The revelation at the Burning Bush

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The forefathers of the Jewish people, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were very familiar with the two names of God YHWH and Elohim; and they brought their relationship with YHWH to new heights of intimacy and trust. They also appreciated the role of Elohim in placing themselves and their future offspring among the family of nations. These two types of relationships were formalized with Abraham by two covenants — the Covenant between the Pieces and the Covenant of Circumcision. In the former, YHWH detailed hundreds of years of exile in Egypt for Abraham’s descendants, while in the Covenant of Circumcision Elohim promised them the land of Canaan.

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As the sons of Jacob settled in Egypt, their awareness of their family’s relationship with YHWH became distant to them. When Joseph speaks about God, which he does frequently, he mentions only the name Elohim. Nevertheless, The Torah makes it clear that YHWH was working behinds the scenes to further His plans for Jacob’s descendants — “And YHWH was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he remained in the house of his master” (Genesis 39:2).1

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As the centuries passed and the Children of Israel became slaves in Israel, their experiential knowledge of the presence of YHWH disappeared and they recognized only the role of Elohim:

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And it happened during those many days that the king of Egypt died, and the Children of Israel groaned because of the work and they cried out. Their outcry because of the work went up to Elohim. And Elohim heard their moaning and Elohim remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. And Elohim saw the Children of Israel and Elohim knew (Exodus 2:23-25).

 

Moses, the future savior of the Israelites, had an unusual childhood. He was saved from drowning in the Nile River as a newborn by a rebellious daughter of Pharaoh, adopted by her, and brought into the royal palace. He was also nursed by his biological mother, and may have subsequently spent quality time with his biological family and learned about the traditions of his ancestors.2 Hence, when God revealed Himself to Moses as “the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” this would have resonated with him.

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Moses fled from Egypt after killing an Egyptian taskmaster and began working as a shepherd for Yitro, a priest of Midian, and married one of his daughters Zipporah. As he is leading his flock to new pastures in the wilderness, he sees a most unusual site. Flames of fire are seen in a nearby bush and yet the bush is not consumed. On approaching this bush, Moses finds that he is in conversation with God: 

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An angel of YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the bush. He gazed and behold! The bush was ablaze in fire, yet the bush was not consumed. Moses said: “I will turn aside now and look at this wondrous site – why will the bush not be burned?” YHWH saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim called out to him from amid the bush and said: “Moses, Moses," and he replied: “Here I am!” And He [Elohim] said: “Do not come closer to here, take off your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:2-5).3

 

To his amazement, Moses discovers that not only is he beholding a vision of God, but God is attempting to recruit him for a mission!

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And He [YHWH] said: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. . . .  YHWH said: “I have surely seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt and have heeded their outcry because of its taskmasters, for I know its pain. I shall descend to rescue it from the hand of Egypt and to bring it up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the outcry of the Children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Now go and I will send you to Pharaoh and you shall take My people, the Children of Israel, from Egypt” (ibid 3:6-10).

 

By which name is God revealing Himself to Moses? At first glance this passage seems mixed up. Nevertheless, there is logic to it.4 To the reader, it is readily apparent that Moses is seeing a manifestation of YHWH, in that the text clearly states that “An angel of YHWH appeared to him. . .” Moses, however, only recognizes God from His aspect of Elohim, and thus only appreciates that it is Elohim calling him: “YHWH saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim called out to him from amid the bush.”

 

Other indications that this is a YHWH-orientated passage are that it contains YHWH expressions and concepts from the Covenant of the Pieces, including the “oppression” of Egypt and the displacement of the six nations of Canaan (although they are not exactly the same names). This passage also mentions that YHWH will “descend” to rescue the Israelites because He has already “seen,” “heeded,” and “knows.” The notion of God descending is found four times in the Torah, always in association with YHWH, and seems to be an idiom signifying likely involvement after investigation.5

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This passage shouts out the oppression of the Jewish people, in that God hears their “outcry,” their “pain,” their “oppression,” their being “oppressed.” These are words that would resonate with a person such as Moses who feels strongly about injustice.6

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However, Moses expresses doubts about his ability to accomplish this mission, especially as it seems from God’s initial words that he will need both to persuade Pharaoh to let the Children of Israel leave Egypt and to take them out.7

 

Moses replied to Elohim: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take the Children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).

 

However, Moses is mistaken. He will be but the messenger of God, and it is God Who will be taking the initiative.  Following his question, Elohim reassures him:

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And He said: “For I shall be (eheyeh) with you — and this is the sign for you that I have sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you shall worship Elohim on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12). 8

 

Moses now wishes to know God’s name, since in the ancient world the name of a god reflected its attributes. This he needs for his own understanding and also to convey to the people.

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In reply to Moses’ question, God signs off, so to speak, on His name Elohim and provides an understanding of His name YHWH, an understanding directly related to the verse quoted immediately above:

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Moses said to Elohim: “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘The God of your forefathers has sent me to you, and they say to me what is His name? What shall I say to them?’ Elohim answered Moses: “I Shall Be What I Shall Be (eheyeh asher eheyeh).”’ And He said: “So shall you say to the Children of Israel: ‘I Shall Be (eheyeh) has sent me to you.’” Elohim said further to Moses: “‘So shall you say to the Children of Israel; YHWH the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My remembrance from generation to generation” (ibid 3:13-15).  

 

The episode of the Burning Bush is unique in that it is the only instance in history in which a Divinity names Himself in a way that reflects His own attributes, rather than being named by man.9 By contrast, the name Elohim reflects human perception of the power of God.

 

God reveals that His name YHWH is based on the future tense of the verb “to be.”10 The name YHWH is both the third person future and third person present tense of the verb to be. YHWH is the God of relationships who revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Who is now forging a relationship with Moses, and Who “will be" with him throughout this mission.11

 

God specifically refers to the Israelites twice as “My people,” thereby also identifying Himself as the tribal God of the Israelite people. As such, He also “will be” with the Israelite nation as they tread their way through world history. 

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Moses has been promised God’s assistance in this mission. He is provided with “signs” that he can use to convince the Israelites of the authenticity of his revelation from God. He is also offered the assistance of his brother Aaron as his spokesman. Moses acquiesces to God’s request and returns home to Midian to prepare his family for returning to Egypt. 

 

Moses has again become a social activist. 

 

Why Moses?

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Before going further, one might well ask the question — why did God chose Moses?

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Clearly, God needed a leader who would work together with Him to redeem the Israelites from Egypt and lead them to the land of Canaan.

 

What type of person was He looking for? 

 

A major prerequisite would be someone who could present himself as an equal to the Egyptian royalty and gain their respect; and also someone familiar with the inner workings of the Egyptian court.  

However, this alone is insufficient. The CEO of an organization needs to reflect the values of that organization, especially when it is directed by God! Moses needs to exemplify the values that God wishes imprinted on His people. He also needs to feel a strong identity and empathy with the people he is about to redeem.  

 

Having been being brought up in the Egyptian court, there would have been no concerns as to how Moses would present himself to Pharaoh. However, having spent many of his adult years as a shepherd in Midian it is far from obvious that he would exemplify Jewish values and identify strongly with the Jewish people. Nevertheless, the Torah goes out of its way to emphasize that Moses possessed a foundational aspect of Judaism in that he was a self-made person with extremely strong feelings about social justice. 

 

By the time Moses reaches maturity, he is displaying the assertiveness of an Egyptian noble and a passion for social justice:

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And it was in those days that Moses grew up and went out to his brethren and witnessed their burdens: and he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew man, one of his brothers. He turned this way and that and saw that there was no man, and he struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand (ibid 2:11-12).12

 

These are pivotal sentences. Despite his unusual upbringing in the Egyptian palace raised by a princess, Moses was clearly aware of his Jewish background. Twice this passage emphasizes the words “his brothers” — once when he "went out to his brothers.” The second time when the slave being beaten was not only “a Hebrew man” but also “one of his brothers.”

 

Moses’ killing of the Egyptian was an extremely bold step. In effect, It was an act of rebellion against the entire institution of Egyptian slavery and the enslavement and harsh treatment of the Israelite slaves in particular. He was also strongly declaring his identification with their suffering. However, from a practical perspective it was not a particularly smart move. In the absence of a political plan, it would have no effect whatsoever on Israelite servitude. Moreover, if the death of the Egyptian taskmaster was discovered, the blame would automatically fall on the slaves. This could only be prevented by the Israelites denouncing Moses. They would have had little compunction about doing this, since it is doubtful they recognized Moses as being one of the tribe.

 

The next day, Moses continues his social activism in the belief that injustice needs to be righted whatever its source:

 

He went out the next day and behold two Hebrew men were fighting. He said to the offender: ‘Why do you strike your fellow?’ He replied: ‘Who made you a man, a ruler, and a judge over us? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? (ibid 2:14).

 

His killing of the Egyptian had become generally known. It would not be long before “Pharaoh heard about this matter and sought to kill Moses” (ibid 2:15). Moses’ attempt at combating injustice had failed dismally and there was no alternative but for him to flee Egypt.  

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Despite this, Moses’ feelings about moral rectitude remain unabated. On arriving in Midian, the seven daughters of the priest of Midian begin drawing water for their father’s sheep from a well but are driven away by shepherds. This arouses Moses’ ire: “Moses got up and saved them and watered their flock” (ibid 2:17).

 

To these young ladies, Moses looked like an Egyptian and acted like one. He is invited into the home of Ruel, the priest of Midian and he marries one of his daughters. Jewish by birth and culturally an Egyptian aristocrat, he is unable to relate to either of those identities, any more than being a Midianite, the people with whom he is now living. This may be why he named his son Gershon:

 

He named him Gershon, for he said: “I have been a stranger in a strange land” (ibid 2:22).13

 

Identity-wise Moses is rootless. Nevertheless, it will not take much to draw him back to his Jewish ancestry. 

 

Yet another reason is provided by R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch as to why Moses was such an appropriate leader for redeeming the Israelites.14 God was not seeking an individual with a strong ego that would jump at the opportunity for leadership. During God’s recruitment speech, Moses expresses considerable doubt he is the right person for this mission and feels the task is beyond his capabilities. He also lacks oratory skills. Such humility was precisely what God was looking for, since Moses was not undertaking his own mission but God’s. 

 

God’s second recruitment speech

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When Moses arrives in Egypt, the people are much heartened by Moses’ message:

 

And the people believed and they heard that YHWH had remembered the Children of Israel and that He saw their affliction, and they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves (ibid 4:31).

 

However, as God had previously warned him, Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh fails abysmally. Pharaoh not only refuses permission for the slaves to leave Egypt for a 3-day festival but they are now charged with finding their own straw for brick-making. The Israelites are devastated and understandably blame Moses for increasing their work load. Moses in turn questions God as to why this has happened:

 

“My Master,” Moses complains, “why have You harmed this people, why have You sent me? From the time I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has harmed this people, but You have not rescued Your people” (ibid 5:22-23).

 

The situation has reached rock bottom for the Hebrew slaves. This occasions a second speech by God to persuade Moses to continue with this mission. In so doing, God joins together His previous YHWH and Elohim manifestations into a future YHWH manifestation by putting together parts of the Covenant of Circumcision with parts of the Covenant between the Pieces. This is necessary because the future mission of the Children of Israel will be subsumed entirely by the name of God YHWH.15

 

God’s speech reads as follows:   

 

Introduction:

 And Elohim spoke to Moses and said to him, I am YHWH. 

 

Section 1:

(A1) And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai, and My name YHWH was not known to them. And I also established (hakimoti) My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojourning (megurayhem), in which they sojourned (garu va).

 

(B1) And I have also heard the wail of the Children of Israel whom Egypt enslaves, and I have remembered My covenant. Therefore, say to the Children of Israel: I am YHWH.

 

Section 2:

(B2) And I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt. And I shall rescue you from their service, I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I shall take you to Me for a people, and I shall be a God to you, and you shall know that I am YHWH your God Who takes you out from under the burdens of Egypt.

 

(A2) I shall bring you to the land (ha’aretz) about which I have raised My hand to give it Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, and I shall give it to you as a heritage (morashah). I am YHWH. (ibid 6:2-8).

 

God’s speech has an introduction emphasizing that the Spokesperson is YHWH, and this is followed by two sections, each of which is framed at its end by the phrase “I am YHWH.”

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Section 1 contains a summary of what God has already done for the Israelites and is in the third person past tense, while the second section is in the future tense and summarizes what YHWH promises to do in the future, the promises being directed at “you,” the Children of Israel. 

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Most writers nowadays relate to points in the order in which they are raised. However, a frequently used literary style in the Torah is a chiastic structure. The chiasmus in this speech is of the form A1, B1, B2, A2, with A2 being a promise to resolve the issues raised in A1, and B2 a promise to resolve those issues raised in B1. The peak of the chiasmus at B1 and B2 emphasizes God’s exclusive role in redemption.  

 

The first part of the speech A1 borrows essential words from the Covenant of Circumcision. These include the words “El Shaddai” — “I am El Shaddai; walk before me and be perfect” (Genesis 17:1), and “establishing” a covenant — “I will uphold (vehakimoti) My covenant between Me and you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant to be a God to you (lelohim) and your offspring after you” (Genesis 17:7). The Covenant of Circumcision also refers exclusively to the “land of Canaan” and “sojourning” there — “and I will give to you and your offspring after you the land of your sojourns (megurecho) — the whole of the land of Canaan — as an everlasting possession, and I shall be a God (lelohim) to them” (Genesis 17:8).

 

By contrast, A2, in the second section quotes from YHWH’s Covenant between the Pieces. In the Covenant Between the Pieces, YHWH never uses the expression land of Canaan, but only “the land.” He also always uses the word “inheriting” rather than possessing or sojourning. This is evident in the following quotation from the Covenant between the Pieces:

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He [YHWH] said to him [Abraham]: “I am YHWH Who brought you out of Ur Kasdim to give you this

land (et ha’aretz hazot) to inherit it (lerishta)’” (Genesis 13:7).

 

By bringing together in one speech aspects of the Covenant of Circumcision in A1 and aspects of the Covenant between the Pieces in A2, the Torah is intimating that the future deliverance will contain features of both covenants. Moreover, the Children of Israel will no longer be under the influence of the aspect of God Elohim, but only YHWH. This is because YHWH is now to become the national God of the people.

 

It is noteworthy that B2 in the second section contains seven verbs indicating seven expressions of delivery, and hence the exclusive involvement of God in the Israelite’s deliverance:16 

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​I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt.

I shall rescue you from their service.

I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

I shall take you to Me for a people.

And I shall be a God to you.

I shall bring you to the land about which I have raised My hand to give it Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.  

And I shall give it you as a heritage. 

 

The redemption from Egypt will be entirely the work of YHWH and the people will be almost passive. Here too, an equivalence is apparent. The Israelites were passive in becoming slaves to Pharaoh and they will now be passive in their transfer to God’s service. Their sole involvement will be to demonstrate their allegiance to God before the Plague of the Firstborn by smearing blood on the doorposts of their homes from the blood of the Paschal lamb and to eat of this lamb roasted while dressed ready to leave Egypt.

The equivalence between the first section containing God’s promises and the second section of God’s plan for redemption is indicated in a fascinating way. From the beginning of the first section starting with the sentence “And I appeared to Abraham ….” until the end of the first paragraph, which ends with “Therefore, say to the Children of Israel: I am YHWH” (ibid 6:8). there are 50 Hebrew words. From this point on until the end of the second section there are also 50 Hebrew words. The equivalence between God’s actions in the past and His promises for the future will be established to the very last word!

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Unlike numbers 7, 8 and 40, number 50 is uncommon in the Torah. It is found only in the description of the Yovel year. After 7 repetitions of the seven-year Sabbatical year cycle in which the land is at rest for one year in seven, the fiftieth year is also a year of rest for the land and is called the Yovel year. The Yovel year is the time in which you shall “proclaim freedom throughout the land for all its inhabitants” and everyone returns to their “ancestral inheritance” (Leviticus 25:10). It is also a time of social justice when those in slavery are able to regain their freedom, return to their ancestral possession and become servants again only to God. These are also themes of the Exodus, in which freedom is bestowed on the Israelites to enable them to leave Egypt to serve God in freedom in their own land.

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There is an obvious question regarding God’s speech that needs to be answered. How could the Torah say that the name YHWH was not “known” to the forefathers when there are specific references in Genesis that they did know this name?17

 

Jewish commentators are in agreement that knowledge of God’s name means something other than knowledge that this name exists. One direction of commentators is that this new aspect of YHWH relates to actions He will perform in the future that were heretofore unknown to the forefathers.18 Another approach, and one that that pertains more to the direction of this essay, is that the Torah is discussing attributes of God encompassed by the name YHWH that were previously unknown to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The name YHWH previously encompassed God’s providence to the forefathers, but now encompasses His providence to the Israelites as a nation. Of this, the forefathers could have had no knowledge.  

 

This essay has brought parts of the Covenant between the Pieces and parts of the Covenant of Circumcision, both in the Book of Genesis, into a new speech by God now in the Book of Exodus and in the form of a chiasmus.

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One might think that after thousands of years of studying the same Five Books of Moses, new methods of interpretation of the text would be unlikely. However, a new direction in biblical exegesis is literary analysis of the Torah text. This was promoted by Cassuto and his methodology has been embraced by a number of institutions of Modern Orthodoxy. That this is revealing many gems should not surprise us since the Torah is more than an ordinary text. It is an esoteric text replete with messages waiting to be revealed. It is also a carefully and harmoniously woven book with interlinking stories and passages.

The search for harmony within the Pentateuch represents a sea change within parts of academia, which in the past was focused on searching for disharmony in the text as a consequence of its presumed multiple authorship.

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​References:

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1. The name of God YHWH also became somewhat distant to Jacob. He mentions YHWH in Genesis 32:10 just before he enters Israel and while still on the other side of the Jordan, but only once more towards the end of Genesis when he blesses his sons (Genesis 49:18). Mention of YHWH being involved in Joseph’s life is found in Genesis 39:21 — “YHWH was with Joseph. . . ”, although Joseph would have been unaware of this. 

2. The Abarbanel in his commentary to Exodus 2:1-10 emphasizes the impact of Moses’ palace upbringing. He writes “he was first exiled to Pharaoh’s palace so that he could learn the tactics of leadership and monarchy, which would cause him to develop courage and spiritual greatness.” Other commentators such as Rashi to Exodus 2:9, Nachmanides to Exodus 2:2, and the Sforno and Malbim to Exodus 2:9 stress in addition the strong influence of his home environment.

3. There are Jewish commentators who see symbolism with respect to the Burning Bush. It is suggested that it represents the lowly position of an eternal Jewish people being burnt up but not consumed by Egyptian oppression. This is the explanation of Midrash Sh’mos, Hizkuni and Rabbeinu Bachya. The midrash Shemos Rabba 1:9 explains that no place, even a bush, is devoid of the Divine Presence. Rashi, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra view the Burning Bush as being “the sign for you that I have sent you” (Exodus 3:12) in God’s speech to Moses. Fire as a manifestation of the presence of God is seen a number of times in the Torah — in the Covenant between the Pieces with Abraham, on Mount Sinai during the decalogue and over the Tabernacle in the wilderness.

4. First Paragraph. The Theophany on Mount Horeb (III 1-15) in A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by Umberto David Cassuto, p32, Vara Books, Skokie IL, USA.

5. The most obvious example is in the Tower of Bavel story where God comes down to investigate the situation in Genesis 11:5. Also, Genesis 18:21, Exodus 19:11, and Exodus 34:5.

6. See “The Two Consecrations of Moses” by Rav Yonatan Grossman in Torah Mietzion, New Readings in Tanach. Shemot, p23, Editors Rav Ezra Bick and Rav Yaakov Beasley, Maggid Books, Yeshivat Har Etzion. In this insightful essay, the author points out that the nature of God’s recruitment speech at the Burning Bush fits in nicely with the notion that God was directing Himself primarily to an individual with a strong sense of moral rectitude, but not necessarily someone with a strong sense of Jewish identity at this stage.

7. This explanation follows the Rashbam to Exodus 3:11. He critiques other commentators who view Moses’ hesitation and his concern that Pharaoh and the people would not believe him as being an inappropriate response to God’s request (Ve’Eilleh Shemos Rabba, Abarbanel, Sforno, Nachmanides). In Exodus 4:1, Maimonides views Moses’ hesitation as reflecting his concern that signs alone would be inadequate to further belief of the people in his mission (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah 8:2).​

8. There are various explanations of what “sign” God is discussing. Midrash Shemot Rabbah (3:4) sees the Burning Bush as the sign and explains that just as the bush was not consumed, so too, the Israelites would not be destroyed by their suffering in Egypt. This miraculous vision was meant to assure Moses that God would protect and redeem Israel. Another explanation of Midrash Shemot Rabbah (3:12) is that the sign will be the merit of Sinai, in that Israel’s eventual worship at Sinai was the reason for their redemption. Midrash Tanchuma (Shemot 17) explains that the sign is a future confirmation of Moses' divine mission and that once Israel actually worships at Sinai, it will prove that Moses was truly sent by God. Rashi and the Malbim suggest that the people will serve God at Sinai, confirming Moses' mission. Nachmanidees critiques Rashi’s explanation, arguing that a sign should be something immediate rather than something in the future. He suggests that the sign is that God has appeared to Moses and spoken to him in a miraculous manner. The significance of Sinai is that the people will worship there as proof that Moses was truly sent by God. For Ibn Ezra and Rashbam the "sign" could be the burning bush or future miracles. Sforno suggests that the sign is God's presence with Moses ensuring success.

9. This name possesses special reverence both in its writing and in speech. However, how exactly it should be pronounced has been lost through the generations as it was only pronounced in the Tabernacle and Holy Temple. 

10. To anyone but God, the tense of the verb to be should be in the third person - “He Will Be” (yihiye). However, if this were the case, the Hebrew spelling of YHVH should be YHYH, with the Hebrew letter yud (y in English) instead of vov (v in English) being the third letter of His name. This suggests that the letter vov indicates that God's name also contains within it aspects of the present tense, since the present tense of the verb "to be" is hava (הוה) containing a vav. Also within this name is the past tense of the verb to be haya (היה). The combination of all tenses of the verb “to be” in His name indicates God’s complete independence from time and His complete mastery over the past, present and all aspects of the future. First Paragraph. The Theophany on Mount Horeb in A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by Umberto David Cassuto, p37, Vara Books, Skokie IL, USA.

11. An issue in these verses is whether God is explaining that His name implies His involvement and protection or whether God is providing a deeper theological explanation for His name. Based on a midrash (Shemos Rabba 3:6) and the Talmud (TB Berachos 9b), Rashi sees in this name that God will be with the Jewish people during the difficulties of the Exodus as well as during future difficulties. Consider also: “YHWH said to Joshua: This day I will inaugurate your greatness in the sight of all Israel that they may know that as I was (hayiti) with Moses so will I be (eheye) with you” (Joshua 3:7). This is the explanation that I promote. On the other hand, there are midrashim that seek a deeper explanation and these are taken up by the commentators. Ibn Ezra reads “ehyeh” as highlighting God’s existence beyond the limitations of time. Nachmanides explains that “ehyeh” conveys both the immanent and transcendent qualities of God. While God is responsive and actively engaged with this world, His essence remains completely constant. R' Samson Raphael Hirsch suggests that the name YHWH describes the nature of God in relation to the universe He has created. Everything in the universe is the product of the laws of nature. Only God can “be” (and can do) whatever He wishes “to be” (and do), since He is not bound by the constraints of causality (R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch Commentary to the Pentateuch on Exodus 3:14).

12. Rashi to Exodus 2:11 follows Shemos Rabbah 1:27 and notes that the text says that he saw their burdens. In other words, this made an impression on him and distressed him . Nachmanides has a similar explanation. 

13. The name “Gershom” comes from the Hebrew word “ger,” meaning a stranger. There could also be another meaning to this name besides his feeling distant from Midianite society. The root letters g-r-sh mean to drive out or to expel (legaresh). In other words, Moses also regretted being forced out of Egypt.

14. R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch Commentary to the Pentateuch on Exodus 3:12.

15. There are three exceptions to the exclusive use of YHWH from this point on in the Torah. The Decalogue is introduced by Elohim — “And Elohim spoke all these words saying” (Exodus 20:1) — although the commands themselves relate to YHWH. In the story of Yitro visiting the Israelite people the name Elohim is used. This could be related to Yitro’s perception of God. The prophet Balaam also stresses that he has the capability of speaking to YHWH, but the text makes it clear that only Elohim answer him. 

16. Jewish tradition considers four expressions of deliverance, and these are toasted with four cups of wine at the Passover eve Haggadah service. The phrases “I shall take you to Me for a people” and “And I shall be a God to you” are joined together as one, and the last two expressions are left for Messianic times. Nevertheless, a division into seven expressions of deliverance is compatible with biblical style of writing.

17. The following are some examples. At the Covenant between the Pieces, God said to Abraham: "….  I am YHWH who brought you out of Ur Kasdim to give you this land to inherit it" (Genesis 15:7). Isaac was also familiar with the name YHWH and prayed to Him to relieve the infertility of his wife: “Isaac entreated YHWH opposite his wife because she was barren, and YHWH allowed himself to be entreated by him, and his wife Rebecca conceived” (Exodus 25:21). And when awakening from his vision of a ladder extending to heaven Jacob says: “Surely, YHWH is in this place and I did not know!” (Genesis 28:16).

18. Rashi based on Midrash Tanchuma and Shemot Rabba 6:3 sees in this name God’s assurance that He remains faithful to his word and will fulfill the promises He made to the forefathers (Rashi to Exodus 6:3).  Nachmanides suggests that this new aspect of YHWH expresses the ability of God to function above the natural order of the world and represent God’s existence beyond time (past, present and future simultaneously). Abarbanel disagrees with this and argues that the forefathers also experienced supernatural events, as for example the plague that afflicted the Egyptian Pharaoh because of his conduct with Sarah, the overturning of Sodom and Gomorrah, the rescue of Lot, and the turning of Lot’s wife to a pillar of salt. He suggests, therefore, that the Patriarchs only understood God as the Creator and Sustainer, but Moses would see Him as an active redeemer. Malbim feels that the name El Shaddai denotes hidden miracles within nature, while YHWH represents open miracles. The Patriarchs experienced the former, but Moses and Israel would witness the latter. However, none of these suggestions relate specifically, as I suggest, to the meaning of the word YHWH as a derivation of the verb “to be.”