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Why does Moshe tell God that Pharaoh won't listen because 'I am not an orator' when the Jews didn't listen due to exhaustion from harsh labor? This marks Moshe's evolution from prophet to leader, taking complete responsibility for failure even when external factors are clearly to blame. True leadership means owning outcomes regardless of circumstances - a principle that applies to anyone in their sphere of responsibility.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes a puzzling episode in Parshas Va'era where Moshe's logic seems flawed. After the Jewish people fail to listen to his message of redemption due to being overwhelmed by their harsh labor, Moshe tells God that if they won't listen, surely Pharaoh won't listen either because 'I am not an orator.' The apparent logical fallacy is obvious - the Jews didn't listen because they were too busy and exhausted, while Pharaoh wouldn't have that same constraint. The deeper question emerges: Why is Moshe again refusing God's mission after having been punished for similar reluctance at the burning bush? And why does the Torah (תורה) suddenly provide an extensive genealogy establishing Moshe and Aharon's credentials at this particular moment?
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Up Next in this Series
Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Va'era 6:12, 7:1
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