Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 3

1Moses was tending the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro, ruler of Midian. Moses guided the flock far into the desert and came to the mountain of God, Mount Horeb.   אוּמשֶׁ֗ה הָיָ֥ה רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֛אן יִתְר֥וֹ חֹֽתְנ֖וֹ כֹּהֵ֣ן מִדְיָ֑ן וַיִּנְהַ֤ג אֶת־הַצֹּאן֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיָּבֹ֛א אֶל־הַ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽבָה:
אַחַר הַמִּדְבָּר - Far into the desert - to distance himself from possible theft, i.e., that his flock not graze in other people’s fields.   אַחַר הַמִּדְבָּר.  לְהִתְרַחֵק מִן הַגֶּזֶל, שֶׁלֹּא יִרְעוּ בִּשְׂדוֹת אֲחֵרִים (שמות רבה ב'):
אֶל־הַר הָֽאֱלֹהִים - To the mountain of God. It is so named here on account of what would happen there in the future.   אֶל־הַר הָֽאֱלֹהִים.  עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד:
2An angel of God appeared to him in the heart of a blazing fire from the midst of a thorn bush. He saw that the bush was on fire, but the bush was not being consumed.   בוַיֵּרָ֠א מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֵלָ֛יו בְּלַבַּת־אֵ֖שׁ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֑ה וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל:
בְּלַבַּת־אֵשׁ - means: In a flame of fire - the very heart of the fire. Similarly we find: לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם “the midst of heaven”; 1 בְּלֵב הָאֵלָה “in the midst of the terebinth.” 2 Do not be surprised at the added ת of לַבַּת, for we have another example of this form: “how feeble is your heart (לִבָּתֵךְ).” 3   בְּלַבַּת־אֵשׁ.  בְּשַׁלְהֶבֶת אֵשׁ – לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אֵשׁ, כְּמוֹ "לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם" (דברים ד'), "בְּלֵב הָאֵלָה" (שמואל ב י"ח); וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל הַתָּי"ו, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ כַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, "מָה אֲמֻלָה לִבָּתֵךְ" (יחזקאל ט"ז):
מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה - From the midst of a thorn bush - but not from another type of tree, because of what is written: “I am with him in distress.” 4   מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה.  וְלֹא אִילָן אַחֵר, מִשּׁוּם "עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה" (תהילים צא טו):
אֻכָּֽל - means "being consumed". This is a similar grammatical form to “with which labor has never been performed (עֻבַּד)” 5 and “from which he was taken (לֻקַּח).” 6   אֻכָּֽל.  נֶאֱכָל, כְּמוֹ "לֹא עֻבַּד בָּהּ" (דברים כ"א), "אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם" (בראשית ג'):
3Moses said, “Let me turn away and behold this remarkable sight. Why doesn’t the bush burn?”   גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה אָסֻֽרָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה אֶת־הַמַּרְאֶ֥ה הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה מַדּ֖וּעַ לֹֽא־יִבְעַ֥ר הַסְּנֶֽה:
אָסֻֽרָה־נָּא - Let me turn away - i.e., let me turn aside from here in order to approach there.   אָסֻֽרָה־נָּא.  אָסוּרָה מִכָּאן לְהִתְקָרֵב שָׁם:
4God saw that he had turned aside to look. God called to him from the midst of the bush, saying, “Moses, Moses!” He replied, “Here I am.”   דוַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֵלָ֨יו אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֗ה וַיֹּ֛אמֶר משֶׁ֥ה משֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי:
5God said, “Come no nearer. Remove your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”   הוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּקְרַ֣ב הֲלֹ֑ם שַׁל־נְעָלֶ֨יךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא:
שַׁל־ - means: Slip off and remove. It is of the same root as: “and the iron flies off (וְנָשַׁל) the handle”; 7 “for your olive tree will drop (יִשַּׁל) its fruit.” 8   שַׁל־.  שְׁלֹף וְהוֹצֵא, כְּמוֹ "וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל" (דברים י"ט), "כִּי יִשַּׁל זֵיתֶךָ" (שם כ"ח):
אַדְמַת־קֹדֶשׁ הֽוּא - Is holy ground - i.e., the place.   אַדְמַת־קֹדֶשׁ הֽוּא.  הַמָּקוֹם:
6God said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, since he was afraid to look at God.   ווַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ פָּנָ֔יו כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א מֵֽהַבִּ֖יט אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
7God said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard their outcry caused by their taskmasters, for I am aware of their pains.   זוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַֽעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו כִּ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו:
כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו - The sense of the verb יָדַעְתִּי here is the same as in: וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים “God paid attention” 9 – i.e., the meaning of the phrase here is: For I have paid attention, to notice and be aware of their pains, and I neither made Myself oblivious nor blocked My ears to their cry.   כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו.  כְּמוֹ "וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים" (שמות ב'), כְּלוֹמַר כִּי שַׂמְתִּי לֵב לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן וְלָדַעַת אֶת מַכְאוֹבָיו וְלֹא הֶעֱלַמְתִּי עֵינַי לֶאֱטֹם אָזְנַי מִצַּעֲקָתָם:
8I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians, and to take them up from that land to a good and ample land, to a land flowing with goats’ milk and date- and fig-honey, the region of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.   חוָֽאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ | מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּלְהַֽעֲלֹתוֹ֘ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ טוֹבָה֙ וּרְחָבָ֔ה אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֶל־מְק֤וֹם הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי:
9And now, the outcry of the Israelites has indeed reached Me, and I have also seen the oppression to which the Egyptians are subjecting them.   טוְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֛ה צַֽעֲקַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣אָה אֵלָ֑י וְגַם־רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־הַלַּ֔חַץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹֽחֲצִ֥ים אֹתָֽם:
10Now go. I will send you to Pharaoh. You will take My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”   יוְעַתָּ֣ה לְכָ֔ה וְאֶשְׁלָֽחֲךָ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהוֹצֵ֛א אֶת־עַמִּ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָֽחֲךָ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה - Now go, I will send you to Pharaoh - and if you ask, “What will this help?” – I respond: “You will take My people out”i.e., your words will be effective and you will take them out from there.   וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָֽחֲךָ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה.  וְאִם תֹּאמַר מַה תּוֹעִיל? והוצא את עמי. יוֹעִילוּ דְּבָרֶיךָ וְתוֹצִיאֵם מִשָּׁם:
11Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and take the Israelites out of Egypt?”   יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים מִ֣י אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אֵלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְכִ֥י אוֹצִ֛יא אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
מִי אָנֹכִי - Who am I? - i.e., how am I important enough to address kings?   מִי אָנֹכִי.  מָה אֲנִי חָשׁוּב לְדַבֵּר עִם הַמְּלָכִים?
וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - (lit.) And that I should take the Israelites - i.e., even if I am important enough to speak to Pharaoh, what merit do the Israelites possess that a miracle be performed for them and that I take them out of Egypt?   וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  וְאַף אִם חָשׁוּב אֲנִי, מַה זָּכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה לָהֶם נֵס וְאוֹצִיאֵם מִמִּצְרַיִם?:
12God replied, “Do not worry, for I will be with you. This is your sign that I have sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you will all serve God on this mountain.”   יבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת כִּ֥י אָֽנֹכִ֖י שְׁלַחְתִּ֑יךָ בְּהוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם תַּֽעַבְדוּן֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּךְ - [God] replied, “For I will be with you.” . He answered Moses’ earlier question first, and his following one afterwards. About that which you asked, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” I answer: The authority is not your own but Mine, “for I will be with you.” And “this” the vision you saw of the thornbush – “is your sign that I have sent you” and you will be successful in My mission, for I am capable of saving you: Just as you have seen that the thornbush performs My mission and is not consumed, so too will you go on the mission I send you and not be harmed. And regarding that which you asked: What merit do the Israelites have that they should go out of Egypt? I have a great purpose in bringing them out, for they are destined to receive the Torah on this mountain at the end of three months after they have left Egypt. Another explanation: “For I will be with you, and this” – that you will be successful in your mission – “will be your sign” regarding another promise I give you, that when you take them out of Egypt, you all will serve Me on this mountain, for you will receive the Torah there, and this is the merit that stands now in Israel’s favor. A similar example of this form of expression we find in the verse: “And this will be a sign for you to eat this year of the aftergrowth…” 10i.e., this, the imminent fall of Sennacherib will be a sign for you regarding another promise, that although your land is now barren of fruit, I will bless the aftergrowth to provide sufficient food.   וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּךְ.  הֱשִׁיבוֹ עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן; שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל פַּרְעֹה – לֹא שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא כִּי אִם מִשֶּׁלִּי, כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ – וזה הַמַּרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ בַּסְּנֶה לך האות כי אנכי שלחתיך, וּכְדַאי אֲנִי לְהַצִּיל, כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ הַסְּנֶה עוֹשֶׁה שְׁלִיחוּתִי וְאֵינֶנּוּ אֻכָּל, כָּךְ תֵּלֵךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתִי וְאֵינְךָ נִזּוֹק; וְשֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ מַה זְּכוּת יֵשׁ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם? דָּבָר גָּדוֹל יֵשׁ לִי עַל הוֹצָאָה זוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲתִידִים לְקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה לְסוֹף ג' חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּךְ וְזֶה־שֶׁתַּצְלִיחַ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתְךָ לך האות עַל הַבְטָחָה אַחֶרֶת, שֶׁאֲנִי מַבְטִיחֲךָ שֶׁכְּשֶׁתּוֹצִיאֵם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אוֹתִי עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה, שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה עָלָיו, וְהִיא הַזְּכוּת הָעוֹמֶדֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְדֻגְמַת לָשׁוֹן זֶה מָצִינוּ: "וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת אָכוֹל הַשָּׁנָה סָפִיחַ וְגוֹ'" (ישעיהו ל"ז), מַפָּלַת סַנְחֵרִיב תִּהְיֶה לְךָ אוֹת עַל הַבְטָחָה אַחֶרֶת, שֶׁאַרְצְכֶם חֲרֵבָה מִפֵּרוֹת וַאֲנִי אֲבָרֵךְ הַסְּפִיחִים:
13Moses said to God, “I am going to come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your forefathers has sent me to you.’ They will ask me, ‘What is His Name?’ What should I tell them?”   יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֣י בָא֘ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְאָֽמַרְתִּ֣י לָהֶ֔ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְאָֽמְרוּ־לִ֣י מַה־שְּׁמ֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵהֶֽם:
14God said to Moses, “I will be just as I will be.” God then said, “You must say to the Israelites, ‘“I will be” sent me to you.’”   ידוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם:
אֶֽהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶֽהְיֶה - I will be just as I will be - means: “I will be with them during this trouble in Egypt as I will be with them during their subjugation at the hands of other kingdoms.” Thereupon Moses said before God, “Master of the Universe! Why should I mention another trouble to them? They have enough with this trouble!” God answered him, “You have spoken well: “So will you say…” – i.e., say only that I am with them in this trouble.   אֶֽהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶֽהְיֶה.  אֶהְיֶה עִמָּם בְּצָרָה זוֹ אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה עִמָּם בְּשִׁעְבּוּד שְׁאָר מַלְכֻיּוֹת. אָמַר לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָה אֲנִי מַזְכִּיר לָהֶם צָרָה אַחֶרֶת? דַּיָּם בְּצָרָה זוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ יָפֶה אָמַרְתָּ, כה תאמר וגו' (ברכות ט'):
15God further said to Moses, “So must you say to the Israelites: ‘God, the God of your forefathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My proper Name, but its pronunciation is to be concealed. This is how I am to be recalled for all generations.”   טווַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ע֨וֹד אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה כֹּ֣ה תֹאמַר֘ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֗ם אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק וֵֽאלֹהֵ֥י יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם זֶה־שְּׁמִ֣י לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר:
זֶה־שְּׁמִי לְעֹלָם - (lit.) This is My Name forever. The word לְעֹלָם is written without a ו, implying: Conceal it - that My Name not be pronounced as it is written.   זֶה־שְּׁמִי לְעֹלָם.  חָסֵר וָי"ו, לוֹמַר, הַעֲלִימֵהוּ – שֶׁלֹּא יִקָּרֵא כִּכְתָבוֹ (פסחים נ'):
וְזֶה זִכְרִי - This is how I am to be recalled. He taught him how the Divine Name is to be pronounced; and similarly, David says: “God is Your Name forever; God, how You are to be called is for all generations.” 11   וְזֶה זִכְרִי.  לִמְּדוֹ הֵיאַךְ נִקְרָא. וְכֵן דָּוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר, "ה' שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם ה' זִכְרְךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר" (תהלים קל"ה):