מִי־זֶ֣ה הָ֭אִישׁ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה י֝וֹרֶ֗נּוּ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יִבְחָֽר׃
װער נאָר אַ מאַן װאָס פֿאָרכט גאָט, װעט ער אים װײַזן דעם װעג װאָס ער זאָל װײלן.
Malbim
And what if we say that the suffering befell him not as a punishment but as a purge, to remove evil from the world, just as poisonous snakes or scorpions (Deuteronomy 8:15) are killed or exterminated even though they do not harm by choice but by instinct. Well, he would then ask that since God already knew at the time he was born that this particular individual (Psalms 25:12 ) would sin and would in future be wicked, why did He create him and let him live? Why was He kind to him? (Job 10:12) Would it not have been preferable had he never been created?
Ramban
AND THE ETERNAL SAID UNTO MOSES: WHEREFORE CRIEST THOU UNTO ME? Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented49The difficulty is that there is no mention above of Moses’ praying. Rashi therefore comments that this verse itself — Wherefore criest thou unto Me? — teaches by implication that Moses had been praying. Ibn Ezra’s explanation is first in the text, and Ramban’s interpretation follows it. that Moses corresponds in function to all of Israel who were praying to G-d, as Scripture said, And the children of Israel cried out unto the Eternal.50Above, Verse 10. In other words, the name Moses is here equivalent to all Israel. But Ramban questions this explanation of Ibn Ezra: “If so, etc.” But if so, why did G-d say, Wherefore criest thou? When it was indeed proper that they should pray! Perhaps [Ibn Ezra] will say that the sense thereof is: “Why do you let them pray? Speak to them so that they will go forward, for I have already told you, And I will be honored through Pharaoh.”51Above, Verse 4.
And our Rabbis have said52In the Mechilta on the verse before us. that it was Moses who was crying and praying. This is the correct interpretation [and not, as Ibn Ezra said, that the reference here is to all of Israel]. Moses was at a loss concerning what he was to do. Although G-d had told him, And I will be honored through Pharaoh,51Above, Verse 4. he did not know how to conduct himself at that moment when he was at the edge of the sea and the enemy was pursuing and overtaking [them]. He therefore prayed that G-d should instruct him in the manner that he should choose.53See Psalms 25:12. This then is the meaning of Wherefore criest thou unto Me? meaning: “You should have asked what to do, and there is no need for you to cry, since I have already informed you, And I will be honored through Pharaoh.”51Above, Verse 4. Now Scripture did not relate that Moses was crying out to G-d, because he is included among Israel, [of whom it was already written above in Verse 10: And the children of Israel cried out unto the Eternal].
And our Rabbis have said52In the Mechilta on the verse before us. that it was Moses who was crying and praying. This is the correct interpretation [and not, as Ibn Ezra said, that the reference here is to all of Israel]. Moses was at a loss concerning what he was to do. Although G-d had told him, And I will be honored through Pharaoh,51Above, Verse 4. he did not know how to conduct himself at that moment when he was at the edge of the sea and the enemy was pursuing and overtaking [them]. He therefore prayed that G-d should instruct him in the manner that he should choose.53See Psalms 25:12. This then is the meaning of Wherefore criest thou unto Me? meaning: “You should have asked what to do, and there is no need for you to cry, since I have already informed you, And I will be honored through Pharaoh.”51Above, Verse 4. Now Scripture did not relate that Moses was crying out to G-d, because he is included among Israel, [of whom it was already written above in Verse 10: And the children of Israel cried out unto the Eternal].