Musar su Esodo 6:2

If the obligation of a laborer hired for a day's labor is as great as the Talmud described, how much greater must be our obligation to be dedicated in our service to the Lord, who is guaranteed to pay us our reward! Surely we must serve Him both by day and by night, for do we not combine within ourselves the status of day- and night-laborer? The subject matter of wasting time is fraught with profound mystical significance, as every particle of time is a separate unit and none of it must be lost. A particle of time is perceived as an extension of G–d's eternity, or a mini-branch of the branches represented by His Ineffable Name. G–d Himself alludes to this when He says in Parshat Va'eira 6,2 אני י-ה-ו-ה. Rashi explains that this means that G–d can be trusted to pay the reward of those who walk before Him. All aspects of "time" are anchored in a mystical dimension of this name of G–d.

וידבר אלהים אל משה. G–d spoke harshly with Moses because Moses had been adamant in saying to G–d: "Why have You caused things to get worse for this people and why have You sent me?" Moses was guilty of questioning the ways of G–d, and that was why G–d expressed regret at the passing of the patriarchs who had never been guilty of questioning His ways. Rashi explained all this at length. We therefore have to learn from this to be extremely careful not to question G–d, whether it is when He confers benefits or when He appears to afflict us. G–d is the true צדיק. Sometimes we think that what happens to us is bad; G–d however, knows that it is all for our good even if we fail to recognise this at the time.

וידבר אלהים אל משה ויאמר אליו אני השם. I have expounded at length in my treatise on Passover, as well as in my commentary on the Haggadah shel Pessach on the opening lines in our portion, commencing with Exodus 6,2 until the words לא נודעתי להם in verse 3. All the miracles performed by G–d in Egypt which defied all known laws of nature, were invoked by the Ineffable Four- lettered Name י-ה-ו-ה which symbolises G–d as היה, הוה, יהיה the One who created the world ex nihilo and who is eternal.

Another difficulty is the commentary of our sages quoted by Rashi on 22,5, where Abraham said to the lads accompanying him ואני והנער נלכה עד כה, "I and the lad will go until there." This is interpreted as a severe criticism of G–d by Abraham who queried, "I want to see where is G–d's promise of כה יהיה זרעך, thus (i.e. so numerous) will be your descendants" (Genesis 15,5). At first glance it appears as if Abraham questioned that G–d would fulfil His promise. How do we reconcile this with G–d's reported rebuke to Moses in Exodus 6,2 describing G–d as having appeared to the patriarchs as א-ל שדי, meaning that G–d did not have any need to justify Himself, seeing that the patriarchs accepted all of G–d's commands without the slightest question (compare Shemot Rabbah 6,4). G–d's comment that He is sorry that the likes of the patriarchs no longer exist seems totally out of place in view of Rashi's interpretation of the words עד כה!

The introductory line of our portion: וידבר אלקים אל משה ויאמר אליו אני י-ה-ו-ה, means that G–d told Moses that he, Moses, would be אלקים, whereas He would be active in His capacity as י-ה-ו-ה, i.e. greater than any אלקים.