AND MOSES SPAKE BEFORE THE LORD, SAYING: BEHOLD, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAVE NOT HEARKENED UNTO ME, HOW THEN SHALL PHARAOH HEAR ME, WHO AM OF UNCIRCUMCISED LIPS ? How did Moses dare say this? Had not the Holy One already promised him, when he said that he was not eloquent, that He “will be with his mouth” (Ex. 4, 10-12)? Or did the Holy One not keep His promise?
However, there is here an inner meaning. Moses was then in the grade of “Voice”, and the grade of “Utterance” was then in exile. Hence he said: “How shall Pharaoh hear me”, seeing that my “utterance” is in bondage to him, I being only “voice”, and lacking “utterance”. Therefore God joined with him Aaron, who was “utterance” without “voice”.
When Moses came, the Voice appeared, but it was “a voice without speech”. This lasted until Israel approached Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. Then the Voice was united with the Utterance, and the word was spoken, as it says, “and the Lord spake all these words” (Ex. xx, I). Then Moses was in full possession of the Word, Voice and Word being united.
That was the cause of Moses’ complaint (v. 23), that he lacked the word save at the time when it broke forth in complaint and “God spake to Moses”(VI, 2).
On this occasion the word began to function, but it ceased again, as the time was not yet ripe; hence the verse continues, “and said to him, I am the Lord” (Ibid.).
Only at the giving of the Law Moses was, as it were, healed of his impediment, when the Voice and the Utterance were united in him as their organ. Before that event the power which is Utterance guided Israel in the desert, but without expressing itself until they came to Sinai.
R. Judah interpreted in the same sense the verse from the Song of Songs (v, 5-6): “I rose up to open to my beloved, but my beloved hath withdrawn himself and was gone”. As long as the Community of Israel is in exile the Voice is withdrawn from her and the Word does not function, as it says, “I am dumb with silence” (Ps. 39, 3); and even when the Word does awaken, “my Beloved hath withdrawn Himself’, i.e. it suddenly ceases, as it did at first with Moses.
The Voice went on: “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob.” The “and” (the VAU) symbolizes Jacob’s superiority over the others, according to R. Judah. Said R. Jose: ‘What of the verse, “I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac” (Gen. 28, 16)?’
R. Judah replied: ‘When that was said, Jacob was included in Isaac, who was blind at that time, and a blind man is counted dead; for as long as a person is alive, the Holy Name is not joined to his name (i.e. the God of so-and-so), therefore Jacob was included in Isaac and not directly mentioned; but Jacob being now dead, the Holy Name could be connected with him.
“By El Shaddai”, that is to say, through the “non-luminous mirror” not the “luminous”. This, however, does not mean that they were conversant with the “Female” only and no higher grade, for it continues: “And I have also established my Covenant with them”, indicating that the Covenant was united with the Female in their perception.
He who has the privilege of being a member of the Covenant, inherits the Land, as it says, “I have established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב (שמות ו׳:י״ב) הֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֵלַי וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם, מַאי וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם. וְהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב (שמות ד׳:י׳) לֹא אִישׁ דְּבָרִים אָנֹכִי וְגוֹ' כִּי כְבַד פֶּה וּכְבַד לָשׁוֹן אָנֹכִי, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה אוֹתִיב לֵיהּ, (שמותד') מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם וְגו', וְהוּא אָמַר (שמות ד׳:י״ב) וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה עִם פִּיךָ, סַלְּקָא דַּעְתָּךְ דְּלָא הֲוָה כֵּן, וְהַשְּׁתָּא אָמַר וַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם, אִי הָכִי, אָן הוּא מִלָּה דְּאַבְטַח לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא.
AND MOSES SPAKE BEFORE THE LORD, SAYING: BEHOLD, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAVE NOT HEARKENED UNTO ME, HOW THEN SHALL PHARAOH HEAR ME, WHO AM OF UNCIRCUMCISED LIPS ? How did Moses dare say this? Had not the Holy One already promised him, when he said that he was not eloquent, that He “will be with his mouth” (Ex. 4, 10-12)? Or did the Holy One not keep His promise?
אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ, מֹשֶׁה קָלָא, וְדִבּוּר דְּאִיהוּ מִלָּה דִּילֵיהּ, הֲוָה בְּגָלוּתָא, וַהֲוָה אִיהוּ אָטִים לְפָרְשָׁא מִלִּין, וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר, וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה, בְּעוֹד דְּמִלָּה דִּילִי אִיהִי בְּגָלוּתָא דִּילֵּיהּ, דְּהָא לֵית לִי מִלָּה. הָא אֲנָא קָלָא מִלָּה גָּרַע, דְּאִיהִי בְּגָלוּתָא, וְעַל דָּא, שָׁתַּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַהֲרֹן בַּהֲדֵיהּ.
However, there is here an inner meaning. Moses was then in the grade of “Voice”, and the grade of “Utterance” was then in exile. Hence he said: “How shall Pharaoh hear me”, seeing that my “utterance” is in bondage to him, I being only “voice”, and lacking “utterance”. Therefore God joined with him Aaron, who was “utterance” without “voice”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּדִבּוּר הֲוָה בְּגָלוּתָא, קָלָא אִסְתְּלַק מִנֵּיהּ, וּמִלָּה הֲוָה אָטִים בְּלֹא קוֹל, כַּד אָתָא מֹשֶׁה, אָתָא קוֹל. וּמֹשֶׁה הֲוָה קוֹל בְּלא מִלָּה, בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה בְּגָלוּתָא, וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּדִבּוּר הֲוָה בְּגָלוּתָא, מֹשֶׁה אָזִיל קָלָא בְּלָא דִּבּוּר, וְהָכִי אָזִיל עַד דְּקָרִיבוּ לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי, וְאִתְיְהִיבַת אוֹרַיְיתָא, וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא, אִתְחַבָּר קָלָא בְּדִבּוּר, וּכְדֵין מִלָּה מַלִּיל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שמות כ׳:א׳) וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. וּכְדֵין, מֹשֶׁה אִשְׁתְּכַח שְׁלִים בְּמִלָּה כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, קוֹל וְדִבּוּר כַּחֲדָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ.
When Moses came, the Voice appeared, but it was “a voice without speech”. This lasted until Israel approached Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. Then the Voice was united with the Utterance, and the word was spoken, as it says, “and the Lord spake all these words” (Ex. xx, I). Then Moses was in full possession of the Word, Voice and Word being united.
וְעַל דָּא מֹשֶׁה אִתְרְעִים, דְּמִלָּה גָּרַע מִנֵּיהּ, בַּר הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּמַלִּילַת לְאִתְרַעֲמָא עֲלוֹי, בְּזִמְנָא דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות ו') וּמֵאָז בָּאתִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה לְדַבֵּר בִּשְׁמֶךָ, מִיַּד (שמות ו׳:ב׳) וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל מֹשֶׁה. תָּא חֲזֵי דְּהָכִי הוּא דְּשָׁרָא מִלָּה לְמַלְּלָא וּפָסַק לָהּ, בְּגִין דְּעַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנָא דִּכְתִּיב וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ'. וּפָסַק וְאַשְׁלִים קָלָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה'. בְּגִין דְּדִבּוּר הֲוָה בְּגָלוּתָא, וְלָא מָטָא זִמְנָא לְמַלְּלָא. (ותא חזי)
That was the cause of Moses’ complaint (v. 23), that he lacked the word save at the time when it broke forth in complaint and “God spake to Moses”(VI, 2).
בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, מֹשֶׁה לָא הֲוָה שְׁלִים מִלָּה בְּקַדְמִיתָא, (דהכי אתחזי) דְּאִיהוּ קוֹל, וְאָתֵי בְּגִין דִּבּוּר, לְאַפָּקָא לֵיהּ מִן גָּלוּתָא. כֵּיוָן דְּנָפַק מִן גָּלוּתָא, וְאִתְחֲבָּרוּ קוֹל וְדִבּוּר כַּחֲדָא בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי, אִשְׁתְּלִים מֹשֶׁה וְאִתְסֵי, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח כְּדֵין קוֹל וְדִבּוּר כַּחֲדָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ.
On this occasion the word began to function, but it ceased again, as the time was not yet ripe; hence the verse continues, “and said to him, I am the Lord” (Ibid.).
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל יוֹמִין דְּהֲוָה מֹשֶׁה בְּמִצְרַיִם, דְּבָעָא לְאַפָּקָא מִלָּה מִן גָּלוּתָא, לָא מַלִּיל מִלָּה, דְּאִיהוּ דִּבּוּר. כֵּיוָן דְּנָפַק מִן גָּלוּתָא, וְאִתְחֲבָּר קוֹל בְּדִבּוּר, הַהוּא מִלָּה דְּאִיהוּ דִּבּוּר, אַנְהִיג וְדָבַּר לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל לָא מַלִּיל, עַד דְּקָרִיבוּ לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי, וּפָתַח בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּהָכִי אִתְחָזֵי. וְאִי תֵּימָא, (שמות י״ג:י״ז) כִּי אָמַר אֱלֹקִים פֶּן יִנָּחֵם הָעָם, לָא כְּתִיב כִּי דִּבֵּר, אֶלָּא כִּי אָמַר, דְּאִיהוּ רְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא בַּחֲשָׁאי, וְהָא (ויחי רל"ד ע"ב) אוֹקִימְנָא.
Only at the giving of the Law Moses was, as it were, healed of his impediment, when the Voice and the Utterance were united in him as their organ. Before that event the power which is Utterance guided Israel in the desert, but without expressing itself until they came to Sinai.
וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה'. ר' יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, (שיר השירים ה׳:ו׳) קַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתּוֹחַ לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר וְגוֹ'. קַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתּוֹחַ לְדוֹדִי, דָּא קָלָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד אִיהִי בְּגָלוּתָא, קָלָּא אִסְתְּלַק מִינָהּ, וּמִלָּה אִשְׁתְּכַךְ מִינָהּ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (תהילים ל״ט:ג׳) נְאֱלַמְתַּי דּוּמִיָּה. וְאִי אִתְּעַר מִלְּתָא, מַה כְּתִיב, וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר, דְּהָא קָלָא אִסְתְּלַק מִינָהּ, וּפָסְקָא מִלָּה. (כמה דאת אמר) וְעַל דָּא וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלהִים אֶל מֹשֶׁה, שָׁרִיאַת לְמַלְּלָא, וּפָסַק וְשָׁתִיק. לְבָתַר אַשְׁלִים קָלָא וְאָמַר וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה'.
R. Judah interpreted in the same sense the verse from the Song of Songs (v, 5-6): “I rose up to open to my beloved, but my beloved hath withdrawn himself and was gone”. As long as the Community of Israel is in exile the Voice is withdrawn from her and the Word does not function, as it says, “I am dumb with silence” (Ps. 39, 3); and even when the Word does awaken, “my Beloved hath withdrawn Himself’, i.e. it suddenly ceases, as it did at first with Moses.
וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב, בְּיַעֲקֹב תּוֹסֶפֶת וָא"ו, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלִימוּ דַּאֲבָהָן, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר, אֱלהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, בְּיַעֲקֹב תּוֹסֶפֶת וָא"ו. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִי הָכִי, הָא כְּתִיב (בראשית כ״ח:י״ג) אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וִאלהֵי יִצְחָק, הָא בְּיִצְחָק תּוֹסֶפֶת וָא"ו.
The Voice went on: “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob.” The “and” (the VAU) symbolizes Jacob’s superiority over the others, according to R. Judah. Said R. Jose: ‘What of the verse, “I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac” (Gen. 28, 16)?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, שַׁפִּיר הֲוָה, בְּגִין דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה קַיָּים, וְאַכְלִיל לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב בְּיִצְחָק, (דהוה מית) דְּאִתְחַשְּׁכוּ עֵינוֹי, וַהֲוָה כַּמֵּת, דְּהָא בְּעוֹד דְּבַּר נָשׁ אִיהוּ קַיָּים בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לָא אִדְכַּר עֲלוֹי שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעַל דָּא אַכְלִיל לֵיהּ בְּיִצְחָק. הַשְׁתָּא דְּמִית יַעֲקֹב, אָתָא מִלָּה בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב, בְּתוֹסֶפֶת ו'.
R. Judah replied: ‘When that was said, Jacob was included in Isaac, who was blind at that time, and a blind man is counted dead; for as long as a person is alive, the Holy Name is not joined to his name (i.e. the God of so-and-so), therefore Jacob was included in Isaac and not directly mentioned; but Jacob being now dead, the Holy Name could be connected with him.
בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי (בראשית קפ"ג ע"א): אִתְחָזֵינָא לְהוּ, מִגּוֹ אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּלָא נָהֲרָא. וְלָא אִתְחָזֵינָא מִגּוֹ אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא. וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּהָא אִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בְּנוּקְבָא בִּלְחוֹד וְלָא יַתִּיר. תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּלָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעָלְמִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְגַם הֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם, דְּהָא בְּרִית אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ.
“By El Shaddai”, that is to say, through the “non-luminous mirror” not the “luminous”. This, however, does not mean that they were conversant with the “Female” only and no higher grade, for it continues: “And I have also established my Covenant with them”, indicating that the Covenant was united with the Female in their perception.
מִּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֵילָף, דְּהָא אִיהוּ קָאָמַר דְּלָא פָּרִישׁ לוֹן, דִּכְתִּיב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי, וּכְתִיב וְגַם הֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם, בְּגִין לְקַיְּימָא קִיּוּמָא בְּיִחוּדָא חַד, וְגַם הֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם וְגוֹ'. הָא אִתְּמַר, מַאן דְּזַכֵּי לִבְרִית, יָרִית לְאַרְעָא.
He who has the privilege of being a member of the Covenant, inherits the Land, as it says, “I have established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan”.