וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמַרְאֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֣ב ׀ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
און גאָט האָט גערעדט צו ישׂראלן אין זעונגען פֿון דער נאַכט, און האָט געזאָגט: יעקב, יעקב! האָט ער געזאָגט: דאָ בין איך.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Is. 41:2:) WHO HAS AROUSED RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THE EAST, IS CALLING HIM TO HIS FEET?5Cf. Gen. R. 43:3. The Holy One said: Abraham enlightened my world with his righteousness. Why? Because his whole generation was wicked; and from all of it I found only one, as stated (in Ezek. 33:24): ABRAHAM WAS ONE. Were there two? Only one with his righteousness. And so the Holy One said to him (in Gen. 22:11): ABRAHAM! ABRAHAM! Why two times? Because Abraham was righteous from his beginning to his end. Similarly < we read > (in Gen. 46:2): JACOB! JACOB! similarly (in Exod. 3:4): MOSES! MOSES! and similarly (in I Sam. 3:10): SAMUEL! SAMUEL! They were righteous from their beginning to their end. < Where is it shown >? From what we read on the matter (in Gen. 6:9): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH: NOAH < WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN>.6Cf. Gen. R. 30:4; M. Pss. 9:7.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
Abram, the same is Abraham. (I Chr. 1, 27.) i.e., at first he was the father (progenitor) of Aram but later he became the father (progenitor) of the entire world. And Sarai, the same is Sarah (lb.), i,e., at first she was a princess of her own nation but later she became a princess of the entire world. Bar Kappara recited: "Whoever calls him Abram instead of Abraham transgresses a positive commandment, for it is said (Gen. 17, 5.) But thy name shall be Abraham." R. Eliezer said: "He transgresses the prohibitory law which says: (Ib. ib. ib.) Neither shall thy name any more be called Abraham." But according to this, if one calls Sarai instead of Sarah, would you also say [that he transgresses the positive law]? Nay: In this case the Holy One, praise be He! said to Abraham only: As for Sarai thy wife, thou shall not call her name Sarai. but Sarah shall her name be. But according to this, if one calls Jacob "Jacob" instead of Israel, should we also say [that he transgresses the positive law]? Nay: The latter is different because the Scripture itself repeats his name later as Jacob, for it is written (Ib. 46, 2.) And God said to Israel in the vision of the night saying "Jacob, Jacob." R. Jose b. Abin and according to others R. Jose b. Zebida raised the following contradiction: Thou art indeed the Lord the (true) God, who didst choose Abram (Neh. 9, 7). [Hence he calls; him Abram]? There the prophet renewed the praises of the Lord by referring to the past [when Abraham's name was still Abram].
Shemot Rabbah
“Moses said: I will turn now, and see this great sight; why will the bush not burn?” (Exodus 3:3).
“Moses said: I will turn [asura] now and see.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Moses took five steps at that moment, as it is stated: “I will turn [asura]19It should have said asur. The numerical value of the additional heh alludes to the five steps that Moses took. now and see.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: He turned around and looked, as it is stated: “The Lord saw that he had turned to see” (Exodus 3:4). Once he looked at it, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘He is suitable to shepherd Israel.’
“The Lord saw that he turned to see, and God called to him from the midst of the bush and He said: ‘Moses, Moses.’ He said: ‘Here I am’” (Exodus 3:4).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is “that he had turned [sar] to see?” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This one is depressed and upset [sar veza’ef]20An allusion to I Kings 20:43, 21:4. over seeing Israel’s suffering in Egypt; therefore, he is suitable to be their shepherd. Immediately, “God called to him from the midst of the bush.”
“He said: ‘Moses Moses.’” You find in “Abraham, Abraham” (Genesis 22:11), there is a pasek21A biblical cantillation sign connoting a break between the two names. between them; “Jacob, Jacob” (Genesis 46:2), there is a pasek between them; “Samuel, Samuel” (I Samuel 3:10), there is a pasek between them. However, “Moses Moses,” there is no pasek between them. Why is it so? This is analogous to a person who placed upon himself a great burden, and calls: So-and-so so-and-so, my dear, unload this burden from me.22Due to the urgency of the matter he calls without pausing. Alternatively, with all the prophets, He ceased speaking with them; however, with Moses, He did not cease all his days.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai taught: What is “Moses Moses?” It is an expression of fondness and encouragement. Alternatively: “Moses Moses” – it is he who taught Torah in this world, and he is destined to teach in the World to Come, as Israel is destined to go to Abraham and say to him: ‘Teach us Torah.’ He will say: ‘Go to Isaac, who studied more than I did,’ and Isaac will say: ‘Go to Jacob, who attended [to his teachers] more than I did;’ and Jacob will say to them: ‘Go to Moses, who learned it from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He.’ That is what is written: “They will go from strength to strength, they will appear to God [Elohim] in Zion” (Psalms 84:8), and elohim is in fact Moses, as it is stated: “See I have placed you as elohim to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Anyone whose name is doubled is in two worlds.23This world and the world-to-come.
“He said: Do not draw near; remove your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).
“He said: Here I am” (Exodus 3:4) – here I am for priesthood and kingship. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You are standing in the place of the pillar of the world: Abraham said: “I am here” (Genesis 22:1), and you said: “I am here.”’ Moses asked that priests and kings emerge from him. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not draw [tikrav] near [halom]” – meaning, your descendants will not be sacrificing [makrivin], as the priesthood is fated for Aaron your brother. Halom – this is kingship, as it is said: “That you have brought me [King David] to this point [halom]” (II Samuel 7:18), and it says: “Has a man [Saul] come here [halom] yet?” (I Samuel 10:22). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Kingdom is fated for David.’ Nevertheless, Moses received both of them. Priesthood, as he served during the seven days of inauguration; kingdom, as it is written: “There was a king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5).
“Remove your shoes” – any place that the Divine Presence reveals itself, wearing shoes is prohibited. Thus with Joshua: “Remove your shoes” (Joshua 5:15). And thus the priests served in the Temple only barefoot.
“Moses said: I will turn [asura] now and see.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Moses took five steps at that moment, as it is stated: “I will turn [asura]19It should have said asur. The numerical value of the additional heh alludes to the five steps that Moses took. now and see.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: He turned around and looked, as it is stated: “The Lord saw that he had turned to see” (Exodus 3:4). Once he looked at it, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘He is suitable to shepherd Israel.’
“The Lord saw that he turned to see, and God called to him from the midst of the bush and He said: ‘Moses, Moses.’ He said: ‘Here I am’” (Exodus 3:4).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is “that he had turned [sar] to see?” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This one is depressed and upset [sar veza’ef]20An allusion to I Kings 20:43, 21:4. over seeing Israel’s suffering in Egypt; therefore, he is suitable to be their shepherd. Immediately, “God called to him from the midst of the bush.”
“He said: ‘Moses Moses.’” You find in “Abraham, Abraham” (Genesis 22:11), there is a pasek21A biblical cantillation sign connoting a break between the two names. between them; “Jacob, Jacob” (Genesis 46:2), there is a pasek between them; “Samuel, Samuel” (I Samuel 3:10), there is a pasek between them. However, “Moses Moses,” there is no pasek between them. Why is it so? This is analogous to a person who placed upon himself a great burden, and calls: So-and-so so-and-so, my dear, unload this burden from me.22Due to the urgency of the matter he calls without pausing. Alternatively, with all the prophets, He ceased speaking with them; however, with Moses, He did not cease all his days.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai taught: What is “Moses Moses?” It is an expression of fondness and encouragement. Alternatively: “Moses Moses” – it is he who taught Torah in this world, and he is destined to teach in the World to Come, as Israel is destined to go to Abraham and say to him: ‘Teach us Torah.’ He will say: ‘Go to Isaac, who studied more than I did,’ and Isaac will say: ‘Go to Jacob, who attended [to his teachers] more than I did;’ and Jacob will say to them: ‘Go to Moses, who learned it from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He.’ That is what is written: “They will go from strength to strength, they will appear to God [Elohim] in Zion” (Psalms 84:8), and elohim is in fact Moses, as it is stated: “See I have placed you as elohim to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Anyone whose name is doubled is in two worlds.23This world and the world-to-come.
“He said: Do not draw near; remove your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).
“He said: Here I am” (Exodus 3:4) – here I am for priesthood and kingship. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You are standing in the place of the pillar of the world: Abraham said: “I am here” (Genesis 22:1), and you said: “I am here.”’ Moses asked that priests and kings emerge from him. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not draw [tikrav] near [halom]” – meaning, your descendants will not be sacrificing [makrivin], as the priesthood is fated for Aaron your brother. Halom – this is kingship, as it is said: “That you have brought me [King David] to this point [halom]” (II Samuel 7:18), and it says: “Has a man [Saul] come here [halom] yet?” (I Samuel 10:22). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Kingdom is fated for David.’ Nevertheless, Moses received both of them. Priesthood, as he served during the seven days of inauguration; kingdom, as it is written: “There was a king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5).
“Remove your shoes” – any place that the Divine Presence reveals itself, wearing shoes is prohibited. Thus with Joshua: “Remove your shoes” (Joshua 5:15). And thus the priests served in the Temple only barefoot.