during the rav's drasha this week at shul, the rav asked a question: why is the parasha called Bo and not Lech? if moshe has to go to pharoh, why is it "bo?" the rav never answered his question and i was wondering what the answer was.

during the rav's drasha this week at shul, the rav asked a question: why is the parasha called Bo and not Lech? if moshe has to go to pharoh, why is it "bo?" the rav never answered his question and i was wondering what the answer was.

Isnt hashem everywhere?

He did answer the question. The answer just made no sense.

did he? what was his answer?i remember that another (unasked question) was answered but nothing related to the original question.

1. Is there any parashah name which does not appear in the first few words?

2. It is a made up question, a rhetorical device by which to deliver his point.

Sorry, I misunderstood the post. I thought he asked why the parashah isn't called "Lekh." Now I see he was asking why Moshe was told to "bo" rather than "lekh" to the Pharaoh. I think this too is a rhetorical device, since you can spend a lifetime darshening if you second guess word choice in Chumash.

He has to present it like he thinks it's a real question, otherwise the device doesn't work

(of course he may think it's a real question).

No, you didn't misunderstand the post. Spot misunderstood the speech, which is understandable because the question was very badly presented (The question started off as "Why is this week's parshah called Bo?" followed by a convoluted exposition of the question which was honestly difficult to follow, but boiled down to "Why did Hashem tell Moshe to 'come' rather than 'go'?" I think*.)
*The question actually reminded me of when I was younger and wondered why Yaakov had to go to sleep on Mt. Moriah if the sun "came."

Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?

Now that we've established that, what's the answer?

For the sake of argument, I will not ask you to elaborate on how HaShem's location has to do with anything, but instead I will ask you how you understand the phrase: lech el Paroh baboker.

In certain circumstances, "bo" can mean "lech." eg, the example I gave before: sunset is called bias hashemesh, not halichas hashemesh.

The Zohar discusses this...

And says...?

Rabbi Shimon said: Now it is proper to reveal secrets that are attached above and below. It is written: "Come to Pharaoh," but it should have said 'Go to Pharaoh'. What is the meaning of "Come"?

He brought him in to the innermost rooms, to a very powerful Tanin, from which many levels evolve and come down. And what was it? It was the secret of the great serpent. Moses was afraid and approached only the rivers that were at his grade. But he feared THE SERPENT itself, and did not approach because he saw that it was rooted in high sources. When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that Moses was afraid and that other appointed messengers above could not approach him, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: "Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great crocodile that couches in the midst of his streams" (Yechezkel 29:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, had to wage war with him and no other. He said, "I am Hashem." . They explained the secret of the wisdom of, "the great Tanin that couches in the midst of his streams," to those scholars of jurisprudence, who recognize the secret of their Master.

Thank you.

(That went right over my head.)

from Parsha in depth- 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."

hmm would this "version" help"?

hmm would this "version" help"?

Thanks, but no.

In the Peninei Sfas Emes, this same Zohar is brought down.

In certain circumstances, "bo" can mean "lech." eg, the example I gave before: sunset is called bias hashemesh, not halichas hashemesh.