כלי יקר — למה זה שלחתני / עתה תראה

Q — What is Moshe actually complaining about when he says 'למה זה שלחתני' — surely not that Pharaoh refused to release Yisrael, since Hashem had already told him Pharaoh would refuse?

A — Kli Yakar reads Moshe's grievance as specifically about *his own appointment* as the emissary. Moshe never expected Pharaoh to release Bnei Yisrael immediately — but he didn't expect the situation to *deteriorate* either. Once it did, he reasoned the deterioration was caused by sending a man 'כבד פה ולשון' — Pharaoh was insulted by being addressed by a stammerer ('ראה היהודים משחקים בי') and lashed out at the people. The textual signal: Pharaoh's outburst 'למה משה ואהרן תפריעו' (5:4) leads with the *names*, implying his offense was less the demand itself than the messengers. Moshe's complaint is therefore about his fitness for the role, not about the divine plan.