שמות, פרק ו׳, פסוק ל׳

Standing before God, Moses expresses deep hesitation regarding his mission to the King of Egypt. He points to his personal physical limitations as a barrier to success, highlighting a profound gap between the monumental national task at hand and his own feelings of inadequacy. He suffers from a heavy mouth and a stutter, feeling that his lips are completely blocked and closed [צאינה וראינה].

The primary approach among commentators is that this moment is not a new occurrence, but rather a precise repetition of a claim Moses made earlier. The narrative had paused to present the genealogy of the tribes, officially introducing Moses and Aaron before they address Pharaoh. To resume the story exactly where it left off, the text repeats Moses's hesitation [רש"י, רשב"ם, חזקוני, אבן עזרא, מזרחי, מלבי"ם]. This repetition serves to directly link Moses's struggle with God's detailed response that immediately follows, in which Aaron is appointed to act as his spokesman [חזקוני, קאסוטו]. Alternatively, another perspective suggests that God simply did not answer Moses the first time, compelling him to repeat his concern [אבן עזרא].

The timing of this renewed objection stems from a shift in God's instructions. In the previous command, God addressed both Moses and Aaron together. At that time, Moses remained silent, assuming Aaron would be the one to actually speak. However, once the command to go to Pharaoh is directed to Moses alone, he immediately protests. He feels entirely unworthy to speak even to his own people, much less to a king [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה].

Moses bases his argument on clear logic: if the Israelites, for whose benefit and rescue the entire mission is designed, refused to listen to him because of his speech defect, how could he expect Pharaoh to listen? [שפתי חכמים]. Furthermore, Moses believes that standing before a king demands honor and fluency. He feels lowly and inadequate, convinced that it is beneath the dignity of the King of Egypt to listen to a man who constantly stutters. Ultimately, his argument is not born out of mere refusal, but from an immense sense of humility. This deep modesty is exactly what awakens God's mercy, leading to the promise that He will heal Moses and be with his mouth [העמק דבר, בעל הטורים].