The same path was taken up by Moshe Rabeinu. After the sin of the golden calf, Hashem conveyed His intense displeasure to Moshe Rabeinu, saying: "וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם" (שמות לב י) - Now, let Me be, and My wrath will be enflamed against them, and I will eradicate them." From this verse it appears that Hashem was willing and even eager to punish the Yidden for their transgression, but Moshe Rabeinu interceded on their behalf, pleading for, and eventually securing their forgiveness. Did Moshe violate Hashem's explicit instruction that he leave Him be?
The Midrash tells us that the opposite is in fact true. Moshe interceded on the Yidden's behalf precisely because he did understand the true intent of Hashem's words. He reasoned with the Almighty, saying, "Master of the universe, I know that You love Your children, and You are really only seeking someone who can advocate for them." This perspective reframes Hashem's statement not as a wish to be 'left alone', but as a cue to Moshe to speak up for Klal Yisroel.
To illustrate this idea, the Midrash employs a metaphor involving a king and his son. The king and the prince are in a private chamber, while the son's tutor remains out in the hall. The king, in a moment of frustration, exclaims, "Let me be, so I can kill my son!" The essence of his outburst cannot be an actual wish to harm his son, because no one is stopping him from doing so. Rather, it is a call for intervention. The king's loud proclamation serves as a veiled request for someone to step in and advocate for the son, ensuring his safety.
Similarly, when Hashem declared to Moshe, "Let Me be," it could not be a literal appeal for Moshe to withdraw, as Moshe wasn't standing in His way. Rather it was an invitation for him to act as an intercessor for the people.
(דברים רבה ג טו)
Midianite Oppression
In another instance, scripture reveals the immensely high regard in which Hashem holds acts of advocacy for His children. In Sefer Shofetim (פרק ו) we find that after Sisera and his army were defeated in battle, the land enjoyed tranquillity for forty years. However, the Yidden eventually strayed from the path that pleased Hashem, engaging in actions that were offensive in His eyes. In response to their disobedience, Hashem allowed them to fall into the grip of the Midianites, who would oppress them for a duration of seven long years.
During this time, the might of the Midianites loomed over Yisroel, causing great suffering and despair among its people. The Yidden, fearing for their safety and wellbeing, retreated to the mountains, carving out refuges and strongholds within the caves and rocky recesses. Their agricultural endeavours were met with devastating consequences—after they had sown their crops, the Midianites, along with the Amalekites and the Kedemites, would descend upon them. These raiders would invade, systematically pillaging their fields and destroying their harvests and their livestock, leaving the Yidden in utter destitution.
The invading forces would come equipped with countless livestock and tents, swarming into the land like a plague of locusts. The relentless assaults ravaged the land, leaving the Yidden in a state of sheer misery and despair. In their desperation, they turned to Hashem, crying out in anguish for deliverance from the Midianite oppression.