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Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Shemot - Exodus Shemot Texts & Summaries

Torah Reading for Shemot

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First Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 1

1These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob:		אוְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצְרָ֑יְמָה אֵ֣ת יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אִ֥ישׁ וּבֵית֖וֹ בָּֽאוּ:
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - These are the names of the sons of Israel. Even though the Torah already enumerated the tribes by name during their lifetime when they went down to Egypt, it enumerated them again by name upon their death, to show us how dear they are to God, which is manifest by the fact that they are compared to the stars, which God also takes out and brings in by number as well as by name, indicating their collective quality as well as each one’s particular value, as it says: “He brings out their host by number; He calls all of them by name.” 1		וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּנָאָן בְּחַיֵּיהֶם בִּשְׁמוֹתָם, חָזַר וּמְנָאָם בְּמִיתָתָם, לְהוֹדִיעַ חִבָּתָם, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לְכוֹכָבִים, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָם וּמַכְנִיסָם בְּמִסְפַּר וּבִשְׁמוֹתָם (שמות רבה), שֶׁנֶּ' "הַמּוֹצִיא בְמִסְפָּר צְבָאָם לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא" (ישעיהו מ'):
2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,		ברְאוּבֵ֣ן שִׁמְע֔וֹן לֵוִ֖י וִֽיהוּדָֽה:
3Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin,		גיִשָּׂשכָ֥ר זְבוּלֻ֖ן וּבִנְיָמִֽן:
4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.		דדָּ֥ן וְנַפְתָּלִ֖י גָּ֥ד וְאָשֵֽׁר:
5All of Jacob’s descendants then numbered 70, including Joseph, who was living in Egypt.		הוַיְהִ֗י כָּל־נֶ֛פֶשׁ יֹֽצְאֵ֥י יֶֽרֶךְ־יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב שִׁבְעִ֣ים נָ֑פֶשׁ וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הָיָ֥ה בְמִצְרָֽיִם:
וְיוֹסֵף הָיָה בְמִצְרָֽיִם - Joseph, who was living in Egypt. But were not Joseph and his sons included in the 70 people enumerated as Jacob’s descendants, so what does this statement come to teach us? Do we not already know that he was in Egypt? It comes, however, to tell you of Joseph’s righteousness: He was the Joseph who tended his father’s flock, and he was the same Joseph who was in Egypt and became ruler there, remaining firm in his righteousness.		וְיוֹסֵף הָיָה בְמִצְרָֽיִם. וַהֲלֹא הוּא וּבָנָיו הָיוּ בִּכְלַל שִׁבְעִים, וּמַה בָּא לְלַמְּדֵנוּ? וְכִי לֹא הָיִינוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהוּא הָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם? אֶלָּא לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ צִדְקָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף, הוּא יוֹסֵף הָרוֹעֶה אֶת צֹאן אָבִיו, הוּא יוֹסֵף שֶׁהָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְנַעֲשָׂה מֶלֶךְ, וְעוֹמֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ (שמות רבה):
6Joseph and all his brothers died, as did all of that generation.		ווַיָּ֤מָת יוֹסֵף֙ וְכָל־אֶחָ֔יו וְכֹ֖ל הַדּ֥וֹר הַהֽוּא:
7The Israelites were fertile and prolific; they increased and became exceedingly strong. Before long, the land was filled with them.		זוּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּר֧וּ וַיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ אֹתָֽם:
פָּרוּ - Were fertile. This means that their women did not miscarry, and that their children did not die when they were young.		פרו. שלא הפילו נשותיהם ולא מתו כשהם קטנים:
וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ - Prolific (or “swarmed”). They gave birth to six children from a single pregnancy.		וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ. שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹלְדוֹת שִׁשָּׁה בְּכָרֵס אֶחָד (שם):
8A new king, who did not know Joseph, arose over Egypt.		חוַיָּ֥קָם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָ֖שׁ עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע אֶת־יוֹסֵֽף:
וַיָּקָם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָשׁ - A new king arose. Rav and Shemuel differed in their interpretation of these words: One said that he was in fact a new king; and the other said that he was the same king, but that he issued new edicts.		וַיָּקָם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָשׁ. רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר חָדָשׁ מַמָּשׁ, וְחַד אָמַר שֶׁנִּתְחַדְּשׁוּ גְּזֵרוֹתָיו:
אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יָדַע - Who did not know [Joseph] - according to the second opinion above, this means that he acted as if he had never known Joseph.		וַאֲשֶׁר (נ"א אשר) לֹֽא־יָדַע. עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא יְדָעוֹ (סוטה י"א):
9He said to his people, “Look: the people, the Israelites, are becoming more numerous and stronger than us.		טוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־עַמּ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֗ה עַ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ:
10Let us deal cleverly with them lest they increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies, fight us, and go up out of the land.”		יהָ֥בָה נִתְחַכְּמָ֖ה ל֑וֹ פֶּן־יִרְבֶּ֗ה וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־תִקְרֶ֤אנָה מִלְחָמָה֙ וְנוֹסַ֤ף גַּם־הוּא֙ עַל־שׂ֣נְאֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַם־בָּ֖נוּ וְעָלָ֥ה מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ:
הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה - Wherever the word הָבָה is used, it is an expression of preparing oneself and making oneself ready to do something. In other words: “get yourselves ready for this.”		הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה. כָּל הָבָה לְשׁוֹן הֲכָנָה וְהַזְמָנָה לְדָבָר הוּא, כְּלוֹמַר, הַזְמִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם לְכָךְ:
נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ - Let us deal cleverly (lit.) with him - i.e., with the nation; let us consider wisely what to do with it. But our rabbis explained “him” as referring to God, and that the verse means: “Let us outwit God, the Savior of Israel, by sentencing them to death by water, for He has already sworn that He will never bring another flood upon the world.” However, they did not realize that upon the whole world He would not bring a flood, but He would bring one upon a single nation.		נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ. לָעָם – נִתְחַכְּמָה מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ: נִתְחַכֵּם לְמוֹשִׁיעָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְדוּנָם בְּמַיִם, שֶׁכְּבָר נִשְׁבַּע שֶׁלֹּא יָבִיא מַבּוּל לָעוֹלָם. וְהֵם לֹא הֵבִינוּ שֶׁעַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא, אֲבָל הוּא מֵבִיא עַל אֻמָּה אַחַת
וְעָלָה מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ - And go up out of the land - against our will. But our rabbis explained this expression as being like one who curses himself but assigns his curse to others to avoid explicitly mentioning it regarding himself, and it is as if the verse had been written: “and we will be forced to leave the land” and they will take possession of it.		וְעָלָה מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ. עַל כָּרְחֵנוּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ כְּאָדָם שֶׁמְּקַלֵּל עַצְמוֹ וְתוֹלֶה קִלְלָתוֹ בַּאֲחֵרִים (שם), וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּאִלּוּ כָתַב וְעָלִינוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ – וְהֵם יִירָשׁוּהָ:
11They appointed draft officers over them in order to afflict them with chores. The Israelites built up the cities of Pitom and Ra’amses, making them storage cities for Pharaoh.		יאוַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ עָלָיו֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן עַנֹּת֖וֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיִּ֜בֶן עָרֵ֤י מִסְכְּנוֹת֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה אֶת־פִּתֹ֖ם וְאֶת־רַֽעַמְסֵֽס:
עָלָיו - (lit.) Over him - i.e., over the nation.		עָלָיו. עַל הָעָם:
מִסִּים - is from the word מַס “tax.” Thus שָֹרֵי מִסִּים are officers who collected the tax from the people. And what was the tax? That “they built storage cities for Pharaoh.”		מִסִּים. לְשׁוֹן מַס, שָׂרִים שֶׁגּוֹבִין מֵהֶם הַמַּס, וּמַהוּ הַמַּס? שֶׁיִּבְנוּ עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֹה:
לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָם - (lit.) In order to afflict him with their chores - i.e., those that the Egyptians laid on the people.		לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָם. ‬ שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם:
עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: קָרְוֵי בֵית אוֹצָרָא “cities of storehouses.” Similarly we find the root סכן in this sense: “Go and approach הַסֹּכֵן הַזֶּה” 2 – i.e., the treasurer appointed over the storehouses.		עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וְכֵן "לֶךְ בֹּא אֶל הַסּוֹכֵן הַזֶּה" (ישעיהו כ"ב) – גִּזְבָּר הַמְמֻנֶּה עַל הָאוֹצָרוֹת:
אֶת־פִּתֹם וְאֶת־רַֽעַמְסֵֽס - Pitom and Ra’amses. These cities already existed, but were not originally suited for this purpose, and now they strengthened them and equipped them to serve as storage-cities.		אֶת־פִּתֹם וְאֶת־רַֽעַמְסֵֽס. שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ רְאוּיוֹת מִתְּחִלָּה לְכָךְ, וַעֲשָׂאוּם חֲזָקוֹת וּבְצוּרוֹת לְאוֹצָר:
12But the more the Egyptians afflicted them, the more they increased and spread, and the Egyptians were disgusted over the Israelites.		יבוְכַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יְעַנּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כֵּ֥ן יִרְבֶּ֖ה וְכֵ֣ן יִפְרֹ֑ץ וַיָּקֻ֕צוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְכַֽאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ - But the more [the Egyptians] afflicted them - i.e., as much as the Egyptians set their hearts on afflicting them and thus containing their growth, so the heart of the Holy One, Blessed be He, was set on making them increase and spread.		וְכַֽאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ. בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁהֵם נוֹתְנִין לֵב לְעַנּוֹת, כֵּן לֵב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַרְבּוֹת וּלְהַפְרִיץ:
כֵּן יִרְבֶּה - means here “so they increased,” and similarly וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ means “and so they spread.” But its Midrashic explanation is: The Holy Spirit of God was saying this: “You the Egyptians say פֶּן יִרְבֶּה ‘lest they increase,’ but I say כֵּן יִרְבֶּה ‘indeed they will increase.’”		כֵּן יִרְבֶּה. כֵּן רָבָה וְכֵן פָּרַץ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ, רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמֶרֶת כֵּן, אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים פֶּן יִרְבֶּה וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר כֵּן יִרְבֶּה (סוטה י"א):
וַיָּקֻצוּ - [The Egyptians] were disgusted - means “they became disgusted with their lives.” But our rabbis explained it as meaning: the Israelites were like thorns (קוֹצִים) in their eyes.		וַיָּקֻצוּ. קָצוּ בְחַיֵּיהֶם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ כְּקוֹצִים הָיוּ בְּעֵינֵיהֶם (שם):
13The Egyptians enslaved the Israelites with backbreaking labor.		יגוַיַּֽעֲבִ֧דוּ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּפָֽרֶךְ:
בְּפָֽרֶךְ - means: with hard labor that crushes (מְפָרֶכֶת) the body and breaks it.		בְּפָֽרֶךְ. בַּעֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה, הַמְפָרֶכֶת אֶת הַגּוּף וּמְשַׁבַּרְתּוֹ (שם):
14They embittered their lives with hard labor—making them work with mortar and bricks—as well as with all kinds of work in the field. All the work they subjected them to was imposed with crushing harshness.		ידוַיְמָֽרֲר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּֽעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֨מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכָל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָֽבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ:
15The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shifrah and the other was called Pu’ah.		טווַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ שִׁפְרָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פּוּעָֽה:
לַֽמְיַלְּדֹת - To the midwives. This is an equivalent expression to מוֹלִידוֹת (hif’il form), except that there are both “light” (kal) and “intensive” (pi’el) conjugations, such as שׁוֹבֵר (kal) and מְשַׁבֵּר (pi’el), both connoting “breaking,” דּוֹבֵר (kal) and מְדַבֵּר (pi’el), both connoting “speaking.” Similarly here, there is מוֹלִיד (hif’il – a “light” causative) or מְיַלֵּד (pi’el).		לַֽמְיַלְּדֹת. הוּא לְשׁוֹן מוֹלִידוֹת, אֶלָּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָ' קַל וְיֵשׁ לָ' כָּבֵד, כְּמוֹ שׁוֹבֵר וּמְשַׁבֵּר, דּוֹבֵר וּמְדַבֵּר, כָּךְ מוֹלִיד וּמְיַלֵּד:
שִׁפְרָה - Shifrah. This was Yocheved, known as שִׁפְרָה because she would improve (מְשַׁפֶּרֶת) the physical condition of the newborn by the care she provided.		שִׁפְרָה. יוֹכֶבֶד, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמְּשַׁפֶּרֶת אֶת הַוָּלָד (שם):
פּוּעָֽה - Pu’ah. This was Miriam, known as פּוּעָה because she used to call out (פּוֹעָה), speak, and croon to the newborn in the way women soothe crying babies. פּוּעָה is an expression of crying out, as in: “Like a woman in labor I will cry out (אֶפְעֶה).” 3		פּוּעָֽה. זוֹ מִרְיָם, שֶׁפּוֹעָה וּמְדַבֶּרֶת וְהוֹגָה לַוָּלָד (שם), כְּדֶרֶךְ הַנָּשִׁים הַמְפַיְּסוֹת תִּינוֹק הַבּוֹכֶה פּוּעָֽה לְשׁוֹן צְעָקָה, כְּמוֹ "כַּיּוֹלֵדָה אֶפְעֶה" (ישעיה מ"ב).
16He said to them, “When you deliver the Hebrew women, look at the birthstool. If it is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”		טזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן֙ אֶת־הָ֣עִבְרִיּ֔וֹת וּרְאִיתֶ֖ן עַל־הָֽאָבְנָ֑יִם אִם־בֵּ֥ן הוּא֙ וַֽהֲמִתֶּ֣ן אֹת֔וֹ וְאִם־בַּ֥ת הִ֖וא וָחָֽיָה:
בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן - When you deliver. This pi’el form is of similar meaning to בְּהוֹלִידְכֶן (hif’il form), connoting “assisting to give birth.”		בְּיַלֶּדְכֶן. כְּמוֹ בְּהוֹלִידְכֶן:
עַל־הָֽאָבְנָיִם - אָבְנָיִם is the special seat for a woman giving birth. In another place Scripture calls it מַשְׁבֵּר. 4 A similar example of this word is: “he was doing work on the אָבְנָיִם” 5 – the place of a potter’s utensils.		עַל־הָֽאָבְנָיִם. מוֹשַׁב הָאִשָּׁה הַיּוֹלֶדֶת, בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (ישעיהו ל"ז), קוֹרְאוֹ מַשְׁבֵּר; וְכָמוֹהוּ "עוֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה עַל הָאָבְנָיִם" (ירמיהו י"ח), – מוֹשַׁב כְּלִי אֻמָּנוּת יוֹצֵר חֶרֶשׂ:
אִם־בֵּן הוּא וגו' - If it is a boy… Pharaoh was concerned only about the male children, for his astrologers had told him that a boy was destined to be born who would save the Israelites.		אִם־בֵּן הוּא וגו'. לֹא הָיָה מַקְפִּיד אֶלָּא עַל הַזְּכָרִים, שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ אִצְטַגְנִינָיו שֶׁעָתִיד לְהִוָּלֵד בֵּן הַמּוֹשִׁיעַ אוֹתָם:
וָחָֽיָה - means “she may live.”		וָחָֽיָה. וְתִחְיֶה:
17But the midwives feared God, and they did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they helped the boys live.		יזוַתִּירֶ֤אןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְלֹ֣א עָשׂ֔וּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ן מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים:
וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים - They helped the boys live - i.e., they provided them with water and food. Onkelos translates the first וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ, in this verse, as וְקַיָּמָא “and they kept alive” (third person feminine plural), and the second וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ, in the next verse, as וְקַיֵּמְתִּין “and you kept alive” (second person feminine plural). This is because in Hebrew, in the feminine plural, this word and other similar forms ending with נָה or ןָ are used to express both a third person plural verb פָּעֲלוּ (“they did”) and a second person plural verb פְּעַלְתֶּן (“you did”); e.g., “They said (וַתֹּאמַרְןָ – third person feminine plural), ‘An Egyptian man…,’” 6 which is a past-tense form equivalent to וַיֹּאמְרוּ in the masculine form; and “You spoke (וַתְּדַבֵּרְנָה) with your mouths,” 7 which is the same as דִּבַּרְתֶּן “you spoke” (second person feminine plural) and equivalent to וַתְּדַבְּרוּ in the masculine form; and similarly “You have profaned Me (וַתְּחַלֶּלְנָה) among My people,” 8 which is a past-tense form, the same as חִלַּלְתֶּם “you profaned” (second person feminine plural) and equivalent to וַתְּחַלְּלוּ in the masculine form.		וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים. מְסַפְּקוֹת לָהֶם מַיִם וּמָזוֹן. תַּרְגּוּם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְקַיָּמָא, וְהַשֵּׁנִי וְקַיֵּמְתֻּן, לְפִי שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן עָבָר לִנְקֵבוֹת רַבּוֹת תֵּבָה זוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהּ מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לְשׁוֹן פָּעֲלוּ וּלְשׁוֹן פְּעַלְתֶּם, כְּגוֹן "וַתֹּאמַרְןָ אִישׁ מִצְרִי" (שמות ב'), (לְשׁוֹן עָבָר) כְּמוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לִזְכָרִים, "וַתְּדַבֵּרְנָה בְּפִיכֶם" (ירמיהו מ"ד), לְשׁוֹן דִּבַּרְתֶּן, כְּמוֹ וַתְּדַבְּרוּ לִזְכָרִים, וְכֵן "וַתְּחַלְּלֶנָה אֹתִי אֶל עַמִּי" (יחזקאל י"ג), לְשׁוֹן עָבָר חִלַּלְתֶּן, כְּמוֹ וַתְּחַלְּלוּ לִזְכָרִים:

Footnotes

Second Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 1

18The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and demanded of them, “Why have you done this and kept the boys alive?”		יחוַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ן מַדּ֥וּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ן הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַתְּחַיֶּ֖יןָ אֶת־הַיְלָדִֽים:
19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. They are skilled in giving birth. Before the midwife gets to them they have already given birth.”		יטוַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן הַֽמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת וְיָלָֽדוּ:
כִּי חָיוֹת הֵנָּה - means: they are as skilled as midwives. The Aramaic translation of מְיַלְּדֹת “midwives” is חַיָּתָא. But our rabbis explained that the Hebrews were so called because they are compared to wild animals (חַיּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה), which give birth independently and do not require midwives. And where are they compared to animals? “Judah is like a lion cub”; 1 “Benjamin is like a wolf that grabs”; 2 “Joseph’s preeminent descendant is a work-bull”; 3 “Naphtali is like a deer set loose.” 4 And as for those tribes about whom it is not written explicitly that they are compared to an animal – Scripture includes them in this simile, as it is written: “How your mother was like a fearsome lioness.” 5		כִּי חָיוֹת הֵנָּה. בְּקִיאוֹת כַּמְיַלְּדוֹת, תַּרְגּוּם מְיַלְּדוֹת חַיָּתָא. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ הֲרֵי הֵן מְשׁוּלוֹת כְּחַיּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה (סוטה י"א), שֶׁאֵינָן צְרִיכוֹת מְיַלְּדוֹת. וְהֵיכָן מְשׁוּלוֹת לְחַיּוֹת? גּוּר אַרְיֵה, זְאֵב יִטְרָף (בראשית מ"ט), בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ (דברים ל"ג), אַיָּלָה שְׁלֻחָה (בראשית מ"ט), וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא נִכְתַּב בּוֹ, הֲרֵי הַכָּתוּב כְּלָלָן וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם (שם), וְעוֹד כְּתִיב מָה אִמְּךָ לְבִיָּא (יחזקאל י"ט):
20God dealt kindly with the midwives. The people continued to increase and grew very strong.		כוַיֵּ֥יטֶב אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֑ת וַיִּ֧רֶב הָעָ֛ם וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ מְאֹֽד:
וַיֵּיטֶב - means “God did good for them.” The following is the difference between certain forms of a word that contains a two-letter root prefixed by וי: When it comes to express a causative (hif’il) sense, the י is vocalized with a tzeireh (יֵ), which is also known as a kamatz-katan, or with the similar vowel segol, e.g., וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַמְיַלְּדֹת “God (lit.) caused good for the midwives,” וַיֶּרֶב בְּבַת יְהוּדָה, 6 which means “He caused much anguish to the daughter of Judah,” and similarly וַיֶּגֶל הַשְּׁאֵרִית 7 regarding Nevuzaradan, which means “he caused the remnant to be exiled,” וַיֶּפֶן זָנָב אֶל זָנָב, 8 which means “he made the tails turn to one another.” All these are expressions of causing others to do something. But when it speaks in a simple active (kal) voice, the י is vocalized with a chirik (יִ), e.g., וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָיו, 9 which literally means “it was good in his eyes,” and similarly וַיִּרֶב הָעָם (in this verse), which means “the people increased,” וַיִּגֶל יְהוּדָה, 10 which means “Judah was exiled,” וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה, 11 which means “he turned this way and that.” Now, do not respond to me in objection by citing these verbs: וַיֵּלֶךְ “he went,” וַיֵּשֶׁב “he sat,” וַיֵּרֶד “he descended,” and וַיֵּצֵא “he went out,” which are prefixed by וי and the י is vocalized with a tzeireh (יֵ), yet they are simple active forms and not causative forms, because they are not of the same class of verbs as those two-letter root verbs mentioned above, since the י is part of their root – יָצֹא, יָרֹד, יָשֹׁב, יָלֹךְ – the י being their third root letter.		וַיֵּיטֶב. הֵטִיב לָהֶן. וְזֶה חִלּוּק בְּתֵבָה שֶׁיְּסוֹדָהּ שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת וְנָתַן לָהּ וָי"ו יוֹ"ד בְּרֹאשָׁהּ, כְּשֶׁהִיא בָאָה לְדַבֵּר לְשׁוֹן וַיַּפְעִיל הוּא נָקוּד הַיּוֹ"ד בְּצֵירֵי, שֶׁהוּא קָמָץ קָטָן, כְּגוֹן וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַמְיַלְּדֹת, "וַיֶּרֶב בְּבַת יְהוּדָה" (איכה ב'), – הִרְבָּה תַּאֲנִיָּה. וְכֵן "וַיֶּגֶל הַשְּׁאֵרִית" דִנְבוּזַרְאֲדָן (דברי הימים ב' ל"ו), – הִגְלָה אֶת הַשְּׁאֵרִית, "וַיֶּפֶן זָנָב אֶל זָנָב" (שופטים ט"ו) – הִפְנָה הַזְּנָבוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ, כָּל אֵלּוּ לְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל אֶת אֲחֵרִים; וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל, הוּא נָקוּד הַיּוֹ"ד בְּחִירִק, כְּגוֹן "וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינָיו" (ויקרא י'), לְשׁוֹן הוּטַב, וְכֵן וַיִּרֶב הָעָם, – נִתְרַבָּה הָעָם, "וַיִּגֶל יְהוּדָה" (מלכים ב כ"ה) – הָגְלָה יְהוּדָה, "וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה" (שמות ב׳:י״ב) – הִפְנָה לְכָאן וּלְכָאן. וְאַל תְּשִׁיבֵנִי וַיֵּלֶךְ, וַיֵּשֶׁב, וַיֵּרֶד, וַיֵּצֵא, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן מִגִּזְרָתָן שֶׁל אֵלּוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַיּוֹ"ד יְסוֹד בָּהֶן, יֵלֵךְ, יֵשֵׁב, יֵרֵד, יֵצֵא – י' אוֹת שְׁלִישִׁית בּוֹ:
וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹת - God dealt kindly with the midwives. And what was the good that He did for them?		וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַֽמְיַלְּדֹת. מַהוּ הַטּוֹבָה?:
21Because the midwives feared God, He granted them dynasties.		כאוַיְהִ֕י כִּי־יָֽרְא֥וּ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹ֖ת אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם בָּתִּֽים:
וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם בָּתִּֽים - He made houses for them. The houses of the priesthood, the Levitic family, and the royal family, which are called houses, as it is written: And he built the house of the Lord and the house of the king, (I Kings 9:1) [sic], the priesthood and the Levitic family from Jochebed and the royal family from Miriam, as is stated in tractate Sotah (11b).		וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם בָּתִּֽים. בָּתֵּי כְהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה וּמַלְכוּת שֶׁקְּרוּיִין בָּתִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "לִבְנוֹת אֶת בֵּית ה' וְאֶת בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ" (מלכים א ט׳:א׳), כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה מִיּוֹכֶבֶד וּמַלְכוּת מִמִּרְיָם‪.‬ כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה:‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
22Pharaoh then gave orders to all his people: “You must cast every boy who is born into the Nile, but you must make every girl live.”		כבוַיְצַ֣ו פַּרְעֹ֔ה לְכָל־עַמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר כָּל־הַבֵּ֣ן הַיִּלּ֗וֹד הַיְאֹ֨רָה֙ תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ וְכָל־הַבַּ֖ת תְּחַיּֽוּן:
לְכָל־עַמּוֹ - All his people. Pharaoh made this decree even upon them, the Egyptians, for on the day Moses was born, Pharaoh’s astrologers said to him, “Today the savior of the Israelites was born, but we do not know if he was born to an Egyptian or to an Israelite; and we also foresee that he is destined to be stricken through water.” Therefore, Pharaoh made a decree on that day even upon the Egyptians, as the verse continues: “You must cast every boy who is born into the Nile,” and it does not say: “Every boy born to the Hebrews.” The astrologers, however, did not realize that their vision meant that Moses would ultimately be punished through the “water of contention.”		לְכָל־עַמּוֹ. אַף עֲלֵיהֶם גָּזַר (סוטה י"ב), יוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד מֹשֶׁה אָמְרוּ לוֹ אִצְטַגְנִינָיו, הַיּוֹם נוֹלָד מוֹשִׁיעָן, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם מִמִּצְרַיִם אִם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְרוֹאִין אָנוּ שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לִלְקוֹת בַּמַּיִם, לְפִיכָךְ גָּזַר אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם אַף עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד, וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר הַיִּלּוֹד לָעִבְרִים; וְהֵם לֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לִלְקוֹת עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה:

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 2

1A Levite man went and married Yocheved, Levi’s daughter.		אוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִ֖ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית לֵוִ֑י וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִֽי:
וַיִּקַּח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִי - And married Levi’s daughter. He had been previously married to her, but had then separated from her due to Pharaoh’s decree that all newborn babies be drowned, and he now married her again. This is the meaning of “he went” – he followed (i.e., “went after”) the advice of his daughter who said to him, “Your decree is worse than Pharaoh’s: whereas Pharaoh’s decree only affects the males, you have effectively decreed against the females as well!” He therefore took her back and married her a second time, and she also was turned into a young woman; she was then in her 130th year – for she was born within the walls of the city when Jacob’s family entered Egypt, and they remained there for 210 years, and when they left Egypt, Moses was 80 years old. Therefore, when she became pregnant with Moses from him, she was in her 130th year – yet the verse calls her “Levi’s daughter,” indicating that she regained her youth.		וַיִּקַּח אֶת־בַּת־לֵוִי. פָּרוּשׁ הָיָה מִמֶּנָּה מִפְּנֵי גְּזֵרַת פַּרְעֹה, וְהֶחֱזִירָהּ וְעָשָׂה בָהּ לִקּוּחִין שְׁנִיִּים, וְאַף הִיא נֶהֶפְכָה לִהְיוֹת נַעֲרָה; וּבַת ק"ל שָׁנָה הָיְתָה, שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה בְּבוֹאָם לְמִצְרַיִם בֵּין הַחוֹמוֹת, וּמָאתַיִם וָעֶשֶׂר נִשְׁתַּהוּ שָׁם, וּכְשֶׁיָּצְאוּ הָיָה מֹשֶׁה בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, אִם כֵּן כְּשֶׁנִּתְעַבְּרָה מִמֶּנּוּ הָיְתָה בַּת מֵאָה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים וְקוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ בַּת לֵוִי (עי' סוטה י"ב, בבא בתרא קי"ט ושמות רבה):
2The woman conceived and gave birth to a son. Seeing how good he was, she kept him hidden for three months.		בוַתַּ֥הַר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַתִּצְפְּנֵ֖הוּ שְׁלשָׁ֥ה יְרָחִֽים:
כִּי־טוֹב הוּא - How good he was - for when he was born, the entire house became filled with light.		כִּי־טוֹב הוּא. כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד נִתְמַלֵּא הַבַּיִת כֻּלּוֹ אוֹרָה (סוטה י"ב):
3When she could no longer hide him, she got him a wicker basket and caulked it with clay inside and pitch outside. She placed the child in it, and placed it among the rushes near the bank of the Nile River.		גוְלֹא־יָֽכְלָ֣ה עוֹד֘ הַצְּפִינוֹ֒ וַתִּקַח־לוֹ֙ תֵּ֣בַת גֹּ֔מֶא וַתַּחְמְרָ֥ה בַֽחֵמָ֖ר וּבַזָּ֑פֶת וַתָּ֤שֶׂם בָּהּ֙ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וַתָּ֥שֶׂם בַּסּ֖וּף עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר:
וְלֹא־יָֽכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ - When she could no longer hide him - for the Egyptians had counted from the day that Amram, her husband, had remarried her; and she gave birth to Moses after just six months and a day – for a woman who gives birth during the seventh month of pregnancy can do so even after incomplete months – but the Egyptians checked on her only at the end of nine months, the normal term of pregnancy.		וְלֹא־יָֽכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ. שֶׁמָּנוּ לָהּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים מִיּוֹם שֶׁהֶחֱזִירָהּ, וְהִיא יְלָדַתּוּ לְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים וְיוֹם אֶחָד (שם), שֶׁהַיּוֹלֶדֶת לְשִׁבְעָה יוֹלֶדֶת לִמְקֻטָּעִין (נדה ל"ח), וְהֵם בָּדְקוּ אַחֲרֶיהָ לְסוֹף תִּשְׁעָה:
גֹּמֶא - Wicker. In Mishnaic Hebrew this is גֶּמִי, and in Old French it is “jonc.” It is a flexible substance that holds up to the pressure of both soft and hard things.		גֹּמֶא. גְּמִי בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה (שבת ע"ח), וּבְלַעַז יונק"ו, וְדָבָר רַךְ הוּא וְעוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵי רַךְ וּבִפְנֵי קָשֶׁה (סוטה י"ב):
בַֽחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת - With clay and pitch - i.e., pitch on the outside with clay on the inside, so that the righteous Moses would not smell the bad odor of pitch.		בַֽחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת. זֶפֶת מִבַּחוּץ וְטִיט מִבִּפְנִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק רֵיחַ רַע שֶׁל זֶפֶת (שם):
וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף - And placed it among the rushes. סוּף is a term for a marsh, “rosel” in Old French (“reeds”). A similar example of this word is: “reeds and rushes (וָסוּף) break.” 12		וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף. הוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲגַם, רושיי"ל בְּלַעַז, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "קָנֶה וָסוּף קָמֵלוּ" (ישעיהו י"ט):
4His sister stationed herself at a distance to see what would become of him.		דוַתֵּֽתַצַּ֥ב אֲחֹת֖וֹ מֵֽרָחֹ֑ק לְדֵעָ֕ה מַה־יֵּֽעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ:
5Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe in the Nile. Her ladies-in-waiting walked along the Nile’s edge. She saw the basket among the rushes, and sent her maidservant, and she took it.		הוַתֵּ֤רֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ עַל־הַיְאֹ֔ר וְנַֽעֲרֹתֶ֥יהָ הֹֽלְכֹ֖ת עַל־יַ֣ד הַיְאֹ֑ר וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֶת־הַתֵּבָה֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַסּ֔וּף וַתִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֶת־אֲמָתָ֖הּ וַתִּקָּחֶֽהָ:
לִרְחֹץ עַל־הַיְאֹר - To bathe in the Nile. Invert the word order in the verse and thus explain it: “Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile (עַל הַיְאֹר) to bathe (לִרְחֹץ) in it.”		לִרְחֹץ עַל־הַיְאֹר. סָרֵס הַמִּקְרָא וּפָרְשֵׁהוּ וַתֵּרֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה עַל־הַיְאֹר לִרְחֹץ בו:
עַל־יַד הַיְאֹר - means “alongside the Nile.” A similar example of this meaning of עַל יַד is: “Look, Yo’av’s section of field is near mine (אֶל יָדִי).” 13 In this sense, יַד still denotes an actual hand, for a person’s hand is beside him. Our rabbis said that the word הֹלְכֹת (“walked”) here connotes dying, as in: “Look, I am going (הוֹלֵךְ) (lit. “walking”) to die” 14 – i.e., Pharaoh’s daughter’s ladies-in-waiting walked to their death because they objected to her saving the child. The text supports their explanation, for why else is it necessary to write “her ladies-in-waiting walked”?		עַל־יַד הַיְאֹר. אֵצֶל הַיְאוֹר, כְמוֹ "רְאוּ חֶלְקַת יוֹאָב אֶל יָדִי" (שמואל ב י"ד), וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן יָד מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁיַּד הָאָדָם סְמוּכָה לוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, "הוֹלְכוֹת" לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה (סוטה י"ב), כְּמוֹ "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת" (בראשית כ"ה) – הוֹלְכוֹת לָמוּת לְפִי שֶׁמִּחוּ בָהּ; וְהַכָּתוּב מְסַיְּעָן, כִּי לָמָּה לָנוּ לִכְתֹּב וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת:
אֶת־אֲמָתָהּ - means “her maidservant.” Our rabbis, however, explained it 15 as meaning “arm,” though according to the grammar of the holy tongue it should then have been vocalized אַמָּתָהּ, with a dagesh in the מ. Nevertheless they explained אֶת אֲמָתָהּ as meaning “her arm” to indicate that her arm miraculously extended many cubits (אַמּוֹת) in order for her to reach the basket.		אֶת־אֲמָתָהּ. אֶת שִׁפְחָתָהּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ (סוטה שם), לְשׁוֹן יָד, אֲבָל לְפִי דִּקְדּוּק לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ הָיָה לוֹ לְהִנָּקֵד אַמָּתָהּ, דְּגוּשָׁה, וְהֵם דָּרְשׁוּ אֶת אֲמָתָהּ – אֶת יָדָהּ, וְנִשְׁתַּרְבְּבָה אַמָּתָהּ אַמּוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
6Opening the basket, she saw the baby. The boy was crying. She had pity on him. She said, “This is one of the Hebrew children.”		ווַתִּפְתַּח֙ וַתִּרְאֵ֣הוּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַ֖עַר בֹּכֶ֑ה וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל עָלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִיַּלְדֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים זֶֽה:
וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ - (lit.) She opened it and saw him. Whom did she see? “The baby.” This is the straightforward meaning of the verse. But its Midrashic explanation is that she saw the Divine Presence with the child.		וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ. אֶת מִי רָאֲתָה? את הילד, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ (שם), שֶׁרָאֲתָה עִמּוֹ שְׁכִינָה:
וְהִנֵּה־נַעַר בֹּכֶה - (lit.) And behold, a youth crying - i.e., although he was a baby, his voice was like that of a youth.		וְהִנֵּה־נַעַר בֹּכֶה. קוֹלוֹ כְּנַעַר (שם):
7His sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call for you a Hebrew wet-nurse to nurse the child for you?”		זוַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ֘ אֶל־בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֒ הַֽאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְקָרָ֤אתִי לָךְ֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה מֵינֶ֔קֶת מִ֖ן הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת וְתֵינִ֥ק לָ֖ךְ אֶת־הַיָּֽלֶד:
מִן הָֽעִבְרִיֹּת - A Hebrew [wet-nurse]. Miriam suggested bringing a Hebrew wet-nurse because Pharaoh’s daughter had handed the child to many Egyptian women to nurse, but he would not nurse from them, for he did not wish to defile his mouth since he was destined to speak with the Divine Presence.		מִן הָֽעִבְרִיֹּת. שֶׁהֶחֱזִירַתּוּ עַל מִצְרִיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה לִינֹק וְלֹא יָנַק, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה עָתִיד לְדַבֵּר עִם הַשְּׁכִינָה (שם):
8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” The girl went and called the child’s mother.		חוַתֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵ֑כִי וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ הָֽעַלְמָ֔ה וַתִּקְרָ֖א אֶת־אֵ֥ם הַיָּֽלֶד:
וַתֵּלֶךְ הָֽעַלְמָה - The girl went. She went eagerly and with vigor (עַלְמוּת) like a youngster (עֶלֶם).		וַתֵּלֶךְ הָֽעַלְמָה. הָלְכָה בִּזְרִיזוּת וְעַלְמוּת כְּעֶלֶם (שם):
9Pharaoh’s daughter said to Yocheved, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your fee.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.		טוַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֗ה הֵילִ֜יכִי אֶת־הַיֶּ֤לֶד הַזֶּה֙ וְהֵֽינִקִ֣הוּ לִ֔י וַֽאֲנִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶת־שְׂכָרֵ֑ךְ וַתִּקַּ֧ח הָֽאִשָּׁ֛ה הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַתְּנִיקֵֽהוּ:
הֵילִיכִי - Take. She was prophesying but did not realize what she was prophesying, for in effect she was saying: הֵי שֶׁלִּיכִי “here is what is yours.”		הֵילִיכִי. נִתְנַבְּאָה וְלֹא יָדְעָה מַה נִּתְנַבְּאָה – הֵי שֶׁלִּיכִי:
10When the child grew up, Yocheved brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became like a son to her. She named him Moses [Moshe—“to draw out”], “for,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”		יוַיִּגְדַּ֣ל הַיֶּ֗לֶד וַתְּבִאֵ֨הוּ֙ לְבַת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־לָ֖הּ לְבֵ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמוֹ֙ משֶׁ֔ה וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י מִן־הַמַּ֖יִם מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ:
מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ - I drew him out. Onkelos translates this as שְׁחַלְתֵּיהּ, which connotes “drawing out” in Aramaic, as we find: “like drawing out (כְּמִשְׁחַל) a hair from milk.” 16 But in Hebrew, מְשִׁיתִהוּ means “I removed him,” as in: לֹא יָמוּשׁ “it will not leave,” 17 and לֹא מָשׁוּ “they did not move from the camp.” 18 This is how Menachem ben Saruk classified it. I, however, say that it is not to be classified with מָשׁ and יָמוּשׁ, but is from the root משה which means “drawing out,” and is similar to: “He drew me out (יַמְשֵׁנִי) of many ravaging waters.” 19 For if it were of the same classification as מש, it would not be correct to say מְשִׁיתִהוּ (a kal form), but הֲמִישֹׁתִיהוּ (a hif’il-causative form) – just as one would say הֲקִימוֹתִי (“I erected”) from the root קם (“stood”), הֲשִׁיבוֹתִי (“I caused to return”) from the root שׁב (“returned”), and הֲבִיאוֹתִי (“I brought”) from the root בא (“came”) – or alternatively מַשְׁתִּיהוּ, similar to: “and I will remove (וּמַשְׁתִּי) the iniquity of that land.” 20 But the form מָשִׁיתִי as used here is derived only from a word whose verbal form has a ה as an end (third) root-letter, such as מָשָׁה “drew out,” בָּנָה “built,” עָשָׂה “made,” צִוָּה “commanded,” and פָּנָה “turned” – that when one wishes to express any of them in the first person singular past (פָּעַלְתִּי), a י takes the place of the ה; e.g., בָּנִיתִי “I built,” עָשִׂיתִי “I made,” פָּנִיתִי “I turned,” צִוִּיתִי “I commanded.”		מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ. שְׁחַלִיתֵהּ, הוּא לְשׁוֹן הוֹצָאָה בְּלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, "כְּמִשְׁחַל בִּינְתָא מֵחֲלָבָא", וּבְלְשׁוֹן עִבְרִי משיתיהו לְשׁוֹן הֲסִירוֹתִיו, כְּמוֹ לֹא יָמוּשׁ, לֹא מָשׁוּ, כָּךְ חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם. וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִמַּחְבֶּרֶת מָשׁ וְיָמוּשׁ אֶלָּא מִגִּזְרַת מָשָׁה, וּלְשׁוֹן הוֹצָאָה הוּא, וְכֵן "יַמְשֵׁנִי מִמַּיִם רַבִּים", (שמואל ב כ"ב), שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה מִמַּחְבֶּרֶת מָשׁ לֹא יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר מְשִׁיתִיהוּ אֶלָּא הֲמִישׁוֹתִיהוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר מִן קָם הֲקִימוֹתִי, וּמִן שָׁב הֲשִׁיבוֹתִי, וּמִן בָּא הֲבִיאוֹתִי, אוֹ מַשְׁתִּיהוּ, כְּמוֹ "וּמַשְׁתִּי אֶת עֲוֹן הָאָרֶץ" (זכריה ג'), אֲבָל מָשִׁיתִי אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִגִּזְרַת תֵּבָה שֶׁפֹּעַל שֶׁלָּהּ מְיֻסָּד בְּהֵ"א בְּסוֹף הַתֵּבָה, כְּגוֹן מָשָׁה, בָּנָה, עָשָׂה, צִוָּה, פָּנָה, כְּשֶׁיָּבֹא לוֹמַר בָּהֶם פָּעַלְתִּי, תָּבֹא הַיּוֹ"ד בִּמְקוֹם הֵ"א, כְּמוֹ בָּנִיתִי, עָשִׂיתִי, צִוִּיתִי:

Footnotes

2 Chronicles 36:20.

2 Kings 25:21.

Sotah 12b.

Berachot 8a.

Third Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 2

11In those days, Moses was elevated to a position of authority. He went out to his brethren and observed their suffering. He saw an Egyptian taskmaster striking one of Moses’ fellow Hebrews.		יאוַיְהִ֣י \| בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל משֶׁה֙ וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו וַיַּ֖רְא בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מַכֶּ֥ה אִֽישׁ־עִבְרִ֖י מֵֽאֶחָֽיו:
וַיִּגְדַּל משֶׁה - (lit.) Moses grew up. But did not Scripture already write: “The child grew up”? 1 Rabbi Yehudah b’Rabbi Il’ai answered: The first verse refers to his growth in physical stature, and the second to his growth in status, meaning that Pharaoh put him in charge of his household.		וַיִּגְדַּל משֶׁה. וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר כָּתַב וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אִלְעַאי, הָרִאשׁוֹן לְקוֹמָה וְהַשֵּׁנִי לִגְדֻלָּה, שֶׁמִּנָּהוּ פַּרְעֹה עַל בֵּיתוֹ (ילקוט שמעוני):
וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם - And observed their suffering - i.e., he set his eyes and heart on being distressed about their plight.		וַיַּרְא בְּסִבְלֹתָם. נָתַן עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ לִהְיוֹת מֵצֵר עֲלֵיהֶם (שמות רבה א'):
אִישׁ מִצְרִי - An Egyptian. He was a taskmaster in charge of the Israelite foremen, and he would make them get up at the first crow of the rooster for their work.		אִישׁ מִצְרִי. נוֹגֵשׂ הָיָה מְמֻנֶּה עַל שׁוֹטְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיָה מַעֲמִידָם מִקְּרוֹת הַגֶּבֶר לִמְלַאכְתָּם (שם):
מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי - Striking a Hebrew - i.e., beating him and afflicting him. This Hebrew was the husband of Shelomit daughter of Dibri. The Egyptian had set his eyes upon her, so one night he made her husband get up and leave the house. The Egyptian then went back into the house and had carnal relations with the Hebrew’s wife, who thought it was her husband. The husband then returned home and realized what had happened, and when that Egyptian saw that the husband was aware of what had happened, he would beat him and afflict him all day.		מַכֶּה אִישׁ עִבְרִי. מַלְקֵהוּ וְרוֹדֵהוּ. וּבַעְלָהּ שֶׁל שְׁלוֹמִית בַּת דִּבְרִי הָיָה וְנָתַן עֵינָיו בָּהּ, וּבַלַּיְלָה הֶעֱמִידוֹ וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִבֵּיתוֹ, וְהוּא חָזַר וְנִכְנַס לַבַּיִת וּבָא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ, כִּסְבוּרָה שֶׁהוּא בַעְלָהּ, וְחָזַר הָאִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ וְהִרְגִּישׁ בַּדָּבָר, וּכְשֶׁרָאָה אוֹתוֹ מִצְרִי שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ בַּדָּבָר, הָיָה מַכֵּהוּ וְרוֹדֵהוּ כָּל הַיּוֹם (שם):
12Moses turned this way and that way that and saw that there was no one observing him, so he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.		יבוַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בַּחֽוֹל:
וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה - He turned this way and that way - i.e., Moses saw what the Egyptian had done to the Hebrew at home and what he had done to him outside in the field. But according to the straightforward meaning, it should be explained in its literal sense, i.e., Moses actually turned in both directions.		וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה. רָאָה מֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ בַּבַּיִת וּמֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ בַשָּׂדֶה (שם). וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ - And saw that there was no one - destined to be born from this Egyptian who would convert to Judaism.		וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ. עָתִיד לָצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּתְגַּיֵּר (ת"י):
13When Moses went out the next day, he saw two Hebrew men quarreling. Moses said to this wicked person, “Why are you going to strike your fellow?”		יגוַיֵּצֵא֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֔י וְהִנֵּ֛ה שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֥ים עִבְרִ֖ים נִצִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע לָ֥מָּה תַכֶּ֖ה רֵעֶֽךָ:
שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים - Two Hebrew men. They were Dathan and Aviram. It was they, too, who later left over some of their portion of manna.		שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁים עִבְרִים. דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם, הֵם שֶׁהוֹתִירוּ מִן הַמָּן (נדרים ס"ד):
נִצִּים - means “quarreling.”		נִצִּים. מְרִיבִים:
לָמָּה תַכֶּה - Why are you going to strike?. Even though he had not yet hit him, he was called wicked for merely raising his hand against his fellowman.		לָמָּה תַכֶּה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִכָּהוּ נִקְרָא רָשָׁע בַּהֲרָמַת יָד (סנהדרין נ"ח):
רֵעֶֽךָ - Your fellow - i.e., a wicked person like you.		רֵעֶֽךָ. רָשָׁע כְּמוֹתְךָ (תנחומא):
14The man retorted, “Who appointed you as a leader and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?!” Frightened, Moses concluded, “So the fact is known!”		ידוַיֹּ֠אמֶר מִ֣י שָֽׂמְךָ֞ לְאִ֨ישׁ שַׂ֤ר וְשֹׁפֵט֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ הַֽלְהָרְגֵ֨נִי֙ אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֔ר כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֖גְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֑י וַיִּירָ֤א משֶׁה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָכֵ֖ן נוֹדַ֥ע הַדָּבָֽר:
מִי שָֽׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ - Who appointed you (lit.) as a man - when you are still only a youth.		מִי שָֽׂמְךָ לְאִישׁ. וְהִנֵה עוֹדְךָ נַעַר:
הַֽלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר - Do you (lit.) say to kill me?. From here we learn that Moses killed the Egyptian by uttering the explicit Name of God.		הַֽלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר. מִכָּאן אָנוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁהֲרָגוֹ בַּשֵּׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ (שמות רבה א'):
וַיִּירָא משֶׁה - Moses was frightened. Explain it according to its straightforward meaning: He was afraid of Pharaoh. But its Midrashic explanation is: He was perturbed because he saw wicked men – gossipers and informers – among Israel. He said to himself, “Since this is so, perhaps they are not worthy of being redeemed.”		וַיִּירָא משֶׁה. כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: דָּאַג לוֹ עַל שֶׁרָאָה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל רְשָׁעִים דֵּלָטוֹרִין, אָמַר, מֵעַתָּה שֶׁמָּא אֵינָם רְאוּיִין לְהִגָּאֵל (שמות רבה א'):
אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָֽר - So the matter is known. Explain it according to its literal sense: The fact that I killed the Egyptian is known. But its Midrashic explanation is: The thing about which I wondered is now clear to me: how have the Israelites sinned more than all the other 70 nations, that they alone are afflicted with crushing labor? But now I see that they deserve it.		אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָֽר. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ, נוֹדַע לִי הַדָּבָר שֶׁהָיִיתִי תָּמֵהַּ עָלָיו, מֶה חָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכָּל שִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת לִהְיוֹת נִרְדִּים בַּעֲבוֹדַת פֶּרֶךְ, אֲבָל רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שֶׁהֵם רְאוּיִים לְכָךְ (שמות רבה א'):
15Pharaoh heard about the incident and sought to kill Moses. Moses fled from Pharaoh’s presence and settled in Midian. He sat down near a well.		טווַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לַֽהֲרֹ֣ג אֶת־משֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבְרַ֤ח משֶׁה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עַל־הַבְּאֵֽר:
וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה - Pharaoh heard - for Dathan and Aviram had informed on Moses.		וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה. הֵם הִלְשִׁינוּ עָלָיו (שמות רבה א'):
וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַֽהֲרֹג אֶת־משֶׁה - And sought to kill Moses. He handed him over to the executioner to kill him, but the sword did not harm him. It was to this that Moses was referring when he later said: “and He rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 2		וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַֽהֲרֹג אֶת־משֶׁה. מְסָרוֹ לַקּוּסְטִינָר לְהָרְגוֹ וְלֹא שָׁלְטָה בוֹ הַחֶרֶב (שם), הוּא שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה "וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה" (שמות י״ח:ד׳):
וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָן - And settled in Midian. The word וַיֵּשֶׁב here means “he stayed there,” as in: “Jacob settled (וַיֵּשֶׁב) in the region….” 3		וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָן. נִתְעַכֵּב שָׁם; כְּמוֹ: "וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב" (בראשית ל"ז):
וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־הַבְּאֵֽר - He sat down near a well. Here the word וַיֵּשֶׁב means sitting down. Moses learned from the example of Jacob, who had met his intended wife at a well.		וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל־הַבְּאֵֽר. לְשׁוֹן יְשִׁיבָה. לָמַד מִיַּעֲקֹב שֶׁנִּזְדַּוֵּג לוֹ זִוּוּגוֹ מִן (נ"א על) הַבְּאֵר (שמות רבה א'):
16Now the ruler of Midian had seven daughters. They came to this well, drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flocks,		טזוּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנ֑וֹת וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה וַתְּמַלֶּ֨אנָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶֽן:
וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן - Now, the ruler of Midian - i.e., he had been their leader, but he had renounced idolatry, so they ostracized him.		וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן. רַב שֶׁבָּהֶן; וּפָרַשׁ לוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְנִדּוּהוּ מֵאֶצְלָם (שם):
אֶת־הָרְהָטִים - are the channels of running water constructed in the ground.		אֶת־הָרְהָטִים. אֶת בְּרֵכוֹת מְרוּצוֹת הַמַּיִם הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ:
17but shepherds came and drove them away. Moses arose and rescued them, and then watered their flocks.		יזוַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָֽרֹעִ֖ים וַיְגָֽרְשׁ֑וּם וַיָּ֤קָם משֶׁה֙ וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָֽם:
וַיְגָֽרְשׁוּם - They drove them away - because of the ostracism to which their father and his family had been subjected.		וַיְגָֽרְשׁוּם. מִפְּנֵי הַנִּדּוּי (שם):
18When they came home to their father Re’u’el, he asked, “How is it that you came home so early today?”		יחוַתָּבֹ֕אנָה אֶל־רְעוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִֽהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א הַיּֽוֹם:
19They replied, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hands of the shepherds. He also drew water for us, and watered the flocks.”		יטוַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י הִצִּילָ֖נוּ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽרֹעִ֑ים וְגַם־דָּלֹ֤ה דָלָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן:
20He asked his daughters, “So where is he? Why did you leave the man there? Call him, and let him have something to eat.”		כוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָ֖יו וְאַיּ֑וֹ לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ קִרְאֶ֥ן ל֖וֹ וְיֹ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם:
לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן - Why did you leave [the man]?. Jethro realized that Moses was a descendant of Jacob because the well water rose toward him, as it did for Jacob.		לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן. הִכִּיר בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא מִזַּרְעוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, שֶׁהַמַּיִם עוֹלִים לִקְרָאתוֹ (שמות רבה א'):
וְיֹאכַל לָֽחֶם - (lit.) And let him eat bread. This is a euphemism meaning: “perhaps he will marry one of you.” It is of similar meaning to that which it says about Potiphar’s wife: “other than the bread he ate.” 4		וְיֹאכַל לָֽחֶם. שֶׁמָּא יִשָּׂא אַחַת מִכֶּם; כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר: "כִּי אִם הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא אוֹכֵל" (בראשית ל"ט):
21Moses consented to stay with the man. He gave Moses his daughter Zipporah as a wife.		כאוַיּ֥וֹאֶל משֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמשֶֽׁה:
וַיּוֹאֶל - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּצְבִי – he was willing. Similar examples of this meaning are: “Please agree (הוֹאֶל) to stay overnight”; 5 “If only we had been willing (הוֹאַלְנוּ)”; 6 “I would like (הוֹאַלְתִּי) to speak.” 7 But its Midrashic explanation is that it connotes taking an oath (אָלָה): He swore to Jethro that he would not move from Midian unless he first asked his permission.		וַיּוֹאֶל. כְּתַרְגוּמוֹ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "הוֹאֶל נָא וְלִין" (שופטים י"ט), "וְלוּ הוֹאַלְנוּ" (יהושע ז'), "הוֹאַלְתִּי לְדַבֵּר" (בראשית י"ח). וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: לְשׁוֹן אָלָה – נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָזוּז מִמִּדְיָן כִּי אִם בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ (נדרים ס"ה):
22When she gave birth to a son, he named him Gershom [ ger sham—“a stranger there”], because he said, “I have been a stranger in an alien land.”		כבוַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה:
23It was during those many years that the king of Egypt died. The Israelites moaned on account of the work and cried out. Their pleas from the work rose up before God.		כגוַיְהִי֩ בַיָּמִ֨ים הָֽרַבִּ֜ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיָּ֨מָת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָֽנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה וַיִּזְעָ֑קוּ וַתַּ֧עַל שַׁוְעָתָ֛ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָֽה:
וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָֽרַבִּים הָהֵם - It was during those many years – when Moses was living in Midian – “that the king of Egypt died” - and the Israelites desperately needed salvation, so then “Moses was tending…” 8 and salvation came about through him. Therefore, these passages are placed adjacent to one another.		וַיְהִי בַיָּמִים הָֽרַבִּים הָהֵם. שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה גָּר בְּמִדְיָן, וימת מלך מצרים, וְהֻצְרְכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִתְשׁוּעָה, ומשה היה רעה (שמות ג׳:א׳), וּבָאת תְּשׁוּעָה עַל יָדוֹ, לְכָךְ נִסְמְכוּ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ:
וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם - That the king of Egypt died. He did not actually die, but was stricken with tzara’at, and he would therefore slaughter Israelite children and bathe in their blood as a cure.		וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם. נִצְטָרַע וְהָיָה שׁוֹחֵט תִּינוֹקוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְרוֹחֵץ בְּדָמָם (שמות רבה א'):
24God heard their anguished groan, and God recalled His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.		כדוַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־נַֽאֲקָתָ֑ם וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶת־יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
נַֽאֲקָתָם - means “their cry.” Similarly we find: “From the city, the men cry out (יִנְאָקוּ).” 9		נַֽאֲקָתָם. צַעֲקָתָם, וְכֵן "מֵעִיר מְתִים יִנְאָקוּ" (איוב כ"ד):
אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם - אֶת אַבְרָהָם means “with Abraham.”		אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָם. עִם אַבְרָהָם:
25God looked upon the Israelites, and God took note.		כהוַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֖דַע אֱלֹהִֽים:
וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים - means: God paid attention to them and did not make Himself oblivious to their situation.		וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים. נָתַן עֲלֵיהֶם לֵב וְלֹא הֶעֱלִים עֵינָיו:

Footnotes

Fourth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 3

1Moses was tending the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro, ruler of Midian. Moses guided the flock far into the desert and came to the mountain of God, Mount Horeb.		אוּמשֶׁ֗ה הָיָ֥ה רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֛אן יִתְר֥וֹ חֹֽתְנ֖וֹ כֹּהֵ֣ן מִדְיָ֑ן וַיִּנְהַ֤ג אֶת־הַצֹּאן֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיָּבֹ֛א אֶל־הַ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽבָה:
אַחַר הַמִּדְבָּר - Far into the desert - to distance himself from possible theft, i.e., that his flock not graze in other people’s fields.		אַחַר הַמִּדְבָּר. לְהִתְרַחֵק מִן הַגֶּזֶל, שֶׁלֹּא יִרְעוּ בִּשְׂדוֹת אֲחֵרִים (שמות רבה ב'):
אֶל־הַר הָֽאֱלֹהִים - To the mountain of God. It is so named here on account of what would happen there in the future.		אֶל־הַר הָֽאֱלֹהִים. עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד:
2An angel of God appeared to him in the heart of a blazing fire from the midst of a thorn bush. He saw that the bush was on fire, but the bush was not being consumed.		בוַיֵּרָ֠א מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֵלָ֛יו בְּלַבַּת־אֵ֖שׁ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֑ה וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל:
בְּלַבַּת־אֵשׁ - means: In a flame of fire - the very heart of the fire. Similarly we find: לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם “the midst of heaven”; 1 בְּלֵב הָאֵלָה “in the midst of the terebinth.” 2 Do not be surprised at the added ת of לַבַּת, for we have another example of this form: “how feeble is your heart (לִבָּתֵךְ).” 3		בְּלַבַּת־אֵשׁ. בְּשַׁלְהֶבֶת אֵשׁ – לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אֵשׁ, כְּמוֹ "לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם" (דברים ד'), "בְּלֵב הָאֵלָה" (שמואל ב י"ח); וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל הַתָּי"ו, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ כַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, "מָה אֲמֻלָה לִבָּתֵךְ" (יחזקאל ט"ז):
מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה - From the midst of a thorn bush - but not from another type of tree, because of what is written: “I am with him in distress.” 4		מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה. וְלֹא אִילָן אַחֵר, מִשּׁוּם "עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה" (תהילים צא טו):
אֻכָּֽל - means "being consumed". This is a similar grammatical form to “with which labor has never been performed (עֻבַּד)” 5 and “from which he was taken (לֻקַּח).” 6		אֻכָּֽל. נֶאֱכָל, כְּמוֹ "לֹא עֻבַּד בָּהּ" (דברים כ"א), "אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם" (בראשית ג'):
3Moses said, “Let me turn away and behold this remarkable sight. Why doesn’t the bush burn?”		גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה אָסֻֽרָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה אֶת־הַמַּרְאֶ֥ה הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה מַדּ֖וּעַ לֹֽא־יִבְעַ֥ר הַסְּנֶֽה:
אָסֻֽרָה־נָּא - Let me turn away - i.e., let me turn aside from here in order to approach there.		אָסֻֽרָה־נָּא. אָסוּרָה מִכָּאן לְהִתְקָרֵב שָׁם:
4God saw that he had turned aside to look. God called to him from the midst of the bush, saying, “Moses, Moses!” He replied, “Here I am.”		דוַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֵלָ֨יו אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֗ה וַיֹּ֛אמֶר משֶׁ֥ה משֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי:
5God said, “Come no nearer. Remove your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”		הוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּקְרַ֣ב הֲלֹ֑ם שַׁל־נְעָלֶ֨יךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא:
שַׁל־ - means: Slip off and remove. It is of the same root as: “and the iron flies off (וְנָשַׁל) the handle”; 7 “for your olive tree will drop (יִשַּׁל) its fruit.” 8		שַׁל־. שְׁלֹף וְהוֹצֵא, כְּמוֹ "וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל" (דברים י"ט), "כִּי יִשַּׁל זֵיתֶךָ" (שם כ"ח):
אַדְמַת־קֹדֶשׁ הֽוּא - Is holy ground - i.e., the place.		אַדְמַת־קֹדֶשׁ הֽוּא. הַמָּקוֹם:
6God said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, since he was afraid to look at God.		ווַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ פָּנָ֔יו כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א מֵֽהַבִּ֖יט אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים:
7God said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard their outcry caused by their taskmasters, for I am aware of their pains.		זוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַֽעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו כִּ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו:
כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו - The sense of the verb יָדַעְתִּי here is the same as in: וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים “God paid attention” 9 – i.e., the meaning of the phrase here is: For I have paid attention, to notice and be aware of their pains, and I neither made Myself oblivious nor blocked My ears to their cry.		כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו. כְּמוֹ "וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים" (שמות ב'), כְּלוֹמַר כִּי שַׂמְתִּי לֵב לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן וְלָדַעַת אֶת מַכְאוֹבָיו וְלֹא הֶעֱלַמְתִּי עֵינַי לֶאֱטֹם אָזְנַי מִצַּעֲקָתָם:
8I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians, and to take them up from that land to a good and ample land, to a land flowing with goats’ milk and date- and fig-honey, the region of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.		חוָֽאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ \| מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּלְהַֽעֲלֹתוֹ֘ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ טוֹבָה֙ וּרְחָבָ֔ה אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֶל־מְק֤וֹם הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי:
9And now, the outcry of the Israelites has indeed reached Me, and I have also seen the oppression to which the Egyptians are subjecting them.		טוְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֛ה צַֽעֲקַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣אָה אֵלָ֑י וְגַם־רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־הַלַּ֔חַץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹֽחֲצִ֥ים אֹתָֽם:
10Now go. I will send you to Pharaoh. You will take My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”		יוְעַתָּ֣ה לְכָ֔ה וְאֶשְׁלָֽחֲךָ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהוֹצֵ֛א אֶת־עַמִּ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָֽחֲךָ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה - Now go, I will send you to Pharaoh - and if you ask, “What will this help?” – I respond: “You will take My people out”i.e., your words will be effective and you will take them out from there.		וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָֽחֲךָ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה. וְאִם תֹּאמַר מַה תּוֹעִיל? והוצא את עמי. יוֹעִילוּ דְּבָרֶיךָ וְתוֹצִיאֵם מִשָּׁם:
11Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and take the Israelites out of Egypt?”		יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים מִ֣י אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אֵלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְכִ֥י אוֹצִ֛יא אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
מִי אָנֹכִי - Who am I? - i.e., how am I important enough to address kings?		מִי אָנֹכִי. מָה אֲנִי חָשׁוּב לְדַבֵּר עִם הַמְּלָכִים?
וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - (lit.) And that I should take the Israelites - i.e., even if I am important enough to speak to Pharaoh, what merit do the Israelites possess that a miracle be performed for them and that I take them out of Egypt?		וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאַף אִם חָשׁוּב אֲנִי, מַה זָּכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה לָהֶם נֵס וְאוֹצִיאֵם מִמִּצְרַיִם?:
12God replied, “Do not worry, for I will be with you. This is your sign that I have sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you will all serve God on this mountain.”		יבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת כִּ֥י אָֽנֹכִ֖י שְׁלַחְתִּ֑יךָ בְּהוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם תַּֽעַבְדוּן֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּךְ - [God] replied, “For I will be with you.” . He answered Moses’ earlier question first, and his following one afterwards. About that which you asked, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” I answer: The authority is not your own but Mine, “for I will be with you.” And “this” the vision you saw of the thornbush – “is your sign that I have sent you” and you will be successful in My mission, for I am capable of saving you: Just as you have seen that the thornbush performs My mission and is not consumed, so too will you go on the mission I send you and not be harmed. And regarding that which you asked: What merit do the Israelites have that they should go out of Egypt? I have a great purpose in bringing them out, for they are destined to receive the Torah on this mountain at the end of three months after they have left Egypt. Another explanation: “For I will be with you, and this” – that you will be successful in your mission – “will be your sign” regarding another promise I give you, that when you take them out of Egypt, you all will serve Me on this mountain, for you will receive the Torah there, and this is the merit that stands now in Israel’s favor. A similar example of this form of expression we find in the verse: “And this will be a sign for you to eat this year of the aftergrowth…” 10 – i.e., this, the imminent fall of Sennacherib will be a sign for you regarding another promise, that although your land is now barren of fruit, I will bless the aftergrowth to provide sufficient food.		וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּךְ. הֱשִׁיבוֹ עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן; שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל פַּרְעֹה – לֹא שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא כִּי אִם מִשֶּׁלִּי, כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ – וזה הַמַּרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ בַּסְּנֶה לך האות כי אנכי שלחתיך, וּכְדַאי אֲנִי לְהַצִּיל, כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ הַסְּנֶה עוֹשֶׁה שְׁלִיחוּתִי וְאֵינֶנּוּ אֻכָּל, כָּךְ תֵּלֵךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתִי וְאֵינְךָ נִזּוֹק; וְשֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ מַה זְּכוּת יֵשׁ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם? דָּבָר גָּדוֹל יֵשׁ לִי עַל הוֹצָאָה זוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲתִידִים לְקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה לְסוֹף ג' חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי־אֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּךְ וְזֶה־שֶׁתַּצְלִיחַ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתְךָ לך האות עַל הַבְטָחָה אַחֶרֶת, שֶׁאֲנִי מַבְטִיחֲךָ שֶׁכְּשֶׁתּוֹצִיאֵם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אוֹתִי עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה, שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה עָלָיו, וְהִיא הַזְּכוּת הָעוֹמֶדֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְדֻגְמַת לָשׁוֹן זֶה מָצִינוּ: "וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת אָכוֹל הַשָּׁנָה סָפִיחַ וְגוֹ'" (ישעיהו ל"ז), מַפָּלַת סַנְחֵרִיב תִּהְיֶה לְךָ אוֹת עַל הַבְטָחָה אַחֶרֶת, שֶׁאַרְצְכֶם חֲרֵבָה מִפֵּרוֹת וַאֲנִי אֲבָרֵךְ הַסְּפִיחִים:
13Moses said to God, “I am going to come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your forefathers has sent me to you.’ They will ask me, ‘What is His Name?’ What should I tell them?”		יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֣י בָא֘ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְאָֽמַרְתִּ֣י לָהֶ֔ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְאָֽמְרוּ־לִ֣י מַה־שְּׁמ֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵהֶֽם:
14God said to Moses, “I will be just as I will be.” God then said, “You must say to the Israelites, ‘“I will be” sent me to you.’”		ידוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם:
אֶֽהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶֽהְיֶה - I will be just as I will be - means: “I will be with them during this trouble in Egypt as I will be with them during their subjugation at the hands of other kingdoms.” Thereupon Moses said before God, “Master of the Universe! Why should I mention another trouble to them? They have enough with this trouble!” God answered him, “You have spoken well: “So will you say…” – i.e., say only that I am with them in this trouble.		אֶֽהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶֽהְיֶה. אֶהְיֶה עִמָּם בְּצָרָה זוֹ אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה עִמָּם בְּשִׁעְבּוּד שְׁאָר מַלְכֻיּוֹת. אָמַר לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָה אֲנִי מַזְכִּיר לָהֶם צָרָה אַחֶרֶת? דַּיָּם בְּצָרָה זוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ יָפֶה אָמַרְתָּ, כה תאמר וגו' (ברכות ט'):
15God further said to Moses, “So must you say to the Israelites: ‘God, the God of your forefathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My proper Name, but its pronunciation is to be concealed. This is how I am to be recalled for all generations.”		טווַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ע֨וֹד אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה כֹּ֣ה תֹאמַר֘ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֗ם אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק וֵֽאלֹהֵ֥י יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם זֶה־שְּׁמִ֣י לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר:
זֶה־שְּׁמִי לְעֹלָם - (lit.) This is My Name forever. The word לְעֹלָם is written without a ו, implying: Conceal it - that My Name not be pronounced as it is written.		זֶה־שְּׁמִי לְעֹלָם. חָסֵר וָי"ו, לוֹמַר, הַעֲלִימֵהוּ – שֶׁלֹּא יִקָּרֵא כִּכְתָבוֹ (פסחים נ'):
וְזֶה זִכְרִי - This is how I am to be recalled. He taught him how the Divine Name is to be pronounced; and similarly, David says: “God is Your Name forever; God, how You are to be called is for all generations.” 11		וְזֶה זִכְרִי. לִמְּדוֹ הֵיאַךְ נִקְרָא. וְכֵן דָּוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר, "ה' שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם ה' זִכְרְךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר" (תהלים קל"ה):

Footnotes

Fifth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 3

16God continued, “Go and gather the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘God, the God of your forefathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—appeared to me and said, “I have indeed remembered you and what is being done to you in Egypt.		טזלֵ֣ךְ וְאָֽסַפְתָּ֞ אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵהֶם֙ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ נִרְאָ֣ה אֵלַ֔י אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם יִצְחָ֥ק וְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר פָּקֹ֤ד פָּקַ֨דְתִּי֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְאֶת־הֶֽעָשׂ֥וּי לָכֶ֖ם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם:
אֶת־זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - The elders of Israel - i.e., those designated to participate in communal leadership meetings. And if you say that maybe it means “the old men of Israel” in the ordinary sense, I reply: how was it possible for Moses to gather all the old men of a population of 600,000 men?		אֶת־זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. מְיֻחָדִים לִישִׁיבָה. וְאִם תֹּאמַר זְקֵנִים סְתָם, הֵיאַךְ אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לֶאֱסֹף זְקֵנִים שֶׁל שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא? (יומא כ"ח)
17I have declared that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with goats’ milk and date- and fig-honey.”		יזוָֽאֹמַ֗ר אַֽעֲלֶ֣ה אֶתְכֶם֘ מֵֽעֳנִ֣י מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ:
18They will heed your voice. You and the elders of Israel must then go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘God, the God of the Hebrews, appeared to us. So allow us now to make a three-day journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to God, our God.’		יחוְשָֽׁמְע֖וּ לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ וּבָאתָ֡ אַתָּה֩ וְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֗יִם וַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙ נִקְרָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה נֵֽלֲכָה־נָּ֞א דֶּ֣רֶךְ שְׁל֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ:
וְשָֽׁמְעוּ לְקֹלֶךָ - They will heed your voice. On their own; once you tell them this expression (פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם – “I have indeed remembered you” 1), they will listen to you, for this sign has already been handed down to them from Jacob and Joseph: that by means of this expression they will be redeemed. Jacob said to them, “but God will surely remember you (וֵאלֹהִים פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֶתְכֶם),” 2 and Joseph said to them, “God will surely remember you (פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם).” 3		וְשָֽׁמְעוּ לְקֹלֶךָ. מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁתֹּאמַר לָהֶם לָשׁוֹן זֶה, יִשְׁמְעוּ לְקוֹלְךָ, שֶׁכְּבָר סִימָן זֶה מָסוּר בְּיָדָם מִיַּעֲקֹב וּמִיּוֹסֵף, שֶׁבְּלָשׁוֹן זֶה הֵם נִגְאָלִים, יַעֲקֹב אָמַר לָהֶם "וֵאלֹהִים פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֶתְכֶם" (בראשית נ'), יוֹסֵף אָמַר לָהֶם "פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם" (שם):
אֱלֹהֵי הָֽעִבְרִיִּים - The word הָעִבְרִיִּים is written with an extra י, alluding to the 10 Plagues.		אֱלֹהֵי הָֽעִבְרִיִּים. יו"ד יתירה רמז למכות. ברשי ישן:
19I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go until I exercise My strong hand and perform miracles.		יטוַֽאֲנִ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִתֵּ֥ן אֶתְכֶ֛ם מֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרַ֖יִם לַֽהֲלֹ֑ךְ וְלֹ֖א בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה:
לֹֽא־יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַֽהֲלֹךְ - The king of Egypt will not allow you to go - if I do not (וְלֹא) show him My “strong hand” (בְּיָד חֲזָקָה); in other words: as long as I do not make him aware of My powerful force, he will not let you go.		לֹֽא־יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַֽהֲלֹךְ. אִם אֵין אֲנִי מַרְאֶה לוֹ יָדִי הַחֲזָקָה; כְּלוֹמַר, כָּל עוֹד שֶׁאֵין אֲנִי מוֹדִיעוֹ יָדִי הַחֲזָקָה, לֹא יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם לַהֲלֹךְ:
לֹֽא־יִתֵּן - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לָא יִשְׁבּוֹק “he will not allow.” Likewise we find this verb נתן with the same meaning: “therefore I did not allow you (לֹא נְתַתִּיךָ) to touch her”; 4 “but God did not let him (וְלֹא נְתָנוֹ אֱלֹהִים) harm me.” 5 Nevertheless, even in this sense all these uses of the verb נתן are still expressions of “giving.” But some explain the words וְלֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה differently: “the King of Egypt will not allow you to go, but this is not because his power is strong,” for as soon as “I stretch forth My hand and strike Egypt…then he will send you out”; and so Onkelos translates it: וְלָא מִן קֳדָם דְּחֵילֵהּ תַּקִּיף “and not because his power is mighty.” This explanation was told to me in the name of Rabbi Ya’akov bRabbi Menachem.		לֹֽא־יִתֵּן. לָא יִשְׁבֹּק כְּמוֹ: "עַל כֵּן לֹא נְתַתִּיךָ" (בראשית כ'), "וְלֹא נְתָנוֹ אֱלֹהִים לְהָרַע עִמָּדִי" (שם ל"א), וְכֻלָּן לְשׁוֹן נְתִינָה הֵם. ויש מפרשים ולא ביד חזקה — וְלֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיָּדוֹ חֲזָקָה, "כִּי מֵאָז אֶשְׁלַח אֶת יָדִי וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶת מִצְרַיִם וְגוֹ'", וּמְתַרְגְּמִין אוֹתוֹ "וְלָא מִן קֳדָם דְּחֵילֵהּ תַּקִּיף". מִשְּׁמוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּרַבִּי מְנַחֵם נֶאֱמַר לִי:
20So I will stretch forth My hand and strike Egypt with all My wondrous deeds that I will perform in its midst, and then he will send you out.		כוְשָֽׁלַחְתִּ֤י אֶת־יָדִי֙ וְהִכֵּיתִ֣י אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹל֙ נִפְלְאֹתָ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶעשֶׂ֖ה בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן יְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶתְכֶֽם:
21I will make this people favorable in the eyes of the Egyptians, so that when you leave, you will not go empty-handed.		כאוְנָֽתַתִּ֛י אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י תֵֽלֵכ֔וּן לֹ֥א תֵֽלְכ֖וּ רֵיקָֽם:
22Every woman will request objects of silver and gold, and clothing, from her neighbor and from the woman in whose house she lodges. You will place these on your sons and on your daughters, and you will thus empty out Egypt.”		כבוְשָֽׁאֲלָ֨ה אִשָּׁ֤ה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ֙ וּמִגָּרַ֣ת בֵּיתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֛סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּשְׂמָלֹ֑ת וְשַׂמְתֶּ֗ם עַל־בְּנֵיכֶם֙ וְעַל־בְּנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְנִצַּלְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־מִצְרָֽיִם:
וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ - means: from the woman with whom she lives in the same house.		וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ. מֵאוֹתָהּ שֶׁהִיא גָרָה אִתָּהּ בַּבַּיִת:
וְנִצַּלְתֶּם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּתְרוֹקְנוּן – and you will empty out, and similarly we find: “They drained (וַיְנַצְּלוּ) Egypt of its wealth,” 6 “The Israelites divested themselves (וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ) of their jewelry”; 7 the נ is an integral part of the root (נצל). But Menachem ben Saruk listed וְנִצַּלְתֶּם under the letter צ, together with: “God redeemed (וַיַּצֵּל) your father’s livestock”; 8 “God took away (הִצִּיל) from our father”; 9 but his view is unsubstantiated, for when a נ is not a root-letter and it is vocalized with a chirik (נִ), it is not used in the kal-active form (וּפְעַלְתֶּם “you will do”), but only in the nif’al-passive form (וְנִפְעַלְתֶּם “you will have something done to you”) – as in: “you will be uprooted (וְנִסַּחְתֶּם) from the land,” 10 “and you will be delivered (וְנִתַּתֶּם) into the enemy’s hand,” 11 “you will be smitten (וְנִגַּפְתֶּם) before your enemies,” 12 “and you will be melted (וְנִתַּכְתֶּם) within it,” 13 and “and you say, ‘We have been saved (נִצַּלְנוּ),’” 14 which is a passive form (נִפְעַלְנוּ). Moreover, any נ which occasionally appears as part of a word but is otherwise dropped, like the נ of נוֹגֵף, נוֹשֵׂא, נוֹתֵן, and נוֹשֵׁךְ – when such a verb uses a kal-active form (וּפְעַלְתֶּם), the נ is vocalized with a chataf (sheva – נְ) and not a chirik (נִ), such as “and bring (וּנְשָׂאתֶם) your father,” 15 “you may give (וּנְתַתֶּם) them Gilead,” 16 “You must circumcise (וּנְמַלְתֶּם) the flesh of your foreskin.” 17 I am therefore of the opinion that this letter נ, being vocalized with a chirik (נִ), is part of the root, and the noun form of this root is נִצּוּל. It is of a “heavy” (piel) form, like דִּבּוּר, כִּפּוּר, and לִמּוּד, which, when expressing the active voice (וּפְעַלְתֶּם), are vocalized with a chirik, as in “you will speak (וְדִבַּרְתֶּם) to the rock,” 18 “You will make atonement (וְכִפַּרְתֶּם) for the House,” 19 “You must teach (וְלִמַּדְתֶּם) them to your children.” 20		וְנִצַּלְתֶּם. כְּתַרְגוּמוֹ "וּתְרוֹקִנוּן", וְכֵן "וַיְּנַצְּלוּ אֶת מִצְרָיִם" (שמות י"ב), "וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם" (שם ל"ג), וְהַנּוּ"ן בּוֹ יְסוֹד; וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ בְּמַחְבֶּרֶת צָדִ"י עִם "וַיַּצֵּל אֱלֹהִים אֶת מִקְנֵה אֲבִיכֶם", "אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֱלֹהִים מֵאָבִינוּ" (בראשית ל"א), וְלֹא יֵאָמְנוּ דְּבָרָיו, כִּי אִם לֹא הָיְתָה הַנּוּ"ן יְסוֹד וְהִיא נְקוּדָה בְחִירִק, לֹא תְהֵא מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בִּלְשׁוֹן וּפְעַלְתֶּם אֶלָּא בִּלְשׁוֹן וְנִפְעַלְתֶּם, כְּמוֹ "וְנִסַּחְתֶּם מֵעַל הָאֲדָמָה" (דברים כ"ח), "וְנִתַּתֶּם בְּיַד אוֹיֵב", וְנִגַּפְתֶּם לִפְנֵי אוֹיְבֵיכֶם (ויקרא כ"ו), "וְנִתַּכְתֶּם בְּתוֹכָהּ" (יחזקאל כ"ב), "וַאֲמַרְתֶּם נִצַּלְנוּ" (ירמיהו ז'), לְשׁוֹן נִפְעַלְנוּ, וְכָל נוּ"ן שֶׁהִיא בָאָה בְּתֵבָה לִפְרָקִים וְנוֹפֶלֶת מִמֶּנָּה – כְּנוּ"ן שֶׁל נוֹגֵף, נוֹשֵׂא, נוֹתֵן, נוֹשֵׁךְ – כְּשֶׁהִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת לְשׁוֹן וּפְעַלְתֶּם תִּנָּקֵד בַּחֲטָף, כְּגוֹן "וּנְשָׂאתֶם אֶת אֲבִיכֶם" (בראשית מ"ה), "וּנְתַתֶּם לָהֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד" (במדבר ל"ב), "וּנְמַלְתֶּם אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלַתְכֶם" (בראשית י"ז), לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁזֹּאת הַנְּקוּדָה בְּחִירִק מִן הַיְסוֹד הִיא, וִיסוֹד שֵׁם דָּבָר נִצּוּל, וְהוּא מִן הַלְּשׁוֹנוֹת הַכְּבֵדִים, כְּמוֹ דִּבּוּר, כִּפּוּר, לִמּוּד, כְּשֶׁיְּדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן וּפְעַלְתֶּם, יִנָּקֵד בְּחִירִק כְּמוֹ "וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע" (במדבר כ'), "וְכִפַּרְתֶּם אֶת הַבָּיִת" (יחזקאל מ"ה), "וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אוֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם" (דברים י"א):

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 4

1Moses replied, saying, “But they will not believe me nor heed my voice, for they will say, ‘God did not appear to you.’”		אוַיַּ֤עַן משֶׁה֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר וְהֵן֙ לֹא־יַֽאֲמִ֣ינוּ לִ֔י וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְע֖וּ בְּקֹלִ֑י כִּ֣י יֹֽאמְר֔וּ לֹֽא־נִרְאָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יךָ יְהֹוָֽה:
2God said to him, “What is that in your hand?” Moses answered, “A staff.”		בוַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלָ֛יו יְהֹוָ֖ה מַה־זֶּ֣ה (כתיב מזה) בְיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מַטֶּֽה:
מזה בְיָדֶךָ - What is that in your hand. The reason why מַה זֶה is written as one word מַזֶּה is in order to expound it as follows: With this (מִזֶּה) staff that is in your hand you deserve to be beaten, because you suspected those innocent of your accusation. And the straightforward explanation of the verse is: Like a man says to his fellow, “You agree that this in front of you is a stone?” He answers, “Yes.” The first one then says to him, “Well, I’m going to turn it into wood.”		מזה בְיָדֶךָ. לְכָךְ נִכְתַּב תֵּבָה אַחַת, לִדְרֹשׁ: מִזֶּה שֶׁבְּיָדְךָ אַתָּה חַיָּב לִלְקוֹת, שֶׁחָשַׁדְתָּ בִכְשֵׁרִים; וּפְשׁוּטוֹ: כְּאָדָם שֶׁאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ מוֹדֶה אַתָּה שֶׁזּוֹ שֶׁלְּפָנֶיךָ אֶבֶן הִיא? אוֹמֵר לוֹ הֵן; אָמַר לוֹ הֲרֵינִי עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ עֵץ:
3God said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it turned into a snake, and Moses fled from it.		גוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַשְׁלִיכֵ֣הוּ אַ֔רְצָה וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֥הוּ אַ֖רְצָה וַיְהִ֣י לְנָחָ֑שׁ וַיָּ֥נָס משֶׁ֖ה מִפָּנָֽיו:
וַיְהִי לְנָחָשׁ - And it turned into a snake. God thereby intimated to him that he had spoken slanderously against Israel by saying, “they will not believe me,” thus adopting the craft of the primordial snake.		וַיְהִי לְנָחָשׁ. רָמַז לוֹ שֶׁסִּפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְתָפַשׂ אֻמָּנוּתוֹ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ (שמות רבה):
4God said to Moses, “Reach out and grasp its tail.” When he reached out and took hold of the snake, it turned into a staff in his hand.		דוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה שְׁלַח֙ יָֽדְךָ֔ וֶֽאֱחֹ֖ז בִּזְנָב֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָדוֹ֙ וַיַּ֣חֲזֶק בּ֔וֹ וַיְהִ֥י לְמַטֶּ֖ה בְּכַפּֽוֹ:
וַיַּחֲזֶק בּוֹ - And took hold of it. וַיַּחֲזֶק connotes grasping (אֲחִיזָה), and there are many examples of this verb used in this sense in Scripture: “the men grabbed (וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ) him by the hand (בְּיָדוֹ),” 21 “and she grabs hold of his private parts (וְהֶחֱזִיקָה בִּמְבֻשָׁיו),” 22 “and I grabbed hold of its beard (וְהֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִּזְקָנוֹ).” 23 Wherever the verb חזק in the hif’il form is followed by a ב prefixed to the object, it connotes grasping.		וַיַּחֲזֶק בּוֹ. לְשׁוֹן אֲחִיזָה הוּא; וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּמִּקְרָא, "וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּיָדוֹ" (בראשית י"ט), "וְהֶחֱזִיקָה בִּמְבֻשָׁיו" (דברים כ"ה), "וְהֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִּזְקָנוֹ" (שמואל א י"ז), (כָּל לְשׁוֹן חִזּוּק הַדָּבוּק לְבֵי"ת לְשׁוֹן אֲחִיזָה הוּא):
5God said, “This is so that they will believe that God—the God of their forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—appeared to you.”		הלְמַ֣עַן יַֽאֲמִ֔ינוּ כִּֽי־נִרְאָ֥ה אֵלֶ֛יךָ יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתָ֑ם אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵֽאלֹהֵ֥י יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
6God said to him further, “Please put your hand in your bosom,” so he put his hand in his bosom. When he withdrew it, his hand became afflicted with tzara’at, white as snow.		ווַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה ל֜וֹ ע֗וֹד הָֽבֵא־נָ֤א יָֽדְךָ֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַיָּבֵ֥א יָד֖וֹ בְּחֵיק֑וֹ וַיּ֣וֹצִאָ֔הּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה יָד֖וֹ מְצֹרַ֥עַת כַּשָּֽׁלֶג:
מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּֽׁלֶג - Afflicted with tzara’at like snow. The nature of tzara’at is to be white, for so it is written: “if it is a white spot.” 24 With this sign, too, God hinted to him that he had spoken slanderously against Israel by saying, “they will not believe me”; He therefore punished him with tzara’at, just as Miriam was stricken with tzara’at for slandering Moses.		מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּֽׁלֶג. דֶּרֶךְ צָרַעַת לִהְיוֹת לְבָנָה – "וְאִם בַּהֶרֶת לְבָנָה הִיא" (ויקרא י"ג); אַף בְּאוֹת זֶה רָמַז לוֹ שֶׁלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע סִפֵּר בְּאָמְרוֹ לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לִי, לְפִיכָךְ הִלְקָהוּ בְצָרַעַת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁלָּקְתָה מִרְיָם עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע (שבת צ"ז):
7God said, “Put your hand back in your bosom,” so he put his hand back in his bosom. When he withdrew it from his bosom, it had already resumed the appearance of his skin.		זוַיֹּ֗אמֶר הָשֵׁ֤ב יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־חֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב יָד֖וֹ אֶל־חֵיק֑וֹ וַיּֽוֹצִאָהּ֙ מֵֽחֵיק֔וֹ וְהִנֵּה־שָׁ֖בָה כִּבְשָׂרֽוֹ:
וַיּֽוֹצִאָהּ מֵֽחֵיקוֹ וְהִנֵּה־שָׁבָה כִּבְשָׂרֽוֹ - When he withdrew it from his bosom . it had already resumed the appearance of his skin. From here we learn that God’s attribute of goodness takes effect quicker than His attribute of punishment, for earlier, when Moses was punished with tzara’at, it does not say מֵחֵיקוֹ “from his bosom” after וַיּוֹצִאָהּ.		וַיּֽוֹצִאָהּ מֵֽחֵיקוֹ וְהִנֵּה־שָׁבָה כִּבְשָׂרֽוֹ. מִכָּאן שֶׁמִּדָּה טוֹבָה מְמַהֶרֶת לָבֹא מִמִּדַּת פֻּרְעָנוּת, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָרִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר "מֵחֵיקוֹ" (שם):
8God said, “If they do not believe you, and will not heed the first miraculous sign, they will believe the second sign.		חוְהָיָה֙ אִם־לֹ֣א יַֽאֲמִ֣ינוּ לָ֔ךְ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֣ת הָֽרִאשׁ֑וֹן וְהֶֽאֱמִ֔ינוּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֥ת הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן:
וְהֶֽאֱמִינוּ לְקֹל הָאֹת הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן - They will believe the second sign - i.e., when you tell them, “On your account I was punished with tzara’at because I spoke slanderously about you,” they will believe you, for they are already familiar with this, that those who confront them to harm them are smitten with plagues, e.g., Pharaoh and Avimelech who were smitten on account of Sarah.		וְהֶֽאֱמִינוּ לְקֹל הָאֹת הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן. מִשֶּׁתֹּאמַר לָהֶם בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם לָקִיתִי, עַל שֶׁסִּפַּרְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, יַאֲמִינוּ לְךָ, שֶׁכְּבָר לָמְדוּ בְכָךְ שֶׁהַמִּזְדַּוְּגִין לְהָרַע לָהֶם לוֹקִים בִּנְגָעִים, כְּגוֹן פַּרְעֹה וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ בִּשְׁבִיל שָׂרָה:
9And if they do not believe even these two signs, and still do not heed your voice, you must take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water that you take from the Nile will turn into blood when it is poured on the dry ground.”		טוְהָיָ֡ה אִם־לֹ֣א יַֽאֲמִ֡ינוּ גַּם֩ לִשְׁנֵ֨י הָֽאֹת֜וֹת הָאֵ֗לֶּה וְלֹ֤א יִשְׁמְעוּן֙ לְקֹלֶ֔ךָ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ מִמֵּימֵ֣י הַיְאֹ֔ר וְשָֽׁפַכְתָּ֖ הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וְהָי֤וּ הַמַּ֨יִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּקַּ֣ח מִן־הַיְאֹ֔ר וְהָי֥וּ לְדָ֖ם בַּיַּבָּֽשֶׁת:
וְלָֽקַחְתָּ מִמֵּימֵי הַיְאֹר - You must take some water from the Nile. He intimated to them that the first plague to befall the Egyptians would punish their deity.		וְלָֽקַחְתָּ מִמֵּימֵי הַיְאֹר. רמז להם שבמכה ראשונה נפרע מאלהותם:
וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם וגו' - The water…will turn…. The word וְהָיוּ is written here twice. It appears to me the reason for this is because if it had said וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר תִּקַּח מִן הַיְאֹר לְדָם בַּיַּבָּשֶׁת, writing וְהָיוּ only once, I would have understood that the water would turn into blood already while in his hand, and that it would remain that way also after it reached the ground; but now that וְהָיוּ is written a second time, this teaches us that the water will not turn into blood until it reaches the dry ground.		וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם וגו'. "וְהָיוּ" "וְהָיוּ", ב' פְּעָמִים נִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי, אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר תִּקַּח מִן הַיְאוֹר לְדָם בַּיַּבָּשֶׁת, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי, שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ הֵם נֶהְפָּכִים לְדָם – וְאַף כְּשֶׁיֵּרְדוּ לָאָרֶץ יִהְיוּ בַּהֲוָיָתָן, אֲבָל עַכְשָׁו מְלַמְּדֵנוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ דָם עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בַיַּבָּשֶׁת:
10Moses said to God, “I beg You, God, I am not a man of words—not from yesterday, nor from the day before, nor from the first time You spoke to Your servant, for I stammer and am not swift of tongue.”		יוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֣ה אֶל־יְהֹוָה֘ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי גַּ֤ם מִתְּמוֹל֙ גַּ֣ם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּ֛ם מֵאָ֥ז דַּבֶּרְךָ֖ אֶל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֧י כְבַד־פֶּ֛ה וּכְבַ֥ד לָשׁ֖וֹן אָנֹֽכִי:
גַּם מִתְּמוֹל וגו' - (lit.) Also yesterday… The wording of the verse teaches us that for a full seven days the Holy One, blessed be He, was convincing Moses at the thornbush to go on His mission, for מִתְּמוֹל “yesterday,” שִׁלְשֹׁם “the day before,” and מֵאָז דַּבֶּרְךָ “from when You spoke” – makes three days; and three times the word גַּם (“also”) is written, implying three additional days – makes six days; and he was standing here on the seventh day when he now said this to God: “Please send whom You usually send,” 25 until God became angry at him, and only then he accepted the mission upon himself. Moses resisted so much because he did not wish to assume any position above his brother Aaron, who was older than him and also a prophet, as it says: “Did I not surely reveal Myself to your ancestors when they were in Egypt?” 26 which is referring to Aaron; and similarly in Ezekiel 27 it says: “I made Myself known to them in Egypt…I said to them: ‘Let everyone discard all idols in his sight’” – that prophecy was said to Aaron.		גַּם מִתְּמוֹל וגו'. לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁכָּל ז' יָמִים הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְפַתֶּה אֶת מֹשֶׁה בַּסְּנֶה לֵילֵךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ, "מִתְּמוֹל", "שִׁלְשֹׁם", "מֵאָז דַּבֶּרְךָ" הֲרֵי ג' וּשְׁלוֹשָׁה גַמִּין רִבּוּיִין הֵם, הֲרֵי שִׁשָּׁה, וְהוּא הָיָה עוֹמֵד בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ זֹאת עוֹד שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח, עַד שֶׁחָרָה בּוֹ וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו (שמות רבה); וְכָל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה רוֹצֶה לִטֹּל גְּדֻלָּה עַל אַהֲרֹן אָחִיו שֶׁהָיָה גָּדוֹל הֵימֶנּוּ וְנָבִיא הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הֲנִגְלֹה נִגְלֵיתִי אֶל בֵּית אָבִיךָ בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּמִצְרַיִם" (שמואל א ב') – הוּא אַהֲרֹן, וְכֵן "וָאִוָּדַע לָהֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם … וָאֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם אִישׁ שִׁקּוּצֵי עֵינָיו הַשְׁלִיכוּ" (יחזקאל כ'), וְאוֹתָהּ נְבוּאָה לְאַהֲרֹן נֶאֶמְרָה (תנחומא):
כְבַד־פֶּה - (lit.) Of heavy mouth - i.e., I speak with difficulty (בִּכְבֵדוּת), and in Old French: “balbe” (“stammering”).		כְבַד־פֶּה. בִּכְבֵדוּת אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר. וּבִלְשׁוֹן לַעַז בלב"ו:
11God said to him, “Who gives a man a mouth? Who makes him dumb, deaf, sighted, or blind? Is it not I, God?		יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו מִ֣י שָׂ֣ם פֶּה֘ לָֽאָדָם֒ א֚וֹ מִֽי־יָשׂ֣וּם אִלֵּ֔ם א֣וֹ חֵרֵ֔שׁ א֥וֹ פִקֵּ֖חַ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א אָֽנֹכִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה:
מִי שָׂם פֶּה וגו' - Who gives [man] a mouth - i.e., who taught you to speak and defend yourself when you were being tried before Pharaoh on account of the Egyptian you killed?		מִי שָׂם פֶּה וגו'. מִי לִמְּדֶךָ לְדַבֵּר, כְּשֶׁהָיִיתָ נִדּוֹן לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה עַל הַמִּצְרִי?
אוֹ מִי יָשׂוּם אִלֵּם - Who makes him dumb - i.e., who made Pharaoh dumb, so he could not firmly pronounce the sentence to kill you? And who made his servants deaf, so they could not hear his orders against you? And who blinded the executioners that would have slain you, so that they could not see when you fled from the execution platform and escaped?		אוֹ מִי יָשׂוּם אִלֵּם. מִי עָשָׂה פַרְעֹה אִלֵּם, שֶׁלֹּא נִתְאַמֵּץ בְּמִצְוַת הֲרִיגָתְךָ, וְאֶת מְשָׁרְתָיו חֵרְשִׁים שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמְעוּ בְּצַוּוֹתוֹ עָלֶיךָ, וְאֶת אֶסְפַּקְלָטוֹרִין הַהוֹרְגִים מִי עֲשָׂאָם עִוְרִים שֶׁלֹּא רָאוּ כְּשֶׁבָּרַחְתָּ מִן הַבִּימָה וְנִמְלַטְתָּ?
הֲלֹא אָֽנֹכִי - Is it not I - Whose Name is God, who did all this?		הֲלֹא אָֽנֹכִי. שֶׁשְּׁמִי ה' עָשִׂיתִי כָל זֹאת (שם):
12Now go, and I will be with your mouth and instruct you what to say.”		יבוְעַתָּ֖ה לֵ֑ךְ וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִם־פִּ֔יךָ וְהֽוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּֽר:
13He said, “I beg You, God! Please send Aaron, whom You usually send!”		יגוַיֹּ֖אמֶר בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׁלַח־נָ֖א בְּיַד־תִּשְׁלָֽח:
בְּיַד־תִּשְׁלָֽח - means: Whom You are accustomed to send - and that is Aaron. Another explanation: “some other person whom You wish to send.” I will not ultimately lead them myself into the Land of Israel and be their future redeemer, and You have many other messengers.		בְּיַד־תִּשְׁלָֽח. בְּיַד מִי שֶׁאַתָּה רָגִיל לִשְׁלֹחַ, וְהוּא אַהֲרֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר: בְּיַד אַחֵר שֶׁתִּרְצֶה לִשְׁלֹחַ, אֵין סוֹפִי לְהַכְנִיסָם לָאָרֶץ וְלִהְיוֹת גּוֹאֲלָם לֶעָתִיד, יֵשׁ לְךָ שְׁלוּחִים הַרְבֵּה:
14God displayed indignation toward Moses, and said, “Is not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can certainly speak! Indeed, he will be setting out to meet you, and when he sees you, his heart will be glad.		ידוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֨ף יְהֹוָ֜ה בְּמשֶׁ֗ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הֲלֹ֨א אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֨יךָ֙ הַלֵּוִ֔י יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּֽי־דַבֵּ֥ר יְדַבֵּ֖ר ה֑וּא וְגַ֤ם הִנֵּה־הוּא֙ יֹצֵ֣א לִקְרָאתֶ֔ךָ וְרָֽאֲךָ֖ וְשָׂמַ֥ח בְּלִבּֽוֹ:
וַיִּֽחַר־אַף - Displayed indignation. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah said: Every Divine anger (חֲרוֹן אַף) mentioned in the Torah has its adverse effect stated, but in this case there is no mention of any effect, for we do not find any punishment received by Moses that resulted from this anger. Rabbi Yosei answered him: In this case, too, an adverse effect is mentioned: “Is not your brother Aaron the Levite?”. for he was destined to be only a Levite and not a priest, and I initially intended that the priesthood would emanate from you. Now, however, it will not be so, but he will be a priest and you will be the Levite, as it says: “and Moses, the man of God – his sons are included among the tribe of Levi.” 28		וַיִּֽחַר־אַף. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר כָּל חֲרוֹן אַף שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה עוֹשֶׂה רֹשֶׁם וְזֶה לֹא נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ רֹשֶׁם וְלֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁבָּא עֹנֶשׁ עַל יְדֵי אוֹתוֹ חָרוֹן; אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אַף בְּזוֹ נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ רֹשֶׁם – הלא אהרן אחיך הלוי – שֶׁהָיָה עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת לֵוִי וְלֹא כֹּהֵן, וְהַכְּהֻנָּה הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר לָצֵאת מִמְּךָ, מֵעַתָּה לֹא יִהְיֶה כֵן אֶלָּא הוּא יִהְיֶה כֹּהֵן וְאַתָּה הַלֵּוִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּמֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים בָּנָיו יִקָּרְאוּ עַל שֵׁבֶט הַלֵּוִי" (דהי"א כ"ג) (זבחים ק"ב):
הִנֵּה־הוּא יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתֶךָ - (lit.) He is here coming out to meet you - i.e., when you set out for Egypt.		הִנֵּה־הוּא יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתֶךָ. כְּשֶׁתֵּלֵךְ לְמִצְרַיִם:
וְרָֽאֲךָ וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּֽוֹ - And when he sees you his heart will be glad - and not as you suppose, that he will begrudge your elevation to an exalted position. And as a result of this heartfelt rejoicing, Aaron merited to wear the breastplate ornament placed over the heart.		וְרָֽאֲךָ וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּֽוֹ. לֹא כְשֶׁאַתָּה סָבוּר, שֶׁיְּהֵא מַקְפִּיד עָלֶיךָ שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹלֶה לִגְדֻלָּה; וּמִשָּׁם זָכָה אַהֲרֹן לַעֲדִי הַחֹשֶׁן הַנָּתוּן עַל הַלֵּב (שבת קל"ט):
15You must speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will then be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will instruct you what to do.		טווְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּפִ֑יו וְאָֽנֹכִ֗י אֶֽהְיֶ֤ה עִם־פִּ֨יךָ֙ וְעִם־פִּ֔יהוּ וְהֽוֹרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּן:
16He will speak to the people for you. He will thus serve as your mouth, and you will be his mentor.		טזוְדִבֶּר־ה֥וּא לְךָ֖ אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה הוּא֙ יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֣ לְפֶ֔ה וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּ֥וֹ לֵֽאלֹהִֽים:
וְדִבֶּר־הוּא לְךָ - means “on your behalf he will speak” to the people. This phrase is a proof for every לְךָ, לִי, לוֹ, לָכֶם, and לָהֶם that follows the verb דבר, that they all mean עַל “for” and not “to.”		וְדִבֶּר־הוּא לְךָ. בִּשְׁבִילְךָ יְדַבֵּר אֶל הָעָם. וְזֶה יוֹכִיחַ עַל כָּל לְךָ וְלִי וְלוֹ וְלָכֶם וְלָהֶם הַסְּמוּכִים לְדִבּוּר שֶׁכֻּלָּם לְשׁוֹן עַל הֵם:
יִֽהְיֶה־לְךָ לְפֶה - means: “he will act for you as a spokesman,” since you stammer.		יִֽהְיֶה־לְךָ לְפֶה. לְמֵלִיץ, לְפִי שֶׁאַתָּה כְבַד פֶּה:
לֵֽאלֹהִֽים - means here: as a leader and a chief.		לֵֽאלֹהִֽים. לְרַב וּלְשַׂר:
17And in your hand you must take this staff, with which you will perform the miraculous signs.”		יזוְאֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה תִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־בּ֖וֹ אֶת־הָֽאֹתֹֽת:

Footnotes

1 Samuel 2:27.

Ezekiel 20:5, 7.

Sixth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 4

18Moses left and returned to Jether his father-in-law and said to him, “I would like to leave and return to my brethren in Egypt, to see if they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”		יחוַיֵּ֨לֶךְ משֶׁ֜ה וַיָּ֣שָׁב \| אֶל־יֶ֣תֶר חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֨וּבָה֙ אֶל־אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַֽעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ לְמשֶׁ֖ה לֵ֥ךְ לְשָׁלֽוֹם:
וַיָּשָׁב אֶל־יֶתֶר חֹֽתְנוֹ - And returned to Jether his father-in-law - to receive his permission to leave, for he had sworn to him that he would not move from Midian except with his permission. Jether had seven names: Re’u’el, Jether, Jethro, Keini, Chovav, Chever, and Puti’el.		וַיָּשָׁב אֶל־יֶתֶר חֹֽתְנוֹ. לִטֹּל רְשׁוּת, שֶׁהֲרֵי נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ (נדרים ס"ה). וְז' שֵׁמוֹת הָיוּ לוֹ, רְעוּאֵל, יֶתֶר, יִתְרוֹ, קֵינִי, חוֹבָב, חֶבֶר, פּוּטִיאֵל:
19God said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who seek your life have died.”		יטוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֨תוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:
כִּי־מֵתוּ כָּל־הָאֲנָשִׁים - For all the men [who seek your life] have died. Who were they? Dathan and Aviram. They were in fact still alive, but they had lost their possessions, and a poor man is considered dead.		כִּי־מֵתוּ כָּל־הָאֲנָשִׁים. מִי הֵם? דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם; חַיִּים הָיוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּרְדוּ מִנִּכְסֵיהֶם וְהֶעָנִי חָשׁוּב כַּמֵּת:
20Moses took his wife and sons and mounted them on the donkey. He prepared to return to Egypt; and Moses took the staff of God in his hand.		כוַיִּקַּ֨ח משֶׁ֜ה אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַל־הַֽחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֥ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ:
עַל־הַֽחֲמֹר - On the donkey - i.e., the special donkey; this was the donkey that Abraham saddled for traveling to carry out the binding of Isaac, and it is the one on which the Messianic King will ride when he is revealed, as it says: “Behold, your king will come to you…a humble man, riding on a donkey.” 1		עַל־הַֽחֲמֹר. חֲמוֹר הַמְיֻחָד, הוּא הַחֲמוֹר שֶׁחָבַשׁ אַבְרָהָם לַעֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק, וְהוּא שֶׁעָתִיד מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ לְהִגָּלוֹת עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר" (זכריה ט') (פרקי דרבי אליעזר ל"א):
וַיָּשָׁב אַרְצָה מִצְרָיִם וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה אֶת־מַטֵּה - He returned to Egypt, and Moses took the staff… There is no precise chronological order in Scripture.		וַיָּשָׁב אַרְצָה מִצְרָיִם וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה אֶת־מַטֵּה. אֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר מְדֻקְדָּקִים בַּמִּקְרָא:
21God said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, be aware of all the marvels that I will have placed in your hand, and perform them before Pharaoh. However, I will make him stubborn and he will not send the people forth.		כאוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁה֒ בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֙ לָשׁ֣וּב מִצְרַ֔יְמָה רְאֵ֗ה כָּל־הַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי בְיָדֶ֔ךָ וַֽעֲשִׂיתָ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֲחַזֵּ֣ק אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א יְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם:
בְּלֶכְתְּךָ לָשׁוּב מִצְרַיְמָה וגו' - When you return to Egypt…. know that you must go with this purpose in mind: that you be valiant in carrying out My mission to perform all My marvels before Pharaoh, and that you not be afraid of him.		בְּלֶכְתְּךָ לָשׁוּב מִצְרַיְמָה וגו'. דַּע שֶׁעַל מְנָת כֵּן תֵּלֵךְ שֶׁתְּהֵא גִּבּוֹר בִּשְׁלִיחוּתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל מוֹפְתַי לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה וְלֹא תִירָא מִמֶּנּוּ:
אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי בְיָדֶךָ - (lit.) That I have placed in your hand. This is not referring to the three signs that were mentioned above, for God did not command Moses to perform them before Pharaoh, but only before the Israelites so that they believe him, nor do we find that he in fact performed them before Pharaoh. Rather, this is what God was saying: The marvels that I am going to place in your hand in Egypt, such as: “When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, ‘Produce a marvel….’” 2 Do not wonder, though, at the fact that it is written “that I have placed” in the past tense, for this is its meaning: “When you speak to him, I will have already placed them in your hand.”		אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי בְיָדֶךָ. לֹא עַל שָׁלוֹשׁ אוֹתוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹתָם אֶלָּא לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיַּאֲמִינוּ לוֹ, וְלֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁעֲשָׂאָם לְפָנָיו, אֶלָּא מוֹפְתִים שֶׁאֲנִי עָתִיד לָשׂוּם בְּיָדְךָ בְּמִצְרַיִם, כְּמוֹ "כִּי יְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה וְגוֹ'" (שמות ז'); וְאַל תִתְמַהּ עַל אֲשֶׁר כְּתִיב "אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי", שֶׁכֵּן מַשְׁמָעוֹ, כְּשֶׁתְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ כְּבָר שַׂמְתִּים בְּיָדְךָ:
22You must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus has God said: “Israel is My preeminent son.”		כבוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּנִ֥י בְכֹרִ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְאָֽמַרְתָּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה - You must say to Pharaoh - i.e., not immediately, but when you hear that his resolve is strong and he refuses to send forth the Israelites, say this to him: –		וְאָֽמַרְתָּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה. כְּשֶׁתִּשְׁמַע שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חָזָק וִימָאֵן לִשְׁלֹחַ אֱמֹר לוֹ כֵּן:
בְּנִי בְכֹרִי - My preeminent son. The word בְּכוֹר (lit. “firstborn”) here connotes eminence, as in: “I, too, will make him a great person (בְּכוֹר)”; 3 this is its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic explanation is: Here the Holy One, blessed be He, sealed His approval on the sale of the birthright that Jacob purchased from Esau.		בְּנִי בְכֹרִי. לְשׁוֹן גְּדֻלָּה; כְּמוֹ: "אַף אֲנִי בְּכוֹר אֶתְּנֵהוּ" (תהלים פ"ט), זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: כָּאן חָתַם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל מְכִירַת הַבְּכוֹרָה שֶׁלָּקַח יַעֲקֹב מֵעֵשָׂו (בראשית רבה ס"ג):
23I am therefore telling you in God’s Name, “Send forth My son so that he may serve Me. Yet I know that you will refuse to send him forth, so know now that I will kill your firstborn son.” ’”		כגוָֽאֹמַ֣ר אֵלֶ֗יךָ שַׁלַּ֤ח אֶת־בְּנִי֙ וְיַ֣עַבְדֵ֔נִי וַתְּמָאֵ֖ן לְשַׁלְּח֑וֹ הִנֵּה֙ אָֽנֹכִ֣י הֹרֵ֔ג אֶת־בִּנְךָ֖ בְּכֹרֶֽךָ:
וָֽאֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ - I am telling you – as a messenger of the Omnipresent: “ - Send forth my son….”		וָֽאֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ. בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם שלח את בני:
הִנֵּה אָֽנֹכִי הֹרֵג וגו' - I will kill… This was the final plague, yet God warned him about it first, since it was the most severe. This is the meaning of what it says in Job: 4 “Since God’s power is supreme,” therefore, “who can discipline like Him” – i.e., a human being wishing to take revenge against his fellow hides his intentions so that his fellow not seek ways to escape; but the Holy One, blessed be He, is supreme in His power and there is no possibility of escaping His punishing hand except by returning to Him – therefore, He guides the sinner and warns him of his punishment so that he repent.		הִנֵּה אָֽנֹכִי הֹרֵג וגו'. הִיא מַכָּה אַחֲרוֹנָה, וּבָהּ הִתְרָהוּ תְּחִלָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא קָשָׁה; וְזֶה הוּא שֶׁאָמַר "הֶן אֵל יַשְׂגִּיב בְּכֹחוֹ" – לְפִיכָךְ "מִי כָמֹהוּ מוֹרֶה" (איוב ל"ו); בָּשָׂר וָדָם הַמְבַקֵּשׁ לְהִנָּקֵם מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, מַעֲלִים אֶת דְּבָרָיו, שֶׁלֹּא יְבַקֵּשׁ הַצָּלָה, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יַשְׂגִּיב בְּכֹחוֹ וְאֵין יְכֹלֶת לְהִמָּלֵט מִיָּדוֹ כִּי אִם בְּשׁוּבוֹ אֵלָיו, לְפִיכָךְ הוּא מוֹרֵהוּ וּמַתְרֶה בוֹ לָשׁוּב:
24When Moses was at his lodgings on the way, God confronted Moses and sought to put him to death.		כדוַיְהִ֥י בַדֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּמָּל֑וֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ:
וַיְהִי בַדֶרֶךְ בַּמָלוֹן - (lit.) When he Was at his lodgings on the way - i.e., Moses –		וַיְהִי בַדֶרֶךְ בַּמָלוֹן. משה:
וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ - he sought to put him to death - i.e., the angel wished to kill Moses, since he did not circumcise his son Eliezer – and because he was negligent in this, he was to be punished with death. It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yosei said: God forbid that this was so; he was not negligent. Rather, he said to himself: If I circumcise him and then set out on a journey – until three days after the circumcision it is dangerous for the infant. Should I circumcise him and delay three days – the Holy One, blessed be He, has commanded me: “Go, return to Egypt.” 5 Why, then, was he to be punished? Because once he already could have circumcised Eliezer, he arranged lodgings first. This is stated in Tractate Nedarim. 6 The angel assumed the form of a snake that swallowed Moses from his head down to his thighs, spit him out, and then swallowed him again from his feet up to his procreative organ. Zipporah thus understood that it was happening because of the delay in Eliezer’s circumcision.		וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ. (המלאך ל)מֹשֶׁה: לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא מָל אֶת אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ, וְעַל שֶׁנִּתְרַשֵּׁל נֶעֱנַשׁ מִיתָה. תַּנְיָא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לֹא נִתְרַשֵּׁל אֶלָּא אָמַר, אָמוּל וְאֵצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ, סַכָּנָה הִיא לַתִּינוֹק עַד שְׁלוֹשֶׁת יָמִים, אָמוּל וְאֶשְׁהֶה ג' יָמִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא צִוַּנִי לֵךְ שֻׁב מִצְרָיִם וּמִפְּנֵי מָה נֶעֱנַשׁ? לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בַּמָּלוֹן תְּחִלָּה (מכילתא). בְּמַסֶּכֶת נְדָרִים: וְהָיָה הַמַּלְאָךְ נַעֲשֶׂה כְּמִין נָחָשׁ וּבוֹלְעוֹ מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד יְרֵכָיו וְחוֹזֵר וּבוֹלְעוֹ מֵרַגְלָיו וְעַד אוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם, הֵבִינָה צִפּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל הַמִּילָה הוּא (נדרים ל"ב):
25Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it down at Moses’ feet. She said to the baby, “You almost caused my bridegroom’s bloodshed!”		כהוַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־עָרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי:
וַתַּגַּע לְרַגְלָיו - means: She threw it before Moses’ feet.		וַתַּגַּע לְרַגְלָיו. הִשְׁלִיכַתּוּ לִפְנֵי רַגְלָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה:
וַתֹּאמֶר - She said - about her son.		וַתֹּאמֶר. עַל בְּנָהּ:
כִּי חֲתַן־דָּמִים אַתָּה לִֽי - means: you would have caused my bridegroom to be killed because of you – i.e., you are for me the killer of my husband.		כִּי חֲתַן־דָּמִים אַתָּה לִֽי. אַתָּה הָיִיתָה גּוֹרֵם לִהְיוֹת הֶחָתָן שֶׁלִּי נִרְצָח עָלֶיךָ – הוֹרֵג אִישִׁי אַתָּה לִי:
26God’s angel released Moses, and Zipporah said, “My bridegroom’s bloodshed was almost occasioned by circumcision.”		כווַיִּ֖רֶף מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אָ֚ז אָֽמְרָ֔ה חֲתַ֥ן דָּמִ֖ים לַמּוּלֹֽת:
וַיִּרֶף - (lit.) He released his hold - i.e., the angel – “from him.” (lit.) Then she understood that the angel had come to kill him because of the delay in the circumcision.		וַיִּרֶף. הַמַּלְאָךְ ממנו, אז הֵבִינָה שֶׁעַל הַמִּילָה בָּא לְהָרְגוֹ:
אָֽמְרָה חֲתַן דָּמִים לַמּוּלֹֽת - She said, “My bridegroom’s bloodshed [was almost occasioned] by circumcision” - i.e., my bridegroom would have been killed on account of the circumcision.		אָֽמְרָה חֲתַן דָּמִים לַמּוּלֹֽת. חֲתָנִי הָיָה נִרְצָח עַל דְּבַר הַמִּילָה:
לַמּוּלֹֽת - means: On account of the matter of circumcision. מּוּלֹת is a noun, and the ל prefix is used in the sense of עַל “about,” as in: “Pharaoh will say about the Israelites (לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל).” 7 But Onkelos translated the word דָּמִים “blood” as referring to the blood of the circumcision, not to Moses’ blood.		לַמּוּלֹֽת. עַל דְּבַר הַמּוּלוֹת. שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, וְהַלָּמֶ"ד מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בִּלְשׁוֹן עַל, כְּמוֹ "וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות י"ד), וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם דָּמִים עַל דַּם הַמִּילָה:
27God said to Aaron in Egypt, “Go into the desert to meet Moses.” He went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.		כזוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן לֵ֛ךְ לִקְרַ֥את משֶׁ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּ֑רָה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֛הוּ בְּהַ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים וַיִּשַּׁק־לֽוֹ:
28Moses related to Aaron all the words of God, who had dispatched him, as well as all the miraculous signs about which He had instructed him.		כחוַיַּגֵּ֤ד משֶׁה֙ לְאַ֣הֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֛ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלָח֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־הָֽאֹתֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽהוּ:
29So Moses and Aaron went to Egypt, and they gathered all the elders of the Israelites.		כטוַיֵּ֥לֶךְ משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֑ן וַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּ אֶת־כָּל־זִקְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
30Aaron related all the words that God had told Moses, and performed the miraculous signs in front of the people.		לוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָֽאֹתֹ֖ת לְעֵינֵ֥י הָעָֽם:
31The people believed, and when they heard that God had taken note of the Israelites and that He had observed their misery, they bowed down and prostrated themselves in thanks.		לאוַיַּֽאֲמֵ֖ן הָעָ֑ם וַיִּשְׁמְע֡וּ כִּֽי־פָקַ֨ד יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְכִ֤י רָאָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיָ֔ם וַיִּקְּד֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֽוּ:

Footnotes

Nedarim 31b.

Seventh Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 5

1Moses and Aaron later went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what God, the God of Israel, has said: ‘Send forth My people, so that they may celebrate a festival for Me in the wilderness.’”		אוְאַחַ֗ר בָּ֚אוּ משֶׁ֣ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ לִ֖י בַּמִּדְבָּֽר:
וְאַחַר בָּאוּ משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן וגו' - Moses and Aaron later went…. but the elders slipped away one by one from behind Moses and Aaron, until they had all slipped away before they reached Pharaoh’s palace, because they were afraid to go to Pharaoh. And at Mount Sinai they received retribution for this, for it says: “Moses alone must approach God, but the others may not approach” 1 – i.e., God made them stay back.		וְאַחַר בָּאוּ משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן וגו'. אֲבָל הַזְּקֵנִים נִשְׁמְטוּ אֶחָד אֶחָד מֵאַחַר מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, עַד שֶׁנִּשְׁמְטוּ כֻלָּם קֹדֶם שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לַפָּלָטִין, לְפִי שֶׁיָּרְאוּ לָלֶכֶת; וּבְסִינַי נִפְרַע לָהֶם, "וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל ה' וְהֵם לֹא יִגָּשׁוּ" (שמות כ"ד) – הֶחֱזִירָם לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם (שמות רבה):
2Pharaoh replied, “Who is God that I should heed His voice and send forth Israel? I do not recognize God, nor will I send Israel forth.”		בוַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה מִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹל֔וֹ לְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֤א יָדַ֨עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ:
3They said, “The God of the Hebrews has appeared to us. Let us therefore make a three-day journey in the wilderness so we can sacrifice to God, our God, lest He strike us with a plague or by the sword.”		גוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים נִקְרָ֣א עָלֵ֑ינוּ נֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֡א דֶּ֩רֶךְ֩ שְׁל֨שֶׁת יָמִ֜ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וְנִזְבְּחָה֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ פֶּן־יִפְגָּעֵ֔נוּ בַּדֶּ֖בֶר א֥וֹ בֶחָֽרֶב:
פֶּן־יִפְגָּעֵנוּ - Lest He strike us. They should have said to Pharaoh: “lest He strike you,” but they spoke euphemistically out of respect for the king. This instance of the word פְּגִיעָה (usually meaning “meeting,” “encountering”) connotes an encounter with death.		פֶּן־יִפְגָּעֵנוּ. פֶּן יִפְגָּעֲךָ הָיוּ צְרִיכִים לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁחָלְקוּ כָּבוֹד לַמַּלְכוּת. פְּגִיעָה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן מִקְרֵה מָוֶת הִיא (שם):
4The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their daily work? Get back to your own chores!”		דוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָ֚מָּה משֶׁ֣ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו לְכ֖וּ לְסִבְלֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
תַּפְרִיעוּ אֶת־הָעָם מִמַּֽעֲשָׂיו - means: “Why are you separating and distancing the people from their work,” for by listening to you, they imagine that they may take a rest from work. A similar example of the verb פרע is: “disdain it (פְּרָעֵהוּ), do not pass through it,” 2 in other words, keep it at a distance; and similarly: “and you disdain (וַתִּפְרְעוּ) all my advice”; 3 and: כִּי פָרֻעַ הוּא, 4 which means: “that the people were distanced and held in contempt.”		תַּפְרִיעוּ אֶת־הָעָם מִמַּֽעֲשָׂיו. תַּבְדִּילוּ וְתַרְחִיקוּ אוֹתָם מִמְּלַאכְתָּם, שֶׁשּׁוֹמְעִין לָכֶם וּסְבוּרִים לָנוּחַ מִן הַמְּלָאכָה; וְכֵן "פְּרָעֵהוּ אַל תַּעֲבֹר בּוֹ" (משלי ד') – רַחֲקֵהוּ, וְכֵן "וַתִּפְרְעוּ כָל עֲצָתִי" (שם א'), "כִּי פָרֻעַ הוּא" (שמות ל"ב) – נִרְחָק וְנִתְעָב:
לְכוּ לְסִבְלֹֽתֵיכֶֽם - (lit.) Go to your labors - i.e., go to your personal tasks that you have to do in your own homes. But Pharaoh was not referring to slave labor, for the slave labor of Egypt was not imposed upon the tribe of Levi, to which Moses and Aaron belonged. Proof of this is that Moses and Aaron could go and come freely without asking permission.		לְכוּ לְסִבְלֹֽתֵיכֶֽם. לְכוּ לִמְלַאכְתְּכֶם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּבָתֵּיכֶם, אֲבָל מְלֶאכֶת שִׁעְבּוּד מִצְרַיִם לֹא הָיְתָה עַל שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי; תֵּדַע לְךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן יוֹצְאִים וּבָאִים שֶׁלֹא בִרְשׁוּת (שמות רבה):
5Pharaoh continued, “The people of the land are now numerous, and you would have them cease from their labor!”		הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה הֵֽן־רַבִּ֥ים עַתָּ֖ה עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם מִסִּבְלֹתָֽם:
הֵֽן־רַבִּים עַתָּה עַם הָאָרֶץ - The people of the land are now numerous - i.e., those who have the responsibility to work – “and you are causing them to refrain from their labors.” This will cause a great loss in productivity.		הֵֽן־רַבִּים עַתָּה עַם הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה מֻטֶּלֶת עֲלֵיהֶם, וְאַתֶּם מַשְׁבִּיתִים אוֹתָם מִסִּבְלוֹתָם, הֶפְסֵד גָּדוֹל הוּא זֶה:
6On that day, Pharaoh gave orders to the people’s Egyptian taskmasters and Israelite foremen, as follows:		ווַיְצַ֥ו פַּרְעֹ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא אֶת־הַנֹּֽגְשִׂ֣ים בָּעָ֔ם וְאֶת־שֹֽׁטְרָ֖יו לֵאמֹֽר:
הַנֹּֽגְשִׂים - The taskmasters. They were Egyptians, and the “foremen” were Israelites. A taskmaster was appointed over a number of foremen, and the foreman was appointed to control those doing the work.		הַנֹּֽגְשִׂים. מִצְרִיִּים הָיוּ וְהַשּׁוֹטְרִים הָיוּ יִשְׂרְאֵלִים; הַנּוֹגֵשׂ מְמֻנֶּה עַל כַּמָּה שׁוֹטְרִים וְהַשּׁוֹטֵר מְמֻנֶּה לִרְדּוֹת בְּעוֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה (שמות רבה):
7“You must no longer provide the people with straw for making bricks as you did previously; let them go and gather their own straw.		זלֹ֣א תֹֽאסִפ֞וּן לָתֵ֨ת תֶּ֧בֶן לָעָ֛ם לִלְבֹּ֥ן הַלְּבֵנִ֖ים כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֑ם הֵ֚ם יֵֽלְכ֔וּ וְקֽשְׁשׁ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם תֶּֽבֶן:
תֶּבֶן - Straw - “estoble” in Old French (“stubble”). They would knead it with the clay.		תֶּבֶן. אשטו"בלא, הָיוּ גּוֹבְלִין אוֹתוֹ עִם הַטִּיט:
לְּבֵנִים - Bricks - “tivles” in Old French. They are made from clay and dried in the sun, and sometimes they are fired in a kiln.		לְּבֵנִים. טיוול"ש בְּלַעַז, שֶׁעוֹשִׂים מִטִּיט וּמְיַבְּשִׁין אוֹתָן בַּחַמָּה; וְיֵשׁ שֶׁשּׂוֹרְפִין אוֹתָן בַּכִּבְשָׁן:
כִּתְמוֹל שלשום - (lit.) Like yesterday and the day before - i.e., as you have been doing until now.		כִּתְמוֹל שלשום. כַּאֲשֶׁר הֱיִיתֶם עוֹשִׂים עַד הֵנָּה;
וְקֽשְׁשׁוּ - means “they must gather.”		וְקֽשְׁשׁוּ. וְלָקְטוּ:
8However, you must impose upon them the same quota of bricks as they met previously. Do not reduce it. For they are evidently lazy; that is why they are crying out and saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God!’		חוְאֶת־מַתְכֹּ֨נֶת הַלְּבֵנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵם֩ עֹשִׂ֨ים תְּמ֤וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם֙ תָּשִׂ֣ימוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תִגְרְע֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־נִרְפִּ֣ים הֵ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֗ן הֵ֤ם צֹֽעֲקִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נֵֽלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לֵֽאלֹהֵֽינוּ:
וְאֶת־מַתְכֹּנֶת הַלְּבֵנִים - The quota of bricks - i.e., the total amount of bricks that each person made per day when straw was still being given to them. Impose upon them that same amount also now, so that the work be strenuous for them.		וְאֶת־מַתְכֹּנֶת הַלְּבֵנִים. סְכוּם חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַלְּבֵנִים שֶׁהָיָה כָּל אֶחָד עוֹשֶׂה לַיּוֹם כְּשֶׁהָיָה הַתֶּבֶן נִתָּן לָהֶם, אוֹתוֹ סְכוּם תָּשִׂימוּ עֲלֵיהֶם גַּם עַתָּה, לְמַעַן תִּכְבַּד הָעֲבוֹדָה עֲלֵיהֶם:
כִּֽי־נִרְפִּים - For they are lazy - from the work, therefore their mind turns to idleness and they cry out, saying “Let us go….”		כִּֽי־נִרְפִּים. מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה הֵם, לְכָךְ לִבָּם פּוֹנֶה אֶל הַבַּטָּלָה וְצוֹעֲקִים לֵאמֹר נלכה וגו':
מַתְכֹּנֶת - This word and וְתֹכֶן לְבֵנִים “and the quota of bricks,” 5 and וְלוֹ נִתְכְּנוּ עֲלִלוֹת “and all deeds are counted by Him,” 6 and אֶת הַכֶּסֶף הַמְתֻכָּן “the counted money,” 7 all have the connotation of counting.		מַתְכֹּנֶת. וְתֹכֶן לְבֵנִים, "וְלוֹ נִתְכְּנוּ עֲלִילוֹת" (שמואל א ב'), "אֶת הַכֶּסֶף הַמְתֻכָּן" (מלכים ב י"ב), כֻּלָּם לְשׁוֹן חֶשְׁבּוֹן הֵם:
נִרְפִּים - Lazy - i.e., the work is slack (רְפוּיָה) in their hand and neglected by them, and thus they are slackened (נִרְפִּים) from it; “retrait” in Old French (“withdrawn”).		נִרְפִּים. הַמְּלָאכָה רְפוּיָה בְיָדָם וַעֲזוּבָה מֵהֶם וְהֵם נִרְפִּים מִמֶּנָּה; רטריי"ט בְּלַעַז:
9Make the work more strenuous for the men and let them keep at it, and let them not speak of vain matters.”		טתִּכְבַּ֧ד הָֽעֲבֹדָ֛ה עַל־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וְיַֽעֲשׂוּ־בָ֑הּ וְאַל־יִשְׁע֖וּ בְּדִבְרֵי־שָֽׁקֶר:
וְאַל־יִשְׁעוּ בְּדִבְרֵי־שָֽׁקֶר - means: They will not meditate and talk constantly about empty matters, saying, “Let us go and sacrifice.” Similar forms of the word יִשְׁעוּ in this sense are: “and I will talk (וְאֶשְׁעָה) about Your rules constantly”; 8 the word וְלִשְׁנִינָה in the phrase לְמָשָׁל וְלִשְׁנִינָה 9 is translated by Onkelos as: וּלְשׁוֹעֵי “and a subject of conversation”; וַיְסַפֵּר 10 is translated by Onkelos as וְאִשְׁתָּעִי “and he told.” It is impossible, however, to say that יִשְׁעוּ here is a similar expression to: “God paid heed (וַיִּשַׁע) to Abel…but to Cain and his offering He paid no heed (לֹא שָׁעָה),” 11 and thus to explain אַל יִשְׁעוּ as meaning: “and they will not pay heed,” for if so, the verse should have written: וְאַל יִשְׁעוּ אֶל דִּבְרֵי שָׁקֶר or לְדִבְרֵי שָׁקֶר “and they will not pay heed to empty matters,” and not בְּדִבְרֵי שָׁקֶר – for so is the construction of all such verbs in this sense: יִשְׁעֶה הָאָדָם עַל עֹשֵׂהוּ “man will turn to his Maker”; 12 וְלֹא שָׁעוּ עַל קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל “and they did not turn to the Holy One of Israel”; 13 וְלֹא יִשְׁעֶה אֶל הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת “and he will not turn to altars”; 14 but I never found this verb in this sense being followed by a ב prefix to the object. However, after an expression of speech – when describing someone involved in speaking about something – a ב prefix to the object is used, for instance: הַנִּדְבָּרִים בְּךָ “who talk about you”; 15 וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמֹשֶׁה “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses”; 16 הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי “the angel who spoke with me”; 17 לְדַבֵּר בָּם “to speak of them”; 18 וַאֲדַבְּרָה בְעֵדֹתֶיךָ “and I will speak of Your testimonies.” 19 Similarly here, אַל יִשְׁעוּ בְּדִבְרֵי שָׁקֶר means “they will not be speaking about futile and fanciful matters.”		וְאַל־יִשְׁעוּ בְּדִבְרֵי־שָֽׁקֶר. וְאַל יֶהֱגוּ וִידַבְּרוּ תָמִיד בְּדִבְרֵי רוּחַ לֵאמֹר, נֵלְכָה נִזְבְּחָה; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "וְאֶשְׁעָה בְחֻקֶּיךָ תָמִיד" (תהילים קי"ט); "לְמָשָׁל וְלִשְׁנִינָה" (דברים כ"ח), מְתַרְגְּמִינָן "וּלְשׁוֹעֵי"; וַיְסַפֵּר – "וְאִשְׁתָּעִי"; וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר ישעו לְשׁוֹן "וַיִּשַׁע ה' אֶל הֶבֶל", "וְאֶל קַיִן וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לֹא שָׁעָה" (בראשית ד'), וּלְפָרֵשׁ אַל יִשְׁעוּ – אַל יִפְנוּ, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב וְאַל יִשְׁעוּ אֶל דִּבְרֵי שָׁקֶר אוֹ לְדִבְרֵי שָׁקֶר, כִּי כֵן גִּזְרַת כֻּלָּם, "יִשְׁעֶה הָאָדָם עַל עוֹשֵׂהוּ" (ישעיהו י"ז), "וְלֹא יִשְׁעֶה אֶל הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת", (שם), "וְלֹא שָׁעוּ עַל קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שם ל"א), וְלֹא מָצָאתִי שִׁמּוּשׁ שֶׁל בֵּי"ת סְמוּכָה לְאַחֲרֵיהֶם, אֲבָל אַחַר לְשׁוֹן דִּבּוּר – כְּמִתְעַסֵּק לְדַבֵּר בְּדָבָר – נוֹפֵל לְשׁוֹן שִׁמּוּשׁ בֵּי"ת, כְּגוֹן: "הַנִּדְבָּרִים בְּךָ" (יחזקאל ל"ג), "וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמֹשֶׁה" (במדבר י"ב), "הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדּוֹבֵר בִּי" (זכריה ד'), "לְדַבֵּר בָּם" (דברים י"א), "וַאֲדַבְּרָה בְעֵדוֹתֶיךָ" (תהילים קי"ט), אַף כָּאן – אל ישעו בדברי שקר – אַל יִהְיוּ נִדְבָּרִים בְּדִבְרֵי שָׁוְא וַהֲבַאי:
10The people’s Egyptian taskmasters and Israelite foremen went out and told the people as follows: “This is what Pharaoh has said: ‘I will no longer give you straw.		יוַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּ נֹֽגְשֵׂ֤י הָעָם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרָ֔יו וַיֹּֽאמְר֥וּ אֶל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר פַּרְעֹ֔ה אֵינֶ֛נִּי נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֖ם תֶּֽבֶן:
11Therefore, you must go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, because nothing has been reduced from your usual daily workload.’”		יאאַתֶּ֗ם לְכ֨וּ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ תֶּ֔בֶן מֵֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר תִּמְצָ֑אוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין נִגְרָ֛ע מֵֽעֲבֹֽדַתְכֶ֖ם דָּבָֽר:
אַתֶּם לְכוּ קְחוּ לָכֶם תֶּבֶן - You must go and get your own straw - and you need to promptly go and get it.		אַתֶּם לְכוּ קְחוּ לָכֶם תֶּבֶן. וּצְרִיכִים אַתֶּם לֵילֵךְ בִּזְרִיזוּת,
כִּי אֵין נִגְרָע מֵֽעֲבֹֽדַתְכֶם דָּבָֽר - “because nothing has been reduced from your workload” - i.e., from the entire sum of bricks that you made per day while straw was still given to you ready from the king’s storehouse.		כִּי אֵין נִגְרָע מֵֽעֲבֹֽדַתְכֶם דָּבָֽר. , מִכָּל סְכוּם לְבֵנִים שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם עוֹשִׂים לַיּוֹם בִּהְיוֹת הַתֶּבֶן נִתָּן לָכֶם מְזֻמָּן מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ:
12So the people spread out all over Egypt to gather stubble for straw.		יבוַיָּ֥פֶץ הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְקשֵׁ֥שׁ קַ֖שׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן:
לְקשֵׁשׁ קַשׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן - means: to gather in a gathering, to make a collection needed for straw for kneading with the clay.		לְקשֵׁשׁ קַשׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן. לֶאֱסֹף אֲסִיפָה, לִלְקֹט לֶקֶט, לְצֹרֶךְ תֶּבֶן הַטִּיט:
קַשׁ - connotes collection, and because stubble is something scattered about that needs to be gathered (לְקוֹשְׁשׁוֹ), it is therefore called קַשׁ in other places in Scripture.		קַשׁ. לְשׁוֹן לִקּוּט, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁדָּבָר הַמִּתְפַּזֵּר הוּא וְצָרִיךְ לְקוֹשְׁשׁוֹ קָרוּי קַשׁ בִּשְׁאָר מְקוֹמוֹת:
13The Egyptian taskmasters pressured them and said, “You must meet your daily quota of work just as before, when straw was provided.”		יגוְהַנֹּֽגְשִׂ֖ים אָצִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּלּ֤וּ מַֽעֲשֵׂיכֶם֙ דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּֽהְי֥וֹת הַתֶּֽבֶן:
אָצִים - means “were pressing.”		אָצִים. דּוֹחֲקִים:
דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ - i.e., the amount for each day complete on its day, just as you did when the straw was given to you ready.		דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ. חֶשְׁבּוֹן שֶׁל כָּל יוֹם כַּלּוּ בְּיוֹמוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם בִּהְיוֹת הַתֶּבֶן מוּכָן:
14The foremen from among the Israelites, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had appointed over them, were flogged by the taskmasters. The foremen were told by the taskmasters, “Why did you not complete your previous brick-making quota, neither yesterday nor today?”		ידוַיֻּכּ֗וּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣מוּ עֲלֵהֶ֔ם נֹֽגְשֵׂ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּ֡וּעַ לֹא֩ כִלִּיתֶ֨ם חָקְכֶ֤ם לִלְבֹּן֙ כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּם־תְּמ֖וֹל גַּם־הַיּֽוֹם:
וַיֻּכּוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - The foremen from among the Israelites…were flogged. These foremen were Israelites, and they had pity on their fellow Israelites by not pressing them to meet their quota, so when they delivered the bricks to the taskmasters, who were Egyptians, and the required sum was missing, the taskmasters would beat them because they did not press the workers. Therefore, those foremen later merited to become members of the Sanhedrin, and some of the spirit of prophecy that was upon Moses was increased and the increase was bestowed upon them, as it says: “Gather for Me 70 men from the elders of Israel” – of those “whom you know” the good that they did in Egypt when “they were the people’s elders and foremen.” 20		וַיֻּכּוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. הַשּׁוֹטְרִים יִשְׂרְאֵלִים הָיוּ וְחָסִים עַל חַבְרֵיהֶם מִלְּדָחְקָם, וּכְשֶׁהָיוּ מַשְׁלִימִים הַלְּבֵנִים לַנּוֹגְשִׂים שֶׁהֵם מִצְרִיִּים, וְהָיָה חָסֵר מִן הַסְּכוּם, הָיוּ מַלְקִין אוֹתָם עַל שֶׁלֹּא דָּחֲקוּ אֶת עוֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה; לְפִיכָךְ זָכוּ אוֹתָם שׁוֹטְרִים לִהְיוֹת סַנְהֶדְרִין וְנֶאֱצַל מִן הָרוּחַ אֲשֶׁר עַל מֹשֶׁה וְהוּשַׂם עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "אֶסְפָה לִּי שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'" – מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁיָּדַעְתָּ הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם – כִּי הֵם זִקְנֵי הָעָם וְשׁוֹטְרָיו (במדבר י"א), (שמות רבה):
וַיֻּכּוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־שָׂמוּ נֹֽגְשֵׂי פַרְעֹה - The foremen from among the Israelites…were flogged. “whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had appointed” that they be foremen “over them,” לֵאמֹר מַדּוּעַ וְגוֹ׳ – (lit.) “saying, ‘why…’”i.e., why were the foremen beaten? Because the taskmasters were saying to them: “Why did you not complete – both yesterday and today – the quota set for you to make bricks, as you did כִּתְמוֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם – on the ‘third yesterday,’ i.e., the day before yesterday,” which was when straw was still being given to them.		וַיֻּכּוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־שָׂמוּ נֹֽגְשֵׂי פַרְעֹה. אוֹתָם לְשׁוֹטְרִים עליהם, לאמר מדוע וגו'. לָמָּה ויכו? שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם מדוע לא כליתם גם תמול גם היום חֹק הַקָּצוּב עֲלֵיכֶם ללבן כִּתְמוֹל הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁהוּא יוֹם שֶׁלִּפְנֵי אֶתְמוֹל; וְהוּא הָיָה בִּהְיוֹת הַתֶּבֶן נִתָּן לָהֶם:
וַיֻּכּוּ - Were flogged. This grammatical form is a passive conjugation (וַיֻּפְעֲלוּ), meaning: they were flogged by others, i.e., the taskmasters flogged them.		וַיֻּכּוּ. לְשׁוֹן וַיֻּפְעֲלוּ, הֻכּוּ מִיַּד אֲחֵרִים – הַנּוֹגְשִׂים הִכּוּם:
15The Israelites’ foremen came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you doing this to us, your servants?		טווַיָּבֹ֗אוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר לָ֧מָּה תַֽעֲשֶׂ֦ה כֹ֖ה לַֽעֲבָדֶֽיךָ:
16Your servants are not being given any straw, yet the taskmasters are telling us, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being flogged unjustly, so this is a sin for your people!”		טזתֶּ֗בֶן אֵ֤ין נִתָּן֙ לַֽעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּלְבֵנִ֛ים אֹֽמְרִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ עֲשׂ֑וּ וְהִנֵּ֧ה עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ מֻכִּ֖ים וְחָטָ֥את עַמֶּֽךָ:
וּלְבֵנִים אומרים לָנוּ - (lit.) And bricks they tell us, “make” - i.e., the taskmasters tell us, “make bricks like the original amount.”		וּלְבֵנִים אומרים לָנוּ. הַנּוֹגְשִׂים עשו, כַּמִּנְיָן הָרִאשׁוֹן:
וְחָטָאת עַמֶּֽךָ - (lit.) And a sin, your people. If the word וְחָטָאת were vocalized with a patach (וְחַטַאת), I would have said that it is a construct form, meaning: “and this thing is the sin of your people.” Now, however, that it is vocalized with a kamatz (וְחָטָאת), it is an absolute noun, and this is its meaning: “and this thing brings a sin upon your people.” It is as if it were written וְחַטָּאת לְעַמֶּךָ “and it is a sin for your people,” similar to: “as they came בֵּית לֶחֶם,” 21 which is the same as: לְבֵית לֶחֶם “to Bethlehem,” and there are many other such examples in Scripture.		וְחָטָאת עַמֶּֽךָ. אִלּוּ הָיָה נָקוּד פַּתָּח, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁהוּא דָבוּק, וְדָבָר זֶה חַטַּאת עַמְּךָ הוּא, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁהוּא קָמָץ, שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, וְכָךְ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: וְדָבָר זֶה מֵבִיא חַטָּאת עַל עַמְּךָ, כְּאִלּוּ כָתוּב וְחַטָּאת לְעַמֶּךָ; כְּמוֹ "כְּבֹאָנָה בֵּית לֶחֶם" (רות א'), שֶׁהוּא כְּמוֹ לְבֵית לֶחֶם, וְכֵן הַרְבֵּה:
17He retorted, “Lazy, that’s what you are, lazy! That’s why you are saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to God.’		יזוַיֹּ֛אמֶר נִרְפִּ֥ים אַתֶּ֖ם נִרְפִּ֑ים עַל־כֵּן֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵֽלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
18Now go and get to work! You will not be given any straw, but you must deliver your quota of bricks!”		יחוְעַתָּה֙ לְכ֣וּ עִבְד֔וּ וְתֶ֖בֶן לֹֽא־יִנָּתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְתֹ֥כֶן לְבֵנִ֖ים תִּתֵּֽנוּ:
וְתֹכֶן לְבֵנִים - means “the amount of bricks.” Similarly we find אֶת הַכֶּסֶף הַמְתֻכָּן, 22 which means “the counted money,” as it states elsewhere in that passage: “they packed and counted the money.” 23		וְתֹכֶן לְבֵנִים. חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַלְּבֵנִים; וְכֵן "אֶת הַכֶּסֶף הַמְתֻכָּן" (מלכים ב י"ב) – הַמָּנוּי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן "וַיָּצֻרוּ וַיִּמְנוּ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף":
19The Israelites’ foremen saw their fellow Israelites in the painful predicament that resulted from the order they had relayed: “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”		יטוַיִּרְא֞וּ שֹֽׁטְרֵ֧י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֹתָ֖ם בְּרָ֣ע לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹֽא־תִגְרְע֥וּ מִלִּבְנֵיכֶ֖ם דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ:
וַיִּרְאוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל - The Israelites’ foremen saw - their fellow-Israelites who were being oppressed by them.		וַיִּרְאוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶת חַבְרֵיהֶם הַנִּרְדִּים עַל יָדָם,
בְּרָע - (lit.) In evil - i.e., they saw them in the misfortune and distress that had befallen them, since the foremen were obliged to make the work harder for them by saying to them, “you will not reduce….”		בְּרָע. , רָאוּ אוֹתָם בְּרָעָה וְצָרָה הַמּוֹצֵאֵת אוֹתָם, בְּהַכְבִּידָם הָעֲבוֹדָה עֲלֵיהֶם לאמר לא תגרעו וגו':
20Dathan and Aviram encountered Moses and Aaron standing before them as they were leaving Pharaoh’s presence.		כוַיִּפְגְּעוּ֙ אֶת־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן נִצָּבִ֖ים לִקְרָאתָ֑ם בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מֵאֵ֥ת פַּרְעֹֽה:
וַיִּפְגְּעוּ - They encountered - i.e., some men of Israel met “Moses and Aaron….” And our rabbis explained: Every time the Torah speaks of people נִצִּים “quarreling” or נִצָּבִים “standing,” those meant were Dathan and Aviram, for it says about them: יָצְאוּ נִצָּבִים “they came out, standing upright.” 24		וַיִּפְגְּעוּ. אֲנָשִׁים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל את משה ואת אהרן וגו'. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ: כָּל "נִצִּים" "וְנִצָּבִים" דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּ' בָּהֶם "יָצְאוּ נִצָּבִים" (במדבר ט״ז:כ״ד), (נדרים ס"ד):
21Dathan and Aviram said to them, “May God reveal Himself to you and judge you, for you have made us loathsome in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants, providing them with a sword with which to kill us!”		כאוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם יֵ֧רֶא יְהֹוָ֛ה עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וְיִשְׁפֹּ֑ט אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִבְאַשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־רֵיחֵ֗נוּ בְּעֵינֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ וּבְעֵינֵ֣י עֲבָדָ֔יו לָֽתֶת־חֶ֥רֶב בְּיָדָ֖ם לְהָרְגֵֽנוּ:
22Moses returned to God and said, “God, why have You mistreated this people? Why have You sent me?		כבוַיָּ֧שָׁב משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֨תָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי:
לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה - Why have You mistreated this people - and if You ask me: “What does it concern you?” I answer: I am complaining about the fact that You sent me on this mission.		לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה. וְאִם תֹּאמַר מָה אִכְפַּת לְךָ? קוֹבֵל אֲנִי עַל שֶׁשְּׁלַחְתַּנִי (שמות רבה):
23For ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has made things worse for this people, and still You have not delivered Your people!”		כגוּמֵאָ֞ז בָּ֤אתִי אֶל־פַּרְעֹה֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ הֵרַ֖ע לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה וְהַצֵּ֥ל לֹֽא־הִצַּ֖לְתָּ אֶת־עַמֶּֽךָ:
הֵרַע - This is a hif’il (causative) form, meaning: “he has increased the evil upon them,” and therefore Onkelos’ translation is אַבְאֵשׁ.		הֵרַע. לְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל הוּא – הִרְבָּה רָעָה עֲלֵיהֶם, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ "אַבְאִישׁ":

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 6

1God said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: that because of My strong hand he will send them forth, and indeed, he will forcibly drive them out of his land.”		אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה עַתָּ֣ה תִרְאֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה לְפַרְעֹ֑ה כִּ֣י בְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ יְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וּבְיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה יְגָֽרְשֵׁ֖ם מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ:
עַתָּה תִרְאֶה וגו' - Now you will see… You questioned My ways of justice – unlike Abraham, to whom I said: “for only those born through Isaac will be considered your descendants,” 25 yet afterwards I said to him: “take him up as a ascent-offering” 26 and he did not question My ways; therefore “now you will see” – what will be done now to Pharaoh you will see, but not what will be done later to the kings of the seven Canaanite nations, when I bring the Israelites to the Land of Israel.		עַתָּה תִרְאֶה וגו'. הִרְהַרְתָּ עַל מִדּוֹתַי, לֹא כְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ "כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע" (בראשית כ"א), וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ "הַעֲלֵהוּ לְעוֹלָה" וְלֹא הִרְהֵר אַחֲרַי; לְפִיכָךְ עתה תראה. הֶעָשׂוּי לְפַרְעֹה תִּרְאֶה, וְלֹא הֶעָשׂוּי לְמַלְכֵי שִׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת כְּשֶׁאֲבִיאֵם לָאָרֶץ (סנהדרין קי"א):
כִּי בְיָד חֲזָקָה יְשַׁלְּחֵם - means: “for on account of My powerful force that will bear down hard upon him, he will send them forth.”		כִּי בְיָד חֲזָקָה יְשַׁלְּחֵם. מִפְּנֵי יָדִי הַחֲזָקָה שֶׁתֶּחֱזַק עָלָיו יְשַׁלְּחֵם:
וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה יְגָֽרְשֵׁם מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ - means: through Pharaoh’s strong hand, i.e., against Israel’s will, he will drive them out, for they will not have enough time to prepare for themselves proper provisions; and so it says: “The Egyptians urged the people on, hurrying them out….” 27		וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה יְגָֽרְשֵׁם מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ. עַל כָּרְחָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל יְגָרְשֵׁם, לֹא יַסְפִּיקוּ לַעֲשוֹת לָהֶם צֵדָה; וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַתֶּחֱזַק מִצְרַיִם עַל הָעָם וְגוֹ'" (שמות י"ב):

Footnotes

1 Samuel 2:3.

2 Kings 12:12.

Genesis 4:4-5.

2 Kings 12:12.

2 Kings 12:11.

Maftir Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 5

22Moses returned to God and said, “God, why have You mistreated this people? Why have You sent me?		כבוַיָּ֧שָׁב משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֨תָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי:
לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה - Why have You mistreated this people - and if You ask me: “What does it concern you?” I answer: I am complaining about the fact that You sent me on this mission.		לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה. וְאִם תֹּאמַר מָה אִכְפַּת לְךָ? קוֹבֵל אֲנִי עַל שֶׁשְּׁלַחְתַּנִי (שמות רבה):
23For ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has made things worse for this people, and still You have not delivered Your people!”		כגוּמֵאָ֞ז בָּ֤אתִי אֶל־פַּרְעֹה֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ הֵרַ֖ע לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה וְהַצֵּ֥ל לֹֽא־הִצַּ֖לְתָּ אֶת־עַמֶּֽךָ:
הֵרַע - This is a hif’il (causative) form, meaning: “he has increased the evil upon them,” and therefore Onkelos’ translation is אַבְאֵשׁ.		הֵרַע. לְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל הוּא – הִרְבָּה רָעָה עֲלֵיהֶם, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ "אַבְאִישׁ":

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 6

1God said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: that because of My strong hand he will send them forth, and indeed, he will forcibly drive them out of his land.”		אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה עַתָּ֣ה תִרְאֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה לְפַרְעֹ֑ה כִּ֣י בְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ יְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וּבְיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה יְגָֽרְשֵׁ֖ם מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ:
עַתָּה תִרְאֶה וגו' - Now you will see… You questioned My ways of justice – unlike Abraham, to whom I said: “for only those born through Isaac will be considered your descendants,” 1 yet afterwards I said to him: “take him up as a ascent-offering” 2 and he did not question My ways; therefore “now you will see” – what will be done now to Pharaoh you will see, but not what will be done later to the kings of the seven Canaanite nations, when I bring the Israelites to the Land of Israel.		עַתָּה תִרְאֶה וגו'. הִרְהַרְתָּ עַל מִדּוֹתַי, לֹא כְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ "כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע" (בראשית כ"א), וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ "הַעֲלֵהוּ לְעוֹלָה" וְלֹא הִרְהֵר אַחֲרַי; לְפִיכָךְ עתה תראה. הֶעָשׂוּי לְפַרְעֹה תִּרְאֶה, וְלֹא הֶעָשׂוּי לְמַלְכֵי שִׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת כְּשֶׁאֲבִיאֵם לָאָרֶץ (סנהדרין קי"א):
כִּי בְיָד חֲזָקָה יְשַׁלְּחֵם - means: “for on account of My powerful force that will bear down hard upon him, he will send them forth.”		כִּי בְיָד חֲזָקָה יְשַׁלְּחֵם. מִפְּנֵי יָדִי הַחֲזָקָה שֶׁתֶּחֱזַק עָלָיו יְשַׁלְּחֵם:
וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה יְגָֽרְשֵׁם מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ - means: through Pharaoh’s strong hand, i.e., against Israel’s will, he will drive them out, for they will not have enough time to prepare for themselves proper provisions; and so it says: “The Egyptians urged the people on, hurrying them out….” 3		וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה יְגָֽרְשֵׁם מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ. עַל כָּרְחָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל יְגָרְשֵׁם, לֹא יַסְפִּיקוּ לַעֲשוֹת לָהֶם צֵדָה; וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַתֶּחֱזַק מִצְרַיִם עַל הָעָם וְגוֹ'" (שמות י"ב):

Footnotes

Genesis 21:12.

Genesis 22:2.

Exodus 12:33.

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 27

6Those who came, whom Jacob caused to take root, Israel flourished and blossomed and they filled the face of the world with fruitage.		והַבָּאִים֙ יַשְׁרֵ֣שׁ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב יָצִ֥יץ וּפָרַ֖ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמָֽלְא֥וּ פְנֵֽי־תֵבֵ֖ל תְּנוּבָֽה:
Those who came, whom Jacob caused to take root. Do you not know what I did at first? Those who came to Egypt which Jacob caused to take root, flourished and blossomed there until they filled the face of the world with fruitage.		הבאים ישרש יעקב. הלא ידעתם מה עשיתי בראשונה הבאים למצרים אשר השריש יעקב צצו ופרחו שם עד (אשר) מלאו פני תבל תנובה:
7Like the smiting who smote him did He smite him: like the slaying of his slain ones, was he slain?		זהַכְּמַכַּ֥ת מַכֵּ֖הוּ הִכָּ֑הוּ אִם־כְּהֶ֥רֶג הֲרֻגָ֖יו הֹרָֽג:
Like the smiting of him who smote him did He smite him. Have you seen My might, that like the smiting of the one who smote Jacob, I smote him. They drowned them in the water, and I drowned them in the water. There are some other rhetorical questions that warrant an affirmative answer, e.g. (I Sam. 2:27), “Did I appear to the house of your father?” Also (Ezek. 8:6), “Do you see what they are doing?”		הכמכת מכהו הכהו. הראיתם בגבורתי שכמכת המכה יעקב הכתיו הם טבעום במים ואני טבעתים במים יש תמיהות שהם מתקיימות כגון זו וכגון (שמואל א ב׳:כ״ז) הנגלה נגלתי אל בית אביך (יחזקאל ח׳:ו׳) הרואה אתה מה המה עושים:
like the slaying of. Israel, who were the slain ones of Pharaoh, were Pharaoh and his people slain?		אם כהרג. ישראל שהיו הרוגין של פרעה הורג פרעה ועמו:
8In that measure, when they sent them out, it strove with it; He spoke with His harsh wind on the day of the east wind.		חבְּסַאסְּאָ֖ה בְּשַׁלְחָ֣הּ תְּרִיבֶ֑נָּה הָגָ֛ה בְּרוּח֥וֹ הַקָּשָׁ֖ה בְּי֥וֹם קָדִֽים:
In that measure. (בְּסַאסְּאָה) in that measure.		בסאסאה. באותה מדה:
when they sent them out, it strove with it. When Egypt sent Israel out, it strove with it, the seah of the measure with its seah.		בשלחה תריבנה. כששילחה מצרים את ישראל תריבנה המדה בסאה שלה:
He spoke with His harsh wind. (הָגָה) He spoke with His harsh speech.		הגה ברוחו הקשה. הגה דבר בדבורו הקשה:
on the day of the east wind. On the day (concerning which Scripture states) (Ex. 14:21): “And the Lord led the sea with a strong east wind.”		ביום קדים. ביום ויולך ה' את הים ברוח קדים עזה (שמות י״ד:כ״א):
9Therefore, with this shall Jacob's iniquity be atoned for, and this is all the fruit of removing his sin; by making all the altar stones like crushed chalkstones; asherim and sun-images shall not rise.		טלָכֵ֗ן בְּזֹאת֙ יְכֻפַּ֣ר עֲו‍ֹֽן־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְזֶ֕ה כָּל־פְּרִ֖י הָסִ֣ר חַטָּאת֑וֹ בְּשׂוּמ֣וֹ \| כָּל־אַבְנֵ֣י מִזְבֵּ֗חַ כְּאַבְנֵי־גִר֙ מְנֻפָּצ֔וֹת לֹֽא־יָקֻ֥מוּ אֲשֵׁרִ֖ים וְחַמָּנִֽים:
Therefore. Now, too, with this, Jacob’s iniquity would be atoned for, to merit to be redeemed as then.		לכן. גם עתה בזאת היה מתכפר עון יעקב לזכות להגאל כמאז:
and this is all the fruit. that is best for Me to remove his sin, if he makes all the altar stones of his high places, like crushed chalk-stones. מְנֻפָּצוֹת means crushed. Comp. (Ps. 137:9) “And crushes (וְנִפֵּץ) your babies.” Comp. (Jer. 13:14) “And I will crush them (וְנִפַּצְתִּים) one against the other.” גִּיר is a kind of dye.		וזה כל פרי. הטוב לו להסיר חטאתו אם ישים כל אבני מזבחות במותיו כאבני גיר מנופצות מדוקרות וכן (תהילים קל״ז:ט׳) ונפץ את עולליך וכן (ירמיהו י״ג:י״ד) ונפצתים איש אל אחיו, גיר מין צבע הוא:
asherim and sun images shall not rise. So that they shall not retain their idolatry.		לא יקומו אשרים וחמנים. למען לא יקימו להם עכו"ם:
10For a fortified city is solitary, a dwelling is forsaken and abandoned like a pasture; there a calf shall graze, and there he shall lie and consume its branches.		יכִּ֣י עִ֚יר בְּצוּרָה֙ בָּדָ֔ד נָוֶ֕ה מְשֻׁלָּ֥ח וְנֶעֱזָ֖ב כַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר שָׁ֣ם יִרְעֶ֥ה עֵ֛גֶל וְשָׁ֥ם יִרְבָּ֖ץ וְכִלָּ֥ה סְעִפֶֽיהָ:
For a fortified city is solitary. For, when they do this, a fortified city of Ishmael (ms. Esau) will be solitary and the dwelling will be forsaken by its inhabitants and abandoned like a pasture.		כי עיר בצורה בדד. כי בעשותם זאת עיר בצורה של ישמעאל תהיה בדד והנוה יהיה משולח ונעזב כמדבר:
there a calf shall graze. Ephraim shall inherit it, for he is called a calf, as it is said (Jer. 31:17): “Like an untamed calf.”		שם ירעה עגל. אפרים ירשנו שקרוי עגל שנא' (ירמיהו ל״א:י״ח) כעגל לא לומד:
and shall consume its branches. (סְעִיפֶיהָ) its branches.		וכלה סעיפיה. ענפיה:
11When its branches dry out, they shall be broken; women shall come and ignite it, for it is not a people of understanding; therefore, its Maker shall not have compassion on it, and He Who formed it shall not grant it favor.		יאבִּיבֹ֚שׁ קְצִירָהּ֙ תִּשָּׁבַ֔רְנָה נָשִׁ֕ים בָּא֖וֹת מְאִיר֣וֹת אוֹתָ֑הּ כִּ֣י לֹ֚א עַם־בִּינוֹת֙ ה֔וּא עַל־כֵּן֙ לֹֽא־יְרַֽחֲמֶ֣נּוּ עֹשֵׂ֔הוּ וְיֹֽצְר֖וֹ לֹ֥א יְחֻנֶּֽנּוּ:
When its branches dry out. The branches of its roots. Comp. (Ps. 80:12) “It sent forth its branches (קְצִירֶיהָ).” Also (Job 14:9): “And produce branches (קָצִיר).” I.e., when the little merit that Edom has for honoring his father, is depleted, then its branches shall be broken.		ביבש קצירה. קצירי שרשיה כמו תשלח קצירה (תהילים פ׳:י״ב) ועשה קציר (איוב י״ד:ט׳) כלומר כשתכלה זכות מעט שכיבד את אביו אז תשברנה סעיפיה:
women shall come and ignite it. A people weak as women shall ignite them. Jonathan renders in this manner. מְאִירוֹת means ‘ignite.’ Comp. (Mal. 1:10) “And you shall not light (תָּאִירוּ) My altar in vain.” Dunash too interpreted it in this manner, for since the wood will be dry, it will be easy to ignite. Menahem, however, interpreted it to mean ‘gather.’ Comp. (Song 5:1) “I gathered (אָרִיתִי) my myrrh.” Also (Ps. 80:13): “All passersby gathered from it (וְאָרוּהָ).” (Machbereth Menahem p. 32) Dunash replied, “Does it not say, ‘When its branches dry out’? And with dry grapes, no one gathers fruit.” (Teshuvoth Dunash p. 45)] Likewise, our Sages, who prohibited accepting charity from them because of this reason, for they stated in Baba Bathra ch. 1, (10b,) “Does he not believe, ‘When its branches dry out, they shall be broken?’”		נשים באות מאירות אותה. עם חלש כנשים ידליקום כך ת"י, מאירות כמו (מלאכי א׳:י׳) ולא תאירו מזבחי חנם וכן פתר דונש מחמת שהעצים יהיו יבשים יהיו נוחים להדליק אבל מנחם פתר מלקטות כמו אריתי מורי (שיר השירים ה׳:א׳) וארוה כל עוברי דרך (תהילים פ׳:י״ג) השיב לו דונש והלא כתיב ביבש קצירה ובענפים יבשים אין מלקטין פרי וכן רבותינו שאסרו לקבל מהן צדקה מפני הטעם הזה שאמרו בבא בתרא פ"'ק (דף י') לית ליה ביבש קצירה תשברנה:
12And it shall come to pass on that day, that the Lord shall gather from the flood of the river to the stream of Egypt, and you shall be gathered one by one, O children of Israel.		יבוְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא יַחְבֹּ֧ט יְהֹוָ֛ה מִשִּׁבֹּ֥לֶת הַנָּהָ֖ר עַד־נַ֣חַל מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאַתֶּ֧ם תְּלֻקְּט֛וּ לְאַחַ֥ד אֶחָ֖ד בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
that the Lord shall gather. יַחְבֹּט, lit., shall beat. Jonathan renders: shall fall dead. I.e., the nations from the banks of the Euphrates to the stream of Egypt. I say, however, that these two expressions, (viz.) beating and gathering, coincide with one another, like one who bears his olive trees and goes back and gathers them and (ms. or) others gather them from the ground, so will the Holy One, blessed be He, commence the gathering, as it is said: A great shofar shall be sounded.		יחבט ה'. ת"י יתרמון קטילין ואני אומר ב' לשונות הללו חיבוט ולקיטה נופלין זה על זה כחובט זיתיו וחזור ומלקטן ואחרים מלקטין אותו מן הארץ כך הקב"ה יתחיל האסיפה כמו שנאמר יתקע בשופר גדול:
from the flood of the river. These are those lost in the land of Assyria.		משבולת הנהר. הם האובדים בארץ אשור:
to the stream of Egypt. Those are the ones exiled in the land of Egypt.		עד נחל מצרים. הם הנדחים בארץ מצרים:
the river. Euphrates. They are those in Assyria who live by the Euphrates.		הנהר. פרת, הם בני אשור היושבים על פרת:
to the stream of Egypt. These are those who live in Egypt, He shall gather them like one who gathers olives.		עד נחל מצרים. הם יושבי מצרים יחבוט אותם כחובט זיתים:
and you shall be gathered. from the exiles.		ואתם תלוקטו. מן הגליות:
one and one. Whoever finds one of you will bring him as an offering.		לאחד אחד. המוצא אחד מכם יביאהו מנחה:
13And it shall come to pass on that day, that a great shofar shall be sounded, and those lost in the land of Assyria and those exiled in the land of Egypt shall come and they shall prostrate themselves before the Lord on the holy mount in Jerusalem.		יגוְהָיָ֣ה \| בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִתָּקַע֘ בְּשׁוֹפָ֣ר גָּדוֹל֒ וּבָ֗אוּ הָאֹֽבְדִים֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אַשּׁ֔וּר וְהַנִּדָּחִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֧וּ לַֽיהֹוָ֛ה בְּהַ֥ר הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
those lost in the land of Assyria. Since they were scattered in a distant land, within the Sambatyon River, he calls them, ‘lost.’		האובדים בארץ אשור. לפי שנפוצו בארץ רחוקה לפנים מן הנהר סמבטיון קראם אובדים:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 28

1Woe is to the crown of the pride of the drunkards of Ephraim and the young fruit of an inferior fig is the position of his glory, which is at the end of a valley of fatness, crushed by wine.		אה֗וֹי עֲטֶ֚רֶת גֵּאוּת֙ שִׁכֹּרֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְצִ֥יץ נֹבֵ֖ל צְבִ֣י תִפְאַרְתּ֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֛ר עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ גֵּֽיא־שְׁמָנִ֖ים הֲל֥וּמֵי יָֽיִן:
the drunkards of Ephraim. who would become intoxicated with the wine of the state of Prugitha, as (the Rabbis) stated (Shabbath 147b): The water of Damascus and the wine of Prugitha robbed away the ten tribes.		שכורי אפרים. שהיו משתכרין ביין טוב של מדינת פרוגיתא כדאמר מיא דדורמסקית וחמרא דפרוגיתא קפחו עשרת השבטים:
and the young fruit of an inferior fig is the position of his glory. And the position of the planting of his glory - the young fruit of his blossom shall be		וציץ נובל צבי תפארתו. ומצב מטע תפארתו יהיה ציץ הפרח שלו:
inferior figs. (נֹבֵל) They are the spoiled figs, as we learned in Berachoth (40b): For noveloth. And our Sages explained: Burned by the heat.		ונובל. הם תאינים המקולקלות כמו ששנינו בברכות על הנובלו' ופירשו רבותינו בשולי כמרא:
young fruit. (צִיץ) synonymous with נֵץ, as the Targum renders: (Num. 27:13) וַיָּצֵץצִיץ, “and it produced young fruit,” as וְאָנֵץנֵץ.		וציץ. נץ כדמתרגמינן ויצץ ציץ ואנץ נץ:
which is. planted.		אשר . נטועים:
at the head of a valley of fatness. That is Kinnereth, whose fruits are sweet, and there they crush themselves with wine.		על ראש גיא שמנים. היא כנרת שפירותיה מתוקים ושם הם הולמים עצמן ביין:
crushed with wine. הֲלוּמֵי יַיִן. This may also be interpreted as follows: תפארתו אשר על ראש וכו׳ צבי, (his glorious beauty, which is, etc.): His glorious beauty, which is on the head of the ten tribes, anointed with pride with the best oils, as it is said (Amos 6:6): “With the best oils they anoint themselves.” גֵּיא is an expression of pride, as (supra 16:6): “Moab, they have become very proud.” (And that blossom will be like a wilting blossom) crushed by wine. So he calls them because of their drunkenness, and it is said concerning them (Amos 6:6): “Those who drink with basins of wine.”		הלומי יין. כתושי חמר, ויש עוד לפתור צבי תפארתו אשר על וגו' צבי התפארת שעל ראש עשרת השבטים המשוחין בגאות ראשי שמנים כמו שנאמר (עמוס ו׳:ו׳) ראשית שמנים ימשחו, גיא ל' גאוה כמו (לעיל טו) מואב גיא מאד (ואותו הציץ כציצת נובל תהיה): הלומי יין. כך קוראן על שם שכרותן שנאמר בהם (עמוס ו׳:ו׳) השותים במזרקי יין:
2Behold God [has] a strong and powerful [wind], like a downpour of hail, a storm of destruction, like a stream of powerful, flooding water, He lays it on the land with [His] hand.		בהִנֵּ֨ה חָזָ֚ק וְאַמִּץ֙ לַֽאדֹנָ֔י כְּזֶ֥רֶם בָּרָ֖ד שַׂ֣עַר קָ֑טֶב כְּ֠זֶרֶם מַ֣יִם כַּבִּירִ֥ים שֹׁטְפִ֛ים הִנִּ֥יחַ לָאָ֖רֶץ בְּיָֽד:
Behold. The Lord has a strong and powerful wind, which is like a downpour of hail and a storm of קֶטֶב מְרִירִי, bitter destruction.		הנה. יש רוח חזק ואמיץ לה' שהוא כזרם ברד ושער קטב מרירי:
He lays it on the land with [His] hand. He shall place it on their land with His strong hand and cast down the inferior figs from fig trees.		הניח לארץ ביד. יניחהו על ארצם בידו החזקה ויפיל הנובלות מן התאנים:
3With the feet, they shall be trampled, the crown of the pride of the drunkards of Ephraim.		גבְּרַגְלַ֖יִם תֵּֽרָמַ֑סְנָה עֲטֶ֥רֶת גֵּא֖וּת שִׁכּוֹרֵ֥י אֶפְרָֽיִם:
4And his glorious beauty shall be the young fruit of an inferior fig, which is on the head of the valley of fatness; as a fig that ripens before the summer, which, if the seer sees it, he will swallow it while it is still in his hand.		דוְהָ֨יְתָ֜ה צִיצַ֚ת נֹבֵל֙ צְבִ֣י תִפְאַרְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹ֖אשׁ גֵּ֣יא שְׁמָנִ֑ים כְּבִכּוּרָהּ֙ בְּטֶ֣רֶם קַ֔יִץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְאֶ֚ה הָֽרֹאֶה֙ אוֹתָ֔הּ בְּעוֹדָ֥הּ בְּכַפּ֖וֹ יִבְלָעֶֽנָּה:
as a fig that ripens before the summer. like the ripening of the young fruits of an inferior fig.		כבכורה בטרם קיץ. כבישול' של תאנת ציץ נובל:
before the summer. the time of the ripening of other figs, which, because of its early ripening, he pounces on it and swallows it while it is still in his hand. So (Dan. 9:14), “He hastened the evil and brought it upon us.”		בטרם קיץ. עת בישול שאר התאנים אשר מתוך שהיא בכורה קופץ עליה ובולעה בעודה בכפו כך וישקוד על הרעה ויביאה עלינו (דניאל ט׳:י״ד):
5On that day, the Lord of Hosts shall be for a crown of beauty and for a diadem of glory, for the rest of His people.		הבַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת לַֽעֲטֶ֣רֶת צְבִ֔י וְלִצְפִירַ֖ת תִּפְאָרָ֑ה לִשְׁאָ֖ר עַמּֽוֹ:
On that day. When the transgressors are destroyed.		ביום ההוא. כהתם הפושעים:
for a crown of beauty. for the remaining righteous men among them.		יהיה ה' צבאות לעטרת צבי. לצדיקים הנשארים בה:
6And for a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and for might for those who bring back the war to the gate.		ווּלְר֖וּחַ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט לַיּוֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־הַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט וְלִ֨גְבוּרָ֔ה מְשִׁיבֵ֥י מִלְחָמָ֖ה שָֽׁעְרָה:
And for a spirit of justice. will the Holy One, blessed be He, be, i.e., to teach justice, to him who sits in judgment.		ולרוח משפט. יהיה הקב"ה להורות משפט:
and for might. will He be for those who bring back the war, the war of Torah.		ליושב על המשפט ולגבורה. יהיה לאותן שהם משיבי מלחמ' מלחמתה של תורה:
7These, too, erred because of wine and strayed because of strong wine; priest and prophet erred because of strong wine, they became corrupt because of wine; they went astray because of strong wine, they erred against the seer, they caused justice to stumble.		זוְגַם־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ בַּיַּ֣יִן שָׁג֔וּ וּבַשֵּׁכָ֖ר תָּע֑וּ כֹּהֵ֣ן וְנָבִיא֩ שָׁג֨וּ בַשֵּׁכָ֜ר נִבְלְע֣וּ מִן־הַיַּ֗יִן תָּעוּ֙ מִן־הַשֵּׁכָ֔ר שָׁגוּ֙ בָּֽרֹאֶ֔ה פָּק֖וּ פְּלִֽילִיָּֽה:
These too. who sit in judgment and return the war in this generation, i.e., the best and most esteemed among them, erred because of wine, for now there is no good in them.		וגם אלה. יושבי משפט ומשיבי מלחמה שבדור הזה כלומר טובים וחשובים שבהן ביין שגו כי עתה אין טוב בהם:
they erred against the seer. They mocked the words of the prophets. Jonathan renders: with eating delicacies, which they saw as a pleasure to them.		שגו ברואה. הלעיגו בדברי הנביאים וי"ת במאכל מעדנים שראוהו עונג להם:
they caused justice to stumble. (פָּקוּ פְּלִילֶיהָ), they caused justice to stumble.		פקו פליליה. הכשילו המשפט:
they caused . פָּקוּ is an expression similar to (Nahum 2:11), “The stumbling (פִּיק) of knees;” (I Sam. 25:31) “A stumbling block (פּוּקָה).”		פקו. לשון פיק ברכים (נחום ב׳:י״א) פוקה (שמואל א' כ"ה):
8For all tables were filled with vomit and ordure, without place.		חכִּי כָּל־שֻׁלְחָנ֔וֹת מָֽלְא֖וּ קִ֣יא צֹאָ֑ה בְּלִ֖י מָקֽוֹם:
For all tables. I.e., all their tables are of sacrifices for the dead, i.e., the pagan deities, which are like vomit and ordure.		כי כל שולחנות. שלהם של זבחי מתי' הם שהם כקיא צואה:
without a place. (I.e.) the mind cannot tolerate them.		בלי מקום. אין הדעת סובלתן:
9Whom shall he teach knowledge and to whom shall he explain the message? To those weaned from milk, removed from breasts?		טאֶת־מִי֙ יוֹרֶ֣ה דֵעָ֔ה וְאֶת־מִ֖י יָבִ֣ין שְׁמוּעָ֑ה גְּמוּלֵי֙ מֵֽחָלָ֔ב עַתִּיקֵ֖י מִשָּׁדָֽיִם:
Whom shall he teach knowledge. Perhaps to babes who know not to understand, since the adults have turned to an evil way?		את מי יורה דעה. שמא לתינוקות שאין יודעין להבין כי הגדולים פנו לדרך רעה:
those weaned from milk. separated from milk.		גמולי מחלב. בדולי מחלב:
removed from breasts. (עַתִּיקֵי) an expression similar to (Gen. 12:8), “And he removed (וַיַּעְתֵּק) from there.” Alternatively, separated from the Torah, which is called milk, and removed from breasts, removed from before Torah scholars.		עתיקי משדים. לשון ויעתק משם (בראשי' יב), ד"א בדולי' מן התורה שנקראת חלב ועתיקי משדים מוסרים מלפני ת"ח:
10For a precept for a precept, a precept for a precept, a line for a line, a line for a line, a little there, a little there.		יכִּ֣י צַ֚ו לָצָו֙ צַ֣ו לָצָ֔ו קַ֥ו לָקָ֖ו קַ֣ו לָקָ֑ו זְעֵ֥יר שָׁ֖ם זְעֵ֥יר שָֽׁם:
For a precept for a precept, a precept for a precept. The prophet commands them from the Holy One, blessed be He, but they - they have a precept of the idols, equal to this precept, and the prophet repeatedly admonishes them, and they always say, “We have a precept for the precept.” Ours is superior to yours.		כי צו לצו צו לצו. נביא מצוה להם מאת הקב"ה והם יש להם צו של עכו"ם כנגד צו זה וחוזר הנביא ומוכיחם והם תמיד אומרים יש לנו צו לצו שלנו חשוב משלך:
a line for a line. They have a plumb-line of wicked judgments equal to the plumb-line of justice.		קו לקו. יש להם קו משקולת משפטי רשע כנגד קו הצדק:
a little there, a little there. The prophet says to them, “In a short time evil will come upon you,” and they say, “A little there, let Him hurry, let Him hasten His deeds in a short time.”		זעיר שם. הנביא אומר להם עוד מעט תבוא עליכם רעה והם אומרים זעיר שם ימהר יחישה מעשהו לימים מועטין:
11For with distorted speech and in another language, does he speak to this people.		יאכִּי בְּלַֽעֲגֵ֣י שָׂפָ֔ה וּבְלָשׁ֖וֹן אַחֶ֑רֶת יְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה:
With distorted speech. שָׂפָה) (בְּלַעֲגֵי Similarly, לְעָגִים and (infra 32:4), עִלְּגִים, are both expressions of distorted speech, which is not readily grasped.		בלעגי שפה. וכן כל לשון לעגים וכן (לקמן לב) עלגים שניהם לשון הפוך שאינו מיושר להשמע:
he speaks to this people. Everyone who speaks to them words of prophecy or admonition is to them like a distorted language, which they cannot understand.		ידבר אל העם הזה. כל המדבר אליהם דבר נבואה ותוכחה דומה להם ללשון נלעג שאין יכולין להבין בו:
12For he said to them, "This is the rest; give rest to the weary, and this is the tranquility," but they would not listen.		יבאֲשֶׁ֣ר \| אָמַ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם זֹ֚את הַמְּנוּחָה֙ הָנִ֣יחוּ לֶֽעָיֵ֔ף וְזֹ֖את הַמַּרְגֵּעָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א אָב֖וּא שְׁמֽוֹעַ:
For he said. The prophet said to them, “This is the rest,” that you should have rest, “give rest to the weary,” that you shall not rob him, “and this” shall be “tranquility” for them (var. for you).		אשר אמר. הנביא להם זאת המנוחה להיותכם בשלוה הניחו לעיף שלא תגזלוהו זאת תהיה לכם המרגעה:
13And the word of the Lord shall be for them a precept for a precept, a precept for a precept, a line for a line, a line for a line, a little there, a little there, in order that they go and stumble backwards and be broken, and be trapped and caught.		יגוְהָיָ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה צַ֣ו לָצָ֞ו צַ֚ו לָצָו֙ קַ֚ו לָקָו֙ קַ֣ו לָקָ֔ו זְעֵ֥יר שָׁ֖ם זְעֵ֣יר שָׁ֑ם לְמַ֨עַן יֵֽלְכ֜וּ וְכָֽשְׁל֚וּ אָחוֹר֙ וְנִשְׁבָּ֔רוּ וְנֽוֹקְשׁ֖וּ וְנִלְכָּֽדוּ:
And the word of the Lord shall be, etc.. According to their measure, He shall mete out to them; He shall decree upon them with His word upon them, a precept of the nations that enslave them, upon a precept, a command upon a command, labor upon labor; a line of retribution commensurate with the line of sins that they committed (lit., in their hand); קַו לָקָו, derived from קוה, a hope instead of a hope; they will hope for light, and behold, there will be darkness.		והיה להם דבר ה' וגו'. כמדתה ימדוד להם יגזור שדברו עליהם צו של אומות המשתעבדים בם על צו פקודה על פקודה עבודה על עבודה קו של פורענות כנגד קו של עבירות שבידם קו לקו תקוה חילוף תקוה יקוו לאור והנה חשך:
a little there, a little there. In a short time, it shall come upon them, and they shall become few there in the land of their enemies.		זעיר שם זעיר שם. לימים מועטים תבא עליהם והם יתמעטו שם בארץ אויביהם:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 29

22Therefore, so said the Lord to the House of Jacob, Who redeemed Abraham, "Now Jacob shall not be ashamed, and now his face shall not pale.		כבלָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֚ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּדָ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם לֹֽא־עַתָּ֚ה יֵבוֹשׁ֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹ֥א עַתָּ֖ה פָּנָ֥יו יֶֽחֱוָֽרוּ:
Who redeemed Abraham. from Ur of the Chaldees.		אשר פדה את אברהם. מאור כשדי':
Now Jacob shall not be ashamed. of his father.		לא עתה יבוש יעקב. מאביו:
and now his face shall not pale. because of his father’s father, for no imperfection has been found in his bed, and his bed is perfect.		ולא עתה פניו יחורו. מאבי אביו שאין נמצא פסול במטתו ומטתו שלימה:
23For, when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, who shall hallow My name, and they shall hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and the God of Israel they shall revere.		כגכִּ֣י בִ֠רְאֹתוֹ יְלָדָ֞יו מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדַ֛י בְּקִרְבּ֖וֹ יַקְדִּ֣ישׁוּ שְׁמִ֑י וְהִקְדִּ֙ישׁוּ֙ אֶת־קְד֣וֹשׁ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְאֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יַֽעֲרִֽיצוּ:
For, when he sees his children. who will be the work of My hands, i.e., righteous men, in his midst, for when he sees in his midst that his children, the work of My hands, shall hallow My name, e.g., Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (see Dan. 3), therefore, his face shall not pale.		כי בראותו ילדיו. אשר יהיו מעשי ידי כלומר צדיקים בקרבו כי בראותו בקרבו אשר ידיו מעשה ידי יקדישו שמי כגון חנניה מישאל ועזריה לכך לא יחורו פניו:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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