The Patriarchs Trusted Where Moses Questioned

Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yose said: Once I entered Alexandria of Egypt. A certain old man met me and said, "Come and I will show you what my forefathers did to your forefathers: some they drowned in the sea, some they killed by the sword, some they crushed in the building." And for this matter Moses our teacher was punished, as it is said, "And from the time I came to Pharaoh" (Exodus 5:23). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Alas for those who are lost and not found! Many times I revealed Myself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, and they did not question My ways, nor did they say to Me, What is Your name? I said to Abraham, "Arise, walk through the land in its length and breadth, for to you I will give it" (Genesis 13:17); yet he sought a place to bury Sarah and did not find one until he purchased it for four hundred shekels, and he did not question My ways. I said to Isaac, "Sojourn in this land" and so on; yet he sought water to drink and they did not let him until he made a quarrel, as it is said, "And the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled" (Genesis 26:20), and he did not question My ways. I said to Jacob, "The land on which you lie, to you I will give it"; yet he sought a place to pitch his tent and did not find one until he purchased it for a hundred kesitah, and he did not question My ways. And they did not say to Me, What is Your name; yet you said to Me at the very start, What is Your name, and now you have said to Me, "And You have not delivered at all" (Exodus 5:23). "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh" -- but you will not see in the war of the thirty-one kings.