. וְכֵן כְּשֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה שֶּׁעֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' רָאֹה רָאִיתִי. רָאִיתִי לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא רָאֹה רָאִיתִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה, אַתָּה רוֹאֶה רְאִיָּה אַחַת, וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה שְׁתֵּי רְאִיּוֹת, אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן בָּאִין לְסִינַי וּמְקַבְּלִין תּוֹרָתִי, וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן מְקַבְּלִין תּוֹרָתִי, זֶהוּ רָאֹה, רָאִיתִי, זוֹ רְאִיַּת מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ט): רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה, כְּשֶׁאָבֹא לְסִינַי לִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אֲנִי יוֹרֵד בְּטַטְרָאמוֹלִי שֶׁלִּי שֶׁהֵן מִתְבּוֹנְנִים בִּי וְשׁוֹמְטִים אֶחָד מֵהֶן וּמַכְעִיסִים אוֹתִי בּוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵינִי דָּנָם לְפִי הַמַּעֲשִׂים הָעֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶלָּא לְפִי הָעִנְיָן דְּהַשְׁתָּא, כִּי שָׁמַעְתִּי אֶת צַעֲקָתָם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּדַעְתִּי מַכְאוֹבָיו שֶׁעֲתִידִים לַעֲשׂוֹת, הֱוֵי: רָאֹה רָאִיתִי, מַהוּ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאוֹבָיו, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי כַּמָּה עֲתִידִים לְהַכְאִיבֵנִי בַּמִּדְבָּר, כְּמָה דְּתֵימָא (תהלים עח, מ): כַּמָּה יַמְרוּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּר יַעֲצִיבוּהוּ בִּישִׁימוֹן, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵינִי נִמְנַע מִלְגָאֳלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה שָׁפַט עָתְנִיאֵל בֶּן קְנַז לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם כָּךְ הִבְטַחְתָּ אֶת משֶׁה בֵּין עוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנְךָ בֵּין לֹא עוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנְךָ אַתָּה גוֹאֲלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים ג, י): וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ ה' וַיִּשְׁפֹּט אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאוֹבָיו, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֲנִי גוֹאֲלָם.

“The Lord said: I have seen My people’s affliction that is in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, as I know their pain” (Exodus 3:7). “The Lord said: I have seen My people’s affliction” – that is what is written: “For He knows vain men [metei shav]” (Job 11:11); The Holy One blessed be He knows the people who die [metim] to perform vanity. Alternatively, The Holy One blessed be He knows the people who are destined to perform vanity and be killed, as it is stated: “Your men [metayikh] will fall by the sword” (Isaiah 3:25). In contrast, “He sees iniquity but does not consider it” (Job 11:11). How so? You find that at the moment that Hagar left Abraham’s house, she and her son, what is written? “The water in the skin finished…she went and sat down at a distance” (Genesis 21:15–16). Rabbi Berekhya said: She began reproaching Heaven; she said: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “I will multiply your descendants,” and today he is dying.’ Immediately, “the angel of God called to Hagar” (Genesis 21:17). Rabbi Simon said: The ministering angels sought to denounce him [Ishmael]. They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, a person who is destined to cause your children to die of thirst, are You bringing up a well for him? It is proper to bring it up for six hundred thousand who are destined to recite before You: “This is my God and I will glorify Him”’ (Exodus 15:2). He said to them: ‘Now, is he righteous or wicked’? They said before Him: ‘He is righteous.’ He said to them: ‘I only judge a person at his time.’ Therefore it is written: “He sees iniquity but does not consider it.” Likewise, when Israel was in Egypt, The Holy One blessed be He saw what they were destined to do; that is what is written: “The Lord said: I have seen [ra’o ra’iti].” It does not say ra’iti, but rather, ra’o ra’iti. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You see one sight but I see two sights. You see them arriving at Sinai and receiving My Torah, and I see them receiving My Torah, that is ra’o; [but I also see] ra’iti, that is the sight of the deed of the calf, as it is stated; “I have seen [ra’iti] this people” (Exodus 32:9). When I come to Sinai to give them the Torah, I descend in my tatramoli, and they look at me and remove one of them and anger me with it. Nevertheless, I am not judging them on the basis of the actions that they are destined to do but rather according to the situation now. For I have heard their cry, even though I know their pain that they are destined to cause.’ That is ra’o ra’iti. What is: “As I know their pain?” I know how much they are destined to pain Me in the wilderness, as it is stated: “How often did they defy Him in the wilderness, and aggrieve Him in the wasteland” (Psalms 78:40). Nevertheless, I will not refrain from delivering them. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Otniel ben Kenaz argued this matter before the Holy One blessed be He. He said: ‘Master of the universe, this is what you promised to Moses, whether they do Your will or they do not do Your will, you deliver them, as it is stated: “The spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel”’ (Judges 3:10). Therefore, it is written: “As I know their pain.” Nevertheless, I will deliver them.

Section 3ג׳

וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וגו', אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לְיַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם (בראשית מו, ד): אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ וגו', וְעַתָּה יָרַדְתִּי לְכָאן לְהַעֲלוֹת בָּנָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְיַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶן, וּלְהֵיכָן אֲנִי מַעֲלָן, אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִים מִשָּׁם, אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבוֹתָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וּלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא. וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה צַעֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָה אֵלָי, עַד עַתָּה לֹא בָא צַעֲקָתָם לְפָנָי, שֶׁלֹא הִגִּיעַ הַקֵּץ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית טו, יג): וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה. וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל פַּרְעֹה, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, לְכָה וַדָּאִית [הה"א שבסוף התבה], לוֹמַר אִם אֵין אַתָּה גּוֹאֲלָם אֵין אַחֵר גּוֹאֲלָם:

“I have come down to deliver them from the hand of Egypt and to take them up from that land to a good and expansive land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Emorites and the Perizzites and the Hivvites and the Yevusites” (Exodus 3:8). “I have come down to deliver them from the hand of Egypt…” – the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I told their patriarch Jacob: “I will go down with you into Egypt and I will take you up…” (Genesis 46:4). Now I have come down here to take his descendants up, as I said to Jacob their patriarch. To where will I take them up? To the place from which I took them, to the land about which I took an oath to their ancestors.’ That is what is written: “And to take them up from that land…” “And now, behold, the outcry of the children of Israel has come to Me and I have also seen the oppression that the Egyptians are oppressing them” (Exodus 3:9). “And now, behold, the outcry of the children of Israel has come to Me,” – until now, their outcry has not come to Me, as the end that I said to Abraham had not yet arrived: “And [they] will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13). “Go now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and take My people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). “Go [lekha] now, and I will send you to Pharaoh” – Rabbi Elazar said: Lekha [ending with the letter heh] is emphatic, saying that if you do not deliver them there is no one else to deliver them.