One Word, Many Voices: Ex. 4:10
One of the distinctive features of the traditional Mikra'ot G'dolot
is the cacophony of voices of the page. The Rabbis were not afraid
to disagree with each other; sometimes in quite heated language.
This is an important lesson of Torah study. There is more than
one way to read the text. The Rabbis taught, 'There are 70 faces/facets
to Torah.' Based on the issues of interpretations we have explored
thus far, it's not surprising.
Let's examine the following passage. Moses argues with God that
he should not be sent to Pharaoh. He says, (after several other
excuses - another good rule of Torah study, check the context!):
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Please, YHVH, I have never been a man of words, either in times
past or now that You have spoken to Your servant; but am heavy of speech and heavy of tongue. |
|
What main question of Parshanut does this verse elicit? (click to see the answer)
The traditional Commentators suggest different answers:
I speak labouredly, with difficulty, (in Old French: balbutier)
stutter.
I am not fluent in the Egyptian tongue because I ran away from
the country and I am now eighty. For is it possible that a prophet whom God had known face to face
and received the Torah should stutter, especially as there is no mention of this in Talmudic sources?
He couldn't speak clearly; certain sounds were difficult for him
to pronounce. He who says that he had forgotten Egyptian is incorrect, for he pleaded two disabilities: heavy of speech and tongue.
Further, God's answer, "Who has made man's mouth? or who makes
a man mute" is not referring to linguistic fluency but to some
congenital disability. This is the meaning of "I shall be with
your mouth and teach you," ie. give you words which are not difficult
for you to pronounce.
Notes
Each commentator not only offers his own opinion, but suggests
a difficulty with the previous interpretation. Ibn Ezra, uses
context to help determine the correct meaning. Read verse 11 to
see which explanations fits best.
Shmuel David Luzzato (ShaDaL) offers a fourth possibility. Can you think of another possibility?
Mikra'ot G'dolot
Ex. 4:10
