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Ramban on Exodus 3:13/רמב"ן על שמות ג׳:י״ג

אוְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה אוֹמֵר לְךָ פָּרְשֵׁנִי; כִּי לֹא יִתָּכֵן שֶׁיֹּאמַר מֹשֶׁה וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם אוֹת שֶׁיַּאֲמִינוּ בּוֹ, כִּי שְׁאֵלַת שְׁמוֹ וַאֲמִירָתוֹ לָהֶם אֵינָהּ אוֹת לְמִי שֶׁלֹּא יַאֲמִין בּוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה שֶׁאִם יָדְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹתוֹ הַשֵּׁם גַּם מֹשֶׁה כָּהֵם יָדַע אוֹתוֹ, וְהִנֵּה יְדִיעָתוֹ כִּידִיעָתָם וְאֵינֶנָּה אוֹת וּמוֹפֵת כְּלָל, וְאִם לֹא שָׁמְעוּ בּוֹ מָה הָרְאָיָה שֶׁיַּאֲמִינוּ בִּדְבָרָיו כְּלָל. וְהִנֵּה אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעוֹ אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל אָמַר "וְהֵן לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לִי" (שמות ד':א'), וְאָז נָתַן לוֹ אוֹתוֹת: וְאָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על שמות ג':י"ג) כִּי שָׁאַל מֹשֶׁה מָה שֵׁם יֹאמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִשְּׁמוֹתָיו, כִּי בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתוֹת רַק בַּשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל. וְאֵין דְּבָרָיו נְכוֹנִים בְּעֵינַי כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא נֶאֱמַר לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים גְּדוֹלִים וְנִפְלָאִים, אֲבָל שֶׁיַּצִּילֵם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וְיַעֲלֵם לָאָרֶץ, וּבְשֵׁם אֵל שַׁדַּי יוּכַל לָבֹא בְּלֵב פַּרְעֹה לְהַצִּילָם וְגַם לְנַצֵּחַ הָעַמִּים, וּכְבָר הוֹצִיא שָׂרָה מִבֵּיתוֹ בִּנְגָעִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁהֵבִיא עָלָיו, וְנִצַּח אַבְרָהָם לְבַדּוֹ הַמְּלָכִים הַגְּדוֹלִים, וְכָל זֶה בְּעֶזְרַת אֵל שַׁדַּי הַשֵּׁם הַנּוֹדָע לָאָבוֹת, וְכָכָה יַעֲשֶׂה בַּבָּנִים. וְעוֹד כִּי יַעֲקֹב אָמַר "וְהָיָה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּכֶם וְהֵשִׁיב אֶתְכֶם אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲבֹתֵיכֶם" (בראשית מח כא), וְיוֹסֵף אָמַר "פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם" (שם נ כה), וְהִנֵּה הַפְּקִידָה בֵּאלֹהִים:
וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי הָיָה מֹשֶׁה גַּם בָּעֵת הַהִיא אָב בְּחָכְמָה גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלַת הַנְּבוּאָה, וְדֶרֶךְ שְׁאֵלָה בִּקֵּשׁ שֶׁיּוֹדִיעֵהוּ מִי הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ אוֹתוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר בְּאֵי זוֹ מִדָּה הוּא שָׁלוּחַ אֲלֵיהֶם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה וְעַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהִים שְׁלָחַנִי וְרוּחוֹ (ישעיה מח טז) וְהִנֵּה אָמַר יִשְׁאָלוּנִי עַל שְׁלִיחוּתִי אִם הִיא בְּמִדַּת אֵל שַׁדַּי הִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה לָאָבוֹת, אוֹ בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים עֶלְיוֹנִית שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה בָּהּ אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים מְחֻדָּשִׁים בַּיְּצִירָה. וְזֶה בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ "אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם" (שמות ג':ו'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ שֵׁם מִשְּׁמוֹתָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים כְּלָל, וְשָׁמַע מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ עַל מַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי וּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה, וְהוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ כִּי הַתּוֹרָה לֹא תִּנָּתֵן בְּשֵׁם אֵל שַׁדַּי הַנִּזְכָּר בָּאָבוֹת רַק הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבּוֹ הָיָה הָעוֹלָם, וְעַל כֵּן שָׁאַל מָה אוֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם: וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ נִתְעוֹרְרוּ לָזֶה (שמו"ר ג'), אָמְרוּ וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָא אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן בְּשֵׁם ר' סִימוֹן אָמַר מֹשֶׁה עָתִיד אֲנִי לֵעָשׂוֹת סַרְסוּר בֵּינְךָ וּבֵינֵיהֶם, כְּשֶׁתִּתֵּן לָהֶם הַתּוֹרָה וְתֹאמַר לָהֶם אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִתְבָּרֵר מֹשֶׁה עַל עֲסָקָיו, שֶׁנִּתְיָרֵא אִם יִשְׁאֲלוּ לוֹ מַה שְּׁמוֹ מָה אֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיּוֹדִיעֶנּוּ הקב"ה אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל וְזֶה עִנְיַן הַשְּׁאֵלָה:

1AND THEY SHALL SAY UNTO ME: WHAT IS HIS NAME? WHAT SHALL I SAY UNTO THEM? This verse calls aloud for an explanation. It is incomprehensible that Moses should say, And they shall say unto me: What is His name? meaning that this will be a sign to them to believe in him. The asking for His Name and Moses’ telling it to them are no sign to anyone who did not believe in Moses to begin with. If Israel knew that Name, Moses likewise knew it, and thus his knowledge thereof was equivalent to theirs and it would be no sign or wonder at all. If they had not heard of it previously, what proof would that be that they should believe in his words altogether? And now even after He informed him of the Great Name, Moses still said, But, behold, they will not believe me,¹⁹⁶, 4:1. and then He gave him the various signs!¹⁹⁷, Verses 2-9.Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that Moses asked which of G-d’s Names he should mention to Israel, for the Name of E-il Sha-dai (G-d Almighty) does not signify the performance of miraculous signs; only the Great Name, [i.e., the Tetragrammaton], indicates that. But this interpretation does not appear correct to me. Moses had not yet been told that He would make great and wondrous signs and portents at the going forth from Egypt. Rather, he was told that He would save them from the hand of the Egyptians and bring them up to the land of Canaan, and for that — to strike at the heart of Pharaoh, as well as to be victorious over the seven nations — the name E-il Sha-dai suffices. Sarah was taken out from Pharaoh’s house with great plagues,¹⁹⁸ and Abraham alone subdued the great kings¹⁹⁹, 14:14-15. — all with the help of E-il Sha-dai, the Divine Name known to the patriarchs,²⁰⁰ and so likewise He would do to their descendants. Moreover, Jacob had said, And ‘Elokim’ (G-d) will be with you, and bring you back unto the land of your fathers²⁰¹, and Joseph also said, ‘Elokim’ (G-d) will surely remember you.²⁰², 50:25. Thus the remembrance is by Elokim!In my opinion, Moses even at that time was already the father of wisdom, great in achievement of the heights of prophecy, and inherent in his question was the request that He inform him Who is sending him, that is to say, by what Divine attribute is he sent to the Israelites, just as Isaiah said, And now the Eternal G-d hath sent me, and His spirit.²⁰³ Thus Moses said: “They will ask me concerning my mission whether it is with the attribute of E-il Sha-dai which stood by the patriarchs, or with the high attribute of mercy with which You will do signs and wonders which will be new phenomena in creation.” [Moses was obliged to ask] this question because He had said to him, I am the G-d of thy father, the G-d of Abraham,²⁰⁴ and He did not elucidate to him at all any of His sacred Names. Moses then heard that He assured him of the Revelation on Mount Sinai and the Giving of the Torah, and he knew that the Torah would not be given with the Name of E-il Sha-dai mentioned in connection with the patriarchs, but would be given with the Great Name with which the world came into existence. Therefore he asked, What shall I say unto them?Our Rabbis have alluded to this interpretation. Thus they said:²⁰⁵ “And Moses said unto G-d, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel.” Rabbi Shimon related in the name of Rabbi Simon that Moses said: ‘I am destined to become the agent between Thee and them when Thou wilt give them the Torah and say unto them, I am the Eternal thy G-d.’²⁰⁶“And I shall say unto them: The G-d of your fathers hath sent me unto you. At that moment, Moses desired to be elucidated concerning his activities, for he feared lest the children of Israel ask him, What is His name? What shall I say unto them? At that moment Moses desired that the Holy One, blessed be He, inform him of the Great Name, [i.e., the Tetragrammaton].” This was the purport of Moses’ question.

בוְהִנֵּה עָנָהוּ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה, אֶהְיֶה עִמָּכֶם בְּצָרָה זוֹ וְאֶהְיֶה עִמָּכֶם בְּצָרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם דַּיָּה לַצָּרָה בִּשְׁעָתָהּ, אָמַר לוֹ יָפֶה אָמַרְתָּ, כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ', לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ג':י"ד) מִדִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ברכות ט: שמו"ר ג'). וְהַכַּוָּנָה לָהֶם בָּזֶה, כִּי מֹשֶׁה אָמַר לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ, שֶׁיַּגִּיד לָהֶם הַשֵּׁם שֶׁיּוֹרֶה הוֹרָאָה שְׁלֵמָה עַל הַמְּצִיאוּת וְעַל הַהַשְׁגָּחָה, והקב"ה הֱשִׁיבוֹ לָמָּה זֶה יִשְׁאֲלוּ לִשְׁמִי, אֵין לָהֶם צֹרֶךְ לִרְאָיָה אַחֶרֶת כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּהֶם בְּכָל צָרָתָם יִקְרָאוּנִי וְאֶעֱנֵם, וְהִיא הָרְאָיָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱלֹהִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל קְרוֹבִים אֵלֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו וְיֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹפְטִים בָּאָרֶץ וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ נָכוֹן בְּאַגָּדָה זוֹ:
וְעוֹד אָמַר כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה בְּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה (מנורת המאור הראשון פרק הצדקה) וּמַהוּ אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹוֶה עִמִּי כָּךְ אֲנִי הוֹוֶה עִמְּךָ אִם פּוֹתְחִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶם וְעוֹשִׂין צְדָקָה אַף אֲנִי אֶפְתַּח אֶת יָדִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "יִפְתַּח ה' לְךָ אֶת אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב" (דברים כח יב), וְאִם אֵינָן פּוֹתְחִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶם מַה כָּתוּב שָׁם, "הֵן יַעְצֹר בַּמַּיִם וְיִבָשׁוּ" וְגוֹ' (איוב יב טו).
וְעוֹד דָּרְשׁוּ רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה לְמֹשֶׁה אֱמֹר לָהֶם אֲנִי שֶׁהָיִיתִי וְעַכְשָׁו אֲנִי הוּא וַאֲנִי הוּא לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, לְכָךְ כָּתוּב כָּאן אֶהְיֶה שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים (שמו"ר ג ו). וּבֵאוּר דַּעַת רַבִּי יִצְחָק, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהַזְּמַן הָעוֹבֵר וְהֶעָתִיד כֻּלּוֹ בַּבּוֹרֵא בַּהֹוֶה כִּי אֵין חֲלִיפוֹת וְצָבָא עִמּוֹ, וְלֹא עָבְרוּ מִיָּמָיו כְּלוּם, לְפִיכָךְ יִקָּרֵא בּוֹ כָּל הַזְּמַנִּים בְּשֵׁם אֶחָד מוֹרֶה חִיּוּב הַמְּצִיאוּת:
וְאוּנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם שְׁנֵי הַשֵּׁמוֹת "אֱהֵא עִם מַאן דְּאֵהֵא", וְלֹא תִּרְגֵּם כְּלָל הַשֵּׁם שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם. וְהַנִּרְאֶה מִדַּעְתּוֹ, כִּי אֶצְלוֹ ה' הַנִּכְבָּד שֶׁהוֹדִיעוֹ הוּא בֶּן אַרְבַּע אוֹתִיּוֹת הָאֵלֶּה שֶׁצִּוָּהוּ "כֹּה תֹאמַר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם", אֲבָל הוֹדִיעוֹ תְּחִלָּה עִנְיָנוֹ, כִּי שְׁאֵלָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה לָדַעַת דַּרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם מִשְּׁמוֹ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁחָזַר וְאָמַר "הוֹדִעֵנִי נָא אֶת דְּרָכֶךָ וְאֵדָעֲךָ" (שמות ל"ג:י"ג). וְכַאֲשֶׁר הֵשִׁיב לוֹ שָׁם "וְקָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם ה' לְפָנֶיךָ וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם" (שם יט), לֵאמֹר כִּי בַּשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לְפָנָיו יְחוֹנֵן וִירַחֵם, וְלֹא יוּכַל אָדָם לָבֹא עַד עֹמֶק דְּרָכָיו, כֵּן אָמַר בְּכָאן "אֱהֵא עִם מַאן דְּאֵהֵא", בִּשְׁמִי שֶׁתֹּאמַר לָהֶם שֶׁהוּא אֶהְיֶה, כִּי בוֹ אֲנִי עִם הָאָדָם לְחוֹנֵן וּלְרַחֵם:
וְהַגָּאוֹן רַב סְעַדְיָה כָּתַב כִּי בֵּאוּרוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַר וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר, כִּי הוּא רִאשׁוֹן וְהוּא אַחֲרוֹן. קְרוֹבִים דְּבָרָיו לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִצְחָק. וְהָרַב אָמַר בְּמוֹרֶה הַנְּבֻכִים (א סג) הַנִּמְצָא אֲשֶׁר הוּא נִמְצָא, כְּלוֹמַר רְאוּי הַמְּצִיאוּת. יְבָאֵר לָהֶם כִּי יֵשׁ נִמְצָא רָאוּי לְהִמָּצֵא שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה נֶעְדָּר וְלֹא יִהְיֶה נֶעְדָּר:
וְהִנֵּה לְדַעַת אֵלֶּה הַחֲכָמִים צָרִיךְ שֶׁנְּפָרֵשׁ כִּי הקב"ה אָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁיֹּאמַר לָהֶם זֶה הַשֵּׁם וִילַמְּדֵם אוֹתוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיִּפְרֹט לָהֶם רְאָיוֹת שִׂכְלִיּוֹת אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם יִתְקַיֵּם אֵצֶל חַכְמֵיהֶם זֶה הַשֵּׁם, כְּלוֹמַר הַמְּצִיאוּת אוֹ הַקִּיּוּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַר וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר, כִּי זְכִירַת הַשֵּׁם בִּלְבַד, יֹאמַר מַה שֶׁיֹּאמַר, אֵינֶנּוּ רְאָיָה לְבַטֵּל מֵהֶם דַּעַת הַקַּדְמוּת אוֹ הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת הַמְּחֻשָּׁב בְּבִטּוּל הַמְּצִיאוּת לְגַמְרֵי. וְאֵין זֶה מַשְׁמָעוּתוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, אֲבָל כִּי הַזְכָּרַת הַשֵּׁם לָהֶם הוּא הָרְאָיָה וְהוּא הָאוֹת וְהַמּוֹפֵת עַל דְּבָרָם שֶׁיִּשְׁאָלוּהוּ:
וְעַל דַּעְתִּי לֹא יִסְתַּפְּקוּ זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּמְצִיאוּת הַבּוֹרֵא כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר הָרַב וְחָלִילָה, אֲבָל זֶה הַשֵּׁם תְּשׁוּבַת שְׁאֵלָתוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ לְךָ, הוֹדִיעוֹ שֶׁהוּא שָׁלוּחַ אֲלֵיהֶם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין אֲשֶׁר בְּמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים, וְאָמַר כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם, שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר לָהֶם הַשֵּׁם הָאֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ לְהוֹרוֹת עַל הָאַחְדוּת, וּלְכָךְ צִוָּהוּ עוֹד "כֹּה תֹאמַר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי" (שמות ג':ט"ו), כִּי הַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה הוּא מִדַּת רַחֲמִים, וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי יוֹלִיךְ לִימִין מֹשֶׁה זְרוֹעַ תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ (ישעי' ס"ג י"ב), וִיחַדֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים בָּעוֹלָם. וְהִנֵּה פֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ כִּי אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ לֵאמֹר לָהֶם, הוּא הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה, וְהֵם שָׁוִים בִּלְשׁוֹנָם וּבָאוֹתִיּוֹת, כִּי שְׁתֵּי הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת שֶׁבַּשֵּׁם הָרִאשׁוֹן הֵם הַקּוֹדְמוֹת בָּזֶה, כִּי בָּרִאשׁוֹן יוֹרוּ עַל חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה, כְּדִכְתִיב "וַה' נָתַן חָכְמָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה" (מלכים א ה':כ"ו), וּבָזֶה יוֹרוּ עַל חָכְמַת אֱלֹהִים, וְאוֹת הָאָלֶ"ף בָּרִאשׁוֹן תּוֹרֶה עַל הַקַּדְמוּת וְהַיָּחִיד, וְהַיּוֹ"ד בַּשֵּׁנִי עַל עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת בְּלִי מָה. וְנִלְקְחוּ שְׁתֵּי הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הָאֵלֶּה הָאָלֶ"ף וְהַיּוֹ"ד מִשְּׁנֵי הַשֵּׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְנִכְתְּבוּ תְּחִלָּה וָסוֹף בַּשֵּׁם הַנִּכְתָּב וְנִקְרָא בְּאָלֶ"ף דָּלֶ"ת, לְהוֹרוֹת כִּי הוּא אֲצִילוּת מִן הָרֹאשׁ וְעַד הַסּוֹף, וּמִדַּת הַדִּין בָּאֶמְצַע, כִּי שְׁמִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ (שמות כ"ג:כ"א). וּמִכָּאן תָּבִין לָמָּה קְמָצוּהוּ. וְנִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ בַּשֵּׁם הַהוּא בְּכָל שֵׁם אַדְנוּת, כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה וְהַשִּׁלְטוֹן. והקב"ה יַרְאֵנוּ נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרָתוֹ:

2And G-d answered him, “‘I WILL BE THAT WHICH I WILL BE.²⁰⁷ I will be with you²⁰⁸ in this sorrow, and I will be with you²⁰⁸ in other sorrows.’²⁰⁹ Thereupon Moses said to Him, ‘Master of the universe! Sufficient is the evil in its time, [and why should I mention to them other sorrows in store for them in the future].’ G-d replied to him: ‘You have spoken correctly. Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I WILL BE hath sent me unto you.’” Thus the language of Rashi quoting the words of our Rabbis.²¹⁰ Their intent in this Agadah is as follows: Moses had said before Him, blessed be He. And they shall say unto me: What is His name?, meaning that G-d should tell him the Name which wholly teaches His existence and His providence. The Holy One, blessed be He, answered him: “Why should they ask for My Name? They need no other proof, for I will be with them in all their affliction.²¹¹ They shall call, and I will answer them.”²¹² This is the great proof that there is a G-d in Israel near to us whenever we call upon Him,²¹³ and verily there is a G-d that judgeth in the earth.²¹⁴ This is a correct interpretation of this Agadah (homily).In a similar way it is said in a Midrash Agadah:²¹⁵ “And what is the meaning of I WILL BE THAT WHICH I WILL BE? ‘As you are with Me, so I am with you. If they open their hands and give charity, I also will open My hand, as it is said, The Eternal will open unto thee His good treasure the heaven to give the rain of thy land in its season.²¹⁶ And if they do not open their hands, what is written there? Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up.’”²¹⁷In a similar vein the Rabbis expounded:²¹⁸ “Rabbi Yitzchak said that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: ‘I am He Who has been, Who is now, and Who will be in the future.’ This is why Eh’yeh is written here three times.” The explanation of Rabbi Yitzchak’s opinion is that since with respect to the Creator, past and future times are conceived completely in terms of the present — for there is no host succeeding host with regards to Him, and nothing of His time has passed — hence all times with reference to Him are called by one name, signifying a Being Whose existence is absolute.²¹⁹Now Onkelos translated the first two names, [i.e. ‘Eh’yeh Asher Eh’yeh’], as “I will be with him that I will be,”²²⁰ but he did not translate the third name Eh’yeh expressed in the verse, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: ‘Eh’yeh’ hath sent me unto you. It appears that Onkelos’ opinion is that the glorious Name²²¹ of which He informed Moses was this four-letter Name of which He commanded him, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: ‘Eh’yeh’ hath sent me unto you. But He first informed him of the purport thereof, for Moses’ request had been to know the ways of G-d through His Name, just as he was once again to request [later on]: Let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee.²²² And just as He answered him then, And I will proclaim the name of the Eternal before thee, and I will be gracious unto whom I will be gracious²²³, Verse 19. — meaning that with this glorious Name²²¹ which He will proclaim before him, He will be gracious and will show mercy, and no man can fathom the profundity of His ways — in the same vein He said to him now: “I will be with him that I will be,” meaning, “with My Name that you will tell them, namely, Eh’yeh, with that Name I am gracious and show mercy to man.”And the Gaon Rav Saadia wrote²²⁴, for Ramban’s extensive use of Arabic. In view then of the fact that Ibn Ezra does not mention this interpretation of Rav Saadia Gaon in his commentary, nor is it found in Saadia’s philosophic work Emunoth Vehadei’oth, it may be assumed that Ramban saw it in the original Arabic. that its explanation is as follows: “[He is the Being] Whose existence has never ceased and will never cease, for He is the first and the last.” The opinion of the Gaon is not far from the opinion of Rabbi Yitzchak, [i.e., that the name Eh’yeh indicates eternity, as explained above].And the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] has said in the Moreh Nebuchim (Guide of the Perplexed)²²⁵ that the meaning of Eh’yeh Asher Eh’yeh is: “He is the existing Being which is the existing Being, that is to say, Whose existence is absolute. The proof which Moses was to give to the elders of Israel consisted in demonstrating that there is a Being of absolute existence, that has never been and never will be without existence.”Now according to these Sages,²²⁶ it is necessary to explain that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses that he should tell them this Name and teach them its import. That is to say, Moses was to inform them of this Name and show the rational proofs by which His eternal being or existence would be firmly established among their wise men. The mere mention of the Divine Name — be it whatever it may —is no proof in itself to eradicate the doctrine of the eternity [of matter] from among them, or the calculated heresy of denying the existence [of the Supreme Being] altogether. But this is not the sense of the verse! Rather, [it clearly implies] that the very mention of the Name to them will be the proof, sign and token on the matter they will have asked of Moses.In my opinion, the elders of Israel never doubted the existence of the Creator, as the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] said — Heaven forbid! But this Name does contain the answer to [Moses’ question of G-d], as we have explained it to you.²²⁷ 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 — all as explained above. 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,²²⁸ 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 Moses²²⁹ 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.²³⁰