Commentary for Exodus 4:14

ויחר אף AND [THE LORD’S] WRATH GLOWED — Rabbi Joshua the son of Korcha said: wherever the term “and God’s wrath glowed” occurs in the Scriptures it leaves a definite impression (mention of punishment of some kind follows), but here no such result is mentioned, for we do not find that any punishment came upon Moses in consequence of that anger of God. Rabbi José said to him: As a matter of fact here, too, some definite result is mentioned, viz., הלא אהרן אחיך הלוי “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother?” — which implies, that he was destined to be a Levite (an attendant on the priests) and not a priest, — and I intended that the priesthood should proceed from you. Now, however, this shall not be so, but he will be the Priest and you the Levite, as it is said, (I Chronicles 23:14) “But as for Moses the man of God his sons are named among the tribe of Levi” (Zevachim 102a).

I KNOW THAT HE [Aaron] CAN SPEAK WELL. That is to say, “It is revealed before Me that, out of his love for you, Aaron will willingly speak on your behalf even if I were not to command him. And also, behold, he cometh forth of his own bidding to meet thee, and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart, and he will not be jealous over your distinction in this honorable mission.” The reason that it was necessary that G-d tell Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses,²⁸³Further. Verse 27. was in order to inform him of the road by which Moses was coming. It is possible that Aaron heard of Moses’ departure from Midian, and on his own accord he went out to meet him. Afterwards, when he was already on the way, it was said to him, “Go into the wilderness to meet him, for there you will find him.”

ויחר אף ה' במשה, such an expression always means that G’d’s anger had tangible consequences for the one at whom G’d was angry. In this instance, the encounter described in verse 24 where G’d is described as seeking to kill him is such a consequence. I already explained on Genesis 32,29 that Yaakov’s having had to limp was a punishment for him.

הלא אהרן אחיך? If it had been My intention to appoint someone naturally suited for the task, there is your brother Aaron, the Levite, undoubtedly a wise man as are all his brothers the Levites.

ויתר אף ה׳ במשה, G'd became angry at Moses, etc. I believe that as a result of G'd's anger Moses did indeed remain afflicted with his stammer even after he undertook the mission in the end. The Torah says that G'd became angry במשה, at Moses; I understand that to be a reference to his body, i.e. it had an effect on his deformity. Our sages in Zevachim 102 who suggested that Moses referred to his older brother Aaron when he made the comment G'd found objectionable, believed that Moses who had been meant to also fulfil the function of High Priest was deprived of this function as a result of G'd's anger. The Talmud's comment is perfectly compatible with my own, as the words ויחר אף hinted at two things.

ידעתי כי דבר ידבר, “I know that he is a fluent orator.” This means that G’d tells Moses that He is aware that Aaron is willing to act as his mouthpiece even without being commanded by G’d to do so. As proof of Aaron’s helpful attitude, He tells Moses that he is on his way to meet his younger brother, not harbouring any resentment that his younger brother has been chosen for such a fateful mission. The only reason G’d had to tell him to meet Moses in the desert was to inform him of where in the desert he would find his brother. It is also possible that Aaron had heard that Moses had left Midian and that he had gone forth to meet him without even having received any instruction from G’d on the subject. Once Aaron had been on the way, G’d gave him directions where to meet Moses.

ויחר אף ה' במשה, “The Lord became angry at Moses.” Whenever the Torah mentions that G’d became angry at someone this has tangible consequences. Here too G’d’s anger had immediate consequences as our sages (Shemot Rabbah 3,17) comment that as a result of Moses’ last remarks he lost the entitlement to become the High Priest. This is the significance of G’d saying: “is there not Aaron the Levite?” G’d meant that as of now Aaron had been slated to become the Priest instead of remaining merely a Levite. According to another Midrash, the result of Moses’ improper remark was that he would now never be cured of his speech defect. G’d could have honored Moses by curing his affliction at least as easily as He honored Moses by making the skin of his face radiate light. The implication of the words: “is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently,” is that by contrast Moses would never be cured from his stammer.

The adornment of the breastplate. The word עדי means “ornament.”

V. 14. Wir begegnen hier zum erstenmale dem Namen "Lewi" als Ausdruck des Charakters. Zum Lewi gehört Kraft, Mut und Entschiedenheit, diese besitzt dein Bruder, ihn werde ich nicht lange zu bitten haben, dem brennt schon das Wort auf der Zunge, er weiß auch schon darum und wird sich freuen, dass dir eine solche Sendung geworden.

וראך ושמח בלבו, “as son as he sees you he will rejoice in his heart.” The reason why G–d had to tell him this was that Moses had not wanted to usurp the status of his older brother as he feared that this might lead to his becoming jealous of him. (Sh’mot Rabbah 2,27. G–d told him that he had no reason to worry about this, and that He had already commanded Aaron to be on his way to be reunited with his brother whom he had not seen or heard from for many decades. (Exodus 4,27) Moreover, G–d also told him that all the people in Egypt who at one time had sought to have him executed had already died so that he did not have anything to fear for the safety of his person.

וראך ושמח בלבו “and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart” He will be happy that you have become a prophet and he will not be jealous of you. When Moshe heard this, he immediately went to Egypt.

הנה הוא יצא לקראתך HE WILL BE GOING FORTH TOWARDS THEE, when you will be going to Egypt.

כי דבר ידבר הוא. He grew to maturity in Egypt, and he has complete mastery of the kind of Egyptian spoken by the upper classes, so that he will be listened to with respect.

כי ידעתיו כי דבר ידבר הוא, for I am well aware that he is an excellent speaker without needing training, וגם הנה הוא יוצא לקראתך וראך ושמח בלבו, and although he is on the way to meet you out of respect for you and your elevation to an even higher status than his own, he will undoubtedly be happy to serve as your interpreter full-heartedly.

וראך ושמח בלבו, “when he sees you he will be happy in his heart.” The Torah informs us with this comment that neither of the two brothers would be jealous of the other’s rank. This is what inspired David to sing (Psalms 133,1) “how good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.” The Torah did not speak about Aaron being happy בפיו, with his “mouth,” i.e. expressing joy about Moses’ appointment verbally, but it wrote that he was “happy in his heart.” Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai comments that the heart which was so generous that it could be happy at the elevation to leadership of his younger brother was found worthy to wear the breastplate with the Urim veTumim (the parchment enabling him to communicate with G’d at will) as it is written "And they will be worn on the heart of Aaron" (Exodus 28,30 compare Tanchuma Shemot 27).

כי דבר ידבר, "for he will certainly speak," etc. The reason that G'd repeated the word דבר is that G'd indicated that though Aaron was able to speak fluently now, i.e. דבר, he would also speak in the future, ידבר, though he would also become afflicted with a handicap similar to that of Moses. On the other hand, in line with our explanation of the consequences of G'd's anger (which had not been spelled out in detail as yet), the word דבר may refer to G'd's instruction to Moses, whereas the words ידבר הוא have to be read together and tell us that Aaron would do what Moses had refused to do. The emphasis on הוא implies also that whereas he, Aaron would display fluency of speech, Moses would not be cured.

וראך ושמח בלבו AND WHEN HE SEETH THEE, HE WILL BE GLAD IN HIS HEART — not as you believe, that he will be angry with you because you have attained a high position. In consequence of this, Aaron was privileged to wear the ornament of the breastplate which was placed over his heart (cf. Exodus 28:29) (Shabbat 139a; Exodus Rabbah 3:17).

וגם הנה הוא יוצא לקראתך, "and he is also on the way to meet you, etc." If this is a continuation of G'd's praise of Aaron that he would be willing to speak although he too would stammer, this is additional praise for Aaron; the word וגם, "and also," is in place then. G'd is saying then that Aaron not only does not mind his handicap but he is glad to be able to perform a task G'd assigns to him. [I believe the reason the author says that Aaron suffered from a speech handicap is that he reads the words דבר־־ידבר as graphically describing the stutter. Ed.]

The word וגם may also be understood in conjunction with Shabbat 139 where we are told that Aaron was granted the position of High Priest in recognition of his being happy that his younger brother had been appointed as the redeemer. When we consider that G'd had decided not to cure Moses of his speech defect because he had declined the request by G'd to assume leadership of the people, the word וגם would refer to the additional result of that refusal by Moses.

The Torah may also have wanted to underline the virtues of Aaron and his humility. Normally, one could have expected him to be slighted for being appointed to be merely his younger brother's mouthpiece, but the Torah testified that far from feeling slighted, Aaron actually rejoiced over Moses' promotion. One of the lessons to be learned from this is that humility should not be carried to the point where one endeavours to escape fulfilling the will of the king (G'd). G'd had to tell Moses that Aaron would rejoice as the latter was not displaying this joy openly. The Torah could also have wanted to tell us that Aaron did display this joy on his face, but that G'd wanted Moses to know in addition that Aaron was equally joyful about Moses' appointment in his heart.