At the beginning of the parsha, in response to Moshe's claims regarding the worsening of Israel's condition, HaShem sends Moshe to the nation and says to him (Shemot 6:6-8): "Therefore say to B'nei Israel: I am HaShem, and I will take you out from under the burdens of Egypt and I will rescue you from their labor and I will redeem you with a strong hand and with great judgments and I will take you for Me as a nation… and I will bring you to the land…"
 

In these three verses HaShem presents before Moshe His entire future plan until the entry into Eretz Israel.
 

Moshe fulfills the command and tells B'nei Israel HaShem's message – however, instead of hearing cheers, he receives very unpleasant reactions: "And Moshe spoke thus to B'nei Israel and they didn't listen to Moshe because of exasperation and the hard labor."
 

We must understand the significance of the expression "and Moshe spoke thus" and also of Israel's refusal to accept his words.
 

In the Midrash, our Sages expressed their astonishment at B'nei Israel's response to Moshe in the following words:
 

"Is it possible that one will receive a good tiding and will not rejoice – (for example) a son was born to him (or) his master freed him – and will not be overjoyed?!" (Mechilta d'Rabbi Ishmael –Bo).
 

And this is really incomprehensible. In fact, exasperation and the hard labor would be expected to be the reasons for listening to HaShem's words, and not the opposite. So why do B'nei Israel refuse to listen to Moshe?
 

Many commentators explained this puzzle according to what is written following in the Mechilta - that since B'nei Israel were deeply immersed in idol worship, it was difficult for them to separate themselves from it and connect to HaShem's word. 
 

Perhaps we can offer another way to explain this:
 

As mentioned above, HaShem told Moshe His entire future plan: and I will take out and I will rescue… and I will bring you, etc., and Moshe fulfills Hashem's command precisely, and tells B'nei Israel "thus" meaning exactly the entire plan from beginning to end (according to the interpretations of the Alsheich and the Natziv of the expression "thus"). However, under the present circumstances, Am Israel was not able to cope with the entire long and complex process, it sounded fantastic and impossible to them, and they were incapable of comprehending the entire plan because of exasperation and hard labor. 
 

As the Natziv says: "It is difficult to patiently bear words which are long and require explanation."
 

HaShem did not ask Moshe to tell the entire Divine plan, only the beginning, and Moshe told them all of it. Therefore, Israel were incapable of absorbing it and they didn't listen to Moshe.
 

And indeed, HaShem sends Moshe again, this time giving Moshe Rabbenu a much more specific message to tell the nation (verse 13): "And He commanded them regarding B'nei Israel and Pharaoh the king of Egypt to take B'nei Israel out of the land of Egypt. Specifically: at this point, you must speak with B'nei Israel only about the near future – the Exodus from Egypt. This is what they are capable of understanding and absorbing now. The following stages will have to wait for a more appropriate time and situation.
 

There is a great educational message in this. When we desire to teach something, even on the most important and lofty subjects, we must be aware of the mental state of the student and assess whether he is capable of understanding and absorbing whatever it is that we want to teach. The content and the delivery must be adapted to the audience. At times, a speaker or a teacher presents content at his own level of understanding, not attuned to the comprehension capability of his students, and consequently he does not accomplish his goal.  

We can say that Chazal expressed this regarding the verse: "The voice of HaShem is in power" (Tehillim 29:4). "The verse does not say 'in His power' but, 'in power' - in the power (ability) of each and every one." (Shemot Rabbah ch.5)

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