Comentario sobre Exodo 6:5

וגם אני — Since I established and set up My covenant it is incumbent upon Me to fulfil it; therefore, שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל I HAVE HEARD THE GROANING OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL who groan (complain) אשר מצרים מעבדים אתם THAT THE EGYPTIANS ARE ENSLAVING THEM, ואזכר AND I REMEMBER that covenant which I have already made with them; because at the covenant “between the pieces” I said to him, (Genesis 15:14) “And also against that nation whom they shall serve will I pronounce judgment.”

וגם אני שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל, "I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, etc." The word וגם, "and also," refers to something over and beyond the prayers of the Israelites to the attribute of Mercy. In addition to the prayers of the Israelites and G'd's love for the patriarchs, there was a third consideration which had a bearing on G'd's timetable for the redemption, namely the outcry of the Israelites due to the torture they were experiencing. This third element is referred to by G'd in our verse by the words: וגם אני, "also I." G'd reveals His name of אני as an aspect of the attribute of Mercy. Previously, this name had only appeared in conjunction with the tetragram. G'd revealed that there are occasions when people's groanings even when not accompanied by verbalised prayer reach the attribute of Mercy and evoke a response. This is why He added אשר מצרים מעבידים אותם, "the manner in which the Egyptians have enslaved them." I refer the reader to my comments on Exodus 2,23 in this respect.

וגם אני שמעתי, “moreover, I have heard, etc.” an additional reason why I have sent you is that I have heard the groaning of the people, i.e. that they have repented their ways and seen fit to appeal to Me. Hence, just as I endure forever, so My promise will be in effect until carried out. I will demonstrate this with My outstretched arm. Concerning the opening line in our paragraph ושמי ה' לא נודעתי, something which we might have expected to have employed the same verb, i.e. ראה, for instance וארא אל אברהם...ושמי הי לא נראתי, “I have appeared to Avraham, but My name Hashem has not appeared, etc.” the reason for this is that, generally speaking, visions granted to the patriarchs occurred during the night, while they were asleep, whereas the manifestations of G’d you and your people will experience will all occur while you are fully awake. In other words, you will become privy to revelations of far greater dimensions than the ones granted to the patriarchs.