שמות, פרק ו׳, פסוק י׳

Following a deep sense of inadequacy and failure before the people, a pivotal moment of renewal occurs. God approaches Moses once again to reaffirm his mission [רש ר הירש]. Even though the Israelites are too consumed by their suffering to listen or draw comfort from any promises, the divine plan does not pause. The time has arrived to bypass the broken spirits of the people and confront the root of the problem directly and without delay: Pharaoh himself [קאסוטו].

Interestingly, this renewed directive is given to Moses alone. While Aaron was previously assigned to be his spokesman to the Israelites due to Moses' personal doubts, the heavy responsibility of standing before the king of Egypt is initially placed squarely on Moses' shoulders [מלבי״ם]. Nevertheless, Moses and Aaron ultimately share the destiny of confronting and striking Pharaoh together, for out of all the leaders of Israel, none are as uniquely worthy to handle such a monumental task [שפתי כהן].

The nature of how God communicates this command carries deep significance. The primary approach among commentators, represented by [רמב״ן] and [הטור הארוך], suggests that the communication here is not an instruction to pass a message along to others, as is often the case. Rather, it highlights the absolute clarity of the message. God speaks to Moses in a complete, direct, and absolute manner—free of doubts, hints, or riddles—which is the hallmark of His unique prophetic relationship with Moses. Alternatively, this expression of speech simply emphasizes that the words are directed personally to Moses [אבן עזרא], or it serves merely as a formal introduction to the words that follow [אבי עזר].

Beyond the clarity of the prophecy, the communication also serves as a precise instruction on how Moses must deliver his message. God prepares him for the daunting challenge of an ordinary man standing before a king. Moses is guided to speak with sharp, piercing words designed to penetrate Pharaoh's heart, compelling him to release the Israelites. Woven into this instruction is a divine promise: Pharaoh will not merely allow the people to leave in silence, but he will actively and forcefully drive them out of his land [אור החיים].