1)

What was Moshe's first question ("Who am I to ... ?")?

1.

Rashi, Ramban #1 and Seforno #1 and Rashbam: He maintained that he (a simple shepherd) was not worthy to speak with kings. 1

2.

Ramban #2: Moshe felt that if he were to ask Pharaoh to relinquish the entire nation, 2 he would kill him. 3

3.

Ba'al ha'Turim: Refer to 4:13:1:8.


1

Seforno: And that Pharaoh would therefore not take his warning seriously. Rashbam - I am not worthy even to bring to him a gift.

2

Refer to 3:10:1:2.

3

Ramban: Just as Shmuel argued when Hashem instructed him to go and anoint David. See Shmuel I 16:2.

2)

What was Moshe's second question (" ... that I should take Yisrael out of Egypt?")?

1.

Rashi and Seforno: [Moshe asked,] "what merit do Bnei Yisrael have, that you should perform a miracle for them?" 1 He claimed that Yisrael were not worthy of miracles, that he should take them out of Egypt. 2

2.

Ramban: Just as Pharaoh would never listen to him, so too, would Yisrael, who were an intelligent people, not listen to him, to leave Egypt and follow him to a country whose inhabitants were more numerous and more powerful than they. 3

3.

Rashbam, Rosh (to 3:3): He argued that, even if he would be worthy to appear before kings, he was ignorant in all other matters, and besides, what could he possibly say to Pharaoh, to convince him to set free an entire nation of slaves with nothing in exchange!? Was Pharaoh crazy?

4.

Moshav Zekenim: Surely Pharaoh will want to kill me, like he wanted to earlier!


1

Gur Aryeh: Why does Rashi explain this way? The verse could have combined this verse into one question - 'Who am I to take them out?' Rather, the 'Vav' splits it into two parts (such that "... and will I take them out" is a separate question).

2

Seforno: And that he would therefore not merit success in doing so.

3

Ramban: As Hashem had told him in 3:8. Moshe was not afraid that they would listen to him to lay down tools and to go free, or to go three days into the desert to bring sacrifices; why shouldn't they? But to follow him to Eretz Kena'an, that was something else. As a matter of fact, the fear of fighting the Kena'anim plagued them continually, both in Egypt and in the desert.

3)

How could Moshe refuse Hashem's command?

1.

Oznayim la'Torah: Pasuk 3:10 was not a command. It was merely an introduction to what leadership of Yisrael would entail when he accepted the post. The command was issued only later in 4:19, after Moshe had accepted.

Sefer: Perek: Pasuk:
Month: Day: Year:
Month: Day: Year:

KIH Logo
D.A.F. Home Page
Sponsorships & DonationsReaders' FeedbackMailing ListsTalmud ArchivesAsk the KollelDafyomi WeblinksDafyomi CalendarOther Yomi calendars