Musar untuk Keluaran 6:1

Yalkut Shimoni item 177 on Exodus 6,12, where we have another instance in which Moses uses the word לאמור when speaking to G–d, says that there are altogether four such instances. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah claims that Moses demanded that G–d reply to him, i.e. “לאמור, whether He would redeem the Children of Israel or not. G–d responded in Exodus 6,1: "Now you will see what I shall do to Pharaoh, etc." A similar incident occurred when the Torah reported Moses as using this expression in Numbers 12,13 when he wanted an immediate answer whether G–d was going to heal Miriam or not. There, too, G–d is reported as responding to this outcry in verse 14, indicating that Miriam would be healed after a week. We also have such an instance in Numbers 27,15 where Moses wanted a reply from G–d to his request that He appoint a suitable leader in his stead. G–d responded in verse 18 that Joshua would be the new leader of the people. Lastly, the Yakut quotes the verse in our portion where Moses supposedly demanded an immediate response to his request to enter ארץ ישראל.

Concerning this Midrash one may ask: Where did Moses take the nerve to speak to G–d in such a fashion? One may, of course, simply point out that the very fact that Moses did not achieve what he asked for because G–d told him עתה תראה, meaning that he would experience only the part of the redemption from Egypt which would occur now, but not the conquest of the Holy Land, proves that his request was not couched in acceptable language. [This editor has another question, i.e. how could the request in Exodus 6,12 be answered in Exodus 6,1?] Similarly, had Moses phrased his question in more acceptable language, Miriam might have been healed immediately instead of after seven days. Again, if Moses had phrased his question concerning a leader for the Jewish people in more acceptable language would he maybe have seen one of his own sons appointed as his successor?

The first blessing we recite in the morning is the blessing over the washing of the hands: “Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.” This blessing begins with the letter beis (Baruch) and ends with the letter mem (yadayim). The numerical value of these two letters is 42, which is twice 21. This is an allusion to the two pillars mentioned above, the merit of the Torah and the Patriarchs. For the Torah’s five books begin, respectively, with the letters: beis (Bereishis), vav (Ve’eileh shemos), vav (Vayikra), vav (Vaydaber … bemidbar), and alef (Eileh hadevarim). The sum of these five letters (beis, vav, vav, vav, alef) equals 21, corresponding to the Divine name E-h-ye-h (“I will be”), the numerical value of which is also 21.