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Ramban on Exodus 5:22/רמב"ן על שמות ה׳:כ״ב

אאֲדֹנָי לָמָּה הֲרֵעֹתָה נִכְתַּב בְּאָלֶ"ף דָּלֶ"ת, כִּי הַשֵּׁם הַמְּיֻחָד שֶׁהוּא מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים לֹא יָרֵעַ לָעָם. וּלְמַעְלָה הִזְכִּירוֹ מֹשֶׁה שְׁנֵי פְּעָמִים בְּאָלֶ"ף דָּלֶ"ת (ד' י' י"ג), שֶׁהָיָה מִתְחַנֵּן בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִחַר בּוֹ הָאַף. וְאוּלַי הָיָה מִתְיָרֵא מֵהַזְכִּיר ה' הַגָּדוֹל הַמְּחֻדָּשׁ לוֹ וּמְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו.

1ADO-NOY’, WHEREFORE HAST THOU DEALT ILL WITH THIS PEOPLE? The Divine Name is here written Aleph Dalet, for through the Proper Name of G-d, [i.e., the Tetragrammaton], which is the attribute of mercy, no evil would befall the people. However, above [in Chapter 4, Verses 10 and 13], Moses twice mentioned the Divine Name written Aleph Dalet — [Bi Ado-noy (O G-d)] — since he was praying that the anger of G-d would not be kindled against him [for refusing to undertake the mission to go to Pharaoh]. Perhaps Moses was afraid to mention the Great Divine Name that was then being revealed to him and speaking to him.

בלָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים אֶת מֹשֶׁה פַּעֲמַיִם (לעיל ג יט, ד כא) שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן אוֹתָם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַהֲלֹךְ מַדּוּעַ יִתְרַעֵם. וְאָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על שמות ה':כ"ב) כִּי חָשַׁב מֹשֶׁה כִּי מֵעֵת דַּבְּרוֹ אֶל פַּרְעֹה בִּשְׁלִיחוּת ה' יָקֵל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וְיָחֵל הָאֱלֹהִים לְהַצִּילָם, וְהִנֵּה פַּרְעֹה הִכְבִּיד וְהֵרַע, וְזֶה טַעַם לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה, כִּי זֶה הֵפֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִי "רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ" (שמות ג':ז'-ח). וְאֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ, וְאֵין הַהַצָּלָה רַק יְצִיאָתָם מִן הַגָּלוּת: וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי שֶׁחָשַׁב מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ כִּי יֹאמַר ה' שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיהֶם פַּרְעֹה לְהוֹצִיאָם מִיָּד בְּמִצְוָתוֹ, וְלֹא בְּאוֹת וּמוֹפֵת, עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ נִפְלְאוֹתָיו הָרַבּוֹת, אֲבָל חָשַׁב כִּי יְבִיאֵם עָלָיו תְּכוּפוֹת זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ בְּיָמִים מְעַטִּים, וּכְשֶׁאָמַר "לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת ה'" יְצַוֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִיָּד לְפָנָיו אוֹת הַתַּנִּין, וְהוּא לֹא יִשְׁמַע, וְיַכֶּה אוֹתוֹ בּוֹ בַּיּוֹם בַּדָּם וְאח"כ בְּכָל הַמַּכּוֹת. וּכְשֶׁרָאָה שֶׁעָמְדוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים וְהוּא יָרֵעַ לָהֶם בְּכָל יוֹם, וַה' לֹא כִּהָה בוֹ, וְלֹא נִתְגַּלָּה לְמֹשֶׁה לְהוֹדִיעוֹ מָה יַעֲשֶׂה, אָז חָשַׁב מֹשֶׁה כִּי אֲרֻכָּה הִיא:
וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהָיוּ בָּזֶה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁסִּפֵּר הַכָּתוּב יָמִים רַבִּים, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר הֻכּוּ שׁוֹטְרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עָמְדוּ יָמִים עַד שֶׁדִּבְּרוּ עִם פַּרְעֹה עַצְמוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ "לָמָּה תַעֲשֶׂה כֹה לַעֲבָדֶיךָ" (שמות ה':ט"ו), כִּי אֵין בִּרְשׁוּת כָּל אָדָם לָבֹא בְּהֵיכַל מֶלֶךְ פְּנִימָה וּלְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו פָּנִים בְּפָנִים, אַף כִּי שׁוֹטְרֵי הָעָם הַנִּבְאָשִׁים בְּעֵינָיו, וְהִנֵּה סָבְלוּ עֲמָלָם וְלַחֲצָם יָמִים רַבִּים וְהָיוּ בָּאִים עַד לִפְנֵי שַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ, עַד שֶׁנִּשְׁמְעָה צַעֲקָתָם לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְצִוָּה שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ לְפָנָיו וִידַבְּרוּ עִמּוֹ. וְכֵן אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁשָּׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' וְאָמַר לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה אַחֲרֵי יָמִים מֵעֵת שֶׁפָּגְעוּ בּוֹ הַשּׁוֹטְרִים: וּבְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת רַבָּה (ה':י"ט) אָמְרוּ, "וַיֵּצְאוּ נֹגְשֵׂי הָעָם וְשֹׁטְרָיו" (שמות ה':י'), כֵּיוָן שֶׁגָּזַר כֵּן הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה לְמִדְיָן וְעָשָׂה שָׁם שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים, וְאַהֲרֹן הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הֶחְזִיר מֹשֶׁה אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו לְמִדְיָן. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ (שם ה כד), "וַיִּפְגְּעוּ אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת אַהֲרֹן" (שמות ה':כ'), אַחַר שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים נִגְלָה הקב"ה אֶל מֹשֶׁה בְּמִדְיָן וְאָמַר לוֹ "לֵךְ שׁוּב מִצְרָיִם", בָּא מֹשֶׁה מִמִּדְיָן וְאַהֲרֹן מִמִּצְרַיִם, וּפָגְעוּ בָּהֶם שׁוֹטְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁהֵן יוֹצְאִין מִלִּפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה:
וְכֵן רָאִיתִי עוֹד בְּמִדְרַשׁ חָזִיתָ (שה"ש רבה ב כב) "דּוֹמֶה דוֹדִי לִצְבִי" (שה"ש ב ט), מָה צְבִי זֶה נִרְאֶה וְחוֹזֵר וְנִרְאֶה, כָּךְ גּוֹאֵל הָרִאשׁוֹן נִרְאָה לָהֶם, וְחָזַר וְנִכְסָה מֵהֶן וְחָזַר וְנִרְאָה לָהֶם, וְכַמָּה נִכְסָה מֵהֶם, רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אָמַר שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב "וַיִּפְגְּעוּ אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת אַהֲרֹן". וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אוֹמֵר לְקִצִּין. כְּלוֹמַר, כִּי לְשׁוֹן פְּגִיעָה לִפְרָקִים הִיא: וְהִנֵּה הָיוּ יָמִים רַבִּים מֵעֵת דִּבֵּר לוֹ הַשֵּׁם וּבוֹאוֹ אֶל פַּרְעֹה, וְלָכֵן כְּשֶׁשָּׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' אָמַר לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם לְמַהֵר לִשְׁלֹחַ אוֹתִי קֹדֶם שֶׁהִגִּיעַ הַקֵּץ, כִּי לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לִשְׁלֹחַ אוֹתִי עַד שֶׁתִּרְצֶה לְהַצִּילָם, כִּי עַתָּה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָהֶם וְלֹא הִצַּלְתָּ אוֹתָם, וְאִם כָּכָה אַתְּ עֹשֶׂה לָהֶם יָסוּפוּ בָּרָעָה אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָאֵם. וְלָכֵן עָנָה אוֹתוֹ, עַתָּה, בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת, בְּקָרוֹב, תִרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה לְפַרְעֹה, כִּי לֹא אַאֲרִיךְ לוֹ כָּל כָּךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר חָשַׁבְתָּ, וְקָרוֹב לָבֹא עִתּוֹ וְיָמָיו לֹא יִמָּשְׁכוּ:

2WHEREFORE HAST THOU DEALT ILL WITH THIS PEOPLE? [It should be asked]: After G-d twice informed³⁴¹ Moses that the king of Egypt would not let them go, why did he complain? Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that Moses had thought that from the moment he would speak to Pharaoh in the name of G-d, he would ease the burden from upon the children of Israel, and that G-d would begin to redeem them, but Pharaoh hardened and increased their woes. This is the sense of the expression, Wherefore has Thou dealt ill…? “It is the opposite of what Thou hast told me, i.e., I have surely seen the affliction of My people.³⁴², 3:7. And I am come down to deliver them.”³⁴³, Verse 8. But this [explanation of Ibn Ezra] does not appear to me to be correct because [Moses said], Neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all,³⁴⁴ and “delivery” means only their going forth from exile.³⁴⁵In my opinion, Moses our teacher thought G-d had told him that Pharaoh would not let them go immediately at his command, nor by sign and wonder until He would perform His many wonders among them. But Moses thought that G-d would bring them upon Pharaoh in uninterrupted succession in a few days. When Pharaoh said, I know not the Eternal,³⁴⁶ He would immediately command him to execute the sign of the serpent before the king, and [if] the king would still not listen, He would smite him on that very day with the plague of blood, followed by all the rest of the plagues. But when Moses saw that three days passed and the king increased their woes every day and G-d did not rebuke him, nor did He reveal Himself to Moses to inform him what he should do, then Moses thought that [the captivity] is a long one.³⁴⁷It is possible that there was a long period of time to this story recounted here by Scripture. When the officers of the children of Israel were beaten,³⁴⁸ days passed until they spoke to Pharaoh himself, saying to him, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?³⁴⁹ It is not every person that has a right to come into the inner chambers of the king’s palace and speak to him face to face, and all the more the officers of those people abhorrent to him. Thus they suffered in their burden and oppression many days, and they would come even before the king’s gate³⁵⁰ until their outcry was heard before the king and he commanded that they come before him and speak with him. It is likewise possible that Moses returned to the Eternal and said, Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill…, many days after the officers of the children of Israel met him.³⁵¹The Rabbis have said in V’eileh Shemoth Rabbah:³⁵² “And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh: I will not give you straw.³⁵³ When this was decreed by Pharaoh, Moses went to Midian and stayed there six months while Aaron remained in Egypt. At that time, Moses took his wife and sons back to Midian.” The Rabbis have furthermore said:³⁵⁴ “And they met Moses and Aaron.³⁵¹ After six months, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to Moses in Midian and said to him, Go, return unto Egypt.³⁵⁵ Moses then came from Midian, and Aaron from Egypt, when they were met by the officers of Israel as they came forth from Pharaoh.” I have furthermore seen a similar [tradition] in Midrash Chazit:³⁵⁶ “My beloved is like a gazelle.³⁵⁷ Just as a gazelle appears [and hides] and reappears, so did the first redeemer, [i.e., Moses], appear to the children of Israel, then he disappeared, and then he appeared to them again. For how long was he away from them? Rabbi Tanchuma said three months. It is this which Scripture says, And they met Moses and Aaron.³⁵¹ And Rabbi Yehudah Beribi³⁵⁸ said that [he was away from them] for periods of time.” That is to say, the word “meeting” — [and they ‘met’ Moses and Aaron] — indicates periods of time.Thus many days passed between G-d’s speaking to Moses and Moses’ coming to Pharaoh. Therefore when Moses returned to G-d he said, “Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people, hurrying to send me before the time [of redemption] had come? It was not fitting to send me until You wanted to deliver them, but now You have dealt ill with them and You have not delivered them. And if You deal thus with them, they will perish in the affliction that will come upon them.” Therefore G-d answered Moses at this time: “Soon shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh,³⁵⁹ for I will not prolong it for him to the extent that you thought, and his time is near to come, and his days shall not be prolonged.”³⁶⁰Va’eira