Moses Slanders Israel and the Sign of the Serpent in His Hand

"And behold, they will not believe me" (Exodus 4:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "What is that in your hand?" But did the Holy One, blessed be He, not know what was in his hand? And furthermore, why was it turned into a serpent? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have grasped in your hand the trait of the primordial serpent, who brought forth slander and was stricken with leprosy. So too you, who said, "And they will not believe me" — yet they are believers, the sons of believers. Believers, as it is written, "And the people believed, and they heard..." (verse 31). Sons of believers, as it is written, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it..." (Genesis 15:6). And because you brought forth slander against them, you shall be stricken with leprosy.