The Four Times Moses Demanded an Answer From God

(Exodus 6:12-13) "And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not listened to me." Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: In four places Moses made requests before the Omnipresent, and He answered him on his questions. As it is said, "And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying": there is no need for Scripture to say "saying," except that he said to Him, Answer me whether You are redeeming them or not, until the Omnipresent answered him, "And the LORD said to Moses, Now you shall see." Similarly, "And Moses cried out to the LORD, saying" (Numbers 12:13): there is no need for Scripture to say "saying," except that he said to Him, Answer me whether You will heal her or not, until the Omnipresent answered him, "If her father had but spit in her face" (Numbers 12:14). Similarly, "And Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, Let the LORD appoint" (Numbers 27:15-16): there is no need to say "saying," except that he said to Him, Answer me whether You will appoint leaders over them or not, until He answered him, "Take to yourself Joshua son of Nun." Similarly, "And I pleaded with the LORD at that time" (Deuteronomy 3:23): there is no need to say "saying," except that he said to Him, Answer me whether I will enter the land or not, until He answered him, "Enough for you," and so forth, "Joshua son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there" (Deuteronomy 1:38). "Behold, the children of Israel have not listened to me": this is an argument from the lesser to the greater [kal vachomer], how then shall Pharaoh listen to me? (Written under entry 151.)