“Who am I,” Moses responded when God instructed him to confront Pharaoh and demand that he let the Israelites go. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should take the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).

God encouraged him, “I will be with you.” But Moses continued to demur. Not only did he believe that he was unable and unworthy to rescue the nation, he furthermore believed that the people would not trust that he was truly sent by God. He once again objected to God’s directive, saying, “but they will not believe me nor heed my voice, for they will say, ‘God did not appear to you’” (Exodus 4:1).

God responded by teaching Moses two signs by which he would convince both Pharaoh and the Israelites that he was indeed commissioned by God. First, Moses was to take his wooden staff and throw it to the ground, and it would transform into a snake. Second, he was to reach his hand into his tunic at his chest, and when he withdrew it, it would be completely white and afflicted by a leprous disease known as tzaraas.

Both of these signs, Rashi explains, were intended not only for Pharaoh and the Israelites, but for Moses........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)