Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

"…see the Children of Israel have not hearkened unto me, how then shall Pharaoh hear me who am of uncontrolled lips." (6,12) 

Afraid his words would be accepted

On this verse "Rashi writes:"This is one of the ten fortiori in the Torah" (where one learns from the lighter case about a more serious case).

We know that the interpreters wonder about Moshe's words for this fortiori seems to be confutable. The Children of Israel did not listen to Moshe because of the difficulty of the enslavement as it says, "they hearkened not unto Moshe out of impatience and out of cruel bondage". Therefore, this reason cannot be of "impatience and cruel bondage" for Pharaoh and it was possible that Pharaoh would have listened to Moshe's voice.

However, we know what the Holy Grand Rabbi of Ruzhin said about Yonah the Prophet who did not want to go on G-d's mission to Ninveh to arouse them to repent. Yonah Hanavi thought to himself – I know that the gentiles are close to repentance and they are afraid of a punishment. Now if I go on G-d's mission they will immediately repent and G-d who is slow to anger and with much goodness will forgive and have mercy on them. Thereby, indictment will be aroused against the Nation of Israel for many prophets were sent to them and they have still not repented and G-d forbid He will be angry at the Children of Israel.

So too when Moshe Rabeinu, the loyal shepherd and leader of Israel who always looked to find only the good of Israel, saw that the Children of Israel did not listen to him "out of impatience and out of cruel bondage", he was very fearful that when he would go to the wicked Pharaoh at G-d's mission, Pharaoh would indeed accept what he said and what a disgrace that would be because it would arouse indictment on Israel that they had not listened to Moshe.

And that is what Moshe Rabeinu said, "see the Children of Israel have not hearkened unto me" - how then would it look if Pharaoh hears me – and then I will not have what to answer if they are indicted.

Therefore G-d later promised that "I will harden Pharaoh's heart – Do not worry, Pharaoh will not listen to you and you do not have to worry about indictment of My Nation.

SHABBAT SHALOM!!