From The Masters Of Kabbalah and Chumash (5 Books of
Moses)
13th century - "RambaN" - Rabbi Moshe ben
Nachman
14th century - "Bachya" - Rabbi Bachya ben
Asher
16th century - "Alsheich" - Rabbi Moshe
Alshech of Tsfat
17th century - "Shelah" - Rabbi Yeshaiya
Horowitz
18th century - "Ohr HaChayim" - Rabbi Chaim
Ben Attar
Ramban
"And they shall say unto me: What is His name? What shall I say
unto them?" [3:13]
This name [Eh'yeh Asher Eh'yeh] does contain the answer to Moses'
question of G-d as we have explained it to you. Namely, that Moses asked
by what Divine attribute is his mission to them, whether with the attribute
of E-il Sha-dai which stood by the patriarchs, or with the high
attribute of mercy with which signs and wonders, new phenomena in creation,
will be done to speed their redemption. He informed Moses that he is being
sent to them with the attribute of justice, which is within the attribute
of mercy, suggesting that the miracles which will be done on behalf of
their deliverance from the bondage will at the same time be acts of judgment
against the Egyptians. This is the sense of Eh'yeh Asher Eh'yeh:
"I will be in judgment that which I will be in mercy."
And then G-d said to Moses "Thus shalt thou say unto the children
of Israel: Eh'yeh sent me unto you", thus teaching the unity
[of the two attributes, which explains why the Divine Name is not mentioned
here twice].
It is for this reason that G-d commanded Moses yet further "Thus
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: The Eternal...hath sent me
unto you" for this Name, [i.e., the Tetragrammaton] indicates the
attribute of mercy, and thus they will know "that He hath caused
His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses" [Isaiah 63:12]
and He will make new signs and wonders in the world. Thus G-d explained
to Moses that the Name Eh'yeh which He commanded him to tell the
children of Israel corresponds to this Great Name [the Tetragrammaton]
and that they are alike in language, [as both signify eternal existence],
and in letters, for the two final letters of the first Name [Eh'yeh]
constitute the first ones in the Tetragrammaton. And may the Holy One,
blessed be He, show us wonders in His Torah.
(credits)
Rabbeinu Bachya
"..and Moses was a shepherd…." [3:1]
A kabbalistic approach to our verse: The Torah writes: 'and Moses had
been a shepherd' instead of 'Moses became a shepherd'. When the Torah
described Hevel's occupation it also wrote 'Hevel became a shepherd.'
This is a hint that Moses was a reincarnation of Hevel; hence the Torah
could write that Moses had been a shepherd (once before in another incarnation),
instead of simply 'he tended sheep, etc.' We have mentioned earlier that
Moses (as the reincarnate of Hevel) had been destined to slay the Egyptian
who represented the brute force of Kayin (compare 2:12) and this is why
the Torah mentioned here "the flame of fire". [the author refers
to a theory that when G-d accepted Hevel's sacrifice Hevel looked at the
heavenly fire to understand the phenomenon. This had been sinful and led
to his death by murder at the hands of Kayin. Ed] Moses, his reincarnation,
had learned the lesson not to look.
(credits)
Alsheich
"He went a man from the House of Levi and he married a daughter
of Levi." [2:1]
The word 'he went' in this verse is superfluous. The Talmud (Sotah 11)
explains it to mean that Amram (Moses' father), went after his daughter's
advice. She, Miriam, had accused him of being harsher than Pharaoh, who
wanted to kill only male Jews, whereas divorcing wives would lead to cessation
of Jewish continuity altogether. What may have persuaded Amram are considerations
such as are expressed in the Zohar (Vayeshev). The tzadik can perform
miracles with relative ease, by manipulating the 4 basic elements earth,
fire, water, and wind, since those are not subject to the exercise of
free will. When man is involved however, it is far more difficult to work
a miracle, since G-d does not brook interference with free will. As long
as Pharaoh's attempts to kill Jewish babies were channeled through human
agents, i.e. creatures equipped with free will, Amram considered it futile
to have children. Now, that the decree to kill Jewish baby boys was subject
to the action of one of the basic elements, i.e. the river, he could imagine
that a miracle would save such babies. Hence, he agreed to re-marry. His
demonstration of such faith resulted in his 130 year old wife becoming
pregnant. The Torah hints at such a miracle by calling Yocheved bat, daughter.
(credits)
Shelah
The word "gedula" (meaning "greatness", also hinted to in the
above verse) refers to the tower of Babel, with Moses' speech impediment
being equivalent to the confusion of language at that time. His being
placed in the basket smeared with clay is reminiscent of the clay used
to make the bricks for the tower of Babel. His being cooped up without
seeing anything in the basket amid the reeds of the Nile River is comparable
to the blindness the men of Sodom had been smitten with. The word "nofelet",
"was falling" (like "overcame") refers to the destruction of Sodom. By
being exposed to water Moses and the Jewish people atoned for the generation
of Enoch part of whom were drowned whereas part survived. Every difficulty
Moses experienced was in some way a means of atoning for other past generations'
shortcomings. Moses' experience in Egypt paralleled that of mankind up
to that point, i.e. he suffered to achieve mankind's rehabilitation.
(credits)
Ohr HaChayim
"G-d said: "I have surely seen the plight of My people in
Egypt." [3:7]
Why is the verb "seen" doubled? Why is "in Egypt"
stressed? Surely their location is well known. The Torah may have written
this phrase in order to demonstrate G-d's identification with the Jews
in their suffering. Inasmuch as they were His people, He was part of their
suffering.
Another reason why G-d doubles "seen" is that in addition to
the suffering of the Jews which G-d had seen, He also saw that there were
no more holy souls which had been taken captive by the forces of the "other
side" and which were to be rescued by the Jewish people. Seeing that
the exile had accomplished also this part of its function, the way was
now clear for redemption. Pesachim 119 compares Egypt at the time to a
pond which had been drained of fish. There was therefore no point in continuing
to angle (for souls) there. Continued residence of the Jews in Egypt could
only have counterproductive effects from that time on.
(credits)
Sources
Ramban
- credits
Adapted from the 13th century classic by the illustrious scholar, philosopher
and defender of the faith, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman-known as 'RAMBAN' or
'Nachmanides', a master kabbalist in his own right and a major link in
the transmission of Jewish mysticism-based on the excellent annotated
English translation, Nachmanides on the Torah, by Rabbi Dr. Charles B.
Chavel
Bachya
- credits
Selected with permission from the seven-volume English edition of The
Torah Commentary of Rabbeinu Bachya, as translated and annotated by Eliyahu
Munk. Rabbi Bachya ben Asher [1255-1340] of Saragosa, Spain, was the outstanding
pupil of Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet (the "Rashba"), a main disciple
of Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (the "Ramban"). Several books have
been written about the Kabballah-based portions of R. Bachya's commentary.
Alsheich
- credits
Adapted from Torat Moshe - the 16th commentary of Rabbi Moshe Alshech,
the "Preacher of Zefat" on the Torah, as translated and condensed
in the English version of Eliyahu Munk)
Shelah
- credits
Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz was born in Prague around the year 1565. He served
as Rabbi of Cracow and other congregations before he was appointed as
the Rabbi of the community of Frankfurt on Main in the year 1610. In 1916,
Rabbi Horowitz moved to Prague where he became the Chief Rabbi of the
city. He moved to Eretz Yisrael about 1621. He was rabbi in Jerusalem
and in Tiberias, where he died in or about 1630. In addition to his magnus
opus, Shenei Luchot HaBrit, he also compiled an edition of the prayer-book
with a comprehensive commentary. Many of his innovations, including his
formulation of the Kol Nidrei prayer, have become part and parcel of the
Ashkenazi Siddur.
Ohr HaChayim
- credits
Selected with permission from the five-volume English edition of Ohr HaChaim:
the Torah Commentary of Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar, as translated and annotated
by Eliyahu Munk.
The holy Rabbi Chayim ben Moses Attar was born in Sale, Western Morocco,
on the Atlantic in 1696. His immortal commentary on the Five Books Of
Moses, Or Hachayim, was printed in Venice in 1741, while the author was
on his way to the Holy Land. He acquired a reputation as a miracle worker,
hence his title "the holy," although some apply this title only
to his Torah commentary.
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