Introductions – Parshat Shemot

When Hashem introduces himself to Moshe Rabbeinu, he says אנוכי אלקי אביך אלקי אברהם אלקי יצחק ואלקי יעקב – what exactly does it mean אלקי אביך – the God of your father? Your personal father? Your collective forefathers?

The Ibn Ezra says that Hashem is talking to Moshe on behalf of all of כלל ישראל, therefore the language is singular, similar to אלקי אבי וארממנהו – from Shirat Hayam, which is obviously not referring to Moshe’s father. Alternatively, it could be referring to Avraham, as he was our first father. However, the Midrash teaches that it’s referring to Moshe’s father, Amram. In fact, the midrash says that the first voice that Moshe heard from Hashem was similar to the voice of Amram, so as not to scare Moshe.

In truth, Amram wasn’t a regular run-of-the-mill person. The Gemara in (סוטה (יב calls Amram the Gadol Hador. The Rambam in הלכות מלכים פרק ט tells us the build up of all the mitzvot. Adam was given 6, Noach another one, more were given to the Avos and Amram was also commanded additional mitzvos in Egypt.

In any case,אלקי אביך is the God of your personal father, and that man happens to be the leader of the generation, which is very significant in this chain.

The classic mefarshim are not sure what these mitzvos are, nor the source of the Ramban, but the Rambam brings it nonetheless.

The מהר״ץ חיות suggests that it would seem that Amram was commanded Kiddushin, as the verse states – וילך איש מבית לוי ויקח את-בת-לוי. This idea of Kiddushin before a marriage is particularly a Jewish concept. Before the Torah was given a marriage was just Nisuin, but Kiddushin is something special for the kedusha of Bnei Yisrael.

Perhaps there is a message for all of us. Not all are zoche to be the child of the Gadol Hador each person’s parents are our link in the Mesora, usually that’s going to be the first step in him becoming a connected Jew. So we should take what we have, and expand it to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, and b’ezrat Hashem, we will grow stronger and stronger.

Shabbat Shalom.