Anochi

Shemot (3:11), And Moses said to Elokim, מי אנכי (who am I) that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take the children of Israel out of Egypt.” מי אנכי carries a second meaning. Beforehand, Shemot (3:6) states, “And He said, אנכי (I am) the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob….” Moses wanted to know what relationship HaShem had with him. Perhaps אנכי (I Am) held this information. Moses therefore said, מי אנכי—who is אנכי—that I should go to Pharaoh…. Is HaShem my God as I suffer in Egypt?

HaShem answered Moses, Shemot (3:12), “כי אהיה עמך” (for I will be with you). Shemot (3:14), “אהיה אשר אהיה” (I Am what I Am) means that HaShem was with them in their servitude of Egypt and would be with them in future servitudes (Berachot 9b). HaShem similarly told Moses that He did not forsake him; כי אהיה עמך (for I Am is with you) means that HaShem was with him in pain. This is the meaning of אהיה (I Am), and it indeed explains the meaning of אנכי (I Am). The attribute of אנכי (I Am) is also that HaShem is with us in distress, as Tehilim (91:15) states, “עמו אנכי בצרה” (I am with him in distress).

Shemot (3:12) continues, “…and this is your sign that אנכי has sent you. When you take out this nation from Egypt, you will serve Elokim on this mountain.” The mountain was lowly, and HaShem appeared to him there in a lowly bush. This shows עמו אנכי בצרה (Rashi, Shemot 3:2). It shows that אנכי sent him.

Shemot (3:13) continues, “And Moses said to Elokim, behold, אנכי will go to the children of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they will say to me, what is his name; what shall I say to them?” They will ask, “What is His Name?” What relationship does He have with us? Is HaShem our God as we suffer in Egypt? Shemot (3:14) continues, “And Elokim said to Moses, אהיה אשר אהיה,” with you and with them, now and always.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.