<b>Therefore, say unto the children of Israel: “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out” (Exod. 6:6).</b> The word <i>therefore</i> implies that an oath was involved, as it is said: <i>Therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli</i> (I Sam. 3:14). Moses went to them and told them what the Holy One, blessed be He, had said: <i>And Moses spoke so unto the children of Israel; but they harkened not unto Moses for impatience of spirit and for cruel bondage</i> (Exod. 6:9). Whereupon Moses turned to the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: <i>Behold, the children of Israel have not harkened unto me</i> (ibid., v. 12). <i>And the Lord said to Moses: “Go in, say unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go”</i> (ibid., v. 11). A proverb states: “There is no benefit to be derived from acacia wood except when it is cut down.”<sup class="footnote-marker">4</sup><i class="footnote">An old proverb indicating that one must wait until an episode is concluded to learn the result. “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”</i>
<i>And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt</i> (ibid., v. 13). By virtue of this verse He made them equals. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Be respectful, and pay homage to the king through whom I desire to execute judgment upon him. Whereupon Moses said to him: <i>Let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword</i> (ibid. 5:3). He said <i>Lest He fall upon us</i> to demonstrate that he was acting respectfully toward the king.