What are the connotations of the word "Leimor" in this Pasuk?
Rashi (to Bamidbar 12:13): Moshe wanted Hashem to answer him, as to whether He intended to redeem Yisrael now, 1 or not. 2
Hadar Zekenim: Similarly, in Bamidbar 27:15, Moshe asked Hashem to tell him whether He would appoint a leader over Yisrael, after his (Moshe's) death.
To which Hashem replied, "Atah Sir'eh... " (Shemos 6:1). Refer also to Bamidbar 12:13:1:1*.
Why did Moshe assume that Pharaoh would not listen to him?
Rashi: If Yisrael, who were being given good news, did not listen to him, how much more so Pharaoh, for whom the news was bad!
Ramban #1: Since Hashem had not engineered that Yisrael should listen to him, it went without saying that Pharaoh would not listen to him either, let alone the fact that he had a speech defect and it was not befitting for him to speak before such a great king.
Ramban #2: He thought that if Yisrael did not listen to him on account of his speech defect, despite the fact that he gave them comforting news, and if he could not convince them, how would he convince Pharaoh, for whom the news was not so good.
Seforno: He thought that if Yisrael did not listen to him because he failed in his first Shelichus, Pharaoh, who got his way, would certainly not listen to him.
Alshich: He thought that if Bnei Yisrael, who are believers the sons of believers, and who know that Moshe was the redeemer, did not believe him - how much more so Pharaoh!
Moshav Zekenim: He thought that if Bnei Yisrael could not believe that Hashem would pick a Shali'ach who cannot speak properly, how much more so Pharaoh, who was a king. 1
Before whom only eloquent speakers would generally speak (PF).
Hashem already informed Moshe that Aharon would speak on his behalf, so why did Moshe again reiterate his speech defect?
Ramban: The first time Hashem instructed him to speak to the people, Moshe complained that he was not a man of words - See Shemos 4:10; to which Hashem responded by appointing Aharon as his interpreter (ibid. 4:16). However this time, Hashem ordered him to speak personally to the people (above, 6:6), but without success. Consequently, when Hashem now instructed him (in 6:11) to speak to Pharaoh, he complained once more about his problem. This time too, Hashem responded (in the next Pasuk) by sending Aharon together with him to speak on his behalf.
Seforno: Because Moshe thought that Aharon only spoke on his behalf on the previous occasion when he spoke to the Bnei Yisrael; but that when he spoke to Pharaoh, he would have to do so himself.
Why does the Torah say "Lifnei Hashem," and not "El Hashem"?
Oznayim la'Torah: To teach us that he was simply making a point - He spoke with Derech Eretz, like a Talmid before his Rebbe, and not with Chutzpah.
How could Moshe make a Kal va'Chomer that Pharaoh would not listen to him, when the Torah attributes Yisrael's non-compliance to "shortness of breath, and hard work" (6:9)?
Mizrachi: Because Moshe did not know that that was why Bnei Yisrael did not listen to him. 1
Alshich: Indeed, that is precisely why Moshe added that he had a speech defect.
Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim: Because shortness of breath and hard work were even more reason for Yisrael to accept his words, that they will be set free.
Gur Aryeh #1: Pharaoh also had reason not to heed Moshe's words - for they foretold his harm! Moshe calculated that Pharaoh's reason not to listen, outweighed the reason the Bnei Yisrael did not listen - such that the logic is valid. 2
Gur Aryeh #2: There were two reasons for Pharaoh not to heed Moshe - a. Moshe had difficulty speaking; 3 b. His message foretold Pharaoh's harm. While it is true that Bnei Yisrael lacked the patience to listen to Moshe (due to hard labor), Pharaoh would also lack the patience to listen to Moshe (due to his difficulty in speaking 4 ). These two factors are equivalent, so they each other out. But reason a) that Pharaoh would not listen still remains - i.e. that Pharaoh would reject the content of the message. Thus, the logic is valid.
Rather, he attributed their failure to accept his message to other factors- see the various answers to 6:12:1.1.
Gur Aryeh: Usually, when using a Kal va'Chomer to derive Halachos in the Torah, any stringency at all that can be found in the source but not in the destination (i.e. what we are trying to derive), invalidates the Kal va'Chomer. This is true even when the destination's stringency is powerful, and the source's stringency is weak by comparison. The Torah was commanded by Hashem, and we cannot accurately gauge the severity of its reasons (see Avos 2:1). Here, however, Moshe was calculating a course of action to take, and a person may weigh the options based on his own logic.
In fact, Gur Aryeh's text of Rashi discusses the Pasuk in reverse - analyzing the meaning of "Aral Sefasayim" before noting that this is a Kal va'Chomer. Refer to 6:12:151.1.
Gur Aryeh: This factor would bother a king, who is unaccustomed to have such a person speak before him, more so than Bnei Yisrael, who were more tolerant of Moshe's speech impediment.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'How then will Pharaoh heed me?!' - This is one of ten Kal va'Chomer arguments in Scripture." In the early printings of Rashi, he comments on this Pasuk in reverse order - discussing the meaning of "blocked lips" before noting that this is a Kal va'Chomer. Why?
Gur Aryeh: Rashi is telling us that this too is part of the Kal va'Chomer; it is another reason that Pharaoh would not listen to him. Refer to the preceding answer (6:12:151:5 and its notes).
Rashi writes: "'Aral-Sefasayim' - [lit.] with sealed, blocked-off lips." What does this expression mean?
Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 2, p. 6, to Nedarim 31b): The term Orlah means covering or sealing. In this case, it means difficulty to actualize speech, to bring it into the open. 1
Maharal: In essence, this is what any instance of the term "Arel" means - failure to actualize potential. For example, for the symbolism of Bris Milah (i.e. removal of the Orlah) according to Maharal, refer to Bereishis 17:1:4.1, Bereishis 17:1:4.2, and Bereishis 17:9:1.1.
