Hashem passed before him and proclaimed, “Hashem, Hashem...
The Gemara tells us that the repetition of Hashem’s name refers to Hashem’s compassion before a person does an aveira as well as after a person does an aveira. The Rosh asks why a person would require compassion before he has done any aveira?
The Rosh answers that Hashem shows compassion to a person, even when He knows that a person is about to commit an aveira. Another explanation offered by the Rosh is that although a person who plans to do an aveira is still considered a Tzadik, this is only regarding all of the other aveiros. Regarding idol worship, things are different. If a person plans to serve avoda zara, he is already considered a sinner. Hashem shows compassion to this person, too, and allows him to live.
The Ohr Hachaim is bothered by both of these explanations. If Divine law was that a person should be punished before he does an aveira, just because he is planning on it, why did Hashem create this person in the first place? Compassion isn’t just before the person sins; it is before he is born.
The second explanation is also insufficient. If a thought of Avoda Zara is an aveira, a person has sinned even before he actually worships an idol. How is this to be considered prior to an avira?
The Ohr Hachaim explains that even prior to a person committing a sin, he needs merits to live, eat, and survive. וְהָּיָּה אִם שָּׁמֹעַ תִ שְׁ מְעוּ אֶל מִצְוֹתַי אֲשֶׁר אָּנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיוֹם לְאַהֲבָּה אֶת י"י א -לוקיכֶם וּלְעׇבְדוֹ בְכׇל לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכׇל נַפְשְׁ כֶם. וְנָּתַתִ י מְטַר אַ רְ צְכֶם בְעִתוֹ יוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ וְאָּסַפְתָּ דְ גָּנֶךָ וְתִירֹשְׁ ךָ וְיִצְהָּרֶךָ - It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you this day, to love Hashem your G-d, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the early rain and the late rain, that you may gather in your grain, and your new wine, and your oil. Only by following the Mitzvos and loving Hashem will we merit sustenance and life. If a person does not have the ability to keep Mitzvos, even if he is blameless, he does not have the ability to live. He needs zechusim and he doesn’t have any. Hashem still shows compassion and grants such a person life. This is the meaning of Hashem before a person sins.
Another explanation offered by the Ohr Hachaim is that the possuk is referring to the compassion shown to a person after he sins. Although he is now living on compassion alone, not merit, Hashem shows him the same compassion as before he sinned. The possuk is telling us Hashem of before a person sins is the same One as after he sins.
