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Torah From Zion
The Master of Mercy
January 5th, 2025 / 5th of Teives, 5785
Moshe rabbeinu's complaint – as a faithful shepherd
At the end of Parshas Shemos [Exodus], Moshe [Moses] struggles to fulfill his mission of redeeming Klal Yisrael [the Jewish People] from Egypt. After demanding that Pharaoh release the Jews, Pharaoh not only refuses but steps up the hardship of the slavery. He decrees that the Jews will not be supplied anymore with straw for making bricks, and yet produce the same number of bricks every day! The tormented Jews come complaining to Moshe, who then turns to Hashem [G-d]: “Why have You caused evil to this nation; why have You sent me? Since I spoke to Pharaoh in Your Name, he did only bad to this nation, and You haven’t saved them!”
Hashem’s ultimate response to Moshe is recorded at the beginning of Parshas Va’eira [in Shemos 6:2]. “Hashem spoke to Moshe and said, ‘I am Hashem… Thus, say to the Children of Israel I am Hashem…'” What exactly is the answer to Moshe’s question? And why does He say this cryptic expression twice? Moreover, how are we to understand Moshe Rabbeinu [Moses our teacher], the “servant of Hashem,” doubting and wondering at His conduct? He seems to have done just that, as Rashi [Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki] comments on the verse, Now you will see what I shall do to Pharaoh, that Hashem was censoring Moshe for questioning Him. Why didn’t he trust in Hashem?
Rabbi Shmuel Nieman, (in Gedulei Shmuel, Divrei Aggada printed after Maseches Beitzah), explains this episode. Moshe did not doubt Hashem’s attribute of justice; he trusted Him totally. Rather, he was appealing, out of his tremendous love for Klal Yisrael, for Hashem’s mercy to be revealed. The situation was already so dire, and now, when the redemption was promised, their persecution is only increased? Where is Hashem’s mercy?
Hashem's answer: I am the Master of Mercy
Hashem then answers Moshe, “I am Hashem.” Since Moshe argued that mercy is absent, He addressed this claim by invoking the 4-letter Name which indicates mercy: “I am the Master of all mercy! According to strict justice, there cannot be redemption because the Jews are steeped in idol worship as much as the Egyptians. The entire redemption is based solely on mercy! So, although currently things are bleaker than ever, you must know that mercy is functioning fully. And,” concludes Hashem, “tell this to the Jewish people as well.” This is why “I am Hashem” is mentioned twice.
Bnei Yisrael recognized this trait at Matan Torah
Gedulei Shmuel continues this line of thought the third time “I am Hashem” is written, several verses later, after the Four Expressions of Redemption. After completing all the stages of Exodus and receiving the Torah [the Instruction, i.e., “Law”], only then will Klal Yisrael understand that it was the greatest manifestation of Hashem’s compassion. While in Egypt, they had sunk to the 49th level of spiritual contamination. Had they tarried a moment longer, they would never be worthy to go out. However, while still rotten spiritually they couldn’t fathom the severity of their state, and so couldn’t appreciate Hashem’s efforts on their behalf. Only after they left the servitude of body and soul and became purified were they able to comprehend the great mercy Hashem showed to them.
When did they achieve this clarity of perception? When they received the Torah, and exclaimed, “We will do and we will listen!” Then they heard the opening pronouncement of the Ten Commandments, “I am Hashem Who took you out from the land of Egypt.” Only then it became clear that His abundant mercies were functioning all the time, but they couldn’t see it while still submerged in the quagmire of impurity. They had to undergo a process of preparation for this height of clarity. Like meat needs a salting process to ready it for eating, the Jews needed the “salting” of their suffering to purify them for acceptance of the Torah. Only then they understood retroactively that indeed, Hashem was arranging their affairs with the greatest mercy all along.
The goal and position of a leader
Now, if Moshe was demanding that Hashem reveal His compassion, trying to better the Jews’ conditions, we need to explore why he was criticized for the comment. As Rashi states, Hashem said: “You wondered about my practices! Avraham [Abraham] didn’t question My practices,” etc. In what was Moshe at fault?
A verse in Divrei Hayamim [Chronicles] describes Hashem as “Uplifted over all leaders” (I, 1:29). The Gemara [Talmud] (Bava Basra 91b) extrapolates, that even the position of assigning turns to draw water from a well is Divinely assigned. This teaches us that anyone in a position of power should not feel haughty, as he must remember that only Hashem decides who is selected. He is simply a servant of Hashem. An additional lesson [1] is that since all authority is dispensed by Hashem, we must obey and accept the rule of His leaders.
On the other hand, Moshe was justified in sensing the feelings of the nation. Just as a parent by definition must be able to relate to the feelings of his child, feeling his pain along with him; so too a leader must care about his charges and know their needs. The Midrash [Exegesis of the Sages] (Koheles / Ecclesiastes Rabba 9:11) explicates this precise point. When Moshe came down from receiving the Torah on Har Sinai [Mount Sinai], he met Yehoshua [Joshua] and asked about the sounds coming from the Jews’ camp. Yehoshua thought they were sounds of war, and Moshe corrected him as to the reality, and added, “Yehoshua, someone who will in the future rule over 600,000 people, can’t tell the difference between their sounds?” A leader must be in tune with his followers so that he can identify their necessities.
Moshe Rabbeinu [Moses our teacher] was censured in his balancing of these two concepts. Although a king needs to feel for his subjects, Moshe was a messenger of Hashem and should obey only His commands. Here, Moshe followed the opinion of the people inappropriately in the way he addressed His Master. As mentioned, subordinates must heed their chief as if Hashem is talking, because He ordained the position.
This mistake was similar to that of Shaul Hamelech [King Saul], who listened to the people when he waged war on Amalek [the Amalekites]. The prophet instructed him to annihilate every living being in the enemy’s camp, but Shaul saved some choice animals upon the advice of some of the Jews, to be used as burnt offerings. He assumed that a king is in the service of the people, since they invested in him the authority over the nation. Shmuel [Samuel]’s reply was disappointed criticism: “While you think you are insignificant, actually you are the head of all the tribes of Israel, and Hashem anointed you as king!” (Melachim [Kings] I, 15:17). Hashem taught that although a king is as a father figure, like a good father he needs to instruct and educate the nation using his authority, and not be told by them what to do.
It must be noted, however, that Moshe’s shortcoming did not have the same severity as Shaul’s mistake. Shaul defied a direct command to destroy Amalek. Moshe did not defy Hashem, but displayed a miniscule flaw as he was influenced by the nation to question Hashem’s conduct.
Thus, Moshe was correct in feeling the precarious emotions of Klal Yisrael, but expressed himself inappropriately to the Master of Mercy by claiming that mercy was lacking. The Gemara records the repercussion of this misdeed, elaborating on the verse, “Now you will see what I shall do to Pharaoh” (Sanhedrin [Talmud] 111a): “You will see the war with Pharaoh, but not the wars with the 31 kings of Eretz Yisrael [the Land of Israel].” Moshe was now barred from entering the Land of Israel and witnessing the continuation of Hashem’s mercies, because of his words. [2]
However, some commentators (Rabbeinu Chananel, Alshich) have a different take on this incident. They maintain that this exchange was no different from all the other times Moshe defended Klal Yisrael, and this too was no sin. Moshe’s comment was similar to a caring mother’s outburst of emotion over her child’s distress; it derived from his deep compassion for the Jews. Therefore, although Moshe was incorrect in his assessment of the situation, as explained above, he was not held liable for his words.
"A king in his splendor"
Let me bring an example of a leader, in a position of power who simultaneously showed his parental concern over his charges. Rav Chaim Zimmerman zt”l would recount how Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz (his uncle), was revered as a king by all who learned from him. Whether in Rav Chaim Brisker’s yeshiva or his own, he inspired fear and awe—not from physical intimidation but due to his palpable fear of Heaven.
Rav Zimmerman told me of an incident that happened during a frigid winter, when the nearby pond was frozen over. The local non-Jews enjoyed themselves sliding across it, but the Yeshiva students were prohibited from joining them. Rav Zimmerman was then a less-than-obedient youth, and once, after learning all night, decided to break the rules and slide on the ice. You can imagine the uproar it caused among the other boys, and everyone assumed he would get a stiff punishment from Rav Baruch Ber. Soon the “king” arrived, and indeed called the frightened boy into his office. The yeshiva students were in suspense over the proceedings, and crowded around the Rav’s door to listen in. Suddenly they heard his voice, in a concerned tone, asking, “Chaim’ke, you went out to slide on the ice? But did you wear a sweater and scarf?”
Rav Zimmerman concluded his story with awe over Rav Baruch Ber’s sterling middos [character traits] which were revealed that day, his caring, his compassion; it changed his life! He saw the towering greatness of a “king” in Klal Yisrael, and that itself imbued him with much fear of Heaven.
The mussar lesson: find the "I am Hashem"
To summarize, we have learned that Moshe Rabbeinu was correct in feeling the emotions of the Jews, but was still reproved for doubting Hashem’s mercies. Even if it wasn’t a sin (according to some opinions), he was influenced by the people to undermine his standing as Hashem’s chosen servant and neglect his role. He should have overcome the emotions of the moment and taught them that Hashem is the Master of Mercy and does only good to us, always. If you stop and ponder, you can understand that “I am Hashem,” no matter how bad things seem. Moshe shouldn’t have tried to be more merciful than Hashem; when He decides to do something, His decision constitutes the pinnacle of mercy!
This is a lesson for all generations. When non-Jews suffer calamities and hardships, they don’t know how to handle it. When the World Trade Center was destroyed, many didn’t know what to do with themselves, and just sunk into depression. They went to war over it. But a Jew? We learn from this parsha [Torah portion] how to conduct ourselves in trying times. In Egypt, they couldn’t see that “I am Hashem,” only by Matan Torah [the Giving of the Torah] they could. Then, they understood that Hashem is the King Who is wholly goodness and mercy and does only good. Even in a painful situation, with no Heavenly mercy in sight, one must try to find the “I am Hashem” in the darkness. One must internalize intellectually this truth, and try to actually feel some element of Hashem’s compassion.
And, like Moshe Rabbeinu was told to temper compassion for others with rock-solid trust in Hashem’s kindnesses, we must also strive for this balance. If our friends are suffering, we must feel for them, and at the same time sanctify Hashem’s Name by finding an aspect of mercy and remembering the “I am Hashem” of Mount Sinai.
- Mar’eh Yechezkel Parshas Shoftim s.v. V’al zeh tzavach; see also Rashi on Divrei Hayamim.
- Rashi (see Re”m beginning of Va’eira); Rabbeinu Bachya; and others.
Excerpted with permission from Imrei Mordechai, Vol. 2, A Collection of Inspirational Insights from the “Mussar Shmoozes” of HaGaon Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein Ztzvk”l, The Imrei Mordechai Institute, Diaspora Yeshiva Toras Yisrael, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, Kislev 5779.
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