In his very
first prophecy, Moses sets himself apart
— as the Torah later describes his unique experience (Ex. 33:11): “And God
spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his fellow." The term
"And he said" is repeated 23 times in 39 verses, but the Torah adds a
verb at the beginning of Chapter Four: "And Moses responded and he
said." This seems to indicate a tonal shift, and the Midrash (Shemot Rabba
ad loc.) indeed notes:
“And Moses responded and he said, ‘But they will not believe me nor listen
to my voice’” — at this point, Moses
spoke improperly; God told him, “And they will listen to your voice,” but he
said, “But they will not believe me.” God immediately reacted accordingly,
giving him signs as he asked.
If so, there
is a transition here between Chapters Three and Four, although of course the chapter
divisions in the Torah are a later invention (and Christian). In Chapter Three,
Moses is to gather the elders, give them the password "I have certainly
taken account" and lead them to Pharaoh's palace. Pharaoh will not agree
initially to let the people go, but God’s “wonders” will force him to do so.
There is only one “sign”: “And this is
the sign that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you
shall worship God upon this mountain.” In other words, Moses will present his
bona fides as a fait accompli.
In Chapter
Four, on the other hand, the elders are not mentioned; instead, Aaron is appointed
as Moses’ mouthpiece. There are numerous
“signs” to convince the people, and there are “miracles” to sway Pharaoh, but
the “wonders” vanish. Moreover, we hear for the first time of Pharaoh's heart
issues: "And I will strengthen his heart, and he will not let the people
go." The implication seems to be that if the Israelites can be persuaded
verbally, then Pharaoh can be moved by God’s wonders. However, if the people
require legerdemain, then the persuasion of Pharaoh must be far more elaborate
and grand, with miracles shattering his stone heart. Everything has changed
because of the crucial words of Moses (Midrash Sekhel Tov ad loc.), “‘But they
will not believe me nor listen to my voice’ — verily they are believers born of
believers in You, but they will not believe me.”
In this light, we can understand the bizarre happening at the end of Chapter Four, "And it was along the
way, at the inn, that God encountered him and sought to kill him.” Moses’
hesitation ultimately delays and complicates the Exodus, and God’s fury is
understandable. It is only when Zipporah circumcises their son, symbolizing
what is at stake for the next generation, that God releases Moses. However,
this is merely temporary, a stay of execution, for forty years. As the Talmud
(Shabbat 97a) notes, Moses’ ultimate death sentence for lack of faith (Num.
20:12) is predicated on his statement here: “But they will not believe me.”
These days, as we reexamine the role of government in our
lives, we must remember how important it is to have bold and decisive leaders. “Believers born of
believers” require their political representatives to believe in themselves
above all. A society cannot change if its leaders do not have the faith and the courage
to lead.
