ויקרא אל משה וידבר ה’ אליו מאוהל מועד לאמר (ויקרא א:א)

Rashi explains that the word “לאמר” means that Moshe Rabbeinu was told to convey gentle words to Klal Yisroel: “Because of you, Hashem is speaking with me.”

Generally, however, the term “דברי כבושים” refers to piercing words—words of rebuke that penetrate the heart and inspire a person to do teshuvah. If so, we must understand: Moshe Rabbeinu was speaking words that seemingly elevate and honor the Yidden—“Because of you, Hashem spoke with me.” Why, then, are these called דברי כבושים?

Reb Yosef Nechemya Kornitzer of Krakow זצ״ל explained this with a story he heard from his father-in-law, Reb Shimon Sofer זצ״ל.

On one occasion, Reb Shimon Sofer was reviewing letters sent to his father to the holy Chofez Chaim זצ״ל. One of the letters was addressed with the title “רבן של כל בני הגולה”—the rabbi of all the Jews of the Diaspora.

When the Chofetz Chaim heard this title, he let out a deep krechtz (sigh). He explained that he was not sighing because he was unworthy of the title “רבן של כל בני הגולה.” Rather, he was sighing out of pain for the generation, that he is whom the generation considers to be “רבן של כל בני הגולה.”

Based on this story, Reb Yosef Nechemya explained the meaning of “דברי כבושים.” When Moshe Rabbeinu told Klal Yisroel, “בשבילכם נדבר עמי”—“Because of you, Hashem spoke with me”—these words were actually meant to awaken them to teshuvah.

Moshe Rabbeinu was so humble that whenever Hashem chose him as the messenger, he was astonished. In his humility, he felt: If I were chosen to convey the word of Hashem, what does that say about the level of the generation?

Thus, his words—though gentle—were in fact דברי כבושים, words meant to penetrate the heart and arouse Klal Yisroel to reflect on their spiritual state.