(ב) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י ה'׃ (ג) וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י ה' לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃ (ד) וְגַ֨ם הֲקִמֹ֤תִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי֙ אִתָּ֔ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֵ֛ת אֶ֥רֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־גָּ֥רוּ בָֽהּ׃
E-lohim spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as E-l Shadai, but I did not make Myself known to them by My name Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey. I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners.
~ What is the plain meaning of the passage?
~ What complicates our acceptance of the plain meaning?
~ How many names of God so far?
~ What other passage does this one reminds us of?
[Abraham calls the name of Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey multiple times (12:8, 13:4, 21:33), as does Isaac (26:25, 27:7, 27:27). God uses the name YHVH when speaking with Jacob (28:13) and Jacob uses it as well (28:16, 28:21, 32:10, 49:18). Sarah (16:5), Leah (29:32, 33, 35), Rachel (30:24), and Laban (30:27) know the name YHVH. In short, when looking at all these passages, it seems clear that the name YHVH was hardly a secret and that it was well-known to the ancestors. And yet, Exodus 6:2-3 seems to be saying that they did not know it. Also, this seems to be an introduction of the name YHVH to Moshe, when they already met at the burning bush, see below]
(1) Now Moses, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, drove the flock into the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of E-lohim. (2) An angel of Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. (3) Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?” (4) When Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” (5) And He said, “Do not come closer. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.
(13) Moses said to E-lohim, “When I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” (14) And God said to Moses, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh.” He continued, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh sent me to you.’” (15) And E-lohim said further to Moses, “Thus shall you speak to the Israelites: Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you: This shall be My name forever, This My appellation for all eternity.
וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה חֲבָל עַל דְּאָבְדִין וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין, הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים נִגְלֵיתִי עַל אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי וְלֹא הוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם כִּי שְׁמִי ה' כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ וְלֹא הִרְהֲרוּ אַחַר מִדּוֹתָי, אָמַרְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית יג, יז): קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ לְאָרְכָּהּ וּלְרָחְבָּהּ וגו', בִּקֵּשׁ לִקְבֹּר שָׂרָה וְלֹא מָצָא עַד שֶׁקָּנָה בְּדָמִים וְלֹא הִרְהֵר אַחַר מִדּוֹתָי, אָמַרְתִּי לְיִצְחָק (בראשית כו, ג): גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת כִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ וגו', בִּקֵּשׁ לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם וְלֹא מָצָא אֶלָּא (בראשית כו, כ): וַיָּרִיבוּ רֹעֵי גְרָר עִם רֹעֵי יִצְחָק, וְלֹא הִרְהֵר אַחַר מִדּוֹתָי. אָמַרְתִּי לְיַעֲקֹב (בראשית כח, יג): הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ וגו', בִּקֵּשׁ מָקוֹם לִנְטוֹת אָהֳלוֹ וְלֹא מָצָא עַד שֶׁקָּנָה בְּמֵאָה קְשִׂיטָה, וְלֹא הִרְהֵר אַחַר מִדּוֹתַי וְלֹא שְׁאָלַנִי מַה שְּׁמִי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ אַתָּה, וְאַתָּה תְּחִלַּת שְׁלִיחוּתִי אָמַרְתָּ לִי מַה שְּׁמִי, וּלְבַסּוֹף אָמַרְתָּ (שמות ה, כג): וּמֵאָז בָּאתִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: וְגַם הֲקִמֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי, שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם שֶׁאֶתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא הִרְהֲרוּ אַחֲרָי. ...
And I appeared to Avraham - The Holy One of Blessing said to Moshe: a pity on those who disappear and are not remembered, many times I revealed to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov as E-l Shadai and I did not make Myself known that My name is Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey as I told you, but (also) they did not search for My attributes. I said to Avraham, "rise, walk through the land, its width and breadth" (Gen. 13:17), he wanted to bury Sarah and did not find a place until he bought with money, and he did not search for My attributes. I said to Yitzchak "live in this land, because it will be for you and your seed", he searched for water and did not find it, rather "the shepards of Gerar fought with the shepards of Yitzchak" (Gen. 26:20) and he did not search for My attributes. I told Ya'akov "this land that you lie on etc" (Gen. 28:13), he searched for a place to put up his tent and did not find it until he bought it for 100 coins, and he did not search for My attributes, he did not ask Me My name as you did. You, at the beginning of My sending you, asked what is My name, and at the end you said: "And since I came to Pharaoh" (Ex. 5:23). And regarding this it is written "And I also will maintain My covenant" that was given to them as I said that I will give the land to them, even though they did not search for Me.
~ What is the solution proposed by the midrash? What do you think of it?
ושמי ה' לא נוֹדַעְתִּי להם. לֹא הוֹדַעְתִּי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי, לֹא נִכַּרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּמִדַת אֲמִתּוּת שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁעָלֶיהָ נִקְרָא שְׁמִי ה', נֶאֱמָן לְאַמֵּת דְּבָרַי, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִבְטַחְתִּים וְלֹא קִיַּמְתִּי:
But by My name Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey I was not דעה to/by them — It is not written here לא הודעתי I did not make known to them, but לא נודעתי was I not known by them — i. e. I was not recognized by them in My attribute of “keeping faith”, by reason of which My name is called Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey, which denotes that I am certain to substantiate My promise, for, indeed, I made promises to them but did not fulfill them [during their lifetime].
~ How does Rashi solve our basic problem?
וארא. נבואת האבות היתה במראות הלילה על כן מלת וארא. מלת שדי קשה בפירוש. והגאון אמר כי השי''ן נוסף כשי''ן שאתה מדבר עמי. והטעם שאמר לעולם די. ולא אדע טעם לפירוש זה כי איך יקרא שם אשר די. רק להיותו תאר כמו טוב וסלח. ... אמר רב סעדיה הגאון כי תחסר באחרונה מלת לבדו. כאילו אמר ובשמי ה' לבדו לא נודעתי להם רק פעם באל שדי ופעם בשם ה'. וכמוהו לפי דעתי לא יעקב לבדו יאמר עוד שמך כי אם ישראל משתתף עמו ואין צורך לתקון הזה כי ידענו כי אל שדי הוא הש''י הנכבד ואין ביניהם הפרש. רק ששם שדי הוא תואר והשם הנכבד פעם שם עצם ופעם שם תואר כאשר פירשתי. והנה מצאנו כתוב באברהם אני ה' אשר הוצאתיך מאור כשדים. וביעקב אני ה' אלקי אברהם אביך. ורבי ישועה אמר כי אברהם ויעקב לא ידעו זה השם רק משה כתב ככה. ולא דבר ר' ישועה נכונה. כי איך יכתוב משה שם לא הזכירו השם. ואין ספק כי האבות ידעו זה השם שהוא שם העצם. רק זה השם הוא התאר לא ידעו. .... והנה האבות לא הגיעה מעלתם לדבקה בשם כמשה אשר ידעו השם פנים בפנים ע''כ היה יכול משה לשנות תולדות עולם השפל ולחדש אותות ומופתים שלא יכלו האבות לחדשם. והנה משה אמר שני דברים האחד למה זה שלחתני. והשני והצל לא הצלת את עמך. והשיב על האחרון עתה תראה אשר אעשה לפרעה. ועל הראשון ויאמר אליו אני ה'. והטעם כי על ידי האבות נודע שמי שהוא אל שדי ועל ידך יודע שמי ה' הנכבד בעולם כאשר אמר לכן אמור לבני ישראל אני ה'. והנה שלחתיך להודיע זה השם:
I appeared - the prophecy of the Ancestors was during visions at night, and so [the text uses here] I appeared. The name Shadai is difficult to explain. And [Saadia] Gaon said that the shin is to be read as a shin meaning "that", as in "that you speak to me", and the reason is that "He said to the world Enough/Dai". And I don't understand the reasoning behind this, for how can a name be called "that enough"? Rather, this has to be an adjective such as good and merciful. ...Rabbi Saadia Gaon explains that there is a missing word, alone, so the meaning of the text is that through my name YHVH alone I did not make Myself known to them, but sometimes as E-l Shadai and sometimes as YHVH... and of course we know that E-l Shadai is the Holy Name, Blessed! And honored, and there is no distinction between them - the only thing is that Shadai is an adjective and YHVH is sometimes a noun and sometimes an adjective. And behold, what do we make of it being written regarding Avraham "I am YHVH that took you out of Ur Casdim" and regarding Yaakov "I am YHVH, the God of your father Avraham"? Rabbi Yeshua explains that Avraham and Yaakov didn't really know that name, just Moshe wrote later. And Rabbi Yeshua's words are not correct, how could be possible that Moshe wrote something that wasn't there? There is no doubt that the patriarchs knew this name as a noun. But this name as an adjective they did not know. ... And behold the Patriarchs did not have the same level as Moshe regarding clinging to Hashem, who knew Hashem face to face, therefore Moshe was able to change the natural laws of this lower world, and make new signs and portents which the patriarchs couldn't. And behold Moshe said two things, "was it for this that You sent me?" and "You haven't saved Your people".And God answered the second with "you will see what I will do to Pharaoh", and the first "I am YHVH". And the reason is that through the Patriarchs My name E-l Shadai was known, and through your hands My honored name YHVH will be known, when He said "Tell the children of Israel I am YHVH" and behold, I sent you to make this name known.
~ Ibn Ezra is bringing a lot of answers.
~ He rejects rabbi Yeshua's answer. Why?
~ He then brings Sa'adia Gaon's answer, that a word seems to be missing. How would that solve the problem?
~ What is Ibn Ezra's solution to the question?
As E-l Shadai: a promise concerning the future that I have not yet fulfilled.
And My name YHVH - we have to explain the sequence as follows: “Although I have revealed Myself to the patriarchs as the attribute of Shaddai, My principal name, the one that represents My essence, etc.” We are faced with a repetition here.
I did not reveal to them - I did not reveal Myself to the patriarchs as My principal attribute but only as My attribute Shaddai. But to you, Moses, I have revealed My principal attribute which I described as Ehyeh and YHVH. In your lifetime I plan to fulfill My promise, to give the people the land of Canaan. The words "and My name YHVH" are connected to what was written at the beginning of the verse as I explained already. If the Torah had written "I did not make known" instead of "I was not known", the words "and My name YHVH" would have belonged to the statement "I did not make known".
~ The Rashbam builds on his grandfather's words. Rashi called our attention to how the verb is being declined, but he proposes a different solution. What is it?
וארא וגו' באל שדי ושמי ה' וגו': לאבות הראתי יכלתי להצילם להטיב להם, אבל לא נודעתי להם בתאר פועל הטובות והרעות, שמורה עליו שמי ה', כי לא הרעותי להם, ועתה שאתה אומר למה הרעות לעם הזה, דע כי זה דרכי, וכן הוא רצוני שיכירו ישראל שאני פועל הטובות והרעות, למען ייראוני כל הימים, והמפרשים פירשו ה', מקיים הבטחתי. ואין לומר כי האבות לא ידעו שם ההויה, אחר שמצאנו ויקרא אברהם שם המקום ההוא, ה' יראה, וכן ויאמר אליו אני ה' אשר הוצאתיך (בראשית ט"ז ז'), ויפה אמר רש"י לא הודעתי אין כתוב כאן אלא לא נודעתי. ושמי ה' לדעת ראב"ע (ולפניו ר' יהודה הלוי, מאמר ב') בי"ת באל שדי מושכת אחרת עמה, והטעם ובשמי ה' לא נודעתי להם. וממה שכתב הראב"ע אמר רב סעדיה גאון כי תחסר מלת לבדו כאילו אמר ובשמי ה' לבדו לא נודעתי להם רק פעם באל שדי ופעם בשם ה', נראה כי גם רס"ג מפרש ושמי ובשמי. ולדעת איגל ושמי כמו ואני בכל תארי.
And I appeared etc E-l Shadai and My name etc - I showed to the Patriarchs that I was able to save them for their own good, but I did not make Myself known in the essence of acting good and evil, which is taught by My name Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey, since I did not do anything bad to them, and now that you ask "why are Yu doing evil to this people?" know that this is My way, and this is My will - that Israel will recognize that I do everything, good and evil, so that they will hold Me in awe forever, and the commentators explained as YHVH - I keep My promises. And it;s imporssible to say that the Ancestors did not know the name Havayah, since we find that "Avraham called the name of the place YHVH-Yir'eh" (Gen. 22:14), and also "I am YHVH that took you out" (Gen. 16:7). And Rashi said well his explanation... and from what Ibn Ezra said that Rav Saadia Gaon said that a word is missing, the word "alone", and it is as if God said "and My name YHVH, alone," meaning, I was not known to them, rather sometimes as E-l Shadai and sometimes as YHVH. ...
~ Shadal proposes that there is a difference in the philosophical approach to God. What is it?
~ Sforno brings the question of expanding that consciousness to the rest of the people.
(ה) וְגַ֣ם ׀ אֲנִ֣י שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶֽת־נַאֲקַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם מַעֲבִדִ֣ים אֹתָ֑ם וָאֶזְכֹּ֖ר אֶת־בְּרִיתִֽי׃ (ו) לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֥ר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל אֲנִ֣י ה' וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם מִתַּ֙חַת֙ סִבְלֹ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵעֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבִשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ (ז) וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֥ם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹקִ֑ים וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י ה' אֱלֹ֣קֵיכֶ֔ם הַמּוֹצִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת סִבְל֥וֹת מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (ח) וְהֵבֵאתִ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לָתֵ֣ת אֹתָ֔הּ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֑ב וְנָתַתִּ֨י אֹתָ֥הּ לָכֶ֛ם מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה אֲנִ֥י ה'׃ (ט) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר מֹשֶׁ֛ה כֵּ֖ן אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִקֹּ֣צֶר ר֔וּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָ֖ה קָשָֽׁה׃ (פ)
I have now heard the moaning of the Israelites because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Say, therefore, to the Israelite people: I am Ad-nai. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. (7) And I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, the LORD, am your God who freed you from the labors of the Egyptians. (8) I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession, I the LORD.” (9) But when Moses told this to the Israelites, they would not listen to Moses, their spirits crushed by cruel bondage.
ולא יפחתו לו מארבעה: היכי מתקני רבנן מידי דאתי בה לידי סכנה והתניא לא יאכל אדם תרי ולא ישתה תרי ולא יקנח תרי ולא יעשה צרכיו תרי אמר רב נחמן אמר קרא (שמות יב, מב) ליל שמורים ליל המשומר ובא מן המזיקין רבא אמר כוס של ברכה מצטרף לטובה ואינו מצטרף לרעה רבינא אמר ארבעה כסי תקינו רבנן דרך חירות כל חד וחד מצוה באפי נפשה הוא
-110a
We learned in the mishna that even with regard to the poorest of Jews, the charity distributors should not give him less than four cups of wine. The Gemara asks: How could the Sages establish a matter through which one will come to expose himself to danger? But wasn’t it taught in a baraita: A person should not eat pairs, i.e., an even number of food items; and he should not drink pairs of cups; and he should not wipe himself with pairs; and he should not attend to his sexual needs in pairs. The concern was that one who uses pairs exposes himself to sorcery or demons. Why would the Sages require one to drink an even number of cups and thereby place himself in a position of danger? Rav Naḥman said that the verse said: “It was a night of watching to the Lord” (Exodus 12:42), which indicates that Passover night is a night that remains guarded from demons and harmful spirits of all kinds. Therefore, there is no cause for concern about this form of danger on this particular night. Rava said a different answer: The cup of blessing for Grace after Meals on Passover night is used in the performance of an additional mitzva and is not simply an expression of freedom. Therefore, it combines with the other cups for the good, i.e., to fulfill the mitzva to drink four cups, and it does not combine for the bad. With regard to the danger of drinking pairs of cups, it is as though one drinks only three cups. Ravina said: The Sages instituted four separate cups, each of which is consumed in a manner that demonstrates freedom. Therefore, each and every one is a distinct mitzva in its own right. In other words, each cup is treated separately and one is not considered to be drinking in pairs.