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This shabbos, the parasha, Bo, starts with Moshe being told to "Bo El Paroh", "Come to Pharaoh". I don't understand this wording, should it have said "Lech El Paroh", "go to Pharaoh"? Is there a reason why the command was worded that way?

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The word Bo in Hebrew also translates to enter – Gershon Gold Jan 4 '11 at 22:29
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Note that the language Bo El Par'oh was used in the previous parsha as well. – Double AA♦ Jan 16 at 0:54
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@DoubleAA The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains (Sefer Hashichos 5751 vol. 2 pg. 178) that although this language was used numerous times before (6:11, 7:26, 9:1) the Zohar asks specifically on this instance. This is because all previous cases were accompanied by a further instruction ("Come to Paroah and speak to him" etc.) whereas here the verse simply states "Come to Paroah" - i.e. the coming itself was the purpose of the command and not just a means to communicating with him. – Michoel Jan 17 at 1:26
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6 Answers

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Baal Haturim says that Bo = 3 as there were 3 more makkos left.

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But what about the other places (2nd and 5th makkos) where the same expression is used? In fact, the pattern is quite regular: in each group of three makkos, the first one is introduced by Hashem telling Moshe, "Arise early and stand before Pharaoh"; the second, "Come to Pharaoh"; and the third comes with no warning. – Alex Jan 4 '11 at 3:32
@Alex, assuming the b'shem om'ro is correct, your question is on the baal haTurim rather than on Gershon Gold. Perhaps ask it as a separate question? – msh210♦ Jun 4 '12 at 21:32
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The Even Ezra and Baal HaTurim say that when Hashem told Moshe to go to the palace Hashem said Bo - and when Hashem told Moshe to meet Pharoh at the water Hashem said Laich.

Additionally, Hashem was telling Moshe that he was going along with him, and therefore it says Bo.

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up vote 1 down vote

Maybe Bo indicates that when we go to fight evil (Pharoh), we must start by recognizing and fighting the evil / Pharoh that is inside us, so we must "come in" to find the evil before we "go out" to find it outside ourselves.

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The Ohr Hachaim says that Hashem is not Saying go he is saying Come with me hence BO that is with me HAshem.

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up vote 1 down vote

I've no time to check amongst the Acharonim, but so far as the Rishonim are concerned it would appear that the only person to even question the language here is the Baal haTurim (even the Rosh doesn't mention it, and it's not asked by Daat Zkeinim). He merely suggests that telling Moses to "come" is what God does when Moses is supposed to confront the Pharaoh in his house, while telling him to "go" is what God does when Moses is supposed to confront the Pharaoh at the river (7:15). He also suggests that the word בא is used because it has the gematria of 3, alluding to the remaining three plagues.

(As a side note, it's interesting that both Onkelos and "Yonatan" render לך as אזל ("go down") in 7:15, and בא as עול ("go up") in 10:1. Up to you whether or not you want to make something of that).

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the way I learned it (from the recesses of my memory) the term Bo means that hashem was already waiting with Par'oh so Moshe was being told to come to hashem, not go away from his presence. – Dan Jan 15 at 23:52
On your side note, Sokoloff writes that אזל and עלל (the root of עול) mean "go forth" and "go in", respectively. – Seth J Jan 16 at 5:19
I've never heard Azal translated as go down, and there is certainly no need to translate 'Ol as go up, as it most definitely also means go in. – Seth J Jan 16 at 5:21
Come to think of it, I think go up and go in are different roots. Checking Sokoloff now... – Seth J Jan 16 at 5:24
Indeed, go up is עלי, whereas go in is עלל. – Seth J Jan 16 at 5:25
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up vote 3 down vote

The Zohar (vol. 2 34a) explains (translation from chabad.org):

Rabbi Simeon [bar Yochai] continued: It is now fitting to reveal mysteries connected with that which is above and that which is below. Why is it written, "Come in to Pharaoh"? Ought it not rather to have said, "Go to Pharaoh"? It is to indicate that G-d brought Moses into a chamber within a chamber, into the abode of the supernal mighty serpent that is the soul of Egypt, from whom many lesser serpents emanate. Moses was afraid to approach him, because his roots are in supernal regions, and he only approached his subsidiary streams. When G-d saw that Moses feared the serpent, He said, "Come in to Pharaoh."

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