parsha bit: Shemot

[cellio]

When God speaks to Moshe from the burning bush, he first says "I am Ehyeh asher ehyeh" and later says to tell the Israelites "Ehyeh sent me". Chazal ask why the change in name. Rabbi Yaakov ben Abina said that when God made the first statement, he said to Moshe "I am with your people in their current troubles and I will be with them in their future troubles", and Moshe objected. It's bad enough that they're slaves now, he said; you can't also tell them that there will be times as bad ahead! God agreed, and thus just "Ehyeh" in the second statement -- I will be with them now. (Midrash Rabbah, Sh'mot 3:1)

Comments

Nothing so complicated!

[(Anonymous)]

There's no name change!

God's simply saying He's on a first-name basis with the Israelites!

The interpretation I always accepted was that the name might be translated into English "Was, Is, Will Be." Given the science bent my theology takes, I love that explanation of the great "I am."

Grammar fun with the Weekly Parsha

[(Anonymous)]

The problem that I have with the way that this Midrash was translated is this:

I can not "will be with" you 'now'.

I can only "be" with you 'now'.

If the name changed from "I will be that what I will be" to "I will be", then what is the difference? It still seems to refer to future suffering. Rashi says something very similar to Rav Yaakov ben Abina "אהיה עמם בצרה זו, אשר אהיה עמם בשעבוד שאר מלכיות". "I will be with them in this time of trouble, and am the one who will be with them when subjugated by other kingdoms."

Am I nitpicking here?

- Inkhorn