Moshe Rabbenu’s  Complaints to G-D / Dr. Ken Blashka

Moshe’s complains to Hashem (end of Shemot etc) concerning the increasing difficulties experienced by the Jews in Egypt after Moshe spoke to Pharaoh in the name of Hashem. [Shemot 5:23] This resulted (as per Rashi) in Hashem implying that Moshe wasn’t like the Avos who didn’t criticize Hashem for delaying the fulfillment of his promises to his descendants.[Sanhedrin 111A}  Since they didn’t complain, Moshe shouldn’t have done so. However, despite the criticism, the phrasing of the pasuk, contrasting Moshe with the Avos , implies the high regard in which Hashem held Moshe.

Another noteworthy point is seen in  the  pasuk 6:26, where it states

הוא אהרן ומשה.

Rashi’s peshat is to teach us that both Aharon and Moshe were considered equals in the eyes of Hashem and that both were necessary for the geulah, redemption .

Hashem again says to Moshe, “ speak to pharaoh” , דבר אל פרעה.

This is because there is an interlude between the first time this was spoken in pasuk 10 where the genealogy of Moshe and Aaron was described. It’s possible that  at the first instance of going to Pharaoh, Moshe refrained from speaking first due to his being an    ערל שפתים , a poor speaker.

At that point Aharon had a greater presence in Jewish life and had sons who were important to the future of klal Yisroel. Therefore Moshe wanted to defer to Aharon.

As Moshe grew in stature due to his interactions with Hashem, Moshe is now mentioned first [ in pasuk 6: 27] and with him representing   כלל ישראל, the whole nation of Israel.

At this point it was a greater honor for  כלל ישראל  to be represented by Moshe.

שבת שלום