What did Moshe mean when he said, "... b'Yad Tishlach!"?
Rashi #1: He meant Aharon, who is accustomed to being sent.
Rashi #2: He meant someone who will be able to finish the job; since he (already predicted that he would not take them into Eretz Yisrael 1 or redeem them in the future. 2
Targum Yonasan: He meant Pinchas, who (in the guise of Eliyahu ha'Navi) is destined to lead Yisrael in the days of Mashi'ach.
Ramban #1 and R. Bachye (both citing Targum Onkelos), and Seforno: He meant someone whose diction is clear, rather than a person with a speech defect, through whose mouth You will have to speak to Par?oh. 3
Ramban #2 and Rashbam: He meant anybody other than himself (because whoever Haashem would send would be a more suitable Shali'ach than him ? Ramban).
.Seforno: He meant someone who was able to carry out the Shelichus independently, and not someone like himself, whom Hashem would have to act ss his mouthpiece whenever he spoke.
Da'as Zekenim: If Hashem wants to send him, He should send with him a letter to advocate for him, since he is not sufficiently eloquent.
Oznayim la'Torah: Since, as Hashem just told him, speech and all the other faculties are in Hashem's Hands, everyone is eligible to serve as Hashem's Shali'ach. In which case, Hashem may as well send someone who has better credentials than him to begin with.
Ba'al ha'Turim (in 3:11): Since Hashem informed Moshe that the kingship would not pass on to his children, 4 he requested that Hashem should send somebody else.
Rashi: Since Hashem is not short of Sheluchim.
Ramban and R. Bachye: As it is not Kavod that Your Shali'ach should be someone whose speech is unclear, seeing as the people will not hear when he speaks with the king (The fact that a person with such a defect is Hashem's Shali'ach, will in itself be degrading in their eyes ? Ramban).
See Ba?al ha?Turim, ibid.,
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "[Moshe argued,] ... For in any case, I am not destined to bring them into the Land!" But this had not yet been decreed! (Even as late as Parshas Beha'alosecha (see Bamidbar 10:29 with Rashi), Moshe implies that he is going along, when he invites Yisro to join him!)
Riva: Moshe knew that he would not lead Bnei Yisrael into Eretz Kena'an, but he thought that he himself would enter.
Moshav Zekenim #1 (to Bamidbar 10:29): Moshe said so lest Yisrael [despair, and] say, 'The one who took us out of Mitzrayim and did all these miracles will not enter the land, how will we enter?!'
Moshav Zekenim #2 (to Bamidbar 10:29): Moshe said so due to Yisro (lest Yisro not want to go with Yisrael, if he knows that Moshe will not enter).
Gur Aryeh: Even now, Moshe was aware, as a Navi, that it was Hashem's decree that he not enter the Land. 1 He thought, however, that he could annul that decree through Teshuvah and Tefilah. When Moshe spoke with others (e.g. Yisro), he spoke optimistically (i.e., that he would merit to enter). 2 But when he spoke with Hashem, it was fitting that he accept the truth of His decree. 3
See Gur Aryeh (to Bamidbar 10:29) - The decree had not yet been publicized. Also refer to 6:1:152:2.
The same is the case when Moshe spoke prophetically; his words reflected the decree as it stood currently (e.g. at Shiras ha'Yam, he said, "You will bring them and plant them on your holy mountain" (Shemos 15:17) - and not 'us.') Also see Gur Aryeh to Bamidbar 20:12.
