The Greatest Speech of All

In this week's portion of Va'eira we read how Moshe says to G-d,[187] "Speech comes to me with much difficulty; how will Pharaoh understand me?" G-d responds:[188] "See, I have made you a master over Pharaoh, and Aharon your brother, will be your interpreter. You will speak all that I shall command you, and Aharon your brother will speak to Pharaoh."

Rashi cites the words "You will speak" and explains: "[You will speak] a single time each message as you have heard it from My mouth, and Aharon your brother will translate it and make it palatable to Pharaoh's ears."

In other words, according to Rashi Moshe was also commanded to speak to Pharaoh; the difference between Moshe's and Aharon's speaking was merely that Moshe was to speak but once, while Aharon was to "translate it and make it palatable to Pharaoh's ears," to the extent that it influence him to "send out the Children of Israel from his land."

That is to say, the intent of Moshe's speaking to Pharaoh was not to convince him logically to free the Jews, but to act as G-d's messenger, speaking in His stead and transmitting the Divine message with utter exactitude -- he was to say it but once (just as G-d had said it but once), exactly as he heard it from G-d.

This, however, raises the following difficulty. G-d spoke to Moshe in the Holy Tongue,[189] in Hebrew, and in relaying the message exactly as he heard it, Moshe had to relay it in Hebrew as well. Since Pharaoh did not understand Hebrew,[190] what was accomplished by Moshe's Hebrew transmission of G-d's message?

This will be understood in light of Rashi's comment on the words in the previous verse, "I have made you a master over Pharaoh," which he interprets to mean: "a judge and enforcer, to smite him with plagues and afflictions." In other words, the purpose of Moshe's speaking to Pharaoh was not to convince him logically to release the Jews, but to "judge" him in a manner of an "enforcer," "with plagues and afflictions."

Here, as well, Moshe was to tell Pharaoh "Send out My people" in so harsh a tone and so irate a manner that from Moshe's tone of voice and facial expressions and the like,[191] Pharaoh would understand that he was being addressed sternly -- similar to "plagues and afflictions."

In more spiritual terms, the special power given to Moshe was as follows. Although Pharaoh -- the paradigm of unholiness -- was still at his strongest, G-d gave Moshe the power to "judge" him in a manner of an "enforcer," "with plagues and afflictions."[192]

This ability was given specifically to Moshe -- not even Aharon possessed it -- for as the leader of his generation and the individual who "stood between you and G-d, to transmit to you His words,"[193] he was specifically granted these powers.

This is why

1. Aharon's speech did not suffice;

2. although Moshe spoke to Pharaoh in the Holy Tongue, a language Pharaoh was incapable of understanding, it was necessary for Moshe to speak to Pharaoh: It was essential to demolish Pharaoh while he was still at his most powerful; something that
   1. could only be done by Moshe, and

   2. done in a manner of an "enforcer," "with plagues and afflictions."

In light of the above, we also understand why Rashi states that Moshe had to transmit G-d's words "as he heard it from G-d's mouth":

Moshe possessed the power to crush the forces of unholiness while they were still at their strongest only because he was G-d's messenger, through whom there was revealed G-d's awesome might. Thus Moshe had to transmit G-d's words exactly "as he heard it from G-d's mouth" -- similar to "The Divine Presence [that] spoke through Moshe."[194]

This also explains why "[You will speak] a single time each message as you have heard it from My mouth" came only after Moshe's protestations of "Speech comes to me with much difficulty."

Chassidus explains[195] that Moshe's "speech difficulties" resulted from his tremendous degree of nullification to G-d -- similar to the concept of "Since he is so occupied obtaining, he is incapable of transmitting."[196]

Thus, it was specifically the quality and nullity of "Speech comes to me with much difficulty," that served as the spiritual preparation to Moshe's becoming "a master over Pharaoh."

Only when one feel's himself to be "nothing at all," can he merit to have G-d's words emanating from him -- something absolutely necessary when it comes to utterly crushing Pharaoh and enabling the liberation of the Jewish people.

Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVI, pp. 69-76.

For the Sake of the Jewish People

In this week's Torah portion G-d says to Moshe: "I shall harden Pharaoh's heart, and increase My signs and miracles in the land of Egypt."[197]

There are a number of explanations regarding G-d's "hardening Pharaoh's heart." Some of our Sages[198] explain that this was in order to exact full and complete retribution from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, so that G-d's promise "I will judge them" would be able to be fulfilled.

Others of our Sages[199] explain that G-d hardened Pharaoh's heart and "increased His signs and miracles" in order that Pharaoh and Egypt regret their insubordination and subdue themselves before G-d -- "leading the Egyptians to repentance as He made known His greatness."

In point of fact, these aren't divergent explanations, they are essentially one and the same: Punishment was meted out to Egypt in order to demolish and nullify the Egyptian evil entity, so as to reveal G-d's majesty within the world.

Rashi, however, explains[200] "I shall harden Pharaoh's heart" in the following manner: "Because Pharaoh sinned and acted impudently before Me. Since I know that idolaters do not repent from the depths of their hearts, therefore it is better for Me that his heart be hardened, so that I may increase My miracles and the Jewish people will recognize My might. Such is the conduct of the A-mighty, bringing punishment upon idolaters so that the Jewish people hear of it and come to fear Him."

We observe that according to Rashi, there is yet an additional purpose in the multitude of signs and miracles, that of instructing the Jewish people.

This is stated explicitly in the verse at the beginning of the Torah Portion Bo: "I have made him and his advisors obstinate, so that I will be able to demonstrate these miraculous signs among them. So that you be able to relate to your children and grandchildren how I made sport of the Egyptians, and how I performed miraculous signs among them. [All of this being done,] so that you know that I am G-d."

Thus, hardening Pharaoh's heart and the plagues wrought upon the Egyptians were mainly for the benefit of the Jewish people, as Rashi states: "Such is the conduct of the A-mighty, bringing punishment upon idolaters so that the Jewish people hear of it and come to fear Him."[201]

What compels Rashi to provide an additional reason for the signs and miracles; in any case it was necessary for the plagues to be brought upon the Egyptians in order to mete out punishment, as well as for the Egyptians to know "that I am G-d." What is gained by stating that this was also for the purpose of the Jewish people fearing G-d?

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As known, all of creation was created by G-d for the sake of the Torah and the Jewish people.[202] This is so not only with regard to creation as a whole, but also with regard to all matters and events -- they are not entities unto themselves, rather, all are for the dual purpose of the Torah and the Jewish people. Thus, not only are all events Providential,[203] but they reach their truest and most complete state[204] when the Torah and the Jewish people benefit from them.

This is also true regarding specific events whose cause and reason is provided: their most authentic and complete state is attained when they are of service to the Jewish people. For the world is not an entity unto itself, it is G-d's creation for the sake of Torah and the Jewish people. Therefore, the G-dly revelation contained within the world as a whole achieves its most complete state when it relates to and is revealed within the Jewish people.

Here, too, as well: G-d's retribution from Pharaoh and Egypt was indeed a result of their actions towards the Jewish people; also by exacting judgment He kept His promise to Abraham, as G-d had told him, "They will be enslaved and oppressed. But I will bring judgment against the nation who enslaves them." Moreover, G-d's retribution from Pharaoh and Egypt also resulted in "and Egypt shall know that I am G-d."

Nevertheless, all the above fails to fulfill in its entirety that which was stated above, that the singular purpose of all these signs and miracles were ultimately for the sake of the Jewish people.

Therefore Rashi emphasizes the inner meaning of the verse "I shall harden Pharaoh's heart, and increase My signs and miracles in the land of Egypt" -- "therefore it is better for Me that his heart be hardened, so that I may increase My miracles and the Jewish people will recognize My might. Such is the conduct of the A-mighty, bringing punishment upon idolaters so that the Jewish people hear of it and come to fear Him."

Rashi points out that all correction that is meted out to the nations -- even when it serves the cause of punishment and retribution -- has as its main purpose that of ultimately being of service to the Jewish people, "so that the Jewish people recognize My might ... and come to fear Him," "and know that I am G-d."

Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXXVI, pp. 33-37.

   

Notes:

187. (Back to text) Shmos 6:30.

188. (Back to text) Ibid., 7:1-2.

189. (Back to text) See Rashi, Bereishis 2:23.

190. (Back to text) See ibid., 50:6; Panim Yafos, Shmos 6:12.

191. (Back to text) See Rashi, Shmos 15:8.

192. (Back to text) See Toras Chaim, Shmos 119b ff.; Or HaTorah, Shmos pp. 229-230.

193. (Back to text) Devarim 5:5.

194. (Back to text) See sources cited in Likkutei Sichos, Vol. IV, p. 1087.

195. (Back to text) Torah Or, 23a; Likkutei Torah, Eikev 14b, et al.

196. (Back to text) See Chullin 108b.

197. (Back to text) Shemos 7:3.

198. (Back to text) Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 6:3; so too according to the first reason of the Ramban, Shemos, ibid.

199. (Back to text) See Seforno, Shemos, ibid.

200. (Back to text) Shemos, ibid.

201. (Back to text) See Yevamos 63a; Maskil l'Dovid on Rashi, ibid.

202. (Back to text) Rashi, beginning of portion Bereishis. See also Tanchuma (Buber) 10; Osyos d'Rebbe Akiva, Os 2.

203. (Back to text) See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVIII, p. 277ff. and places cited there.

204. (Back to text) See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VI, p. 93.