Parshat Shemot 5786 - "אהי-ה אשר אהי-ה"

This week we will read פרשת שמות, the very first פרשה in ספר שמות. In this Parsha, we are told of עם ישראל’s great persecution by the מצרים, which leads them to cry out to HaShem. As HaShem hears their cry, he begins to manifest his plan for their salvation, starting by speaking to משה. Here, when informed that HaShem will bring בני ישראל out of מצרים to ארץ כנען, Moshe replies that they won’t believe him - they will ask what His Name is, and he won’t know what to say. HaShem responds “אהי-ה אשר אהי-ה ויאמר כה תאמר לבני ישראל אהי-ה שלחני אליכם - Eha-yeh Asher Eha-yeh (I will be what I will be), and you (Moshe) will say to Bnei Yisrael, Eha-yeh sent me to you.” He continues: “כה־תאמר אל־בני ישראל ה׳ אלקי אבתיכם אלקי אברהם אלקי יצחק ואלקי יעקב שלחני אליכם זה־שמי לעלם וזה זכרי לדר דר - You (Moshe) shall say to Bnei Yisrael: ‘HaShem, the G-d of your fathers, the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchak, and the G-d of Ya’akov has sent me to you’ - this shall be My Name forever, and My remembrance from generation to generation.” HaShem seems to give Moshe proof to בני ישראל’s upcoming claim that he’s a נביא שקר (a false prophet); later on, however, HaShem bestows נסים (miracles) for Moshe to perform to prove his validity. This raises the question - how do we understand this answer of HaShem - would he really give a verification so lackluster? Moreover, the statement itself is incredibly difficult - we have never seen this Name before! What does it even mean?Recorded in Yeshivat Sha'alvim