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

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First Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 13

17Since Pharaoh had to send the people out, God did not lead them via Philistia, because it was nearby, for God said, “The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.”		יזוַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֘ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹֽא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י \| אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה:
וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה וְלֹֽא־נָחָם - means He did not lead them. נָחָם is of the same root as: “go and lead (נְחֵה) the people”; 1 “when you walk, it will lead (תַּנְחֶה) you.” 2		וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה וְלֹֽא־נָחָם. נְהָגָם, כְּמוֹ "לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת הָעָם" (שמות ל"ב), "בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אוֹתָךְ" (משלי ו'):
כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא - Because it was nearby - and it would be easy for the Israelites to return to Egypt by that route. There are also many aggadic explanations of these words.		כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא. וְנֹחַ לָשׁוּב בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ לְמִצְרַיִם; וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה:
בִּרְאֹתָם מִלְחָמָה - When they see war - such as the war of “the Amalekites and the Canaanites…came down….” 3 If they would have gone by the direct route, they would have returned to Egypt, for if when God had them take a circuitous route they already said: “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt,” 4 if He had led them by the straight route, all the more would they have said so.		בִּרְאֹתָם מִלְחָמָה. כְּגוֹן מִלְחֶמֶת "וַיֵּרֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְגוֹ'" (במדבר י"ד), אִם הָלְכוּ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים, וּמָה אִם כְּשֶׁהִקִּיפָם דֶּרֶךְ מְעֻקָּם אָמְרוּ "נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה" (שם), אִם הוֹלִיכָם בִּפְשׁוּטָה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה:
פֶּן־יִנָּחֵם - means: lest they have second thoughts about having left Egypt and set their hearts on returning.		פֶּן־יִנָּחֵם. יַחְשְׁבוּ מַחֲשָׁבָה עַל שֶׁיָּצְאוּ וְיִתְּנוּ לֵב לָשׁוּב:
18So God led the people via the desert road toward the Sea of Reeds. The Israelites were armed when they went up from Egypt.		יחוַיַּסֵּ֨ב אֱלֹהִ֧ים \| אֶת־הָעָ֛ם דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר יַם־ס֑וּף וַֽחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים עָל֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַיַּסֵּב - (lit.) He led around - i.e., He had them turn aside from the straight route to follow the circuitous route.		וַיַּסֵּב. הֱסִבָּם מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשׁוּטָה לַדֶּרֶךְ הָעֲקוּמָה:
יַם־סוּף - here is the same as לְיַם סוּף – “to the Sea of Reeds.” סוּף is the term for a marsh where reeds grow, as in “she placed it among the rushes (בַּסּוּף),” 5 “reeds and rushes (וָסוּף) break.” 6		יַם־סוּף. כְּמוֹ לְיַם סוּף, וְסוּף הוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲגַם שֶׁגְּדֵלִים בּוֹ קָנִים, כְּמוֹ "וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף" (שמות ב'), "קָנֶה וָסוּף קָמֵלוּ" (ישעיהו י"ט):
וַֽחֲמֻשִׁים - The meaning of חֲמֻשִׁים is none other than “armed.” Because God led them by the circuitous desert route, this was cause for them to go up from Egypt armed, for if He had led them only by way of inhabited places, they would not have needed to be equipped with everything that they needed, but could have set out merely like a person traveling from one inhabited place to another, who intends to buy there anything he may need; but when he sets out into the desert, he must provide for himself all his requirements. This verse is written here merely to make things comprehensible, that you not ask regarding the war with Amalek and the wars with Sichon, Og, and Midian: from where did Israel have weapons, that they smote them by the sword? And similarly, it says “and you cross over חֲמֻשִׁים.” 7 And so Onkelos translates it: מְזָרְזִין “armed,” just as he translates “וַיָּרֶק his attendants” 8 as וְזָרֵיז “and he armed.” Another explanation: חֲמֻשִׁים – One out of five (חֲמִשָּׁה) of the Israelites left Egypt, but the other four-fifths died in the three days of darkness.		וַֽחֲמֻשִׁים. אֵין חֲמוּשִׁים אֶלָּא מְזֻיָּנִים; (לְפִי שֶׁהֱסִבָּן בַּמִּדְבָּר הוּא גָּרַם לָהֶם שֶׁעָלוּ חֲמוּשִׁים, שֶׁאִלּוּ הֱסִבָּן דֶּרֶךְ יִשּׁוּב, לֹא הָיוּ מְחֻמָּשִׁים לָהֶם כָּל מַה שֶּׁצְּרִיכִין, אֶלָּא כְּאָדָם שֶׁעוֹבֵר מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם וּבְדַעְתּוֹ לִקְנוֹת שָׁם מַה שֶּׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהוּא פּוֹרֵשׁ לַמִּדְבָּר צָרִיךְ לְזַמֵּן לוֹ כָּל הַצֹּרֶךְ; וּמִקְרָא זֶה לֹא נִכְתַּב כִּי אִם לְשַׂבֵּר אֶת הָאֹזֶן, שֶׁלֹּא תִתְמַהּ בְּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק וּבְמִלְחֶמֶת סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג וּמִדְיָן מֵהֵיכָן הָיוּ לָהֶם כְּלֵי זַיִן שֶׁהִכּוּ אוֹתָם בַּחֶרֶב) וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְאַתֶּם תַּעַבְרוּ חֲמֻשִׁים" (יהושע א'), וְכֵן תִּרְגְּמוֹ אֻנְקְלוֹס "מְזָרְזִין", כְּמוֹ "וַיָּרֶק אֶת חֲנִיכָיו" (בראשית י"ד) – וְזָרֵיז. דָּבָר אַחֵר, חֲמֻשִׁים אֶחָד מֵחֲמִשָּׁה יָצְאוּ וְאַרְבָּעָה חֲלָקִים מֵתוּ בִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת יְמֵי אֲפֵלָה (מכילתא):
19Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had bound the sons of Israel by an oath that they should bind their descendants by an oath, saying, “God will surely remember you, and you must take up my bones from here with you.”		יטוַיִּקַּ֥ח משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־עַצְמ֥וֹת יוֹסֵ֖ף עִמּ֑וֹ כִּי֩ הַשְׁבֵּ֨עַ הִשְׁבִּ֜יעַ אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּקֹ֨ד יִפְקֹ֤ד אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶ֧ם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַ֛י מִזֶּ֖ה אִתְּכֶֽם:
הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ - means “he made them swear that they would make their children swear.” And why did Joseph not make his children swear that they would carry his body to Canaan immediately upon his death, just as Jacob had made Joseph swear? Joseph said: I was a ruler in Egypt and I had the ability to carry out my father’s wishes, but regarding my children – the Egyptians will not allow them to do this. He therefore made them swear that when they would be redeemed and leave Egypt, they would carry his bones with them.		הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ. הִשְׁבִּיעָם שֶׁיַּשְׁבִּיעוּ לִבְנֵיהֶם. וְלָמָּה לֹא הִשְׁבִּיעַ בָּנָיו שֶׁיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ לְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן מִיָּד כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִשְׁבִּיעַ יַעֲקֹב? אָמַר יוֹסֵף, אֲנִי שַׁלִּיט הָיִיתִי בְמִצְרַיִם וְהָיָה סֵפֶק בְּיָדִי לַעֲשׂוֹת, אֲבָל בָנַי לֹא יַנִּיחוּם מִצְרַיִם לַעֲשׂוֹת, לְכָךְ הִשְׁבִּיעָם לִכְשֶׁיִּגָּאֲלוּ וְיֵצְאוּ מִשָּׁם שֶׁיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ:
וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה אֶתְכֶם - And you must take up my bones from here with you. It was his brothers whom Joseph made swear this oath. We thus derive that the Israelites brought up the bones of the progenitors of all the other tribes as well, since the verse says “with you.”		וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה אִתְּכֶֽם. לְאֶחָיו הִשְׁבִּיעַ כֵּן, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁאַף עַצְמוֹת כָּל הַשְּׁבָטִים הֶעֱלוּ עִמָּהֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אִתְּכֶם (מכילתא):
20They moved on from Sukot and encamped at Etam, at the edge of the desert.		כוַיִּסְע֖וּ מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת וַיַּֽחֲנ֣וּ בְאֵתָ֔ם בִּקְצֵ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר:
וַיִּסְעוּ מִסֻּכֹּת - They moved on from Sukot - on the second day, for on the first day they had come from Rameses to Sukot.		וַיִּסְעוּ מִסֻּכֹּת. בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָרִאשׁוֹן בָּאוּ מֵרַעְמְסֵס לְסֻכּוֹת:
21God went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to guide them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day and night.		כאוַֽיהֹוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה:
לַנְחֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ - To guide them along the way. The ל prefix of לַנְחֹתָם is vocalized with a patach (לַ), for לַנְחֹתָם is the same as לְהַנְחֹתָם, just as in “to show you (לַרְאֹתְכֶם) which way you should go,” 9 that לַרְאֹתְכֶם is the same as לְהַרְאֹתְכֶם. Here, too, לַנְחֹתָם is a causative form meaning “to have them guided” by an emissary. And who was the emissary? The pillar of cloud. The Holy One, blessed be He, Himself was making it go before them. Nevertheless, He also prepared for them the pillar of cloud with which to guide them, for it was by means of the pillar of cloud that they traveled. The pillar of cloud was not to provide light but only to show them the way.		לַנְחֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ. נָקוּד פַּתָּח שֶׁהוּא כְּמוֹ לְהַנְחוֹתָם, "לַרְאוֹתְכֶם בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכוּ בָהּ" (דברים א') שֶׁהוּא כְמוֹ לְהַרְאוֹתְכֶם, אַף כָּאן לְהַנְחֹתָם עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ, וּמִי הוּא הַשָּׁלִיחַ? עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן; וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ מוֹלִיכוֹ לִפְנֵיהֶם, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אֶת עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן הֵכִין לְהַנְחוֹתָם עַל יָדוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַל יְדֵי עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן הֵם הוֹלְכִים; עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן אֵינוֹ לְאוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְהוֹרוֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ:
22He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.		כבלֹֽא־יָמִ֞ישׁ עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַמּ֥וּד הָאֵ֖שׁ לָ֑יְלָה לִפְנֵ֖י הָעָֽם:
לֹֽא־יָמִישׁ - He did not remove - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He – “the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night.” This tells us that the time when the pillar of cloud was present overlapped with the time when the pillar of fire was present, and similarly, the time when the pillar of fire was present overlapped with the time when the pillar of cloud was present, for before one set the other one rose.		לֹֽא־יָמִישׁ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עמוד הענן יומם ועמוד האש לילה; מַגִּיד שֶׁעַמּוּד הֶעָנָן מַשְׁלִים לְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ מַשְׁלִים לְעַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, שֶׁעַד שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁקַע זֶה עוֹלֶה זֶה:

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 14

1God spoke to Moses, saying,		אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that they must turn back and encamp before Pi HaChirot, between Migdol and the sea, before Ba’al Tzefon. You must encamp opposite it, facing the sea.		בדַּבֵּר֘ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְיָשֻׁ֗בוּ וְיַחֲנוּ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ פִּ֣י הַֽחִירֹ֔ת בֵּ֥ין מִגְדֹּ֖ל וּבֵ֣ין הַיָּ֑ם לִפְנֵי֙ בַּ֣עַל צְפֹ֔ן נִכְח֥וֹ תַֽחֲנ֖וּ עַל־הַיָּֽם:
וְיָשֻׁבוּ - means: they must turn back. The entire third day, they were moving closer toward Egypt, in order to mislead Pharaoh so that he say they have lost their way, as it says: “Pharaoh will say about the Israelites, ‘They are trapped in the land.’” 10		וְיָשֻׁבוּ. לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם, לְצַד מִצְרַיִם הָיוּ מְקָרְבִין כָּל יוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, כְּדֵי לְהַטְעוֹת אֶת פַּרְעֹה שֶׁיֹּאמַר תּוֹעִים הֵם בַּדֶּרֶךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'":
וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַֽחִירֹת - And encamp before Pi HaChirot. This is Pitom (פִּתֹם), but now it was called Pi HaChirot (פִּי הַחִירֹת) on account of the fact that there they became free people (בְּנֵי חוֹרִין). There were two tall, precipitous rocks there, and the valley between them was thus called “the mouth (פִּי) of the rocks.”		וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַֽחִירֹת. הוּא פִּיתוֹם, וְעַכְשָׁו נִקְרָא פִּי הַחִירֹת עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ שָׁם בְּנֵי חֹרִין; וְהֵם שְׁנֵי סְלָעִים גְּבוֹהִים זְקוּפִים וְהַגַּיְא שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם קָרוּי פִּי הַסְּלָעִים:
לִפְנֵי בַּעַל צְפֹן - Before Ba’al Tzefon. This was the only deity that remained of all the Egyptian idols. God spared it in order to mislead the Egyptians into saying that this deity of theirs was too powerful to destroy; and it was about this that Job stated: “He lets nations err and destroys them.” 11		לִפְנֵי בַּעַל צְפֹן. הוּא נִשְׁאַר מִכָּל אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם כְּדֵי לְהַטְעוֹתָן, שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ קָשָׁה יִרְאָתָן, וְעָלָיו פֵּרֵשׁ אִיּוֹב "מַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַיְאַבְּדֵם" (איוב י"ב):
3Pharaoh will say about the Israelites, ‘They are trapped in the land; the desert has closed in on them.’		גוְאָמַ֤ר פַּרְעֹה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְבֻכִ֥ים הֵ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ סָגַ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַמִּדְבָּֽר:
וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה - Pharaoh will say - when he hears that they are turning back.		וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה. כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁמַע שֶׁהֵם שָׁבִים לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם:
לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - means “about the Israelites”; and similarly: “God will do battle לָכֶם” 12 means “on your behalf,” and “אִמְרִי לִי, ‘He is my brother’” 13 means “Say about me, ‘He is my brother.’”		לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֵן (פסוק יד) "ה' יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם" – עֲלֵיכֶם, (בראשית כ יג) "אִמְרִי לִי אָחִי הוּא" – אִמְרִי עָלַי:
נְבֻכִים הֵם - means: “locked” and “stuck,” and in Old French: “serrer” (“confined”). Similar examples of this root are נִבְכֵי יָם “the constraints of the sea”; 14 בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא “the valley of confinement”; 15 מִבְּכִי נְהָרוֹת “from the confines of the rivers.” 16.		נְבֻכִים הֵם. כְּלוּאִים וּמְשֻׁקָּעִים, וּבְלַעַז שירי"ר, כְּמוֹ "נִבְכֵי יָם" (איוב ל"ח), "בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא" (תהילים פ"ד) "מִבְּכִי נְהָרוֹת" (איוב כ"ח).
נְבֻכִים הֵם - נְבֻכִים הֵם thus means they are confined in the desert, inasmuch as they do not know how to get out of it and where to go.		נְבֻכִים הֵם. , כְּלוּאִים הֵם בַּמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁאֵינָן יוֹדְעִין לָצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ וּלְהֵיכָן יֵלֵכוּ:
4I will make Pharaoh stubborn and he will pursue them. I will then be glorified through Pharaoh and his entire army, and the Egyptians will finally recognize that I am God.” They did this.		דוְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י אֶת־לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה֘ וְרָדַ֣ף אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֒ וְאִכָּֽבְדָ֤ה בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ וְיָֽדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵֽן:
וְאִכָּֽבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה - I will then be glorified through Pharaoh. When the Holy One, blessed be He, takes revenge on the wicked, His Name is exalted and honored. Similarly, it says: “I will exercise judgment upon Gog…,” 17 and as a result, “I will be exalted and sanctified, and will be recognized…”; 18 and it says: “there He broke the shooting arrows of the bow,” 19 and as a result “God is renowned in Judah”; 20 and it also says: “God is renowned, He has executed judgment.” 21		וְאִכָּֽבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה. כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְנַקֵּם בָּרְשָׁעִים שְׁמוֹ מִתְגַּדֵּל וּמִתְכַּבֵּד, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּי אִתּוֹ וְגוֹ'" וְאַחַר כָּךְ "וְהִתְגַדִּלְתִּי וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּי וְנוֹדַעְתִּי וְגוֹ'" (יחזקאל ל"ח), וְאוֹמֵר "שָׁמָּה שִׁבַּר רִשְׁפֵי קָשֶׁת", וְאַחַר כָּךְ "נוֹדָע בִּיהוּדָה אֱלֹהִים" (תהלים ע"ו), וְאוֹמֵר "נוֹדַע ה' מִשְׁפָּט עָשָׂה" (שם ט'):
בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל־חֵילוֹ - Through Pharaoh and his entire army. Pharaoh had begun to sin first, so the punishment began with him.		בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל־חֵילוֹ. הוּא הִתְחִיל בַּעֲבֵרָה וּמִמֶּנּוּ הִתְחִילָה הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:
וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵֽן - They did this. This is written to tell us their praise, that they listened to Moses and did not say: “How can we approach our pursuers?! We have to get away from them!” Rather, they said: “We have only to rely on the words of Moses son of Amram.”		וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵֽן. לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחָן, שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ לְקוֹל מֹשֶׁה, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ הַאֵיךְ נִתְקָרֵב אֶל רוֹדְפֵינוּ? אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לִבְרֹחַ אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ אֵין לָנוּ לְקַיֵם אֶלָּא דִּבְרֵי בֶן עַמְרָם (מכילתא):
5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his courtiers had a change of heart toward the people. They said, “What is this that we have done, sending Israel away from our service?”		הוַיֻּגַּד֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּ֥י בָרַ֖ח הָעָ֑ם וַיֵּֽ֠הָפֵ֠ךְ לְבַ֨ב פַּרְעֹ֤ה וַֽעֲבָדָיו֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ מַה־זֹּ֣את עָשִׂ֔ינוּ כִּֽי־שִׁלַּ֥חְנוּ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵֽעָבְדֵֽנוּ:
וַיֻּגַּד לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם - The king of Egypt was told. He had sent officers with the Israelites, and once they had reached the end of the three days that they had previously fixed with Pharaoh to go into the desert and return, and the officers saw that they were not going back to Egypt, they came and informed Pharaoh of this on the fourth day. On the fifth and sixth days, the Egyptians pursued them, on the night of the seventh day they entered the sea, and in the morning the Israelites sang the Song of the Sea; and that is the seventh day of Passover. We therefore read the Song of the Sea as the Torah reading on the seventh day of Passover.		וַיֻּגַּד לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם. אִיקְטוֹרִין שָׁלַח עִמָּהֶם, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים שֶׁקָבְעוּ לֵילֵךְ וְלָשׁוּב וְרָאוּ שֶׁאֵינָן חוֹזְרִין לְמִצְרַיִם, בָּאוּ וְהִגִּידוּ לְפַרְעֹה בַּיּוֹם הָרְבִיעִי, בַּחֲמִישִׁי וּבַשִּׁשִּׁי רָדְפוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, לֵיל שְׁבִיעִי יָרְדוּ לַיָּם, בַּשַּׁחֲרִית אָמְרוּ שִׁירָה וְהוּא יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח; לְכָךְ אָנוּ קוֹרִין הַשִּׁירָה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי:
וַיֵּֽהָפֵךְ - means it was changed from what it had been, for previously Pharaoh had said to them, “Get up and get out from among my people.” 22 His servants also had a change of heart, for previously they said to him, “How long will this person continue to be a snare for us?” 23 and now they changed their minds, prompting them to pursue the Israelites because of the loss of their possessions they had “lent” them.		וַיֵּֽהָפֵךְ. נֶהְפַּךְ מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמַר לָהֶם "קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי" (שמות י"ב), וְנֶהְפַּךְ לֵב עֲבָדָיו, שֶׁהֲרֵי לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לוֹ "עַד מָתַי יִהְיֶה זֶה לָנוּ לְמוֹקֵשׁ" (שמות י'), וְעַכְשָׁיו נֶהֶפְכוּ לִרְדֹף אַחֲרֵיהֶם בִּשְׁבִיל מָמוֹנָם שֶׁהִשְׁאִילוּם:
מֵֽעָבְדֵֽנוּ - means: from serving us.		מֵֽעָבְדֵֽנוּ. מֵעֲבֹד אוֹתָנוּ:
6Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and took his people with him.		ווַיֶּאְסֹ֖ר אֶת־רִכְבּ֑וֹ וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לָקַ֥ח עִמּֽוֹ:
וַיֶּאְסֹר אֶת־רִכְבּוֹ - He harnessed his chariot - he himself.		וַיֶּאְסֹר אֶת־רִכְבּוֹ. הוּא בְעַצְמוֹ (מכילתא):
וְאֶת־עַמּוֹ לָקַח עִמּֽוֹ - And took his people with him - i.e., he drew them with words: “We have been smitten, they have taken our possessions, and we have let them go! Come with me, and I will not act with you like other kings. The way of other kings is that their servants go ahead of them into battle, but I will go ahead of you,” as it says: “Pharaoh drew nearer” 24 – i.e., he brought himself forward and hurried ahead of his troops. Pharaoh continued: “The way of other kings is to have first choice of the booty of battle, but I will take an equal portion with you,” as it says: “I will divide the spoils.” 25		וְאֶת־עַמּוֹ לָקַח עִמּֽוֹ. מְשָׁכָם בִּדְבָרִים, לָקִינוּ וְנָטְלוּ מָמוֹנֵנוּ וְשִׁלַּחְנוּם, בֹּאוּ עִמִּי וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶתְנַהֵג עִמָּכֶם כִּשְׁאָר מְלָכִים, דֶּרֶךְ שְׁאָר מְלָכִים עֲבָדָיו קוֹדְמִין לוֹ בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וַאֲנִי אַקְדִּים לִפְנֵיכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב – הִקְרִיב עַצְמוֹ וּמִהֵר לִפְנֵי חֵילוֹתָיו –, דֶּרֶךְ שְׁאָר מְלָכִים לִטֹּל בִּזָּה בָּרֹאשׁ כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּבְחַר, אֲנִי אֶשְׁוֶה עִמָּכֶם בַּחֵלֶק שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲחַלֵּק שָׁלָל" (שמות ט"ו):
7He took 600 choice chariots, as well as the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in command of them all.		זוַיִּקַּ֗ח שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת רֶ֨כֶב֙ בָּח֔וּר וְכֹ֖ל רֶ֣כֶב מִצְרָ֑יִם וְשָֽׁלִשִׁ֖ם עַל־כֻּלּֽוֹ:
בָּחוּר - means: chosen ones. בָּחוּר is the singular form, and it is used here to signify that each and every chariot among this number was chosen.		בָּחוּר. נִבְחָרִים, בָּחוּר לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד, כָּל רֶכֶב וָרֶכֶב שֶׁבְּמִנְיָן זֶה הָיָה בָּחוּר:
וְכֹל רֶכֶב מִצְרָיִם - means: and with these 600 choice chariots were all the Egyptians’ other chariots. And from where were all these chariot horses? If you say they were from the Egyptians, this cannot be, for it says: “all the livestock of the Egyptians died”; 26 and if you say they were from the Israelites, does it not say: “our livestock will also go along with us”; 27 so whose were they? From those Egyptians who feared God’s decree and saved their animals by bringing them into the houses. Deriving it from here, Rabbi Shimon would say: “The finest of the Egyptians – kill him! The best among snakes – crush its brain!”		וְכֹל רֶכֶב מִצְרָיִם. וְעִמָּהֶם כָּל שְׁאָר הָרֶכֶב; וּמֵהֵיכָן הָיוּ הַבְּהֵמוֹת הַלָּלוּ? אִם תֹּאמַר מִשֶּׁל מִצְרַיִם, הֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר "וַיָּמָת כֹּל מִקְנֵה מִצְרָיִם" (שמות ט'), וְאִם מִשֶּׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַהֲלֹא נֶאֱמַר "וְגַם מִקְנֵנוּ יֵלֵךְ עִמָּנוּ", מִשֶּׁל מִי הָיוּ? מִן הַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר ה'. מִכָּאן הָיָה רַ' שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, כָּשֵׁר שֶׁבַּמִּצְרִים הֲרֹג, טוֹב שֶׁבַּנְּחָשִׁים רְצֹץ אֶת מֹחוֹ (מכילתא):
וְשָֽׁלִשִׁם עַל־כֻּלּֽוֹ - שָׁלִשִׁם are army captains, as Onkelos translates it: וְגִבָּרִין מְמַנָּן עַל כֻּלְּהוֹן “and warriors appointed over all of them.”		וְשָֽׁלִשִׁם עַל־כֻּלּֽוֹ. שָׂרֵי צְבָאוֹת, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
8God made Pharaoh, king of Egypt, stubborn, and he pursued the Israelites. The Israelites were leaving triumphantly.		חוַיְחַזֵּ֣ק יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶת־לֵ֤ב פַּרְעֹה֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּרְדֹּ֕ף אַֽחֲרֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֹֽצְאִ֖ים בְּיָ֥ד רָמָֽה:
וַיְחַזֵּק ה' אֶת־לֵב פַּרְעֹה - God made Pharaoh stubborn - i.e., Pharaoh was wavering as to whether to pursue the Israelites or not, so God strengthened Pharaoh’s resolve to pursue them.		וַיְחַזֵּק ה' אֶת־לֵב פַּרְעֹה. שֶׁהָיָה תוֹלֶה אִם לִרְדֹּף אִם לָאו, וְחִזֵּק אֶת לִבּוֹ לִרְדֹּף (שם):
בְּיָד רָמָֽה - (lit., “with a high hand”). means: with proud and prominent valor.		בְּיָד רָמָֽה. בִּגְבוּרָה גְּבוֹהָה וּמְפֻרְסֶמֶת:

Footnotes

Second Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 14

9The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s chariot horses, his horsemen, and his army—pursued them, overtaking them while they were encamped at the sea next to Pi HaChirot, before Ba’al Tzefon.		טוַיִּרְדְּפ֨וּ מִצְרַ֜יִם אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיַּשִּׂ֤יגוּ אוֹתָם֙ חֹנִ֣ים עַל־הַיָּ֔ם כָּל־סוּס֙ רֶ֣כֶב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וּפָֽרָשָׁ֖יו וְחֵיל֑וֹ עַל־פִּי֙ הַֽחִירֹ֔ת לִפְנֵ֖י בַּ֥עַל צְפֹֽן:
10Pharaoh drew himself nearer. The Israelites looked up and caught sight of the Egyptians advancing at their rear. They became very frightened. The Israelites cried out to God.		יוּפַרְעֹ֖ה הִקְרִ֑יב וַיִּשְׂאוּ֩ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל אֶת־עֵֽינֵיהֶ֜ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִצְרַ֣יִם \| נֹסֵ֣עַ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיִּֽירְאוּ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה:
וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב - (lit.) Pharaoh brought forward. It seems that Scripture ought to have written: וּפַרְעֹה קָרַב “Pharaoh came forward.” What then is the meaning here of הִקְרִיב “he brought forward”? He brought himself forward by boldly going ahead of them as he had stipulated with them.		וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב. הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב וּפַרְעֹה קָרַב, מַהוּ הִקְרִיב? הִקְרִיב עַצְמוֹ וְנִתְאַמֵּץ לְקַדֵּם לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִתְנָה עִמָּהֶם:
נֹסֵעַ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם - the word נֹסֵעַ (advancing) is in the singular form, signifying that the Egyptians were with one heart, i.e., they were all equal in their hatred of the Jews, which caused their action to also appear like that of one man. Another explanation of וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם: they saw the guardian angel of Egypt coming to the Egyptians’ aid from heaven.		נֹסֵעַ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם. בְּלֵב אֶחָד כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד. דָּבָר אַחֵר – וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, רָאוּ שַׂר שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם נוֹסֵעַ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם לַעֲזֹר לַמִּצְרִים; – תנחומא:
וַיִּצְעֲקוּ - They cried out. They took to hand the habitual “craft” of their forefathers. About Abraham it says: “to the place where he had stood in prayer”; 1 about Isaac it says: “to pray in the field”; 2 and about Jacob it says: “he prayed (וַיִּפְגַע) at the place.” 3		וַיִּצְעֲקוּ. תָּפְשׂוּ אֻמָּנוּת אֲבוֹתָם – בְּאַבְרָהָם הוּא אוֹמֵר "אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַד שָׁם" (בראשית י"ט), בְּיִצְחָק "לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה", (שם כ"ד), בְּיַעֲקֹב "וַיִּפְגַע בַּמָּקוֹם" (שם כ"ח):
11They said to Moses, “Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the desert? What is this that you have done to us by taking us out of Egypt?		יאוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֘ אֶל־משֶׁה֒ הֲמִבְּלִ֤י אֵֽין־קְבָרִים֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם לְקַחְתָּ֖נוּ לָמ֣וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר מַה־זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְהֽוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
הֲמִבְּלִי אֵֽין־קְבָרִים - means: was it because there is a lack of graves, that there are no graves in Egypt to be buried there – that you took us out from there; “si pour faillance de non fosses” in Old French.		הֲמִבְּלִי אֵֽין־קְבָרִים. וְכִי מֵחֲמַת חֶסְרוֹן קְבָרִים – שֶׁאֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם לִקָּבֵר שָׁם – לְקַחְתָּנוּ מִשָּׁם. ש"י פו"ר פלינ"צא ד"י נו"ן פוש"יש בְלַעַז:
12Is this not the very thing we spoke to you about in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”		יבהֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ אֵלֶ֤יךָ בְמִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חֲדַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לָ֨נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר:
אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בארץ מִצְרָיִם - We spoke to you about in Egypt. And where did they speak about this? When they said: “May God reveal Himself to you and judge you.” 4		אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְּמִצְרָיִם. וְהֵיכָן דִּבְּרוּ? "יֵרֶא ה' עֲלֵיכֶם וְיִשְׁפֹּט" (שמות ה') (מכילתא):
מִמֻּתֵנוּ - means: that we die. If it had been vocalized with a melopum (cholam) (מִמּוֹתֵנוּ), it would have been explained as meaning “than our death,” but now that it is vocalized with a shuruk (מִמֻּתֵנוּ), it is to be explained as meaning “that we die.” Similarly, מִי יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ 5 means: “If only we would have died,” and similarly מִי יִתֵּן מוּתִי 6 means: “If only I would die,” in King David’s lament for Avshalom. The usage is similar to that of לְיוֹם קוּמִי לְעַד 7 and עַד שׁוּבִי בְשָׁלוֹם, 8 which mean respectively “when I rise” and “when I return.”		מִמֻּתֵנוּ. מֵאֲשֶׁר נָמוּת, וְאִם הָיָה נָקוּד מְלָאפוּם הָיָה נִבְאָר מִמִּיתָתֵנוּ, עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁנָּקוּד בְּשׁוּרֻק נִבְאָר מֵאֲשֶׁר נָמוּת וְכֵן "מִי יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ" (שמות ט"ז) – שֶׁנָּמוּת, וְכֵן "מִי יִתֵּן מוּתִי" דְּאַבְשָׁלוֹם (שמואל ב' י"ט) – שֶׁאָמוּת. כְּמוֹ "לְיוֹם קוּמִי לְעַד" (צפניה ג'), "עַד יוֹם שׁוּבִי בְשָׁלוֹם" (דברי הימים ב' י"ח) – שֶׁאָקוּם, שֶׁאָשׁוּב:
13But Moses said to the people, “Have no fear. Stand firm and witness the deliverance that God will perform for you today, for the Egyptians whom you have seen today you will never see again.		יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֣ה אֶל־הָעָם֘ אַל־תִּירָ֒אוּ֒ הִתְיַצְּב֗וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר רְאִיתֶ֤ם אֶת־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם לֹ֥א תֹסִ֛פוּ לִרְאֹתָ֥ם ע֖וֹד עַד־עוֹלָֽם:
כִּי אֲשֶׁר־רְאִיתֶם אֶת־מִצְרַיִם וגו' - (lit.) For that you have seen the Egyptians…. means: the fact that you have seen them is only today; today it is that you have seen them, but you will never see them again.		כִּי אֲשֶׁר־רְאִיתֶם אֶת־מִצְרַיִם וגו'. מַה שֶּׁרְאִיתֶם אוֹתָם אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא היום, הַיּוֹם הוּא שֶׁרְאִיתֶם אוֹתָם וְלֹא תוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד:
14God will do battle for you; you are to remain silent.”		ידיְהֹוָ֖ה יִלָּחֵ֣ם לָכֶ֑ם וְאַתֶּ֖ם תַּֽחֲרִשֽׁוּן:
יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם - means “He will do battle for you”; and similarly: כִּי ה׳ נִלְחָם לָהֶם “for God is fighting for them”; 9 and similarly: אִם לָאֵל תְּרִיבוּן “will you argue on God’s behalf”; 10 and similarly: וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לִי “and who spoke concerning me”; 11 and similarly: הַאַתֶּם תְּרִיבוּן לַבַּעַל “will you fight for Ba’al.” 12		יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם. בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם; וְכֵן "כִּי ה' נִלְחָם לָהֶם", וְכֵן "אִם לָאֵל תְּרִיבוּן" (איוב י"ג), וְכֵן "וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לִי" (בראשית כ"ד), וְכֵן "הַאַתֶּם תְּרִיבוּן לַבַּעַל" (שופטים ו'):

Footnotes

2 Samuel 19:1.

Third Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 14

15God said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the Israelites and let them journey forth!		טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה מַה־תִּצְעַ֖ק אֵלָ֑י דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְיִסָּֽעוּ:
מַה־תִּצְעַק אֵלָי - Why are you crying out to Me? This teaches us that at that moment Moses was standing in prayer, so the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Now is not the time for prolonged prayer, for Israel are in distress.” Another explanation of “Why are you crying out to Me”. the matter is dependent upon Me and not upon you; and as it says elsewhere: “Will you instruct Me concerning My sons and the work of My hands?” 1		מַה־תִּצְעַק אֵלָי. לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לֹא עֵת עַתָּה לְהַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּה, שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נְתוּנִין בְּצָרָה (מכילתא). דָּבָר אַחֵר – מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, עָלַי הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי וְלֹא עָלֶיךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן "עַל בָּנַי וְעַל פֹּעַל יָדַי תְּצַוֻּנִי" (ישעיהו מ"ה):
דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּֽעוּ - Speak to the Israelites and let them journey forth. All they have to do is travel, for the sea is not going to stand in their way. The merit of their forebears and their own, as well as the merit of the faith they showed in Me when they left Egypt, is enough to split the sea for them.		דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּֽעוּ. אֵין לָהֶם אֶלָּא לִסַּע, שֶׁאֵין הַיָּם עוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵיהֶם, כְּדַאי הוּא זְכוּת אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם וְהָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁהֶאֱמִינוּ בִי וְיָצְאוּ, לִקְרֹעַ לָהֶם הַיָּם (מכילתא):
16As for you, take up your staff and raise your arm over the sea and split it, and the Israelites will go into the midst of the sea on dry land.		טזוְאַתָּ֞ה הָרֵ֣ם אֶת־מַטְּךָ֗ וּנְטֵ֧ה אֶת־יָֽדְךָ֛ עַל־הַיָּ֖ם וּבְקָעֵ֑הוּ וְיָבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָֽׁה:
17And as for Me, I am going to make the Egyptians stubborn, so that they will go in after them. I will thus be glorified through Pharaoh and his entire army, his chariots, and his horsemen.		יזוַֽאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִ֤י מְחַזֵּק֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב מִצְרַ֔יִם וְיָבֹ֖אוּ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וְאִכָּֽבְדָ֤ה בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ בְּרִכְבּ֖וֹ וּבְפָֽרָשָֽׁיו:
18The Egyptians will then finally know that I am God, when I am glorified through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”		יחוְיָֽדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּהִכָּֽבְדִ֣י בְּפַרְעֹ֔ה בְּרִכְבּ֖וֹ וּבְפָֽרָשָֽׁיו:
19The angel of God who had been advancing in front of the Israelite camp moved, going behind it. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood at their rear.		יטוַיִּסַּ֞ע מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַֽהֹלֵךְ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֵאַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּסַּ֞ע עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מֵאַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽם:
וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאַֽחֲרֵיהֶם - Going behind it - to separate between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp, and to absorb the arrows and projectiles of the Egyptians. Everywhere else it says מַלְאַךְ ה׳, but here it says מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים; wherever the name אֱלֹהִים is used, it denotes judgment. This teaches us that Israel was being judged at that time, whether to be saved or to be destroyed along with the Egyptians.		וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאַֽחֲרֵיהֶם. לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם וּבֵין מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְקַבֵּל חִצִּים וּבָלִיסְטְרָאוֹת שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם. בְּכָל מָקוֹם הוּא אוֹמֵר מַלְאַךְ ה' וְכָאן מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים, אֵין אֱלֹהִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא דַּיָּן, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נְתוּנִין בַּדִּין בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אִם לְהִנָּצֵל אִם לְהֵאָבֵד עִם מִצְרַיִם (שם):
וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶֽעָנָן - The pillar of cloud moved. At nightfall, when the pillar of cloud handed over the Israelite camp to the pillar of fire, the cloud did not disappear completely as it usually did in the evening, but moved and went behind the Israelites in order to make it dark for the Egyptians.		וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶֽעָנָן. כְּשֶׁחָשְׁכָה וְהִשְׁלִים עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן אֶת הַמַּחֲנֶה לְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ, לֹא נִסְתַּלֵּק הֶעָנָן כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה רָגִיל לְהִסְתַּלֵּק עַרְבִית לְגַמְרִי, אֶלָּא נָסַע וְהָלַךְ לוֹ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהַחֲשִׁיךְ לְמִצְרַיִם:
20It came between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp. Thus, there was cloud and darkness for the Egyptians, but the pillar of fire illuminated the night for the Israelites. Neither camp came near the other all through the night.		כוַיָּבֹ֞א בֵּ֣ין \| מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֗יִם וּבֵין֙ מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְהִ֤י הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַח֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶר אֶת־הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְלֹֽא־קָרַ֥ב זֶ֛ה אֶל־זֶ֖ה כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה:
וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַֽחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם - It came between the Egyptian camp. This may be compared to one going on a journey with his son walking ahead of him. Bandits came to capture the son, so the father took him from in front of him and placed him behind him. Then a wolf came behind him, so he placed the son in front of him. Bandits then came in front of him and wolves behind him, so he placed his son on his arm and fought against them. Similarly did God do for Israel, as it says: “And I led Ephraim; He took them upon His arms.” 2		וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַֽחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם. מָשָׁל לִמְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּבְנוֹ מְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנָיו, בָּאוּ לִסְטִים לִשְׁבּוֹתוֹ, נְטָלוֹ מִלְּפָנָיו וּנְתָנוֹ לְאַחֲרָיו, בָּא זְאֵב מֵאַחֲרָיו, נְתָנוֹ לְפָנָיו, בָּאוּ לִסְטִים לְפָנָיו וּזְאֵבִים מֵאַחֲרָיו, נְתָנוֹ עַל זְרוֹעוֹ וְנִלְחַם בָּהֶם, כָּךְ "וְאָנֹכִי תִרְגַּלְתִּי לְאֶפְרַיִם קָחָם עַל זְרוֹעֹתָיו" (הושע י"א) (מכילתא):
וַיְהִי הֶֽעָנָן וְהַחשֶׁךְ - There was cloud and darkness - for the Egyptians.		וַיְהִי הֶֽעָנָן וְהַחשֶׁךְ. לְמִצְרַיִם:
וַיָּאֶר - but it illuminated - i.e., the pillar of fire – “the night” for the Israelites. It went ahead of them as it would do every night, but the darkness of the cloud in front of the Egyptians hid the light from them.		וַיָּאֶר. עַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ את הלילה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּדַרְכּוֹ לָלֶכֶת כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁל עֲרָפֶל לְצַד מִצְרַיִם:
וְלֹֽא־קָרַב זֶה אֶל־זֶה - Neither came near the other - i.e., one camp to the other.		וְלֹֽא־קָרַב זֶה אֶל־זֶה. מַחֲנֶה אֶל מַחֲנֶה (שם):
21Moses raised his arm over the sea. God drove back the sea throughout the night with a powerful east wind and turned the sea into dry land, and the water split.		כאוַיֵּ֨ט משֶׁ֣ה אֶת־יָדוֹ֘ עַל־הַיָּם֒ וַיּ֣וֹלֶךְ יְהֹוָ֣ה \| אֶת־הַ֠יָּ֠ם בְּר֨וּחַ קָדִ֤ים עַזָּה֙ כָּל־הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם לֶחָֽרָבָ֑ה וַיִּבָּֽקְע֖וּ הַמָּֽיִם:
בְּרוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה - With a powerful east wind - i.e., with an east wind, which is the most powerful of winds. The east wind is the wind with which the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the wicked, as it says: “like an east wind, I will scatter them”; 3 “an east wind will come, the wind of God”; 4 “the east wind broke you in the heart of the sea”; 5 and “He spoke with His harsh breath on the day of the east wind.” 6		בְּרוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה. בְּרוּחַ קָדִים שֶׁהִיא עַזָּה שֶׁבָּרוּחוֹת, הִיא הָרוּחַ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִפְרָע בָּהּ מִן הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "כְּרוּחַ קָדִים אֲפִיצֵם" (ירמיה י"ח), "יָבוֹא קָדִים רוּחַ ה'" (הושע י"ג), "רוּחַ הַקָּדִים שְׁבָרֵךְ בְּלֵב יַמִּים" (יחזקאל כ"ז), "הָגָה בְּרוּחוֹ הַקָּשָׁה בְּיוֹם קָדִים" (ישעיה כ"ז):
וַיִּבָּֽקְעוּ הַמָּֽיִם - And the water split - i.e., all the water in the world.		וַיִּבָּֽקְעוּ הַמָּֽיִם. כָּל מַיִם שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם:
22The Israelites went into the midst of the sea on dry land, and the water formed a wall for them on their right and on their left.		כבוַיָּבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וְהַמַּ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ חוֹמָ֔ה מִֽימִינָ֖ם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם:
23The Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen—came in pursuit after them into the midst of the sea.		כגוַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֚ל ס֣וּס פַּרְעֹ֔ה רִכְבּ֖וֹ וּפָֽרָשָׁ֑יו אֶל־תּ֖וֹךְ הַיָּֽם:
כֹּל סוּס פַּרְעֹה - (lit.) Every horse of Pharaoh. Was there then only one horse? Rather, Scripture says “horse” in the singular to tell us that all the horses are considered before the Omnipresent as no more than one horse.		כֹּל סוּס פַּרְעֹה. וְכִי סוּס אֶחָד הָיָה? מַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין כֻּלָּם חֲשׁוּבִין לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם אֶלָּא כְּסוּס אֶחָד (מכילתא):
24During the morning watch, God looked down upon the camp of the Egyptians. With the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud, He threw the camp of the Egyptians into confusion.		כדוַֽיְהִי֙ בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיַּשְׁקֵ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ וְעָנָ֑ן וַיָּ֕הָם אֵ֖ת מַֽחֲנֵ֥ה מִצְרָֽיִם:
בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר - During the morning watch. The three divisions of the night are called אַשְׁמוֹרוֹת “watches,” and the one before the morning is called אַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר “the morning watch.” I am of the opinion that because the night is divided into assigned shifts (מִשְׁמָרוֹת) regarding the song of the ministering angels – one group singing after another in three divisions, each division is called אַשְׁמֹרֶת, and this is also why Onkelos translates it בְּמַטְּרַת (the Aramaic for בְּמִשְׁמֶרֶת).		בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר. שְׁלֹשֶׁת חֶלְקֵי הַלַּיְלָה קְרוּיִין אַשְׁמוּרָה, וְאוֹתָהּ שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַבֹּקֶר קוֹרֵא אַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי, לְפִי שֶׁהַלַּיְלָה חָלוּק לְמִשְׁמְרוֹת שִׁיר שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, כַּת אַחַר כַּת, לִשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָקִים, לְכָךְ קָרוּי אַשְׁמֹרֶת, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "מַטְּרַת":
וַיַּשְׁקֵף - means “He looked down”; in other words, He turned toward them to destroy them. Onkelos’ translation וְאִסְתְּכֵי also connotes “looking,” just as he translates שְׂדֵה צֹפִים 7 as חֲקַל סָכוּתָא “lookout field.”		וַיַּשְׁקֵף. וַיַּבֵּט, כְּלוֹמַר פָּנָה אֲלֵיהֶם לְהַשְׁחִיתָם. וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וְאִסְתְּכִי" אַף הוּא לְשׁוֹן הַבָּטָה, כְּמוֹ "שְׂדֵה צוֹפִים", (במדבר כ"ג) – חֲקַל סָכוּתָא:
בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן - With the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. The pillar of cloud came down and made the dry seabed like mud, and the pillar of fire made it boiling hot so the horses’ hooves fell off.		בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן. עַמּוּד עָנָן יוֹרֵד וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ כְּטִיט וְעַמּוּד אֵשׁ מַרְתִּיחוֹ, וְטַלְפֵי סוּסֵיהֶם מִשְׁתַּמְּטוֹת (מכילתא):
וַיָּהָם - is an expression of confusion, “estordison” in Old French; i.e., He confounded them by removing their ensigns so that the formation of their camp fall apart. We learn in Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer (son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili): Wherever in Scripture מְהוּמָה “confusion” is mentioned, it connotes a thundering sound, and this is the classic example: “God thundered with a great sound…against the Philistines, and threw them into confusion (וַיְהֻמֵּם).” 8		וַיָּהָם. לְשׁוֹן מְהוּמָה, אשדורד"ישון בְּלַעַז, עִרְבְּבָם, נָטַל סִגְנִיּוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם. וְשָׁנִינוּ בְּפִרְקֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי: כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ מְהוּמָה הַרְעָמַת קוֹל הוּא, וְזֶה אָב לְכֻלָּן "וַיַּרְעֵם ה' בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל וְגוֹ' עַל פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְהֻמֵּם" (שמואל א ז'):
25He removed the wheels of their chariots, treating them heavily. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for God is fighting for them against Egypt!”		כהוַיָּ֗סַר אֵ֚ת אֹפַ֣ן מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔יו וַיְנַֽהֲגֵ֖הוּ בִּכְבֵדֻ֑ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מִצְרַ֗יִם אָנ֨וּסָה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה נִלְחָ֥ם לָהֶ֖ם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם:
וַיָּסַר אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו - He removed the wheels of their chariots. As a result of the fire, the wooden wheels were burned off, and thus the chariots were dragged along, and those riding them were shaken about and their limbs became disjointed.		וַיָּסַר אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו. מִכֹּחַ הָאֵשׁ נִשְׂרְפוּ הַגַּלְגַּלִּים, וְהַמֶּרְכָּבוֹת נִגְרָרוֹת, וְהַיּוֹשְׁבִים בָּהֶם נָעִים וְאֵבָרֵיהֶן מִתְפָּרְקִין (מכילתא):
וַיְנַֽהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת - means: He treated them in a way that was heavy (כְּבֵדָה) and harsh to them. In the way the Egyptians had acted, as it says וַיַּכְבֵּד לִבּוֹ הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו “He (lit.) made his heart heavy, he and his courtiers,” 9 so too was it done to them here: “He treated them heavily.”		וַיְנַֽהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת. בְּהַנְהָגָה שֶׁהִיא כְבֵדָה וְקָשָׁה לָהֶם; בַּמִדָּה שֶׁמָּדְדוּ: "וַיַּכְבֵּד" לִבּוֹ הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו (שמות ט'), אַף כָּאן וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ "בִּכְבֵדֻת":
נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם - Is fighting for them (lit.) in Egypt - means: against the Egyptians. Another explanation: בְּמִצְרָיִם actually means “in Egypt,” that just as those at the sea were being punished, so too were punished those remaining in Egypt.		נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם. בַּמִּצְרִיִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּמִצְרָיִם – בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵלּוּ לוֹקִים עַל הַיָּם כָּךְ לוֹקִים אוֹתָם שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם (מכילתא):

Footnotes

1 Samuel 7:10.

Fourth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 14

26God said to Moses, “Raise your arm over the sea so that the water will revert to its normal state, covering the Egyptians, their chariots, and their horsemen.”		כווַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה נְטֵ֥ה אֶת־יָֽדְךָ֖ עַל־הַיָּ֑ם וְיָשֻׁ֤בוּ הַמַּ֨יִם֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם עַל־רִכְבּ֖וֹ וְעַל־פָּֽרָשָֽׁיו:
וְיָשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם - So that the water will (lit.) go back - i.e., the water that was standing erect like a wall will return to its original place and cover the Egyptians.		וְיָשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם. שֶׁזְּקוּפִין וְעוֹמְדִים כְּחוֹמָה, יָשׁוּבוּ לִמְקוֹמָם וִיכַסּוּ עַל מִצְרַיִם:
27Moses raised his arm over the sea, and toward morning, the sea reverted to its normal state while the Egyptians were fleeing toward it. God churned the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.		כזוַיֵּט֩ משֶׁ֨ה אֶת־יָד֜וֹ עַל־הַיָּ֗ם וַיָּ֨שָׁב הַיָּ֜ם לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּ֨קֶר֙ לְאֵ֣יתָנ֔וֹ וּמִצְרַ֖יִם נָסִ֣ים לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וַיְנַעֵ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּֽם:
לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר - means: at the time the morning was turning (פּוֹנֶה) to come.		לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר. לְעֵת שֶׁהַבֹּקֶר פּוֹנֶה לָבֹא:
לְאֵיתָנוֹ - means: to its former strength.		לְאֵיתָנוֹ. לְתָקְפּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן (מכילתא):
נָסִים לִקְרָאתוֹ - Were fleeing toward it - i.e., they were confused and frenzied, and therefore ran toward the water.		נָסִים לִקְרָאתוֹ. שֶׁהָיוּ מְהֻמָּמִים וּמְטֹרָפִים וְרָצִין לִקְרַאת הַמַּיִם:
וַיְנַעֵר ה' - God churned. Like a man stirs (מְנַעֵר) a pot of food, turning what is on top downward and on the bottom upward, so were the Egyptians rising and falling until they were smashed in the sea, and the Holy One, blessed be He, kept them alive so that they undergo the pain.		וַיְנַעֵר ה'. כְּאָדָם שֶׁמְּנַעֵר אֶת הַקְּדֵרָה וְהוֹפֵךְ הָעֶלְיוֹן לְמַטָּה וְהַתַּחְתּוֹן לְמַעְלָה, כָּךְ הָיוּ עוֹלִין וְיוֹרְדִין וּמִשְׁתַּבְּרִין בַּיָּם, וְנָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּהֶם חַיּוּת לְקַבֵּל הַיִּסּוּרִין (שם):
וַיְנַעֵר - is translated by Onkelos as וְשַׁנֵּיק, which denotes “confounding” in Aramaic, and there are many examples of this word in aggadic midrashim.		וַיְנַעֵר. "וְשַׁנֵּיק", וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן טֵרוּף בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בְּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה:
28The water came back and covered over the chariots and horsemen of Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not one of them survived.		כחוַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ הַמַּ֗יִם וַיְכַסּ֤וּ אֶת־הָרֶ֨כֶב֙ וְאֶת־הַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים לְכֹל֙ חֵ֣יל פַּרְעֹ֔ה הבָּאִ֥ים אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם בַּיָּ֑ם לֹֽא־נִשְׁאַ֥ר בָּהֶ֖ם עַד־אֶחָֽד:
וַיְכַסּוּ אֶת־הָרֶכֶב לְכֹל חֵיל פַּרְעֹה - And covered over the chariots…Pharaoh’s entire army. Regarding the ל prefix of לְכָל, such is the way of Scriptural verses to sometimes write כָל with an extra ל prefix, as in לְכָל כֵּלָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה נְחֹשֶׁת “you must make all its implements of copper”; 1 and similarly לְכֹל כְּלֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּכֹל עֲבֹדָתוֹ “All the utensils of the Tabernacle used in its work”; 2 and וִיתֵדֹתָם וּמֵיתְרֵיהֶם לְכָל כְּלֵיהֶם “their stakes, and their ropes, and all their utensils.” 3 It is added merely for literary style.		וַיְכַסּוּ אֶת־הָרֶכֶב לְכֹל חֵיל פַּרְעֹה. כָּךְ דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּקְרָאוֹת לִכְתֹּב לָמֶ"ד יְתֵרָה, כְּמוֹ "לְכָל כֵּלָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה נְחֹשֶׁת" (שמות כ"ז), וְכֵן "לְכֹל כְּלֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּכֹל עֲבֹדָתוֹ" (במדבר ד'), "וִיתֵדוֹתָם וּמֵיתְרֵיהֶם לְכָל כְּלֵיהֶם" (שם), וְאֵינָהּ אֶלָּא תִּקּוּן לָשׁוֹן:
29But the Israelites had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, the water forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.		כטוּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָֽלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיָּ֑ם וְהַמַּ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ חֹמָ֔ה מִֽימִינָ֖ם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם:
30Thus, on that day, God rescued Israel from Egypt. Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore.		לוַיּ֨וֹשַׁע יְהֹוָ֜ה בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֛וּא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיַּ֤רְא יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵ֖ת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם:
וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־מִצְרָיִם מֵת - Israel saw the Egyptians dead - for the sea had washed them up onto its bank, so that Israel not say: “Just as we are leaving the sea from this point, so are the Egyptians emerging from another point at some distance from us, and they will pursue us.”		וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־מִצְרָיִם מֵת. שֶׁפְּלָטָן הַיָּם עַל שְׂפָתוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹלִים מִצַּד זֶה כָּךְ הֵם עוֹלִין מִצַּד אַחֵר, רָחוֹק מִמֶּנּוּ, וְיִרְדְּפוּ אַחֲרֵינוּ (פסחים קי"ח):
31When Israel saw the mighty arm that God had exercised against the Egyptians, the people stood in awe of God; they believed in God and in His servant Moses.		לאוַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּֽאֲמִ֨ינוּ֙ בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה וּבְמשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ:
אֶת־הַיָּד הגדולה - (lit., “the great hand”) – means: the great might that the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, had wrought. There are many possible meanings of the term יַד, but all of them relate to an actual hand, and one explaining each case must adapt its meaning according to the context of the sentence.		אֶת־הַיָּד הגדולה. אֶת הַגְּבוּרָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁעָשְׂתָה יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְהַרְבֵּה לְשׁוֹנוֹת נוֹפְלִין עַל לְשׁוֹן יָד וְכֻלָּן לְשׁוֹן יָד מַמָּשׁ הֵן, וְהַמְפָרְשׁוֹ יְתַקֵּן הַלָּשׁוֹן אַחַר עִנְיַן הַדִּבּוּר:

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 15

1Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God. They said as follows: “I will sing to God for He is exalted beyond any other exalted being. He cast both horse and rider into the sea.		אאָ֣ז יָשִֽׁיר־משֶׁה֩ וּבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ לֵאמֹ֑ר אָשִׁ֤ירָה לַּֽיהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹֽכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם:
אָז יָשִֽׁיר־משֶׁה - (lit.) Then Moses will sing- means: Then, when Moses saw the miracle, it entered his mind that he sing a song; and similarly, אָז יְדַבֵּר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (lit.) “Then Joshua will speak” 4 means that it entered Joshua’s mind that he speak, and similarly, וּבַיִת יַעֲשֶׂה לְבַת פַּרְעֹה (lit.) “And Solomon will build a palace for Pharaoh’s daughter” 5 means that he intended to build it for her. Here, too, יָשִׁיר means “his heart told him that he should sing,” and so he did, and “they said as follows: ‘I will sing to God.’” And similarly regarding Joshua, when he saw the need for a miracle, his heart told him that he should speak, and so he did – “and he said in the presence of Israel.” 6 And similarly regarding the Song at the Well, which is prefaced with אָז יָשִׁיר יִשְׂרָאֵל (lit.) “Then Israel will sing,” 7 Scripture elaborates afterwards that they sang: “Ascend, well! Recite this poem to it!” Likewise, regarding אָז יִבְנֶה שְׁלֹמֹה בָּמָה (lit.) “Then Solomon will build a high altar,” 8 the sages of Israel explained it 9 as meaning that he only wished to build it but he did not actually build it. We thus learn that in these cases, the י, usually denoting the future tense, here indicates intent to do the action. This explanation is to resolve the straightforward meaning of our verse. But with regard to its Midrashic explanation, our rabbis of blessed memory said: 10 From here there is an allusion in the Torah to the resurrection of the dead. They explain all the other verses in the same manner, except for the one regarding Solomon building the altar, which they explain as meaning that he wished to build it but did not actually build it. One cannot, however, explain this phrase like in other cases that are written in the future tense but actually refer to an immediate action, such as כָּכָה יַעֲשֶׂה אִיּוֹב “so Job would do,” 11 עַל פִּי ה׳ יַחֲנוּ “at God’s bidding they encamped,” 12 and וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה הֶעָנָן “sometimes the cloud remained,” 13 because these refer to continual repeated action and thus both the future tense and past tense can apply to them, but the action in this verse, since it only happened one time, cannot have this meaning applied to it.		אָז יָשִֽׁיר־משֶׁה. אָז כְּשֶׁרָאָה הַנֵּס עָלָה בְלִבּוֹ שֶׁיָּשִׁיר שִׁירָה. וְכֵן "אָז יְדַבֵּר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ" (יהושע י'), וְכֵן "וּבַיִת יַעֲשֶׂה לְבַת פַּרְעֹה" (מלכים א ז') – חָשַׁב בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לָהּ, אַף כָּאן יָשִׁיר אָמַר לוֹ לִבּוֹ שֶׁיָּשִׁיר וְכֵן עָשָׂה – וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֵאמֹר אָשִׁירָה לַה', וְכֵן בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ כְּשֶׁרָאָה הַנֵּס אָמַר לוֹ לִבּוֹ שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר וְכֵן עָשָׂה – "וַיֹּאמֶר לְעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (יהושע י'), וְכֵן שִׁירַת הַבְּאֵר, שֶׁפָּתַח בָּהּ אָז יָשִׁיר יִשְׂרָאֵל, פֵּרֵשׁ אַחֲרָיו "עֲלִי בְאֵר עֱנוּ לָהּ" (במדבר י"א), "אָז יִבְנֶה שְׁלֹמֹה בָּמָה" (מלכים א י"א), פֵּרְשׁוּ בוֹ חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לִבְנוֹת וְלֹא בָנָה, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁהַיּוֹ"ד עַל שֵׁם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה נֶאֶמְרָה, זֶהוּ לְיַשֵּׁב פְּשׁוּטוֹ. אֲבָל מִדְרָשׁוֹ אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִ"לִ "מִכָּאן רֶמֶז לִתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה" וְכֵן בְּכֻלָּן, חוּץ מִשֶּׁל שְׁלֹמֹה, שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּהוּ בִּקֵּשׁ לִבְנוֹת וְלֹא בָנָה. וְאֵין לוֹמַר וּלְיַשֵּׁב לָשׁוֹן הַזֶּה כִּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים הַנִּכְתָּבִים בִּלְשׁוֹן עָתִיד וְהֵן מִיָּד, כְּגוֹן "כָּכָה יַעֲשֶׂה אִיּוֹב" (איוב א'), "עַל פִּי ה' יַחֲנוּ" (במדבר ט'), "וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה הֶעָנָן" (שם), לְפִי שֶׁהֵן דָּבָר הַהוֹוֶה תָמִיד וְנוֹפֵל בּוֹ בֵּין לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד וּבֵין לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, אֲבָל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אֶלָּא לְשָׁעָה, אֵינִי יָכוֹל לְיַשְּׁבוֹ בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה:
כִּֽי־גָאֹה גָּאָה - means “He is exalted beyond all exalted beings,” as Onkelos translates it. Another explanation: The repetition of the word comes to tell us that God did something that is impossible for a human being to do: When a person fights his fellow and overcomes him, he can only throw him off his horse, but here “He cast both horse and rider into the sea” – and regarding anything that is impossible to be done by anyone except God, the use of the term גֵּאוּת “supremacy” is appropriate to describe His power to do this action, as in כִּי גֵאוּת עָשָׂה “for He has done great things.” 14 Similarly, throughout the entire Song, you find parallel double expressions: עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה “God’s might and retribution were my salvation”; 15 ה׳ אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה ה׳ שְׁמוֹ “God is the Master of war; God is His Name”; 16 and similarly in all the other verses. Another explanation: “Let me sing to God for He is extremely exalted” – beyond all songs and anything I may praise Him with, there still remains additional praise about Him, unlike the characteristic of a human king, who may be praised with a particular merit although he may not have it.		כִּֽי־גָאֹה גָּאָה. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ. (דָּבָר אַחֵר – בָּא הַכֵּפֶל לוֹמַר שֶׁעָשָׂה דָּבָר שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָשָׂר וָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת; כְּשֶׁהוּא נִלְחָם בַּחֲבֵרוֹ וּמִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו, מַפִּילוֹ מִן הַסּוּס, וְכָאן הַסוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ רָמָה בַיָּם, וְכָל שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת עַל יְדֵי זוּלָתוֹ נוֹפֵל בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן גֵּאוּת, כְּמוֹ "כִּי גֵאוּת עָשָׂה" (ישעיהו י"ב), וְכֵן כָּל הַשִּׁירָה תִּמְצָא כְפוּלָה, עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה, ה' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה ה' שְׁמוֹ, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם). דָּבָר אַחֵר – כי גאה גאה, עַל כָּל הַשִּׁירוֹת וְכָל מַה שֶּׁאֲקַלֵּס בּוֹ, עוֹד יֵשׁ בּוֹ תּוֹסֶפֶת, וְלֹא כְמִדַּת מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁמְּקַלְּסִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֵין בּוֹ:
סוּס וְרֹֽכְבוֹ - Horse and rider - i.e., both of them attached to each other – and the water would lift them up high and then bring them down to the depths without them separating.		סוּס וְרֹֽכְבוֹ. שְׁנֵיהֶם קְשׁוּרִים זֶה בָּזֶה וְהַמַּיִם מַעֲלִין אוֹתָן וְיוֹרְדִין לָעֹמֶק וְאֵינָן נִפְרָדִין (מכילתא):
רָמָה - means: He cast, and similarly we find: “and they were cast (וּרְמִיו) into the midst of the fiery furnace.” 17 And an aggadic explanation is: One verse says רָמָה, related to רוּם – height, and another verse 18 says יָרָה, implying descent. This teaches us that the Egyptians were rising to the heights and falling to the depths. יָרָה implies descent, as we find: “who laid (יָרָה) its cornerstone,” 19 denoting a downward motion of the stone from above.		רָמָה. הִשְׁלִיךְ, וְכֵן "וּרְמִיו לְגוֹא אַתּוּן נוּרָא" (דניאל ג'). וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר רָמָה, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר יָרָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹלִין לָרוּם וְיוֹרְדִין לַתְּהוֹם, כְּמוֹ "מִי יָרָה אֶבֶן פִּנָּתָהּ" (איוב ל"ח), מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה:
2God’s might and retribution were my salvation. This is my God! I will build Him an Abode, the Temple. He is my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.		בעָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה זֶ֤ה אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַֽאֲרֹֽמְמֶֽנְהוּ:
עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ - Onkelos translates this as: תָּקְפִּי וְתֻשְׁבַּחְתִּי “God is my strength and my source of praise,” understanding עָזִּי like עֻזִּי (“my strength”) with a shuruk (kubutz), and וְזִמְרָת like וְזִמְרָתִי (“and my source of praise”). I, however, wonder about the language of Scripture according to this explanation, for you do not find עָזִּי vocalized in the same way in Scripture except in three places, where it is similarly next to וְזִמְרָת, whereas in all other places, it is vocalized with a shuruk (kubutz): ה׳ עֻזִּי וּמָעֻזִּי “God, who is my power and my strength”; 20 עֻזּוֹ אֵלֶיךָ אֶשְׁמֹרָה “To save me from the enemy’s strength, for You I wait.” 21 Similarly, with regard to any two-letter word vocalized with a melopum (cholam), when a third letter is added to it and the second letter is not vocalized with a sheva/chataf, the first letter is vocalized with a shuruk (kubutz), e.g., עֹז – עֻזִּי; רֹק – רֻקִּי; חֹק – חֻקִּי; עֹל – עֻלּוֹ, as in יָסוּר.עֻלּוֹ; 22 כֹּל – כֻּלּוֹ, as in וְשָׁלִשִׁם עַל כֻּלּוֹ. 23 However, in these three instances of עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת – here, in Isaiah, 24 and in Psalms 25 – עָזִּי is vocalized with a chataf-kamatz (kamatz katan). Furthermore, in none of these cases is it written וְזִמְרָתִי, but וְזִמְרָת, and in all cases עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ is followed by וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה. I am therefore of the opinion that in order to properly explain the language of Scripture, we must say that עָזִּי is not like עֻזִּי, nor is וְזִמְרָת like וְזִמְרָתִי; rather, עָזִּי is a noun without a possessive suffix, like הַיֹּשְׁבִי בַּשָּׁמָיִם “He who dwells in heaven”; 26 שֹׁכְנִי בְחַגְוֵי סֶלַע “who dwells in the clefts of the rock”; 27 שֹׁכְנִי סְנֶה “who dwells in a thorn bush”; 28 and this is the praise expressed in the verse: “The strength and זִמְרָה of God (עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ) – this was a salvation for me.” וְזִמְרָת is a construct form connected to the word “God,” similar to לְעֶזְרַת ה׳ “to the aid of God,” 29 בְּעֶבְרַת ה׳ “through the wrath of God,” 30 עַל דִּבְרַת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם “regarding the matter of people.” 31 The expression וְזִמְרָת is of the same root as לֹא תִזְמֹר “you must not prune” 32 and זְמִיר עָרִיצִים “the cutting down of tyrants,” 33 i.e., it connotes chopping off or cutting down, and thus the meaning of the verse is: “The might and avenging destruction of our God were a salvation for us.” Do not ask, regarding the term וַיְהִי, why it does not say הָיָה, for we have a number of verses that use this style, and here are examples: “around the walls of the Temple, both of the outer Sanctuary and inner chamber, he made (וַיַּעַשׂ) side chambers all around,” 34 where it should have said עָשָׂה; and similarly in 2 Chronicles: 35 “and the Israelites living in the cities of Judah, Rechav’am ruled (וַיִּמְלֹךְ) over them,” where it should have said מָלַךְ; and “Since God was unable…He slaughtered them (וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם),” 36 where it should have said שְׁחָטָם; and “As for the men whom Moses had sent…they died (וַיָּמֻתוּ),” 37 where it should have said מֵתוּ; and “those who did not heed the word of God left (וַיַּעֲזֹב) their slaves…,” 38 where it should have said עָזַב.		עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ. אֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "תָּקְפִּי וְתֻשְׁבַּחְתִּי", עָזִּי כְּמוֹ עֻזִּי, וְזִמְרָת כְּמוֹ וְזִמְרָתִי, וַאֲנִי תָּמֵהַּ עַל לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ כָמוֹהוּ בִּנְקֻדָּתוֹ בַּמִּקְרָא אֶלָּא בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ אֵצֶל וְזִמְרָת, וְכָל שְׁאָר מְקוֹמוֹת נָקוּד שׁוּרֻ"ק, "ה' עֻזִּי וּמָעֻזִּי" (ירמיהו ט"ז), "עֻזּוֹ אֵלֶיךָ אֶשְׁמֹרָה" (תהילים נ"ט). וְכֵן כָּל תֵּבָה בַּת שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת הַנְּקוּדָה מְלָאפוּם כְּשֶׁהִיא מַאֲרֶכֶת בְּאוֹת שְׁלִישִׁית וְאֵין הַשְּׁנִיָּה בַּחֲטָף, הָרִאשׁוֹנָה נְקוּדָה בְּשׁוּרֻק, כְּגוֹן עֹז עֻזִּי, רֹק רֻקִּי, חֹק חֻקִּי, עֹל עֻלּוֹ – "וְסָר מֵעֲלֵהֶם עֻלּוֹ" (ישעיהו י"ד), כֹּל כֻּלּוֹ – "וְשָׁלִשִׁם עַל כֻּלּוֹ" (שמות י"ד), וְאֵלּוּ ג' עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת שֶׁל כָּאן, וְשֶׁל יְשַׁעְיָה, וְשֶׁל תְּהִלִּים, נְקוּדִים בַּחֲטָף קָמָץ, וְעוֹד אֵין בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם כָּתוּב וְזִמְרָתִי אֶלָּא וְזִמְרָת, וְכֻלָּם סָמוּךְ לָהֶם "וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה". לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר, לְיַשֵּׁב לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא, שֶׁאֵין עָזִּי כְּמוֹ עֻזִּי וְלֹא וְזִמְרָת כְּמוֹ וְזִמְרָתִי, אֶלָּא עָזִּי שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא כְּמוֹ "הַיֹּשְׁבִי בַּשָּׁמָיִם" (תהילים קכ"ג), "שֹׁכְנִי בְחַגְוֵי סֶלַע" (עובדיה א'), "שֹׁכְנִי סְנֶה" (דברים ל"ג), וְזֶהוּ הַשֶּׁבַח עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ הוּא הָיָה לִי לִישׁוּעָה. וְזִמְרָת דָּבוּק הוּא לְתֵבַת הַשֵּׁם, כְּמוֹ "לְעֶזְרַת ה'" (שופטים ה'), "בְּעֶבְרַת ה'" (ישעיהו ט'), "עַל דִּבְרַת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם" (קהלת ג'). וּלְשׁוֹן וְזִמְרָת לְשׁוֹן "לֹא תִזְמֹר" (ויקרא כ"ה), "זְמִיר עָרִיצִים" (ישעיהו כ"ה), לְשׁוֹן כִּסּוּחַ וּכְרִיתָה – עֻזּוֹ וְנִקְמָתוֹ שֶׁל אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָיָה לָנוּ לִישׁוּעָה. וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל לְשׁוֹן וַיְהִי, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר הָיָה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ מִקְרָאוֹת מְדַבְּרִים בְּלָשׁוֹן זֶה, וְזֶה דֻגְמָתוֹ: "אֶת קִירוֹת הַבַּיִת סָבִיב לַהֵיכָל וְלַדְּבִיר וַיַּעַשׂ צְלָעוֹת סָבִיב" (מלכים א ו'), הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר עָשָׂה צְלָעוֹת סָבִיב. וְכֵן בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים: "וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם רְחַבְעָם" (דברי הימים ב' י'), הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר מָלַךְ עֲלֵיהֶם רְחַבְעָם. "מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה' וְגוֹ' וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם" (במדבר י"ד), הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר שְׁחָטָם. "וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ' וַיָּמֻתוּ" (שם) מֵתוּ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר, "וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׂם לִבּוֹ אֶל דְּבַר ה' וַיַּעֲזֹב" (שמות ט'), הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר עָזַב:
זֶה אֵלִי - This is my God. God Himself appeared to them in His Divine glory, and they were pointing to Him with their finger and saying, “This is my God.” Thus, even a maidservant at the sea saw such a vision that even prophets did not see.		זֶה אֵלִי. בִּכְבוֹדוֹ נִגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם וְהָיוּ מַרְאִין אוֹתוֹ בְּאֶצְבַּע, רָאֲתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם מַה שֶּׁלֹּא רָאוּ נְבִיאִים (מכילתא):
וְאַנְוֵהוּ - Onkelos translates this word as related to “residence,” as in נָוֶה שַׁאֲנָן “a calm dwelling,” 39 and לִנְוֵה צֹאן “into a habitat for flocks.” 40 Another explanation: וְאַנְוֵהוּ is related to “beauty” (נוֹי), i.e., “I will relate His splendor and praise to all inhabitants of the world,” such as we find that the nations asked: “How is your Beloved different from any other friend?” 41 and Israel responded: “My Beloved is white but of ruddy complexion,” 42 and so on throughout that passage.		וְאַנְוֵהוּ. אֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם לְשׁוֹן נָוֶה – "נָוֶה שַׁאֲנָן" (ישעיהו ל"ג), "לִנְוֵה צֹאן" (שם ס"ה). דָּבָר אַחֵר – וְאַנְוֵהוּ לְשׁוֹן נוֹי, אֲסַפֵּר נוֹיוֹ וְשִׁבְחוֹ לְבָאֵי עוֹלָם, כְּגוֹן "מַה דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד וְגוֹ' דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם" (שיר השירים ה'), וְכָל הָעִנְיָן:
אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי - My father’s God - is this, “and I will exalt him.”		אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי. הוּא זֶה וארממנהו:
אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי - My father’s God. signifies: His sanctity does not originate with me, but this sanctity and His acceptance as God over me date from the days of my forebears and are still maintained by me.		אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי. לֹא אֲנִי תְּחִלַּת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה אֶלָּא מֻחְזֶקֶת וְעוֹמֶדֶת לִי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה וֵאלֹהוּתוֹ עָלַי מִימֵי אֲבוֹתַי:
3God is the Master of war; God is His Name.		גיְהֹוָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה יְהֹוָ֖ה שְׁמֽוֹ:
ה' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה - means: God is the Master (בַּעַל) of war, as we find אִישׁ נָעֳמִי “Naomi’s husband,” 43 where אִישׁ is used in the sense of בַּעַל. Similarly, every usage of אִישׁ in the construct form or אִישֵׁךְ in Scripture is translated as בַּעַל. Similarly, “be strong and become (lit.) a man (לְאִישׁ)” 44 means “become a mighty person.”		ה' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה. בַּעַל מִלְחָמוֹת, כְּמוֹ "אִישׁ נָעֳמִי" (רות א'), וְכָל אִישׁ וְאִישֵׁךְ מְתֻרְגָּמִין בַּעַל, וְכֵן "וְחָזַקְתָּ וְהָיִיתָ לְאִישׁ" (מלכים א ב') – לְגִבּוֹר:
ה' שְׁמֽוֹ - God is His Name. God’s wars are not fought with weapons; rather, He does battle by means of His Name, just as David said: “but I approach you with the Name of God, Lord of Hosts.” 45 Another explanation of ה׳ שְׁמוֹ: Even while He engages in war and takes vengeance on His enemies, He simultaneously manifests His attribute of mercy, in order to have mercy on His creations (indicated by the Name ה׳) and sustain all the inhabitants of the world, unlike human kings who divert their attention from all other affairs when engaged in war, since they are unable to deal with both things at once.		ה' שְׁמֽוֹ. מִלְחֲמוֹתָיו לֹא בִּכְלֵי זַיִן אֶלָּא בִּשְׁמוֹ הוּא נִלְחָם; כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד "וְאָנֹכִי בָא אֵלֶיךָ בְּשֵׁם ה' צְבָאוֹת" (שמואל א י"ז). דָּבָר אַחֵר, ה' שמו – אַף בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא נִלְחָם וְנוֹקֵם מֵאוֹיְבָיו, אוֹחֵז הוּא בְּמִדָּתוֹ לְרַחֵם עַל בְּרוּאָיו וְלָזוּן אֶת כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם; וְלֹא כְמִדַּת מַלְכֵי אֲדָמָה כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹסֵק בְּמִלְחָמָה פּוֹנֶה עַצְמוֹ מִכָּל עֲסָקִים וְאֵין בּוֹ כֹּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת זוֹ וְזוֹ (מכילתא):
4He hurled Pharaoh’s chariots and army into the sea; the elite of his officers were sunk into the Sea of Reeds.		דמַרְכְּבֹ֥ת פַּרְעֹ֛ה וְחֵיל֖וֹ יָרָ֣ה בַיָּ֑ם וּמִבְחַ֥ר שָֽׁלִשָׁ֖יו טֻבְּע֥וּ בְיַם־סֽוּף:
יָרָה בַיָּם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: שְׁדִי בְיַמָּא – He hurled into the sea. שְׁדִי indicates throwing down, and similarly it says: אוֹ יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה, 46 which is translated by Onkelos as אוֹ אִשְׁתְּדָאָה יִשְׁתְּדִי “or he will be cast down,” and the added ת in these words is used to indicate the hitpa’el (reflexive) form.		יָרָה בַיָּם. "שְׁדִי בְיַמָּא", שְׁדִי לְשׁוֹן יְרִיָּה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "אוֹ יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה" (שמות י"ט) – אוֹ אִשְׁתְּדָאָה יִשְׁתְּדִי, וְהַתָּי"ו מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּאֵלּוּ בִּמְקוֹם יִתְפַּעֵל:
וּמִבְחַר - The elite. This is a noun of similar form to מֶרְכָּב “saddle”; 47 מִשְׁכָּב “bed”; 48 מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ “a proclamation of holiness.” 49		וּמִבְחַר. שֵׁם דָּבָר. כְּמוֹ מֶרְכָּב, מִשְׁכָּב, מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ:
טֻבְּעוּ - Were sunk. The term טְבִיעָה is used only in reference to sinking in a muddy area, as in: “I have sunk (טָבַעְתִּי) in the mire of the deep,” 50 and “Jeremiah sank (וַיִּטְבַּע) into the mud.” 51 Thus, the fact that here an expression of טְבִיעָה is used teaches us that that the seabed became muddy, to repay them according to their own measure, that they had enslaved the Israelites with mortar and bricks.		טֻבְּעוּ. אֵין טְבִיעָה אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם טִיט, כְּמוֹ "טָבַעְתִּי בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה" (תהילים ס"ט), "וַיִּטְבַּע יִרְמְיָהוּ בַּטִּיט" (ירמיהו ל"ח), מְלַמֵּד, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הַיָּם טִיט, לִגְמֹל לָהֶם כְּמִדָּתָם שֶׁשִׁעְבְּדוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֹמֶר וּבִלְבֵנִים (מכילתא):
5The deep water covered them; they sank into the depths like a rock.		התְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָֽרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן:
יְכַסְיֻמוּ - is the same as יְכַסּוּם – (lit.) “they will cover them,” and the middle י is supplementary to the word. It is the manner in some Scriptural verses to add a superfluous י, as we find: “and your herds and your flocks multiply (יִרְבְּיֻן)”; 52 and “They will be satiated (יִרְוְיֻן) from the fat of Your house.” 53 And regarding the first י, which signifies the future tense, explain it as follows: They were sunk into the Sea of Reeds (טֻבְּעוּ בְיַם סוּף) so that the water return and cover them. The word יְכַסְיֻמוּ has no counterpart to its vocalization in Scripture, and ordinarily it would be vocalized יְכַסְיֻמוֹ with a melopum (cholam).		יְכַסְיֻמוּ. כְּמוֹ יְכַסּוּם, וְהַיּוֹ"ד הָאֶמְצָעִית יְתֵרָה בוֹ; וְדֶרֶךְ מִקְרָאוֹת בְּכָךְ, כְּמוֹ "וְצֹאנְךָ יִרְבְּיֻן" (דברים ח'), "יִרְוְיֻן מִדֶּשֶׁן בֵּיתֶךָ" (תהלים ל"ו), וְהַיּוֹ"ד רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁמַּשְׁמָעָהּ לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד, כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ: טֻבְּעוּ בְיַם סוּף כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ הַמַּיִם וִיכַסּוּ אוֹתָן. יְכַסְיֻמוּ אֵין דּוֹמֶה לוֹ בַמִּקְרָא בִּנְקֻדָּתוֹ, וְדַרְכּוֹ לִהְיוֹת נָקוּד יְכַסְיֻמוֹ מְלָאפוּם:
כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן - Like a rock - but elsewhere 54 it says: “they sank like lead,” and in yet another place 55 it says: “it consumes them like straw”? The answer is: The wicked among the Egyptians were like straw, continuously being tossed about, rising and falling; the average ones sank like stone, suffering for less time; and the most decent ones sank like lead, coming to rest at once.		כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן. וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר "צָלְלוּ כַּעוֹפֶרֶת", וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר "יֹאכְלֵמוֹ כַּקַּשׁ", הָרְשָׁעִים כַּקַּשׁ, הוֹלְכִים וּמִטָּרְפִין עוֹלִין וְיוֹרְדִין, בֵּינוֹנִים כָּאֶבֶן, וְהַכְּשֵׁרִים כַּעוֹפֶרֶת שֶׁנָּחוּ מִיָּד (מכילתא):
6Your right hand, God, which is adorned with power; Your right hand, God, shatters the enemy.		ויְמִֽינְךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֔ה נֶאְדָּרִ֖י בַּכֹּ֑חַ יְמִֽינְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה תִּרְעַ֥ץ אוֹיֵֽב:
יְמִֽינְךָ יְמִֽינְךָ - Your right hand…your right hand. twice, for when Israel carries out the will of the Omnipresent, His metaphorical left hand becomes a right hand. Thus the meaning of the verse is: –		יְמִֽינְךָ יְמִֽינְךָ. שְׁנֵי פְעָמִים, כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין אֶת רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם הַשְּׂמֹאל נַעֲשֵׂית יָמִין (שם):
יְמִֽינְךָ ה' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ - Your right hand, God, is adorned with power - to save Israel, and “Your other right hand shatters the enemy.” But I am of the opinion that the verse refers a second time to the same right hand, informing us that it also shatters the enemy, thus acting in a way that is impossible for a human being to do – performing two actions with one hand. However, the straightforward explanation of the verse is: “Your right hand, which is adorned with power,” what does it do? “Your right hand shatters the enemy.” There are many verses with similar stylistic repetitions, e.g., כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ ה׳ כִּי הִנֵּה אֹיְבֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ “For indeed, Your enemies, God, for indeed, Your enemies will perish”; 56 עַד מָתַי רְשָׁעִים ה׳ עַד מָתַי רְשָׁעִים יַעֲלֹזוּ “Until when the wicked, God, until when will the wicked exult”; 57 נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת ה׳ נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם “The rivers have raised, God, the rivers have raised their voices”; 58 לֹא לָנוּ ה׳ לֹא לָנוּ “Not for us, God, not for us”; 59 אֶעֱנֶה נְאֻם ה׳ אֶעֱנֶה אֶת הַשָּׁמָיִם “I will respond, declares God, I will respond to heaven”; 60 אָנֹכִי לַה׳ אָנֹכִי אָשִׁירָה “I, to God I will sing”; 61 לוּלֵי ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ לוּלֵי ה׳ שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ בְּקוּם עָלֵינוּ אָדָם “Were it not for God being with us – says now Israel – were it not for God who was with us when people rise up against us”; 62 עוּרִי עוּרִי דְּבוֹרָה עוּרִי עוּרִי דַּבְּרִי שִׁיר “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake; utter a song”; 63 תִּרְמְסֶנָּה רָגֶל רַגְלֵי עָנִי “The foot will trample it, the feet of the poor”; 64 וְנָתַן אַרְצָם נַחֲלָה נַחֲלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ “And He gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel, His people.” 65		יְמִֽינְךָ ה' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ. לְהַצִּיל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וִימִינְךָ הַשֵּׁנִית תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב. וְלִי נִרְאֶה אוֹתָהּ יָמִין עַצְמָהּ תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב, מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָדָם – לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁתֵּי מְלָאכוֹת בְּיָד אַחַת; וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא יְמִינְךָ הַנֶּאֱדֶרֶת בַּכֹּחַ מַה מְּלַאכְתָּהּ? יְמִינְךָ ה' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב; וְכַמָּה מִקְרָאוֹת דֻּגְמָתוֹ, "כִּי הִנֵּה אוֹיְבֶיךָ ה' כִּי הִנֵּה אוֹיְבֶיךָ יֹאבֵדוּ" (תהלים צ"ב), וְדוֹמֵיהֶם:
נֶאְדָּרִי - The י here is supplementary, similar to those in רַבָּתִי עָם שָׂרָתִי בַּמְּדִינוֹת “great among the nations, a princess among the provinces”; 66 גְּנֻבְתִי יוֹם “stolen by day.” 67		נֶאְדָּרִי. הַיּוֹ"ד יְתֵרָה, כְּמוֹ "רַבָּתִי עָם, שָׂרָתִי בַּמְּדִינוֹת" (איכה א'), "גְּנֻבְתִי יוֹם" (בראשית ל"א):
תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵֽב - means: it continually crushes and breaks the enemy. Similar to תִּרְעַץ is “they crushed (וַיִּרְעֲצוּ) and oppressed the Israelites” in Judges. 68 Another explanation: Your right hand, which is adorned with power – it breaks and punishes the enemy –		תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵֽב. תָּמִיד הִיא רוֹעֶצֶת וּמְשַׁבֶּרֶת הָאוֹיֵב; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "וַיִּרְעֲצוּ וַיְרוֹצְצוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", בְּשׁוֹפְטִים (י, ח). (דָּבָר אַחֵר – יְמִינְךָ הַנֶּאֱדֶרֶת בַּכֹּחַ הִיא מְשַׁבֶּרֶת וּמַלְקָה אוֹיֵב):
7In Your great majesty, You destroy those who rise up against You. You send forth Your fury; it consumes them like straw.		זוּבְרֹ֥ב גְּאֽוֹנְךָ֖ תַּֽהֲרֹ֣ס קָמֶ֑יךָ תְּשַׁלַּח֙ חֲרֹ֣נְךָ֔ יֹֽאכְלֵ֖מוֹ כַּקַּֽשׁ:
וּבְרֹב גְּאֽוֹנְךָ - And in Your great majesty. If God’s hand alone shatters the enemy, when it is lifted in His great majesty He will then surely destroy His adversaries. And if through His great majesty alone His enemies are destroyed, all the more so when He sends forth His fury against them will it consume them.		וּבְרֹב גְּאֽוֹנְךָ. זֹאת הַיָּד בִּלְבָד רוֹעֶצֶת הָאוֹיֵב – כְּשֶׁהוּא מְרִימָהּ בְּרֹב גְּאוֹנוֹ אָז יַהֲרֹס קָמָיו – וְאִם בְּרֹב גְּאוֹנוֹ לְבַד אוֹיְבָיו נֶהֱרָסִים קַל וָחֹמֶר כְּשֶׁשִּׁלַּח בָּם חֲרוֹן אַף יֹאכְלֵמוֹ):
תַּֽהֲרֹס - means: You continually destroy Your adversaries who rise up against You. And who are those who rise up against Him referred to here? Those who rise up against Israel, and so it says: “For indeed Your enemies rage,” 69 and what is the raging? “Against Your people they devise plans,” 70 and because of this Scripture calls them the enemies of the Omnipresent.		תַּֽהֲרֹס. תָּמִיד אַתָּה הוֹרֵס קָמֶיךָ הַקָּמִים נֶגְדְּךָ, וּמִי הֵם הַקָּמִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ? אֵלּוּ הַקָּמִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "כִּי הִנֵּה אוֹיְבֶיךָ יֶהֱמָיוּן" (תהלים פ"ג), וּמַה הִיא הַהֶמְיָה? "עַל עַמְּךָ יַעֲרִימוּ סוֹד" (שם), וְעַל זֶה קוֹרֵא אוֹתָם אוֹיְבָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם:
8At the blast of Your nostrils the water piled up; the flowing streams stood erect like a wall; the deep water solidified in the heart of the sea.		חוּבְר֤וּחַ אַפֶּ֨יךָ֙ נֶ֣עֶרְמוּ מַ֔יִם נִצְּב֥וּ כְמוֹ־נֵ֖ד נֹֽזְלִ֑ים קָֽפְא֥וּ תְהֹמֹ֖ת בְּלֶב־יָֽם:
וּבְרוּחַ אַפֶּיךָ - (lit.) And by the breath of Your noses - i.e., that comes out of the two nostrils of the nose. Scripture describes the Divine Presence as though regarding a human king, in order to let people hear the matter the way it commonly occurs, so that they may understand it: When a man is angry, breath comes out of his nostrils. Similar metaphors are used in the verses: עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ “Smoke went up in His nose”; 71 and similarly: וּמֵרוּחַ אַפּוֹ יִכְלוּ “and from the breath of His nose they perish.” 72 And this is what is meant when it says: לְמַעַן שְׁמִי אַאֲרִיךְ אַפִּי – “For the sake of My Name I lengthen the breath of My nose,” 73 denoting that God withholds His anger, for when someone’s anger subsides his breathing is long, and when he is angry his breathing is short – וּתְהִלָּתִי אֶחְטָם לָךְ – “and for the sake of My praise (תְּהִלָּתִי) I will place a stopper (חֲטָם) in My nose so that My nostrils be obstructed, preventing the anger and breath from coming out – לָךְ – for your sake,” אֶחְטָם being related to נָאקָה בַּחֲטָם “a wild dromedary may go out with a nose ring” in Tractate Shabbat. 74 So it appears to me is its meaning. Similarly, every usage of אַף and חָרוֹן in Scripture denoting anger I explain this way: חָרָה אַף is similar to “and my bones are parched (חָרָה) from scorching heat,” 75 i.e., it has the meaning of burning and conflagration, for the nostrils get heated and burn at a time of anger, חָרוֹן being derived from the root חָרָה, just as רָצוֹן “will” is from the root רָצָה “to wish.” Similarly חֵמָה, another word for anger, is related to חֲמִימוּת “heat,” and thus it says: “and his fury burned within him”; 76 and likewise when anger subsides one says: “his mind was cooled.” 77		וּבְרוּחַ אַפֶּיךָ. הַיּוֹצֵא מִשְּׁנֵי נְחִירַיִם שֶׁל אַף. דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב כִּבְיָכוֹל בַּשְּׁכִינָה דֻּגְמַת מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁמִיעַ אֹזֶן הַבְּרִיּוֹת כְּפִי הַהֹוֶה, שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לְהָבִין דָּבָר; כְּשֶׁאָדָם כּוֹעֵס יוֹצֵא רוּחַ מִנְּחִירָיו; וְכֵן "עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ" (תהלים י"ח), וְכֵן "וּמֵרוּחַ אַפּוֹ יִכְלוּ" (איוב ד'), וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר "לְמַעַן שְׁמִי אַאֲרִיךְ אַפִּי", (ישעיהו מ"ח) – כְּשֶׁזַּעְפּוֹ נָח, נְשִׁימָתוֹ אֲרֻכָּה, וּכְשֶׁהוּא כּוֹעֵס נְשִׁימָתוֹ קְצָרָה, "וּתְהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטָם לָךְ" (שם) – וּלְמַעַן תְּהִלָּתִי אָשִׂים חֹטֶם בְּאַפִּי לִסְתֹּם נְחִירַי בִּפְנֵי הָאַף וְהָרוּחַ שֶׁלֹּא יֵצְאוּ, לָךְ – בִּשְׁבִילְךָ, אֶחֱטָם, כְּמוֹ "נְאָקָה בְּחֹטֶם" בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת, כָּךְ נִרְאֶה בְּעֵינַי. וְכָל חֲרוֹן אַף שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא אֲנִי אוֹמֵר כֵּן; חָרָה אַף כְּמוֹ "וְעַצְמִי חָרָה מִנִּי חֹרֶב" (איוב ל'), לְשׁוֹן שְׂרֵפָה וּמוֹקֵד, שֶׁהַנְּחִירַיִם מִתְחַמְּמִים וְנֶחֱרִים בְּעֵת הַקֶּצֶף, וְחָרוֹן מִגִּזְרַת חרה כְּמוֹ רָצוֹן מִגִּזְרַת רצה, וְכֵן חֵמָה לְשׁוֹן חֲמִימוּת, עַל כֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַחֲמָתוֹ בָּעֲרָה בוֹ" (אסתר א'), וּבְנוֹחַ הַחֵמָה אוֹמֵר "נִתְקָרְרָה" דַּעְתּוֹ:
נֶעֶרְמוּ מַיִם - Onkelos translates נֶעֶרְמוּ as an expression of עַרְמִימוּת “cleverness.” But the pure sense of the verse is “the water piled up,” similar to עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים “a heap of wheat,” 78 and the following phrase, “the flowing streams stood erect like a wall,” proves this:		נֶעֶרְמוּ מַיִם. אֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם לְשׁוֹן עַרְמִימוּת, וּלְשׁוֹן צַחוּת הַמִּקְרָא כְּמוֹ "עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים" (שיר השירים ז'), וְנִצְּבוּ כְמוֹ נֵד יוֹכִיחַ:
נֶעֶרְמוּ - “The water piled up” - from the burning heat of the breath that came out of Your nose, the waters dried up into a solid mass and became like mounds and stacks of a tall heap (עֲרֵמָה).		נֶעֶרְמוּ. מִמּוֹקֵד רוּחַ שֶׁיָּצָא מֵאַפְּךָ יָבְשׁוּ הַמַּיִם, וְהֵם נַעֲשׂוּ כְּמִין גַּלִּים וּכְרִיּוֹת שֶׁל עֲרֵמָה, שֶׁהֵם גְּבוֹהִים:
כְמוֹ־נֵד - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: כְּשׁוּר – like a wall.		כְמוֹ־נֵד. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "כְּשׁוּר" – כְּחוֹמָה:
נֵד - is an expression of something piled and amassed, as in נֵד קָצִיר בְּיוֹם נַחֲלָה “a pile of harvest on a poorly day”; 79 and כּוֹנֵס כַּנֵּד “He gathers like a heap the water of the sea.” 80 It is not written there כּוֹנֵס כַּנֹּאד (like a flask), but כַּנֵּד; and if כַּנֵּד were the same as כַּנֹּאד, and כּוֹנֵס were an expression of “putting in,” then Scripture should have written מַכְנִיס כְּבַנֹּאד מֵי הַיָּם “he places the water of the sea as into a water-skin.” Rather, כּוֹנֵס is an expression of gathering and piling. Similarly, it is written: “the water rose as one נֵד”; 81 and “and the water will stand as one נֵד,” 82 and expressions of “rising” and “standing” cannot be said of flasks but only of walls and piles. Furthermore, we never find the word נֹאד vocalized other than with a melopum (cholam), as in: “Place my tears in Your flask (בְנֹאדֶךָ)”; 83 and נֹאוד הֶחָלָב “the flask of milk.” 84		נֵד. לְשׁוֹן צִבּוּר וְכִנּוּס, כְּמוֹ "נֵד קָצִיר בְּיוֹם נַחֲלָה" (ישעיהו י״ז:י״א), "כּוֹנֵס כַּנֵּד" (תהילים ל״ג:ז׳), לֹא כָתוּב כּוֹנֵס כַּנֹּאד אֶלָּא כַּנֵּד, וְאִלּוּ הָיָה כנד כְּמוֹ כנאד וְכוֹנֵס לְשׁוֹן הַכְנָסָה, הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב מַכְנִיס כִּבְנֹאד מֵי הַיָּם, אֶלָּא כוֹנֵס לְשׁוֹן אוֹסֵף וְצוֹבֵר הוּא, וְכֵן "קָמוּ נֵד אֶחָד" (יהושע ג׳:י״ג), "וַיַּעַמְדוּ נֵד אֶחָד" (שם), וְאֵין לְשׁוֹן קִימָה וַעֲמִידָה בְּנֹאדוֹת אֶלָּא בְּחוֹמוֹת וְצִבּוּרִים, וְלֹא מָצִינוּ נֹאד נָקוּד אֶלָּא בִּמְלָאפוּם כְּמוֹ "שִׂימָה דִמְעָתִי בְנֹאדֶךָ" (תהילים נ״ו:ט׳), "אֶת נֹאד הֶחָלָב" (שופטים ד׳:י״ט):
קָֽפְאוּ - means “solidified,” as in “and like cheese, You congeal me (תַּקְפִּיאֵנִי),” 85 i.e., the water of the depths hardened and became like stones, and the other water dashed the Egyptians violently against the stone and attacked them with all kinds of harsh means.		קָֽפְאוּ. כְּמוֹ "וְכַגְּבִנָּה תַּקְפִּיאֵנִי" (איוב י׳:י׳), שֶׁהֻקְשׁוּ וְנַעֲשׂוּ כַּאֲבָנִים וְהַמַּיִם זוֹרְקִים אֶת הַמִּצְרִיִּים עַל הָאֶבֶן בְּכֹחַ וְנִלְחָמִים בָּם בְּכָל מִינֵי קֹשִׁי:
בְּלֶב־יָֽם - In the heart of the sea - i.e., in the strongest part of the sea. It is usual for Scripture to speak in this manner: עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם (lit.) “up to the heart of heaven” 86 and בְּלֵב הָאֵלָה “in the heart of the terebinth,” 87 denoting the essential or intense part of something.		בְּלֶב־יָֽם. בְּחֹזֶק הַיָּם; וְדֶרֶךְ הַמִּקְרָאוֹת לְדַבֵּר כֵּן, "עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם" (דברים ד'), "בְּלֵב הָאֵלָה" (שמואל ב י"ח), לְשׁוֹן עִקָּרוֹ וְתָקְפּוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר:
9The enemy had said: ‘I will give chase; I will overtake; I will divide the spoils; my desire will be sated with them; I will unsheathe my sword; my hand will despoil them.’		טאָמַ֥ר אוֹיֵ֛ב אֶרְדֹּ֥ף אַשִּׂ֖יג אֲחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָ֑ל תִּמְלָאֵ֣מוֹ נַפְשִׁ֔י אָרִ֣יק חַרְבִּ֔י תּֽוֹרִישֵׁ֖מוֹ יָדִֽי:
אָמַר אוֹיֵב - The enemy said - to his people, when he was persuading them with words: “I will give chase and overtake them, and then divide the spoil with my officers and courtiers.”		אָמַר אוֹיֵב. לְעַמּוֹ, כְּשֶׁפִּתָּם בִּדְבָרִים, אֶרְדֹּף וְאַשִּׂיגֵם וַאֲחַלֵּק שָׁלָל עִם שָׂרַי וַעֲבָדַי:
תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ - means “will be filled with them.”		תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ. תִּתְמַּלֵא מֵהֶם:
נַפְשִׁי - (lit., “my soul”) means “my spirit and wish.” Do not ask how a word can act as a combination of two, i.e., how can a suffix indicate an indirect object, תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ being a combination of תִּמָּלֵא מֵהֶם, for there are many places with such usage: “for the southern land you have given to me (נְתַתָּנִי),” 88 where נְתַתָּנִי is the same as נָתַתָּ לִי, “and they could not speak with him (דַּבְּרוֹ) peaceably,” 89 where דַּבְּרוֹ is the same as דַּבֵּר עִמּוֹ, and “my children have gone away from me (יְצָאֻנִי),” 90 where יְצָאֻנִי is the same as יָצְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי, and “the number of my steps I will relate to him (אֲגִידֶנּוּ),” 91 where אֲגִידֶנּוּ is the same as אַגִּיד לוֹ. So, too, here תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ נַפְשִׁי means תִּמָּלֵא נַפְשִׁי מֵהֶם “my wish will be sated with them.”		נַפְשִׁי. רוּחִי וּרְצוֹנִי. וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל תֵּבָה הַמְדַבֶּרֶת בִּשְׁתַּיִם, תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ – תִּמָּלֵא מֵהֶם, יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה "כִּי אֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב נְתַתָּנִי" (שופטים א׳:ט״ו), כְּמוֹ נָתַתָּ לִי, "וְלֹא יָכְלוּ דַּבְּרוֹ לְשָׁלוֹם" (בראשית ל״ז:ד׳), כְּמוֹ דַּבֵּר עִמּוֹ, "בָּנַי יְצָאוּנִי" (ירמיהו י׳:כ׳), כְּמוֹ יָצְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי, "מִסְפַּר צְעָדַי אֲגִידֶנּוּ" (איוב ל״א:ל״ז), כְּמוֹ אַגִּיד לוֹ, אַף כָּאן "תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ" – תִּמָּלֵא נַפְשִׁי מֵהֶם:
אָרִיק חַרְבִּי - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “I will draw my sword,” and on account of the fact that a person empties (מֵרִיק) the sheath by drawing the sword, leaving the sheath empty (רֵיק), the expression “emptying” applies to it, as in “emptying out (מְרִיקִים) their sacks”; 92 and “and they will empty out (יָרִיקוּ) his vessels.” 93 Do not say, however, that the expression “emptiness” cannot apply to the object that comes out, but only to the container, sack, or vessel from which it came, but not to the sword or wine being removed, and therefore give a forced explanation that in the phrase אָרִיק חַרְבִּי, the word אָרִיק is similar in meaning to: “he armed (וַיָּרֶק) his attendants,” 94 and its meaning is: “I will arm myself with my sword.” To this I answer: We do find the expression “emptying” used also to refer to the object coming out, as in שֶׁמֶן תּוּרַק “poured oil”; 95 and: “and it was not emptied (וְלֹא הוּרַק) from one vessel to another,” 96 where it is not written: “the vessel was not emptied,” but it means: the wine was not emptied from one vessel to another; we thus find the expression also used about the wine emptied from the vessel. A similar usage is: “and they will draw (וְהֵרִיקוּ, lit., ‘empty’) their swords against the beauty of your wisdom,” 97 regarding Hiram.		אָרִיק חַרְבִּי. אֶשְׁלֹף, וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מֵרִיק אֶת הַתַּעַר בִּשְׁלִיפָתוֹ וְנִשְׁאָר רֵיק, נוֹפֵל בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן הֲרָקָה, כְּמוֹ "מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם" (בראשית מ״ב:ל״ה), "וְכֵלָיו יָרִיקוּ" (ירמיהו מ״ח:י״ב). וְאַל תֹּאמַר אֵין לְשׁוֹן רֵיקוּת נוֹפֵל עַל הַיּוֹצֵא, אֶלָּא עַל הַתִּיק וְעַל הַשַּׂק וְעַל הַכְּלִי שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנָּה, אֲבָל לֹא עַל הַחֶרֶב וְעַל הַיַּיִן, וְלִדְחֹק וּלְפָרֵשׁ "אָרִיק חַרְבִּי" כִּלְשׁוֹן "וַיָּרֶק אֶת חֲנִיכָיו" (בראשית י״ד:י״ד), אֶזְדַּיֵּן בְּחַרְבִּי, מָצִינוּ הַלָּשׁוֹן מוּסָב אַף עַל הַיּוֹצֵא, "שֶׁמֶן תּוּרַק" (שיר השירים א׳:ג׳), "וְלֹא הוּרַק מִכְּלִי אֶל כֶּלִי" (ירמיהו מ״ח:י״א), לֹא הוּרַק הַכְּלִי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא לֹא הוּרַק הַיַּיִן מִכְּלִי אֶל כְּלִי, מָצִינוּ הַלָּשׁוֹן מוּסָב עַל הַיַּיִן, וְכֵן "וְהֵרִיקוּ חַרְבוֹתָם עַל יְפִי חָכְמָתֶךָ", דְּחִירָם (יחזקאל כ״ח:ז׳):
תּֽוֹרִישֵׁמוֹ - This has the meaning of “poverty” and “lack,” as in: “God impoverishes (מוֹרִישׁ) and makes rich.” 98		תּֽוֹרִישֵׁמוֹ. לְשׁוֹן רֵישׁוּת וְדַלּוּת, כְּמוֹ "מוֹרִישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁיר" (שמואל א' ב'):
10But You blew with Your wind; the sea enveloped them; they sank in the mighty water like lead.		ינָשַׁ֥פְתָּ בְרֽוּחֲךָ֖ כִּסָּ֣מוֹ יָ֑ם צָֽלֲלוּ֙ כַּֽעוֹפֶ֔רֶת בְּמַ֖יִם אַדִּירִֽים:
נָשַׁפְתָּ - This has the meaning of “blowing,” and similarly we find, וְגַם נָשַׁף בָּהֶם “He also blew on them.” 99		נָשַׁפְתָּ. לְשׁוֹן הֲפָחָה, וְכֵן "וְגַם נָשַׁף בָּהֶם" (ישעיה מ'):
צָֽלֲלוּ - means: They sank and fell deep, related to מְצוּלָה “the depths.”		צָֽלֲלוּ. שָׁקְעוּ, עָמְקוּ, לְשׁוֹן מְצוּלָה:
כַּֽעוֹפֶרֶת - means: Like lead; “plom” in Old French.		כַּֽעוֹפֶרֶת. אֲבָר, פלו"ם בְלַעַז:
11Who is like You among the mighty, God! Who is like You, resplendent in holiness, feared in praises, performer of wonders!		יאמִֽי־כָמֹ֤כָה בָּֽאֵלִם֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ נוֹרָ֥א תְהִלֹּ֖ת עֹ֥שֵׂה פֶֽלֶא:
בָּֽאֵלִם - means: Among the powerful, similar to: “and the powerful ones of the land (אֵילֵי הָאָרֶץ) he took,” 100 and “My strength (אֱיָלוּתִי), rush to my aid.” 101		בָּֽאֵלִם. בַּחֲזָקִים, כְּמוֹ "וְאֶת אֵילֵי הָאָרֶץ לָקָח" (יחזקאל י"ז). "אֱיָלוּתִי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה" (תהלים כ"ב):
נוֹרָא תְהִלֹּת - means: “You are too feared for one to relate Your praises,” in case they are described insufficiently, just as it is written: “For You, silence is praise.” 102		נוֹרָא תְהִלֹּת. יָרְאוּי מִלְּהַגִּיד תְּהִלּוֹתֶיךָ פֶן יִמְעֲטוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב "לְךָ דוּמִיָּה תְהִלָּה" (תהילים ס״ה:ב׳):
12When You tilted Your right hand, the earth swallowed them up.		יבנָטִ֨יתָ֙ יְמִ֣ינְךָ֔ תִּבְלָעֵ֖מוֹ אָֽרֶץ:
נָטִיתָ יְמִינְךָ - You tilted Your right hand. When the Holy One, blessed be He, tilts His hand, the wicked are annihilated and fall, for everything is placed in His hand and it falls with a tilt of His hand. Similarly it says: “and God will tilt His hand, and the helper will stumble and the helped will fall.” 103 This may be compared to glass vessels held in a person’s hand – he merely tilts his hand slightly and they fall and shatter.		נָטִיתָ יְמִינְךָ. כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹטֶה יָדוֹ, הָרְשָׁעִים כָּלִים וְנוֹפְלִים, לְפִי שֶׁהַכֹּל נָתוּן בְּיָדוֹ וְנוֹפְלִים בְּהַטָּיָתָהּ; וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַה' יַטֶּה יָדוֹ וְכָשַׁל עוֹזֵר וְנָפַל עָזֻר" (ישעיהו ל"א), מָשָׁל לִכְלֵי זְכוּכִית הַנְּתוּנִים בְּיַד אָדָם, מַטֶּה יָדוֹ מְעַט וְהֵן נוֹפְלִים וּמִשְׁתַּבְּרִין (מכילתא):
תִּבְלָעֵמוֹ אָֽרֶץ - The earth swallowed them up. From here we learn that the Egyptians merited burial in reward for having said: “God is the Righteous One.” 104		תִּבְלָעֵמוֹ אָֽרֶץ. מִכָּאן שֶׁזָּכוּ לִקְבוּרָה בִּשְׂכַר שֶׁאָמְרוּ ה' הַצַּדִּיק (מכילתא):
13In Your loving-kindness, You will lead the people whom You redeemed; in Your strength, You will guide them to Your holy abode.		יגנָחִ֥יתָ בְחַסְדְּךָ֖ עַם־ז֣וּ גּאָ֑לְתָּ נֵהַ֥לְתָּ בְעָזְּךָ֖ אֶל־נְוֵ֥ה קָדְשֶֽׁךָ:
נֵהַלְתָּ - This word connotes guiding. Onkelos translates it with the connotation of carrying and bearing, but in doing so he was not precise in explaining the word according to its meaning in the Hebrew language.		נֵהַלְתָּ. לְשׁוֹן מְנַהֵל, וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם לְשׁוֹן נוֹשֵׂא וְסוֹבֵל, וְלֹא דִקְדֵּק לְפָרֵשׁ אַחַר לְשׁוֹן הָעִבְרִית:
14Nations will hear and become angered. Terror will grip those who dwell in Philistia.		ידשָֽׁמְע֥וּ עַמִּ֖ים יִרְגָּז֑וּן חִ֣יל אָחַ֔ז יֽשְׁבֵ֖י פְּלָֽשֶׁת:
יִרְגָּזוּן - means here: They become angry.		יִרְגָּזוּן. מִתְרַגְּזִין:
יֽשְׁבֵי פְּלָֽשֶׁת - Those who dwell in Philistia. They were gripped with terror because they had killed the descendants of Ephraim, who had wrongly calculated an early date for the end of the exile and had left Egypt by force, as it is written explicitly in 1 Chronicles: 105 “but the men of Gath killed them.”		יֽשְׁבֵי פְּלָֽשֶׁת. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָרְגוּ אֶת בְּנֵי אֶפְרַיִם – שֶׁמִּהֲרוּ אֶת הַקֵּץ וְיָצְאוּ בְחָזְקָה כַּמְפֹרָשׁ בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים – וַהֲרָגוּם אַנְשֵׁי גַת (מכילתא):
15At that time, the chieftains of Edom will become disoriented; trembling will seize the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.		טואָ֤ז נִבְהֲלוּ֙ אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֔וֹם אֵילֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב יֹֽאחֲזֵ֖מוֹ רָ֑עַד נָמֹ֕גוּ כֹּ֖ל יֽשְׁבֵ֥י כְנָֽעַן:
אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אֵילֵי מוֹאָב - The chieftains of Edom…the mighty men of Moab. But surely they should not have feared anything, for Israel was not heading to fight against them! Rather, it was on account of their distress, for they were distressed and upset about Israel’s glory more than other nations.		אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אֵילֵי מוֹאָב. וַהֲלֹא לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם לִירֹא כְלוּם, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא עֲלֵיהֶם הוֹלְכִים? אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי אֲנִינוּת שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְאוֹנְנִים וּמִצְטַעֲרִים עַל כְּבוֹדָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (ילקוט שמעוני):
נָמֹגוּ - means “they melted,” as in: “You soften it (תְּמֹגְגֶנָּה) with raindrops.” 106 They said, “The Israelites are coming against us to destroy us and to take possession of our land.”		נָמֹגוּ. נָמַסּוּ, כְּמוֹ "בִּרְבִיבִים תְּמוֹגְגֶנָּה" (תהלים ס"ה), אָמְרוּ, עָלֵינוּ הֵם בָּאִים, לְכַלּוֹתֵינוּ וְלִירַשׁ אֶת אַרְצֵנוּ (מכילתא):
16Dread and terror will fall upon them. They will remain still as stone in fear of the greatness of Your arm until Your nation passes over, God, until this nation whom You acquired passes over.		טזתִּפֹּ֨ל עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם אֵימָ֨תָה֙ וָפַ֔חַד בִּגְדֹ֥ל זְרֽוֹעֲךָ֖ יִדְּמ֣וּ כָּאָ֑בֶן עַד־יַֽעֲבֹ֤ר עַמְּךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה עַד־יַֽעֲבֹ֖ר עַם־ז֥וּ קָנִֽיתָ:
תִּפֹּל עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָתָה - (lit.) Upon them will fall dread - upon those who are far		תִּפֹּל עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָתָה. עַל הָרְחוֹקִים:
וָפַחַד - (lit.) and terror. upon those who are near, similar to what it says indeed happened: “For we have heard how God dried up….” 107		וָפַחַד. עַל הַקְּרוֹבִים, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי שָׁמַעְנוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר הוֹבִישׁ וְגוֹ'" (יהושע ב'):
עַד־יַֽעֲבֹר עַד־יַֽעֲבֹר - Until [Your nation] passes over…until [this nation]…passes over - The meaning of the double expression is as Onkelos translates it: “Until Your nation passes the Arnon River, God, until this nation…passes over the Jordan River.”		עַד־יַֽעֲבֹר עַד־יַֽעֲבֹר. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
קָנִֽיתָ - Whom you acquired - i.e., whom You have endeared more than other nations, like an object bought at a high price, which is therefore dear to the person who bought it.		קָנִֽיתָ. חִבַּבְתָּ מִשְּׁאָר אֻמּוֹת, כְּחֵפֶץ הַקָּנוּי בְּדָמִים יְקָרִים שֶׁחָבִיב עַל הָאָדָם:
17You will bring them and plant them around the mountain of Your inheritance, the place that You, God, have prepared for Your abode. May Your hands, God, establish this Sanctuary when		יזתְּבִאֵ֗מוֹ וְתִטָּעֵ֨מוֹ֙ בְּהַ֣ר נַֽחֲלָֽתְךָ֔ מָכ֧וֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֛ פָּעַ֖לְתָּ יְהֹוָ֑ה מִקְּדָ֕שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כּֽוֹנְנ֥וּ יָדֶֽיךָ:
תְּבִאֵמוֹ - You will bring them. Moses unwittingly prophesied here that he would not enter the Land of Israel, and therefore Scripture does not say תְּבִאֵנוּ “You will bring us.”		תְּבִאֵמוֹ. נִתְנַבֵּא מֹשֶׁה שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ לְכָךְ לֹא נֶאֱמַר "תְּבִיאֵנוּ" (בבא בתרא קי"ט):
מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ - Prepared for Your abode (or “seat”) - i.e., the Sanctuary below on earth corresponds (מְכֻוָּן) directly to the Divine Throne above that “You have prepared.”		מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ. מִקְדָּשׁ שֶׁל מַטָּה מְכֻוָּן כְּנֶגֶד כִּסֵּא שֶׁל מַעְלָה אֲשֶׁר פָּעַלְתָּ (מכילתא):
מִקְּדָשׁ ה' - The Sanctuary. The cantillation note on this word is a zakef gadol, which separates it from the following word – the Divine Name. Thus, the word is not in the construct state; its meaning is: “the Sanctuary that Your hands have established, God.” The Holy Temple is especially beloved by God, for the world was created with one hand, as it says: “My hand (יָדִי) also founded the earth,” 108 but the Holy Temple will be built with God’s two hands, as stated here. And when will it in fact be built with His two hands? At the time when “God will reign forever and ever,” i.e., in the future, when He will have supreme sovereignty.		מִקְּדָשׁ ה'. הַטַּעַם עָלָיו זָקֵף גָּדוֹל, לְהַפְרִידוֹ מִתֵּבַת הַשֵּׁם שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו, הַמִּקְדָּשׁ אֲשֶׁר כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ ה'. חָבִיב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁהָעוֹלָם נִבְרָא בְּיָד אַחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ" (ישעיהו מ"ח), וּמִקְדָּשׁ בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדַיִם, וְאֵימָתַי יִבָּנֶה בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדַיִם? בִּזְמַן שֶׁ"ה' יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד" – לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא שֶׁכָּל הַמְּלוּכָה שֶׁלּוֹ:
18God will reign forever and ever.”		יחיְהֹוָ֥ה \| יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד:
לְעֹלָם וָעֶֽד - Forever and ever. The word וָעֶד denotes eternity, and the ו is part of the word; therefore it is vocalized with a patach. But the word וָעֵד in: וְאָנֹכִי הַיּוֹדֵעַ וָעֵד “and I am the knower and the witness,” 109 where the ו is a prefix, it is vocalized with a kamatz.		לְעֹלָם וָעֶֽד. לְשׁוֹן עוֹלָמוּת הוּא וְהַוָּי"ו בּוֹ יְסוֹד, לְפִיכָךְ הִיא פְּתוּחָה, אֲבָל "אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹדֵעַ וָעֵד" (ירמיהו כ"ט), שֶׁהַוָּי"ו בּוֹ שִׁמּוּשׁ, קְמוּצָה הִיא:
19For the horses of Pharaoh, with his chariots and horsemen, went into the sea, and God turned the water of the sea back on them while the Israelites had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.		יטכִּ֣י בָא֩ ס֨וּס פַּרְעֹ֜ה בְּרִכְבּ֤וֹ וּבְפָֽרָשָׁיו֙ בַּיָּ֔ם וַיָּ֧שֶׁב יְהֹוָ֛ה עֲלֵהֶ֖ם אֶת־מֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם וּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָֽלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּֽם:
כִּי בָא סוּס פַּרְעֹה - means: When Pharaoh’s horses, etc., entered.		כִּי בָא סוּס פַּרְעֹה. כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּא:
20Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took her timbrel in hand, and all the women followed her with timbrels and dancing.		כוַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַֽהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כָל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַֽחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת:
וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה - Miriam the prophetess took. When did she prophesy? When she was only “Aaron’s sister,” i.e., before Moses was born. She said then, “My mother is going to give birth to a son who will redeem Israel,” as is stated in Sotah. 110 Another explanation of “Aaron’s sister”: Because he risked his life for her when she was stricken with tzara’at, she is called by his name.		וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה. הֵיכָן נִתְנַבְּאָה? כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן, קֹדֶם שֶׁנּוֹלַד מֹשֶׁה, אָמְרָה עֲתִידָה אִמִּי שֶׁתֵּלֵד בֵּן וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסוֹטָה. (דף י"ב). דָּבָר אַחֵר — אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן, לְפִי שֶׁמָּסַר נַפְשׁוֹ עָלֶיהָ כְּשֶׁנִּצְטָרְעָה נִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמוֹ:
אֶת־הַתֹּף - is a musical instrument.		אֶת־הַתֹּף. כְּלִי שֶׁל מִינֵי זֶמֶר:
בְּתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת - With timbrels and dancing. The righteous women of that generation were confident that the Holy One, blessed be He, would perform miracles for them, so they brought timbrels out with them from Egypt.		בְּתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת. מֻבְטָחוֹת הָיוּ צַדְקָנִיּוֹת שֶׁבַּדּוֹר שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים וְהוֹצִיאוּ תֻפִּים מִמִּצְרַיִם (מכילתא):
21Miriam led them in responsive song, beginning, “Sing to God for He is most exalted; horse and rider He cast into the sea.”		כאוַתַּ֥עַן לָהֶ֖ם מִרְיָ֑ם שִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹֽכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם:
וַתַּעַן לָהֶם מִרְיָם - (lit.) Miriam caused a response for them. Moses recited the Song for the men – he said a phrase and they responded after him – and Miriam recited the Song for the women in the same way.		וַתַּעַן לָהֶם מִרְיָם. מֹשֶׁה אָמַר שִׁירָה לָאֲנָשִׁים – הוּא אוֹמֵר וְהֵם עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו – וּמִרְיָם אָמְרָה שִׁירָה לַנָּשִׁים (סוטה ל'):
22Moses made the Israelites set out from the Sea of Reeds. They went out into the Shur Desert. They walked for three days in the desert without finding any water.		כבוַיַּסַּ֨ע משֶׁ֤ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִיַּם־ס֔וּף וַיֵּֽצְא֖וּ אֶל־מִדְבַּר־שׁ֑וּר וַיֵּֽלְכ֧וּ שְׁלֽשֶׁת־יָמִ֛ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְלֹא־מָ֥צְאוּ מָֽיִם:
וַיַּסַּע משֶׁה - Moses made [the Israelites] travel - i.e., he compelled them to travel against their will; for the Egyptians had adorned their horses with gold and silver ornaments and precious jewels, and Israel were discovering them in the sea – and the booty taken at the sea exceeded the booty taken from Egypt, as it says: “God and the Heavenly Court said: ‘We will make rows of gold jewelry for you, besides those studded with silver’” 111 – therefore it was necessary to compel them to travel.		וַיַּסַּע משֶׁה. הִסִּיעָן בְּעַל כָּרְחָם, שֶׁעִטְּרוּ מִצְרַיִם אֶת סוּסֵיהֶם בְּתַכְשִׁיטֵי זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת, וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹצְאִין אוֹתָן בַּיָּם – וּגְדוֹלָה הָיְתָה בִזַּת הַיָּם מִבִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "תּוֹרֵי זָהָב נַעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ עִם נְקֻדּוֹת הַכָּסֶף" (שיר השירים א') – לְפִיכָךְ הֻצְרַךְ לְהַסִּיעָן בְּעַל כָּרְחָם:
23They came to Marah, but they could not drink water from the stream at Marah, for the water was bitter; that was why it was named Marah [“bitter”].		כגוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ מָרָ֔תָה וְלֹ֣א יָֽכְל֗וּ לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת מַ֨יִם֙ מִמָּרָ֔ה כִּ֥י מָרִ֖ים הֵ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָֽרָא־שְׁמָ֖הּ מָרָֽה:
וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה - They came to Marah. The word מָרָתָה is the same as לְמָרָה “to Marah” – for the ה suffix takes the place of a ל prefix; and the ת is in place of the ה that is part of the word מָרָה, for in its construct form – which the word must take since it is next to the ה suffix added in place of the ל prefix – the ה integral to the word turns into a ת. Similarly, any integral ה at the end of a word turns into a ת when followed by another letter, as in חֵמָה אֵין לִי 112 and וַחֲמָתוֹ בָּעֲרָה בוֹ, 113 where we see that the ה integral to the word חֵמָה changes to a ת (וַחֲמָתוֹ) because it is followed by the added ו; and similarly עֶבֶד וְאָמָה 114 and הִנֵּה אֲמָתִי בִלְהָה, 115 where אָמָה becomes אֲמָתִי; and לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה 116 and וְזִהֲמַתּוּ חַיָּתוֹ לָחֶם, 117 where חַיָּה becomes חַיָּתוֹ; and בֵּין הָרָמָה 118 and וּתְשֻׁבָתוֹ הָרָמָתָה, 119 where הָרָמָה becomes הָרָמָתָה, because of the suffixes in each case.		וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה. כְּמוֹ לְמָרָה, ה"א בְּסוֹף תֵּבָה בִּמְקוֹם למ"ד בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ, וְהַתָּי"ו הִיא בִּמְקוֹם ה"א הַנִּשְׁרֶשֶׁת בְּתֵבַת מָרָה, וּבִסְמִיכָתָהּ, כְּשֶׁהִיא נִדְבֶּקֶת לַהֵ"א שֶׁהוּא מוֹסִיף בִּמְקוֹם הַלָּמֶ"ד, תֵּהָפֵךְ הַהֵ"א שֶׁל שֹׁרֶשׁ לְתָי"ו; וְכֵן כָּל הֵ"א שֶׁהִיא שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּבָה תִּתְהַפֵּךְ לְתָי"ו בִּסְמִיכָתָהּ, כְּמוֹ "חֵמָה אֵין לִי" (ישעיהו כ"ז), "וַחֲמָתוֹ בָּעֲרָה בוֹ" (אסתר א'), הֲרֵי הֵ"א שֶׁל שֹׁרֶשׁ נֶהְפֶּכֶת לְתָי"ו מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּסְמֶכֶת אֶל הַוָּי"ו הַנּוֹסֶפֶת, וְכֵן "עֶבֶד וְאָמָה" (ויקרא כ"ה), "הִנֵּה אֲמָתִי בִלְהָה" (בראשית ל'), "לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה" (בראשית ב׳:ז׳), "וְזִהֲמַתּוּ חַיָּתוֹ לָחֶם" (איוב ל"ג), "בֵּין הָרָמָה" (שופטים ד'), "וּתְשֻׁבָתוֹ הָרָמָתָה" (שמואל א ז'):
24The people complained against Moses, saying, “What should we drink?”		כדוַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ הָעָ֛ם עַל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר מַה־נִּשְׁתֶּֽה:
וַיִּלֹּנוּ - They complained. This is a nif’al (passive) form, and similarly Onkelos’ translation is also a nif’al form: וְאִתְרַעַמוּ. And so it is typical for the verb denoting “complaining” in Hebrew to have the verb reflect back to the subject as in מִתְלוֹנֵן or מִתְרוֹעֵם, and one does not say לוֹנֵן or רוֹעֵם. And similarly one says in Old French: “decomplesent se” (“complaining”), referring back to the subject of the verb by saying “se” (to himself).		וַיִּלֹּנוּ. לְשׁוֹן נִפְעָל הוּא, וְכֵן הַתַּרְגּוּם לְשׁוֹן נִפְעָל הוּא וְאִתְרַעֲמוּ, וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ לְשׁוֹן תְּלוּנָה לְהָסֵב הַדִּבּוּר אֶל הָאָדָם – מִתְלוֹנֵן, מִתְרוֹעֵם וְלֹא אָמַר לוֹנֵן, רוֹעֵם, וְכֵן יֹאמַר הַלּוֹעֵז דקומפ"לישנ"ט ש"י בְלַעַז, מֵסֵב הַדִּבּוּר אֵלָיו בְּאָמְרוֹ ש"י:
25He cried out to God, and God showed him a tree; he threw a branch of it into the water and the water became sweet. It was there that God gave him a rule and an ordinance. There He tested them.		כהוַיִּצְעַ֣ק אֶל־יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיּוֹרֵ֤הוּ יְהֹוָה֙ עֵ֔ץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֙ אֶל־הַמַּ֔יִם וַיִּמְתְּק֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם שָׁ֣ם שָׂ֥ם ל֛וֹ חֹ֥ק וּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט וְשָׁ֥ם נִסָּֽהוּ:
שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ - There He gave him. At Marah He gave them some sections of the Torah to study: the laws of the Sabbath, “the red cow,” and civil justice.		שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ. בְּמָרָה נָתַן לָהֶם מִקְצָת פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁל תּוֹרָה שֶׁיִּתְעַסְּקוּ בָהֶם, שַׁבָּת וּפָרָה אֲדֻמָּה וְדִינִין (סנהדרין נ"ו):
וְשָׁם נִסָּֽהוּ - (lit.) And there He tested him - i.e., God tested the people and saw their stubbornness, that they did not seek help from Moses with polite words: “Ask mercy for us that we have water to drink,” but complained instead.		וְשָׁם נִסָּֽהוּ. לָעָם, וְרָאָה קְשִׁי עָרְפּוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא נִמְלְכוּ בְמֹשֶׁה בְּלָשׁוֹן יָפָה "בַּקֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ רַחֲמִים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָנוּ מַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת" אֶלָּא נִתְלוֹנְנוּ:
26God said, “If you diligently heed the voice of God, your God, and do what is upright in His eyes—carefully listening to His commandments and observing all His rules, I will bring none of the illnesses that I brought upon Egypt upon you, for I am God who heals you.”		כווַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ אִם־שָׁמ֨וֹעַ תִּשְׁמַ֜ע לְק֣וֹל \| יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ וְהַיָּשָׁ֤ר בְּעֵינָיו֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְהַֽאֲזַנְתָּ֙ לְמִצְו‍ֹתָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֖ כָּל־חֻקָּ֑יו כָּל־הַמַּֽחֲלָ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֤מְתִּי בְמִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לֹֽא־אָשִׂ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה רֹֽפְאֶֽךָ:
אִם־שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע - If you diligently heed. This refers to the acceptance of God’s word, taking upon themselves to do what He says.		אִם־שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע. זוֹ קַבָּלָה שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם:
תַּֽעֲשֶׂה - Do. This refers to the performance of God’s word.		תַּֽעֲשֶׂה. הִיא עֲשִׂיָּה:
וְהַֽאֲזַנְתָּ - means: incline the ear to fulfill the commandments precisely in detail.		וְהַֽאֲזַנְתָּ. תַּטֶּה אָזְנַיִם לְדַקְדֵּק בָּהֶם:
כָּל־חֻקָּיו - All his rules. This refers to things that are purely the decree of God, the King, without any apparent reason, and about them the evil inclination criticizes, “What prohibition should there be in these things? Why were they forbidden?” such as wearing a garment with a mixture of wool and linen, eating swine, the law of the red cow, and similar commandments.		כָּל־חֻקָּיו. דְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָן אֶלָּא גְּזֵרַת מֶלֶךְ, בְּלֹא שׁוּם טַעַם, וְיֵצֶר הָרָע מְקַנְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם: מָה אִסּוּר בְּאֵלּוּ? לָמָּה נֶאֶסְרוּ? כְּגוֹן לְבִישַׁת כִּלְאַיִם וַאֲכִילַת חֲזִיר וּפָרָה אֲדֻמָּה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם (יומא ס"ז):
לֹֽא־אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ - (lit.) I will not bring upon you – and if I do bring them upon you, it will be as if I had not brought them upon you, “for I am God who heals you.” This is its Midrashic explanation. But according to its plain sense it means: “for I am God who heals you” - and I am teaching you the Torah and its commandments in order that you be spared of any disease – like a doctor says to a man: “Do not eat this thing lest it cause you to become ill” – the analogy to the doctor’s warning being God’s warning regarding diligence in attention to the commandments. And so it says: “The wisdom of the Torah will be a remedy for your body.” 120		לֹֽא־אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ. וְאִם אָשִׂים הֲרֵי הוּא כְּלֹא הוּשְׂמָה, כי אני ה' רפאך – זֶהוּ מִדְרָשׁוֹ. וּלְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ כִּי אֲנִי ה' רֹפְאֶךָ וּמְלַמֶּדְךָ תוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת לְמַעַן תִּנָּצֵל מֵהֶם, כָּרוֹפֵא הַזֶּה הָאוֹמֵר לָאָדָם, אַל תֹּאכַל דָּבָר זֶה פֶּן יְבִיאֲךָ לִידֵי חֹלִי זֶה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "רִפְאוּת תְּהִי לְשָׁרֶּךָ" (משלי ג'):

Footnotes

1 Kings 7:8.

1 Kings 11:7.

Shabbat 56b.

Sanhedrin 91b.

1 Kings 6:5.

Numbers 14:36-37.

1 Kings 2:2.

Shabbat 51b.

Yevamot 63a.

1 Samuel 2:7.

Sotah 13a.

1 Samuel 7:17.

Fifth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 15

27They came to Eilim, where there were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms. They camped there, by the water.		כזוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ אֵילִ֔מָה וְשָׁ֗ם שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֛ה עֵינֹ֥ת מַ֖יִם וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים תְּמָרִ֑ים וַיַּֽחֲנוּ־שָׁ֖ם עַל־הַמָּֽיִם:
שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינֹת מַיִם - 12 springs of water - they were found ready for them, corresponding to the 12 tribes.		שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינֹת מַיִם. כְּנֶגֶד י"ב שְׁבָטִים נִזְדַּמְּנוּ לָהֶם:
וְשִׁבְעִים תְּמָרִים - And 70 date palms - corresponding to the 70 elders.		וְשִׁבְעִים תְּמָרִים. כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים (מכילתא):

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 16

1They moved on from Eilim. The entire community of the Israelites came to the Sin Desert, which is between Eilim and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after they had left Egypt.		אוַיִּסְעוּ֙ מֵֽאֵילִ֔ם וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־מִדְבַּר־סִ֔ין אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽין־אֵילִ֖ם וּבֵ֣ין סִינָ֑י בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י לְצֵאתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם - On the 15th day. The date of this encampment is stated explicitly, because on that day the bread that they had brought out with them from Egypt was used up and they therefore required the manna. This comes to teach us that they ate 61 meals from what remained of the dough they baked in Egypt – and the manna fell for them on the sixteenth of Iyar, which was the first day of the week, as is stated in Tractate Shabbat. 1		בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם. נִתְפָּרֵשׁ הַיּוֹם שֶׁל חֲנָיָה זוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁבּוֹ בַיּוֹם כָּלְתָה הַחֲרָרָה שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְהֻצְרְכוּ לַמָּן, לְלַמְּדֵנוּ, שֶׁאָכְלוּ מִשְּׁיָרֵי הַבָּצֵק שִׁשִּׁים וְאַחַת סְעוּדוֹת וְיָרַד לָהֶם מָן בְּשִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּאִיָּר, וְיוֹם א' בְּשַׁבָּת הָיָה כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (פ"ז):
2The entire community of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the desert.		בוַיִּלּ֜וֹנוּ (כתיב וילינו) כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל עַל־משֶׁ֥ה וְעַל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן בַּמִּדְבָּֽר:
וַיִּלּוֹנוּ - They complained - because their bread had finished.		וַיִּלּוֹנוּ. לְפִי שֶׁכָּלָה הַלֶּחֶם:
3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died at the hand of God in Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread! But you have taken us out to this desert, to starve this entire assembly to death!”		גוַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מוּתֵ֤נוּ בְיַד־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּ֨נוּ֙ עַל־סִ֣יר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר בְּאָכְלֵ֥נוּ לֶ֖חֶם לָשׂ֑בַע כִּי־הֽוֹצֵאתֶ֤ם אֹתָ֨נוּ֙ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְהָמִ֛ית אֶת־כָּל־הַקָּהָ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בָּֽרָעָֽב:
מִֽי־יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ - מוּתֵנוּ means: “that we die.” It is not a noun like מוֹתֵנוּ “our death,” but an infinitive like עֲשׂוֹתֵנוּ, חֲנוֹתֵנוּ, שׁוּבֵנוּ, which mean, respectively: “that we do”; “that we encamp.”; “that we return” Here, too, מוּתֵנוּ means “that we die.” Similarly, Onkelos translates this phrase as לְוַי דְּמִיתְנָא, the same as the Hebrew לוּ מַתְנוּ, meaning: “if only we would have died.”		מִֽי־יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ. שֶׁנָּמוּת; וְאֵינוֹ שֵׁם דָּבָר כְּמוֹ מִיתָתֵנוּ, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ עֲשׂוֹתֵנוּ חֲנוֹתֵנוּ שׁוּבֵנוּ, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲנַחְנוּ, לַחֲנוֹת אֲנַחְנוּ, לָמוּת אֲנַחְנוּ. תַּרְגּוּמוֹ לְוַי דְּמִיתְנָא, "לוּ מַתְנוּ" (במדבר יד, ב) — הַלְוַאי וְהָיִינוּ מֵתִים:
4God said to Moses, “I am going to rain down bread for you from the sky. The people will go out and gather each day’s portion on that day. This way, I will test them as to whether or not they will follow My teaching.		דוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה הִֽנְנִ֨י מַמְטִ֥יר לָכֶ֛ם לֶ֖חֶם מִן־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְיָצָ֨א הָעָ֤ם וְלָֽקְטוּ֙ דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ לְמַ֧עַן אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ הֲיֵלֵ֥ךְ בְּתֽוֹרָתִ֖י אִם־לֹֽא:
דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ - Each day’s portion on that day - i.e., what is needed for each day’s food they must gather on that day, but they may not gather today for tomorrow’s needs.		דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ. צֹרֶךְ אֲכִילַת יוֹם יִלְקְטוּ בְּיוֹמוֹ וְלֹא הַיּוֹם לְצֹרֶךְ מָחָר (מכילתא):
לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתֽוֹרָתִי - This way I will test them as to whether they will follow My teaching - i.e., if they will follow My commands associated with the manna: that they not leave any of it over until the next day, and that they not go out on the Sabbath to gather it.		לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתֽוֹרָתִי. אִם יִשְׁמְרוּ מִצְווֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בּוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יוֹתִירוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא יֵצְאוּ בַּשַּׁבָּת לִלְקֹט:
5On the sixth day, they must prepare what they bring in, and it will miraculously be twice as much as they gather each day.”		הוְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י וְהֵכִ֖ינוּ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־יָבִ֑יאוּ וְהָיָ֣ה מִשְׁנֶ֔ה עַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יִלְקְט֖וּ י֥וֹם \| יֽוֹם:
וְהָיָה מִשְׁנֶה - And it will be twice as much - i.e., for today and tomorrow.		וְהָיָה מִשְׁנֶה. לַיּוֹם וְלַמָּחֳרָת:
מִשְׁנֶה - Twice as much - as what they were usually gathering on each day of the other days of the week. I say that the words “what they bring in, and it will be twice as much” imply that after they will bring it in they will discover it to measure double what they were gathering and measuring each day; and this is also the meaning of: “they gathered a double portion of bread,” 2 that once it was gathered it was discovered to be double the amount of bread; and this, too, is the meaning of: “that is why on the sixth day He gives you food for two days,” 3 that He gives you blessing – in Old French: “foyson” (“abundance”) – in your house to fill the omer-measure twice, as food for two days.		מִשְׁנֶה. עַל שֶׁהָיוּ רְגִילִים לִלְקֹט יוֹם יוֹם שֶׁל שְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ; אוֹמֵר אֲנִי "אֲשֶׁר יָבִיאוּ וְהָיָה מִשְׁנֶה" – לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּבִיאוּ, יִמְצְאוּ מִשְׁנֶה בַּמְּדִידָה עַל אֲשֶׁר יִלְקְטוּ וְיָמֹדּוּ יוֹם יוֹם, וְזֶהוּ לָקְטוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה – בִּלְקִיטָתוֹ הָיָה נִמְצָא לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה. וְזֶהוּ עַל כֵּן הוּא נוֹתֵן לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי לֶחֶם יוֹמָיִם – נוֹתֵן לָכֶם בְּרָכָה, פוי"שן, בַּבַּיִת לְמַלֹּאת הָעֹמֶר פַּעֲמַיִם לְלֶחֶם יוֹמַיִם:
6Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the late afternoon, you will recognize that it is God who took you out of Egypt.		ווַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־כָּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עֶ֕רֶב וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה הוֹצִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
עֶרֶב - is the same as לָעֶרֶב – in the evening.		עֶרֶב. כְּמוֹ לָעֶרֶב:
וִֽידַעְתֶּם כִּי ה' הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם - You will recognize that it is God who took you out of Egypt. Since you said to us: “but you have taken us out,” 4 you will now know that it is not we who took you out, but it is God who took you out, for He will bring the flight of quails for you.		וִֽידַעְתֶּם כִּי ה' הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם. לְפִי שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם לָנוּ כִּי הוֹצֵאתֶם אוֹתָנוּ, תֵּדְעוּ כִּי לֹא אֲנַחְנוּ הַמּוֹצִיאִים אֶלָּא ה' הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם שֶׁיָּגִיז לָכֶם אֶת הַשְּׂלָו:
7In the morning, you will see the glory of God, which He will reveal to you despite having heard your complaints against God. For what are we, that you should incite others to complain against us?”		זוּבֹ֗קֶר וּרְאִיתֶם֙ אֶת־כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּשָׁמְע֥וֹ אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְנַ֣חְנוּ מָ֔ה כִּ֥י תַלִּ֖ינוּ (כתיב תלונו) עָלֵֽינוּ:
וּבֹקֶר וּרְאִיתֶם - And in the morning you will see [the glory of God]. This is not referring to that revelation of God’s glory of which it says: “they beheld the glory of God in a cloud.” 5 Rather, this is what in effect Moses said to them: In the evening, you will realize that God has the ability to provide what you crave, for He will give you meat. However, He will not give it to you with a “shining countenance,” for you asked for it improperly, i.e., as an impudent complaint, and out of a “full stomach.” But as for bread, for which you asked out of necessity, expressing your faith that God can provide for you – when it comes down in the morning, you will see the glory of the light of His countenance, for He will have it come down for you in a loving manner – in the morning, when there is enough time to prepare it, and protected with a layer of dew above and a layer of dew below, as if it were enclosed in a box.		וּבֹקֶר וּרְאִיתֶם. לֹא עַל הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהִנֵּה כְּבוֹד ה' נִרְאָה בֶּעָנָן" נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם, עֶרֶב וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי הַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לִתֵּן תַּאֲוַתְכֶם, וּבָשָׂר יִתֵּן, אַךְ לֹא בְּפָנִים מְאִירוֹת יִתְּנֶנָּה לָכֶם, כִּי שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן שְׁאַלְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ וּמִכָּרֵס מְלֵאָה, וְהַלֶּחֶם שֶׁשְּׁאַלְתֶּם לְצֹרֶךְ, בִּירִידָתוֹ לַבֹּקֶר תִּרְאוּ אֶת כְּבוֹד אוֹר פָּנָיו – שֶׁיּוֹרִידֵהוּ לָכֶם דֶּרֶךְ חִבָּה, בַּבֹּקֶר, שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁעוֹת לַהֲכִינוֹ וְטַל מִלְמַעְלָה וְטַל מִלְּמַטָּה, כְּמֻנָּח בְּקֻפְסָא (יומא ע"ה):
אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶם עַל־ה' - means here the same as תְּלֻנֹּתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר עַל ה׳ – Your complaints, which are against God.		אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶם עַל־ה'. כְּמוֹ אֲשֶׁר עַל ה':
וְנַחְנוּ מָה - For what are we - i.e., of what importance are we.		וְנַחְנוּ מָה. מָה אֲנַחְנוּ חֲשׁוּבִין?
כִּי תלינו עָלֵֽינוּ - means: “that you make everyone complain against us” – your sons, your wives, your daughters, and the mixed multitude. I must perforce explain תַּלִּינוּ as a hif’il (causative) form, because of the dagesh it has in the ל and its vocalization – for if it were without a dagesh (תָּלִינוּ), I would explain it as a kal (simple) form, as in וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל מֹשֶׁה “and the people complained against Moses”; 6 or if it did have a dagesh but it did not have a י, being read as תִּלּוֹנוּ, I would explain it as meaning תִּתְלוֹנְנוּ “you bring yourself to complain.” Now, however, that it is read as תַּלִּינוּ, its meaning is “you cause others to complain,” just as is written about the spies: וַיַּלִּינוּ עָלָיו אֶת כָּל הָעֵדָה “and they caused the entire community to complain against Moses.” 7		כִּי תלינו עָלֵֽינוּ. שֶׁתַּרְעִימוּ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַכֹּל, וְאֶת בְּנֵיכֶם וּנְשֵׁיכֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיכֶם וְעֵרֶב רַב. וְעַל כָּרְחִי אֲנִי זָקוּק לְפָרֵשׁ תַּלִּינוּ בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּפְעִילוּ מִפְּנֵי דַּגְשׁוּתוֹ וּקְרִיָּתוֹ, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה רָפֶה, הָיִיתִי מְפָרְשׁוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן תִּפְעֲלוּ, כְּמוֹ "וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל מֹשֶׁה" (שמות י"ז), אוֹ אִם הָיָה דָגוּשׁ וְאֵין בּוֹ יוֹ"ד וְנִקְרָא תִלּוֹנוּ, הָיִיתִי מְפָרְשׁוֹ לְשׁוֹן תִּתְלוֹנְנוּ, עַכְשָׁיו הוּא מַשְׁמַע תַּלִּינוּ אֶת אֲחֵרִים, כְּמוֹ בַּמְּרַגְּלִים "וַיַּלִּינוּ עָלָיו אֶת כָּל הָעֵדָה" (במדבר י"ד):
8Moses said, “You will see the glory of God when God gives you meat to eat in the late afternoon and bread to satiety in the morning, despite God having heard your complaints that you incite others to complain against Him. For what are we? Your complaints are not against us, but against God!”		חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה בְּתֵ֣ת יְהֹוָה֩ לָכֶ֨ם בָּעֶ֜רֶב בָּשָׂ֣ר לֶֽאֱכֹ֗ל וְלֶ֤חֶם בַּבֹּ֨קֶר֙ לִשְׂבֹּ֔עַ בִּשְׁמֹ֤עַ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם מַלִּינִ֖ם עָלָ֑יו וְנַ֣חְנוּ מָ֔ה לֹֽא־עָלֵ֥ינוּ תְלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶ֖ם כִּ֥י עַל־יְהֹוָֽה:
בָּשָׂר לֶֽאֱכֹל - Meat to eat - but not “to satiety” as is stated regarding bread. Although both bread and meat were in fact provided in abundance, the Torah here teaches us proper conduct, that one should not eat meat to satiety. And why did God see fit to bring down bread in the morning and meat in the evening? Because for bread their request was appropriate, since a person cannot subsist without bread, but their request for meat was inappropriate, for they possessed many animals, and furthermore, they could survive without meat; He therefore gave it to them when it is difficult to prepare, i.e., in an inconvenient manner.		בָּשָׂר לֶֽאֱכֹל. וְלֹא לִשְׂבֹּעַ; לִמְּדָה תוֹרָה דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁאֵין אוֹכְלִין בָּשָׂר לָשֹׂבַע. וּמָה רָאָה לְהוֹרִיד לֶחֶם בַּבֹּקֶר וּבָשָׂר בָּעֶרֶב? לְפִי שֶׁהַלֶּחֶם שָׁאֲלוּ כַּהֹגֶן, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לָאָדָם בְּלֹא לֶחֶם, אֲבָל בָּשָׂר שָׁאֲלוּ שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן, שֶׁהַרְבֵּה בְהֵמוֹת הָיוּ לָהֶם, וְעוֹד שֶׁהָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם בְּלֹא בָשָׂר, לְפִיכָךְ נָתַן לָהֶם בִּשְׁעַת טֹרַח שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן (יומא ע"ה):
אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם מַלִּינִם עָלָיו - That you incite to complain against Him - the other people who hear you complaining.		אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם מַלִּינִם עָלָיו. אֶת הָאֲחֵרִים הַשּׁוֹמְעִים אֶתְכֶם מִתְלוֹנְנִים:
9Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the entire community of the Israelites, ‘Draw near before God, for He has heard your complaints.’”		טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֱמֹ֗ר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל קִרְב֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע אֵ֖ת תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶֽם:
קִרְבוּ - Draw near - to the place where the cloud would descend.		קִרְבוּ. לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֶעָנָן יֵרֵד:
10When Aaron spoke to the entire community of the Israelites and they turned toward the desert, they beheld the glory of God in a cloud.		יוַיְהִ֗י כְּדַבֵּ֤ר אַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּפְנ֖וּ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְהִנֵּה֙ כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה נִרְאָ֖ה בֶּֽעָנָֽן:

Footnotes

Shabbat 87b.

Sixth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 16

11God then spoke to Moses, saying,		יאוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
12“I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Speak to them and say, ‘In the late afternoon you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread to satiety, and then you will recognize that I am God, your God.’”		יבשָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶת־תְּלוּנֹּת֘ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ דַּבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר בֵּ֤ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֨יִם֙ תֹּֽאכְל֣וּ בָשָׂ֔ר וּבַבֹּ֖קֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ־לָ֑חֶם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
13In the late afternoon, quails came up and covered the camp. In the morning, there was a layer of dew around the camp.		יגוַיְהִ֣י בָעֶ֔רֶב וַתַּ֣עַל הַשְּׂלָ֔ו וַתְּכַ֖ס אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה וּבַבֹּ֗קֶר הָֽיְתָה֙ שִׁכְבַ֣ת הַטָּ֔ל סָבִ֖יב לַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
הַשְּׂלָו - Quails. A species of bird that is very fatty.		הַשְּׂלָו. מִין עוֹף וְשָׁמֵן מְאֹד (יומא ע"ה):
הָֽיְתָה שִׁכְבַת הַטּל - There was a layer of dew - i.e., the dew lay on top of the manna. But in another place it says: “When the dew descended…the manna would descend upon it.” 1 We must then say that the dew fell on the ground and the manna fell on top of it, and then dew fell again on top of the manna such that it was as if enclosed in a box.		הָֽיְתָה שִׁכְבַת הַטּל. הַטַּל שׁוֹכֵב עַל הַמָּן, וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר י"א) "וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל וְגוֹ'", הַטַּל יוֹרֵד עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְהַמָּן יוֹרֵד עָלָיו, וְחוֹזֵר וְיוֹרֵד טַל עָלָיו, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּמֻנָּח בְּקֻפְסָא (יומא שם):
14When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, over the surface of the desert, a thin substance that had been packed in the dew was exposed, as if the upper layer of dew had been peeled back. This substance had a thin crust on top and was as fine as the frost on the ground.		ידוַתַּ֖עַל שִׁכְבַ֣ת הַטָּ֑ל וְהִנֵּ֞ה עַל־פְּנֵ֤י הַמִּדְבָּר֙ דַּ֣ק מְחֻסְפָּ֔ס דַּ֥ק כַּכְּפֹ֖ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
וַתַּעַל שִׁכְבַת הַטָּל וגו' - The layer of dew evaporated… When the sun shone, the dew above the manna rose toward the sun, as is the manner of dew to ascend toward the sun – for even if you fill an eggshell with dew, seal its opening, and leave it in the sun, it rises by itself in the air. But our rabbis 2 expounded these words to mean that the dew rose from the ground into the air and the manna came down from heaven, unlike the natural order of Creation, for here bread came from above and dew from below, i.e., rising in the ground moisture instead of condensing from the atmosphere; and when the layer of dew rose, the manna became revealed and they saw that “behold, over the surface of the desert….”		וַתַּעַל שִׁכְבַת הַטָּל וגו'. כְּשֶׁהַחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת, עוֹלֶה הַטַּל שֶׁעַל הַמָּן לִקְרַאת הַחַמָּה, כְּדֶרֶךְ טַל עוֹלֶה לִקְרַאת הַחַמָּה; אַף אִם תְּמַלֵּא שְׁפוֹפֶרֶת שֶׁל בֵּיצָה טַל וְתִסְתֹּם אֶת פִּיהָ וְתַנִּיחָהּ בַחַמָּה הִיא עוֹלָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ בָּאֲוִיר. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ, שֶׁהַטַּל עוֹלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ בָּאֲוִיר, וְכַעֲלוֹת שִׁכְבַת הַטָּל נִתְגַלָּה הַמָּן וְרָאוּ והנה על פני המדבר וגו':
דַּק - (lit.) Thin - i.e., a thin object.		דַּק. – דָּבָר דַּק:
מְחֻסְפָּס - means “uncovered,” but there is no other example of this word in Scripture. One may also explain מְחֻסְפָּס as related to חֲפִיסָה וּדְלֻסְקְמָא “a container and a satchel,” which we find in Mishnaic Hebrew; 3 i.e., when the manna was uncovered from the layer of dew above it, they saw that there had been something thin packed (מְחֻסְפָּס) within, between the two layers of dew. Onkelos translates מְחֻסְפָּס as מְקַלַּף “peeled,” understanding it as being related to מַחְשֹׂף הַלָּבָן “exposing the white.” 4		מְחֻסְפָּס. מְגֻלֶּה, וְאֵין דּוֹמֶה לוֹ בַּמִּקְרָא. וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר מְחֻסְפָּס לְשׁוֹן חֲפִיסָה וּדְלוּסְקְמָא שֶׁבִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה, כְּשֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה מִשִּׁכְבַת הַטָּל רָאוּ שֶׁהָיָה דָּבָר דַּק מְחֻסְפָּס בְּתוֹכוֹ בֵּין שְׁתֵּי שִׁכְבוֹת הַטָּל. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "מְקַלַּף", לְשׁוֹן מַחְשֹׂף הַלָּבָן:
כַּכְּפֹר - כְּפוֹר means “jelede” in Old French (“frost”). The second דַק in the verse Onkelos translates as דַּעֲדַק כְּגִיר – “thin like gir stones.” This is a kind of black color, as is stated regarding substances used for “covering the blood”: הַגִּיר וְהַזַּרְנִיךְ “gir and orpiment.” 5 Onkelos’ translation of the entire phrase is: דַּעֲדַק כְּגִיר כִּגְלִידָא עַל אַרְעָא, i.e., it was thin like gir, and lying congealed, like ice, upon the ground; and this is the meaning of דַק כַּכְּפֹר: flat and thin, and solid like frost. דַק is “tenves” in Old French, meaning that it formed a thin crust on top of the ground. The word כְּגִיר that Onkelos has in his translation is an addition to the Hebrew text, and it has no corresponding word in the verse.		כַּכְּפֹר. כְּפוֹר יילי"דא בְלַעַז, דַּעֲדַק כְּגִיר, "כְּאַבְנֵי גִר" (ישעיהו כ"ז), וְהוּא מִין צֶבַע שָׁחֹר, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן גַּבֵּי כִּסּוּי הַדָּם "הַגִּיר וְהַזַּרְנִיךְ" (חולין פ"ח). "דַעְדַק כְּגִיר כִּגְלִידָא עַל אַרְעָא" – דַּק הָיָה כְּגִיר וְשׁוֹכֵב מֻגְלָד כְּקֶרַח עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְכֵן פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: דַּק כַּכְּפֹר – שָׁטוּחַ, קָלוּשׁ וּמְחֻבָּר כִּגְלִיד. דַּק טינב"ש בְּלַעַז, שֶׁהָיָה מַגְלִיד גֶּלֶד דַּק מִלְמַעְלָה; "וּכְגִיר" שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס תּוֹסֶפֶת הוּא עַל לְשׁוֹן הָעִבְרִית וְאֵין לוֹ תֵבָה בַּפָּסוּק:
15The Israelites saw the substance and said to each other, “It is a provision of food [man],” for they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “That is the bread that God has given you to eat.		טווַיִּרְא֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אִ֤ישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו֙ מָ֣ן ה֔וּא כִּ֛י לֹ֥א יָֽדְע֖וּ מַה־ה֑וּא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם ה֣וּא הַלֶּ֔חֶם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה:
מָן הוּא - means: It is a preparation of food, as in: וַיְמַן לָהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ “The king prepared food for them.” 6		מָן הוּא. הֲכָנַת מָזוֹן הוּא, כְּמוֹ "וַיְמַן לָהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ" (דניאל א'):
כִּי לֹא יָֽדְעוּ מַה־הוּא - For they did not know what it was - that they could call it by its name.		כִּי לֹא יָֽדְעוּ מַה־הוּא. שֶׁיִּקְרָאוּהוּ בִשְׁמוֹ:
16This is what God has commanded: ‘Gather it according to what each man needs to eat: you must take an omer per head, according to the number of people each man has in his tent.’”		טזזֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה לִקְט֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ אִ֖ישׁ לְפִ֣י אָכְל֑וֹ עֹ֣מֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּ֗לֶת מִסְפַּר֙ נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אִ֛ישׁ לַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּאָֽהֳל֖וֹ תִּקָּֽחוּ:
עֹמֶר - Omer. The name of a volume measure.		עֹמֶר. שֵׁם מִדָּה:
מִסְפַּר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם - (lit.) The number of your souls - i.e., according to the number of souls that each man has in his tent, so you must take an omer for each head.		מִסְפַּר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם. כְּפִי מִנְיַן נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְאִישׁ בְּאָהֳלוֹ תִּקְּחוּ עֹמֶר לְכָל גֻּלְגֹּלֶת:
17The Israelites did what Moses told them. They gathered it, but some took more and some less.		יזוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֖ן בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּלְקְט֔וּ הַמַּרְבֶּ֖ה וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט:
הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט - (lit.) The one who took more and the one who took less. There were those who gathered much and those who gathered little, but when they came home, each man measured what he had gathered by the omer-measure, and they found that he who had gathered much had no more than an omer per each head of those in his tent, and he who had gathered little did not find any less than an omer per head; and this was a great miracle that happened with the manna.		הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט. יֵשׁ שֶׁלָּקְטוּ הַרְבֵּה וְיֵשׁ שֶׁלָּקְטוּ מְעַט, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ לְבֵיתָם מָדְדוּ בָעֹמֶר אִישׁ אִישׁ מַה שֶּׁלָּקְטוּ, וּמָצְאוּ שֶׁהַמַּרְבֶּה לִלְקֹט לֹא הֶעְדִּיף עַל עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת אֲשֶׁר בְּאָהֳלוֹ, וְהַמַּמְעִיט לִלְקֹט לֹא מָצָא חָסֵר מֵעֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת; וְזֶהוּ נֵס גָּדוֹל שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ:
18But when they measured it by the omer, they found that he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little was lacking nothing; each man had gathered as much as he needed to eat.		יחוַיָּמֹ֣דּוּ בָעֹ֔מֶר וְלֹ֤א הֶעְדִּיף֙ הַמַּרְבֶּ֔ה וְהַמַּמְעִ֖יט לֹ֣א הֶחְסִ֑יר אִ֥ישׁ לְפִֽי־אָכְל֖וֹ לָקָֽטוּ:
19Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it over until morning.”		יטוַיֹּ֥אמֶר משֶׁ֖ה אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֕ישׁ אַל־יוֹתֵ֥ר מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר:
20But they did not listen to Moses, and some people left some of it over until morning, and it became maggoty, after having first become putrid. Moses became angry with them.		כוְלֹא־שָֽׁמְע֣וּ אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה וַיּוֹתִ֨רוּ אֲנָשִׁ֤ים מִמֶּ֨נּוּ֙ עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וַיָּ֥רֻם תּֽוֹלָעִ֖ים וַיִּבְאַ֑שׁ וַיִּקְצֹ֥ף עֲלֵהֶ֖ם משֶֽׁה:
וַיּוֹתִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים - And some people left over. They were Dathan and Aviram.		וַיּוֹתִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים. דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם:
וַיָּרֻם תּֽוֹלָעִים - This is of the same root as רִמָּה “maggot.”		וַיָּרֻם תּֽוֹלָעִים. לְשׁוֹן רִמָּה:
וַיִּבְאַשׁ - (lit.) It became putrid. This is an inverted verse, for first it became putrid and only afterwards did it become maggoty, as it says: “and it did not become putrid, nor was it infested with maggots,” 7 and such is the way of all things that become maggoty.		וַיִּבְאַשׁ. הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא הָפוּךְ, שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה הִבְאִישׁ וּלְבַסּוֹף הִתְלִיעַ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְלֹא הִבְאִישׁ וְרִמָּה לֹא הָיְתָה בּוֹ", וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל הַמַּתְלִיעִים (מכילתא):
21They gathered it each morning, each man according to what he needed to eat, and when the sun grew hot, whatever remained would melt.		כאוַיִּלְקְט֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֔קֶר אִ֖ישׁ כְּפִ֣י אָכְל֑וֹ וְחַ֥ם הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ וְנָמָֽס:
וְחַם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְנָמָֽס - And when the sun grew hot it would melt - i.e., that which was left in the field, and it would become streams. Gazelles and deer would then drink from them, and when other nations hunted and ate these animals, they would taste in them the taste of the manna and thus realize how praiseworthy the Israelites were.		וְחַם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְנָמָֽס. הַנִּשְׁאָר בַּשָּׂדֶה נַעֲשֶׂה נְחָלִים וְשׁוֹתִין מִמֶּנּוּ אַיָּלִים וּצְבָאִים, וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם צָדִין מֵהֶם וְטוֹעֲמִים בָּהֶם טַעַם מָן, וְיוֹדְעִים מַה שִּׁבְחָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
וְנָמָֽס - Onkelos’ translation of נָמָס is פָּשָׁר, related to פּוֹשְׁרִין “warm water” – i.e., through the heat of the sun it would become warm and melt; “destenprer” in Old French. Another example of this word we find in Tractate Sanhedrin, at the end of Chapter Arba Mitot. 8		וְנָמָֽס. פָּשַׁר, לְשׁוֹן פּוֹשְׁרִים, עַל יְדֵי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מִתְחַמֵּם וּמַפְשִׁיר, דישטנ"פריר בְּלַעַז, וְדֻגְמָתוֹ בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין בְּסוֹף ד' מִיתוֹת:
22On the sixth day, they gathered a double portion of bread, two omers for each person. All the leaders of the community came and told Moses.		כבוַיְהִ֣י \| בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֗י לָֽקְט֥וּ לֶ֨חֶם֙ מִשְׁנֶ֔ה שְׁנֵ֥י הָעֹ֖מֶר לָֽאֶחָ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ כָּל־נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיַּגִּ֖ידוּ לְמשֶֽׁה:
לָֽקְטוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה - They gathered a double portion of bread - i.e., when they measured in their tents what they had gathered, they found it to be double – “two omers for each person.” But its aggadic explanation is: לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה signifies that the bread was different (מְשֻׁנֶּה) – on that day it was better than usual in its aroma and its taste.		לָֽקְטוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה. כְּשֶׁמָּדְדוּ אֶת לְקִיטָתָם בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם מָצְאוּ כִפְלַיִם, שְׁנֵי הָעֹמֶר לָאֶחָד. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה – מְשֻׁנֶּה, אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נִשְׁתַּנָּה לְשֶׁבַח בְּרֵיחוֹ וְטַעְמוֹ (שם):
וַיַּגִּידוּ לְמשֶֽׁה - And told Moses. They asked him, “Why is today different from other days?” From here we may infer that Moses had not yet told them the passage concerning the Sabbath that he had been instructed to tell them: “On the sixth day they must prepare…,” 9 until they asked him this. He then said to them: “This is what God spoke about,” 10 i.e., what I was already instructed to tell you. Therefore Scripture considers him worthy of punishment, for God said to him: “How long will you refuse…,” 11 and did not except him from everyone being reproved.		וַיַּגִּידוּ לְמשֶֽׁה. שְׁאָלוּהוּ מַה הַיּוֹם מִיּוֹמַיִם; וּמִכָּאן יֵשׁ לִלְמֹד שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיד לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה פָּרָשַׁת שַׁבָּת שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה לוֹמַר לָהֶם וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי וְהֵכִינוּ וְגוֹ', עַד שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ מַה זֹּאת, אָמַר לָהֶם הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' שֶׁנִּצְטַוֵּיתִי לוֹמַר לָכֶם, וְלְכָךְ עֲנָשׁוֹ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ עַד אָנָה מֵאַנְתֶּם, וְלֹא הוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל:
23He said to them, “That is what God spoke about: tomorrow will be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath dedicated to God. Whatever you wish to bake, bake, and whatever you wish to cook, cook. Set aside for yourselves whatever is left over in safekeeping until morning.”		כגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם ה֚וּא אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שַׁבָּת֧וֹן שַׁבַּת־קֹ֛דֶשׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה מָחָ֑ר אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאפ֞וּ אֵפ֗וּ וְאֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבַשְּׁלוּ֙ בַּשֵּׁ֔לוּ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֹדֵ֔ף הַנִּ֧יחוּ לָכֶ֛ם לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת עַד־הַבֹּֽקֶר:
אֵת אֲשֶׁר תֹּאפוּ אֵפוּ - (lit.) What you will bake, bake - means: regarding that which you wish to bake in an oven, bake today everything that you need for two days; and regarding that which you need to cook of it in water, cook today. The term אֲפִיָה “baking” is applicable to bread, and the term בִּשּׁוּל “cooking” to a cooked dish.		אֵת אֲשֶׁר תֹּאפוּ אֵפוּ. מַה שֶּׁאַתֶּם רוֹצִים לֶאֱפוֹת בַּתַּנּוּר, אֵפוּ הַיּוֹם הַכֹּל לִשְׁנֵי יָמִים, וּמַה שֶּׁאַתֶּם צְרִיכִים לְבַשֵּׁל מִמֶּנּוּ בַּמַּיִם, בַּשְּׁלוּ הַיּוֹם. לְשׁוֹן אֲפִיָּה נוֹפֵל בְּלֶחֶם וּלְשׁוֹן בִּשּׁוּל בְּתַבְשִׁיל:
לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת - means “for safekeeping.”		לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת. לִגְנִיזָה:
24They set it aside until morning, as Moses had commanded, and it did not become putrid, nor was it infested with maggots.		כדוַיַּנִּ֤יחוּ אֹתוֹ֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה משֶׁ֑ה וְלֹ֣א הִבְאִ֔ישׁ וְרִמָּ֖ה לֹא־הָ֥יְתָה בּֽוֹ:
25Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath unto God. Today you will not find it in the field.		כהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אִכְלֻ֣הוּ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּֽי־שַׁבָּ֥ת הַיּ֖וֹם לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה הַיּ֕וֹם לֹ֥א תִמְצָאֻ֖הוּ בַּשָּׂדֶֽה:
וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אִכְלֻהוּ הַיּוֹם וגו' - Moses said, “Eat it today….”… In the morning, when they would usually go out and gather the manna, they came to ask Moses, “Should we go out or not?” He answered them, “Eat whatever you have prepared.” Toward evening they came back to him and asked him again, “Should we go out?” He answered them: “Today is the Sabbath.” He saw they were worried that perhaps the manna had stopped and would no longer fall, so he said to them: “Today you will not find it”; what do we infer from Scripture saying again “today”? Today you will not find it, but tomorrow you will find it.		וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אִכְלֻהוּ הַיּוֹם וגו'. שַׁחֲרִית שֶׁהָיוּ רְגִילִין לָצֵאת וְלִלְקֹט בָּאוּ לִשְׁאֹל: "אִם נֵצֵא אִם לָאו", אָמַר לָהֶם אֶת שֶׁבְּיֶדְכֶם אִכְלוּ, לָעֶרֶב חָזְרוּ לְפָנָיו וּשְׁאָלוּהוּ מַהוּ לָצֵאת? אָמַר לָהֶם שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם, רָאָה אוֹתָם דּוֹאֲגִים שֶׁמָּא פָסַק הַמָּן וְלֹא יֵרֵד עוֹד, אָמַר לָהֶם הַיּוֹם לֹא תִמְצָאוּהוּ, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הַיּוֹם? הַיּוֹם לֹא תִמְצָאוּהוּ אֲבָל מָחָר תִּמְצָאוּהוּ:
26Six days you must gather it, on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”		כושֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים תִּלְקְטֻ֑הוּ וּבַיּ֧וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֛י שַׁבָּ֖ת לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־בּֽוֹ:
וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת - On the seventh day, the Sabbath - i.e., it is the Sabbath – the manna לֹא יִהְיֶה בּוֹ (lit.) “will not be on that day.” This verse is stated here only to include Yom Kippur and other festivals, implying that the manna would not fall on these days, either.		וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת. שַׁבָּת הוּא, הַמָּן לא יהיה בו; וְלֹא בָא הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לְרַבּוֹת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וְיָמִים טוֹבִים:
27On the seventh day, some of the people did go out to gather, but they found nothing.		כזוַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י יָֽצְא֥וּ מִן־הָעָ֖ם לִלְקֹ֑ט וְלֹ֖א מָצָֽאוּ:
28God told Moses, “How long will you refuse to observe My commandments and My teachings?		כחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה עַד־אָ֨נָה֙ מֵֽאַנְתֶּ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֥ר מִצְו‍ֹתַ֖י וְתֽוֹרֹתָֽי:
עַד־אָנָה מֵֽאַנְתֶּם - How long will you refuse. The fact that Moses is included here in God’s reprimand may be explained by a proverb used among common people: “Together with the thorns, the cabbage is stricken”; because of the wicked, the decent are also criticized.		עַד־אָנָה מֵֽאַנְתֶּם. מְשַׁל הֶדְיוֹט הוּא "בַּהֲדֵי הוּצָא לָקֵי כְרַבָּא" – עַל יְדֵי הָרְשָׁעִים מִתְגַּנִּין הַכְּשֵׁרִין:
29Look: God has given you the Sabbath, and that is why on the sixth day He gives you food for two days. Every man must remain where he is: no man may leave his place on the seventh day.”		כטרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָה֘ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֣ם הַשַּׁבָּת֒ עַל־כֵּ֠ן ה֣וּא נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֖י לֶ֣חֶם יוֹמָ֑יִם שְׁב֣וּ \| אִ֣ישׁ תַּחְתָּ֗יו אַל־יֵ֥צֵא אִ֛ישׁ מִמְּקֹמ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי:
רְאוּ - Look - with your own eyes that it is God Himself in His Divine glory who is ordering you to observe the Sabbath, for a miracle occurs on the day preceding each Sabbath that He gives you bread for two days.		רְאוּ. בְּעֵינֵיכֶם כִּי ה' בִּכְבוֹדוֹ מַזְהִיר אֶתְכֶם עַל הַשַּׁבָּת, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֵס נַעֲשֶׂה בְּכָל עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לָתֵת לָכֶם לֶחֶם יוֹמַיִם:
שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו - (lit.) Each man, stay beneath himself. From here our sages based the principle that one who went outside the city limits on the Sabbath may move four cubits: three cubits for the measure of his body and another cubit to extend his arms and feet.		שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו. מִכָּאן סָמְכוּ חֲכָמִים ד' אַמּוֹת לַיּוֹצֵא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם (ערובין נ"א):
אַל־יֵצֵא אִישׁ מִמְּקֹמוֹ - No man may leave his place. This refers to the 2000-cubit limit of walking outside a city on the Sabbath. However, this law is not stated here explicitly, for the law of the Sabbath limits is only inferred by those expounding Scripture, and Scripture’s primary intent is referring to those gathering the manna.		אַל־יֵצֵא אִישׁ מִמְּקֹמוֹ. אֵלּוּ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה שֶׁל תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת (מכילתא), וְלֹא בִמְפֹרָשׁ – שֶׁאֵין תְּחוּמִין אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים – וְעִקָּרוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא עַל לוֹקְטֵי הַמָּן נֶאֱמַר:
30So the people rested on the seventh day.		לוַיִשְׁבְּת֥וּ הָעָ֖ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִעִֽי:
31The House of Israel called the food manna. It was like coriander seed, but was white, and it tasted like pastry fried in honey.		לאוַיִּקְרְא֧וּ בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ מָ֑ן וְה֗וּא כְּזֶ֤רַע גַּד֙ לָבָ֔ן וְטַעְמ֖וֹ כְּצַפִּיחִ֥ת בִּדְבָֽשׁ:
וְהוּא כְּזֶרַע גַּד לָבָן - It was like coriander seed, white. גַּד is a plant named “coliyandre” in Old French (“coriander”), and its seed is round but not white. The manna, however, was white, and it is compared to coriander seed only with respect to being round. The verse thus means: “it was like coriander seed, and it was white.”		וְהוּא כְּזֶרַע גַּד לָבָן. עֵשֶׂב שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ קול"יינדר, וְזֶרַע שֶׁלּוֹ עָגֹל וְאֵינוֹ לָבָן, וְהַמָּן הָיָה לָבָן, וְאֵינוֹ נִמְשָׁל לְזֶרַע גַּד אֶלָּא לְעִנְיַן הָעִגּוּל, כְּזֶרַע גַּד הָיָה – וְהוּא לָבָן:
כְּצַפִּיחִת - צַפִּיחִת is a type of dough fried in honey, which is called אִסְקְרִיטִין in Mishnaic Hebrew, 12 and this is also how Onkelos translates it.		כְּצַפִּיחִת. בָּצֵק שֶׁמְּטַגְּנִין אוֹתוֹ בִּדְבַשׁ, וְקוֹרִין לוֹ אִסְקְרִיטִין בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה (פסחים ל"ז), וְהוּא תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס:
32Moses said, “This is what God has commanded: ‘An omer-ful of it is to be preserved for safekeeping throughout your generations, so that they will see the bread that I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.’”		לבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה זֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה מְלֹ֤א הָעֹ֨מֶר֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן \| יִרְא֣וּ אֶת־הַלֶּ֗חֶם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶֽאֱכַ֤לְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּהֽוֹצִיאִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת - means “for safekeeping.”		לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת. לִגְנִיזָה:
לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם - Throughout your generations - This refers to the time of the prophet Jeremiah – when Jeremiah was rebuking the Jewish people, saying, “Why are you not occupied in studying the Torah?” and they replied, “Should we neglect our work and engage in studying the Torah? From where shall we earn a living?” he brought out for them the urn of manna and said to them: “You, this generation! See the word of God” 13 – it does not say “hear,” but “see” – “with this your forefathers were provided for. The Omnipresent has many means with which to provide food for those who fear Him.”		לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם. בִּימֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ; כְּשֶׁהָיָה יִרְמְיָהוּ מוֹכִיחָם לָמָּה אֵין אַתֶּם עוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה? וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים נַנִּיחַ מְלַאכְתֵּנוּ וְנַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, מֵהֵיכָן נִתְפַּרְנֵס? הוֹצִיא לָהֶם צִנְצֶנֶת הַמָּן אָמַר לָהֶם אַתֶּם רְאוּ דְּבַר ה', שִׁמְעוּ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא רְאוּ, בָּזֶה נִתְפַּרְנְסוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, הַרְבֵּה שְׁלוּחִין יֵשׁ לוֹ לַמָּקוֹם לְהָכִין מָזוֹן לִירֵאָיו:
33Moses said to Aaron, “Take an urn and put in it an omer-ful of manna, and place it before God for safekeeping throughout your generations.”		לגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן קַ֚ח צִנְצֶ֣נֶת אַחַ֔ת וְתֶן־שָׁ֥מָּה מְלֹֽא־הָעֹ֖מֶר מָ֑ן וְהַנַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
צִנְצֶנֶת - is an earthenware urn, as Targum Yerushalmi translates it.		צִנְצֶנֶת. צְלוֹחִית שֶׁל חֶרֶס, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
וְהַנַּח אותו לִפְנֵי ה' - And place it before God - i.e., before the Ark. It must be, therefore, that this verse was not said until after the Tent of Meeting was built and the Ark was placed there, but it is written here in the passage about the manna to complete the account.		וְהַנַּח אותו לִפְנֵי ה'. לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן; וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר מִקְרָא זֶה עַד שֶׁנִּבְנָה אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּכְתַּב כָּאן בְּפָרָשַׁת הַמָּן:
34As God had commanded Moses, Aaron placed it before the Ark of Testimony for safekeeping.		לדכַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיַּנִּיחֵ֧הוּ אַֽהֲרֹ֛ן לִפְנֵ֥י הָֽעֵדֻ֖ת לְמִשְׁמָֽרֶת:
35The Israelites ate the manna for 40 years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the edge of Canaan.		להוּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָֽכְל֤וּ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה עַד־בֹּאָ֖ם אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ נוֹשָׁ֑בֶת אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אָֽכְל֔וּ עַד־בֹּאָ֕ם אֶל־קְצֵ֖ה אֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה - For 40 years. But are not 30 days missing from this period? For the manna first came down for them on the 15th of Iyar, and on the 15th of Nisan 40 years later it stopped, as it says: “The manna ran out on the day following the first day of Passover.” 14 However, this tells us that in the matzah cakes which Israel had brought out with them from Egypt they savored the taste of manna.		אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה. וַהֲלֹא חָסֵר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם הֵם? שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּט"ו בְּאִיָּר יָרַד לָהֶם הַמָּן תְּחִלָּה וּבְט"ו בְּנִיסָן פָּסַק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּשְׁבֹּת הַמָּן מִמָּחֳרָת" (יהושע ה')? אֶלָּא מַגִּיד, שֶׁהָעֻגּוֹת שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם טָעֲמוּ בָהֶם טַעַם מָן (קידושין ל"ח):
אֶל־אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת - To an inhabited land - i.e., after they crossed the Jordan, for only that land which is on the other, western side of the Jordan was settled (מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת) and good, as it says: “Please let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan.” 15 Onkelos’ translation of נוֹשָׁבֶת is יָתֵבְתָּא, also meaning to indicate the sense of מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת “settled.”		אֶל־אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת. לְאַחַר שֶׁעָבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן (שֶׁאוֹתָהּ שֶׁבְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת וְטוֹבָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן", וְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל נוֹשָׁבֶת "יָתְבָתָא", רָצָה לוֹמַר — מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת):
אֶל־קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָֽעַן - To the edge of Canaan - i.e., at the beginning of the border, before they crossed the Jordan, i.e., the plains of Moab. Consequently, this phrase and the previous seem to contradict each other. However, the answer is that in the plains of Moab, when Moses died on the seventh of Adar, the manna stopped falling, but they had enough food from the manna they had gathered on that day until they brought the omer offering on the 16th of Nisan after they had crossed the Jordan, as it says: “They ate of the produce of the land from the day after the first day of Passover.” 16		אֶל־קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָֽעַן. בִּתְחִלַּת הַגְּבוּל קֹדֶם שֶׁעָבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן, וְהוּא עַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב. נִמְצְאוּ מַכְחִישִׁין זֶה אֶת זֶה? אֶלָּא בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב כְּשֶׁמֵּת מֹשֶׁה בְּז' בַּאֲדָר פָּסַק הַמָּן מִלֵּירֵד, וְנִסְתַּפְּקוּ מִמָּן שֶׁלָּקְטוּ בוֹ בַיּוֹם עַד שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּ הָעֹמֶר בְּשִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֹּאכְלוּ מֵעֲבוּר הָאָרֶץ מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח" (יהושע ה'):
36An omer is a tenth of an ephah.		לווְהָעֹ֕מֶר עֲשִׂרִ֥ית הָֽאֵיפָ֖ה הֽוּא:
עֲשִׂרִית הָֽאֵיפָה - A tenth of an ephah. An ephah measure is three se’ah; a se’ah is six kav; a kav is four log; and a log is the measure of six eggs. Thus, a tenth of an ephah is the equivalent of 43 and 1/5 eggs, which is the measure of flour required for fulfilling the mitzvah of challah and for grain-offerings.		עֲשִׂרִית הָֽאֵיפָה. הָאֵיפָה שָׁלֹשׁ סְאִין וְהַסְּאָה ו' קַבִּין וְהַקַּב ד' לֻגִּין וְהַלֹּג ו' בֵּיצִים, נִמְצָא עֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה מ"ג בֵּיצִים וְחֹמֶשׁ בֵּיצָה, וְהוּא שִׁעוּר לַחַלָּה וְלַמְּנָחוֹת:

Footnotes

Numbers 11:9.

Tanchuma Yashan 20.

Bava Metzia 20a.

Chulin 88b.

Sanhedrin 67b.

Pesachim 37a.

Seventh Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 17

1The entire community of the Israelites moved on from the Sin Desert, on their journeys, according to the word of God. They encamped at Refidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.		אוַ֠יִּסְע֠וּ כָּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּֽחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם:
2The people contended with Moses and said, “Give us water so that we may drink!” Moses answered them, “Why are you contending with me? Why are you testing God?”		בוַיָּ֤רֶב הָעָם֙ עִם־משֶׁ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ תְּנוּ־לָ֥נוּ מַ֖יִם וְנִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ משֶׁ֔ה מַה־תְּרִיבוּן֙ עִמָּדִ֔י מַה־תְּנַסּ֖וּן אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה:
מַה־תְּנַסּוּן - Why are you testing [God] - by saying, “Will He be able to supply water in a land of drought?”		מַה־תְּנַסּוּן. לוֹמַר הֲיוּכַל לָתֵת מַיִם בְּאֶרֶץ צִיָּה?:
3The people thirsted there for water and the people complained against Moses, saying, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt, to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?”		גוַיִּצְמָ֨א שָׁ֤ם הָעָם֙ לַמַּ֔יִם וַיָּ֥לֶן הָעָ֖ם עַל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ הֶֽעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֛י וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י בַּצָּמָֽא:
4Moses cried out to God, saying, “What should I do for this people? Before long they will stone me!”		דוַיִּצְעַ֤ק משֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה ע֥וֹד מְעַ֖ט וּסְקָלֻֽנִי:
עוֹד מְעַט - (lit.) A little more – i.e., if I wait a little longer, they will stone me! -		עוֹד מְעַט. אִם אַמְתִּין עוֹד מְעַט וסקלני:
5God then said to Moses, “Pass in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand your staff, with which you struck the Nile River, and go.		הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה עֲבֹר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְקַ֥ח אִתְּךָ֖ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַטְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכִּ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ אֶת־הַיְאֹ֔ר קַ֥ח בְּיָֽדְךָ֖ וְהָלָֽכְתָּ:
עבור לִפְנֵי הָעָם - Pass in front of the people - and see if they will stone you! Why did you speak slanderously about My children?		עבור לִפְנֵי הָעָם. וּרְאֵה אִם יִסְקְלוּךָ, לָמָּה הוֹצֵאתָ לַעַז עַל בָּנַי? (שמות רבה):
וְקַח אִתְּךָ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - Take with you some of the elders of Israel - as witnesses, so they see that through your action the water comes out of the rock, and so people not say there were water sources there already from earlier times.		וְקַח אִתְּךָ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. לְעֵדוּת, שֶׁיִּרְאוּ שֶׁעַל יָדְךָ מַיִם יוֹצְאִים מִן הַצּוּר, וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ מַעְיָנוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם מִימֵי קֶדֶם:
וּמַטְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת־הַיְאֹר - And your staff with which you struck the Nile River. Why does Scripture state these additional words “with which you struck the Nile River”? It is only because Israel were saying about the staff that it serves only to administer punishment, for through it Pharaoh and the Egyptians were smitten with several plagues in Egypt and at the Sea. It therefore says: “with which you struck the Nile River”; the people will now see that the staff also serves to benefit.		וּמַטְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת־הַיְאֹר. מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת הַיְאֹר"? אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים עַל הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוּכָן אֶלָּא לְפֻרְעָנוּת – בּוֹ לָקָה פַרְעֹה וּמִצְרַיִם כַּמָּה מַכּוֹת בְּמִצְרַיִם וְעַל הַיָּם – לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת הַיְאֹר, יִרְאוּ עַתָּה שֶׁאַף לְטוֹבָה הוּא מוּכָן (מכילתא):
6I will be standing before you there at the rock at Horeb. You must strike the rock, and water will flow out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.		והִנְנִ֣י עֹמֵד֩ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ שָּׁ֥ם \| עַל־הַצּוּר֘ בְּחֹרֵב֒ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַצּ֗וּר וְיָֽצְא֥וּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ מַ֖יִם וְשָׁתָ֣ה הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ משֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר - (lit.) You must strike into the rock. It does not say עַל הַצּוּר “upon the rock,” but בַצּוּר “into the rock.” From here we thus deduce that the staff was made of a kind of strong material – called sanperinon (sapphire), and from its force the rock split.		וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר. עַל הַצּוּר לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בַצּוּר, מִכָּאן שֶׁהַמַּטֶּה הָיָה שֶׁל מִין דָּבָר חָזָק וּשְׁמוֹ סַנְפִּירִינוֹן, וְהַצּוּר נִבְקַע מִפָּנָיו (שם):
7He gave the place the name Masah and Merivah [“testing and contention”], because of the people’s contentiousness and because they had tested God by saying, “Is God present among us or not?”		זוַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב \| בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן:
8Amalek came and fought against Israel in Refidim.		חוַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם:
וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וגו' - Amalek came… The Torah places this section next to the previous verse, as if God were saying: I am always among you and ready to provide for all your needs, and yet you say: “Is God present among us or not?” I swear by your lives that the dog, Amalek, will now come and bite you so that you cry out to Me and realize where I am. This may be compared to a man who put his son on his shoulders and set out on a journey. The son saw an object on the way and said, “Father, pick up this object and give it to me,” and he gave it to him; and so a second time and so a third time. They then met a man and the son asked him, “Have you seen my father?” His father then said to him, “Don’t you know where I am?!” So he threw him off his shoulders and a dog came and bit him.		וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וגו'. סָמַךְ פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ לְמִקְרָא זֶה, לוֹמַר, תָּמִיד אֲנִי בֵינֵיכֶם וּמְזֻמָּן לְכָל צָרְכֵּיכֶם וְאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן, חַיֵּיכֶם שֶׁהַכֶּלֶב בָּא וְנוֹשֵׁךְ אֶתְכֶם וְאַתֶּם צוֹעֲקִים לִי וְתֵדְעוּ הֵיכָן אֲנִי? מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁהִרְכִּיב בְּנוֹ עַל כְּתֵפוֹ וְיָצָא לַדֶּרֶךְ, הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הַבֵּן רוֹאֶה חֵפֶץ וְאוֹמֵר, אַבָּא טֹל חֵפֶץ זֶה וְתֵן לִי וְהוּא נוֹתֵן לוֹ, וְכֵן שְׁנִיָּה, וְכֵן שְׁלִישִׁית, פָּגְעוּ בְאָדָם אֶחָד אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַבֵּן, רָאִיתָ אֶת אַבָּא? אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו, אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ הֵיכָן אֲנִי? הִשְׁלִיכוֹ מֵעָלָיו וּבָא הַכֶּלֶב וּנְשָׁכוֹ (תנחומא יתרו):
9Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself at the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”		טוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָֽנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי:
בְּחַר־לָנוּ - Choose for us - i.e., for me and for you. Moses thus treated Joshua as equal to himself. From here our sages derived the saying: “Let your student’s honor be as dear to you as your own.” 1 And from where do we derive the continuation of that Mishnah: “and your colleague’s honor be like the reverence for your teacher”? For it says: “Aaron said to Moses, ‘Please, my master’.” 2 Was not Aaron older than his brother, Moses? Nevertheless he treated his colleague as if he were his teacher. And from where do we derive the last part of that Mishnah: “and the reverence for your teacher be like the reverence for God”? For it says: “Moses, my master! Eliminate them!” 3 – remove them from the world, for they deserve annihilation; those who rebel against you are as if they had rebelled against the Holy One, blessed be He.		בְּחַר־לָנוּ. לִי וּלְךָ – הִשְׁוָהוּ לוֹ; מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים יְהִי כְבוֹד תַּלְמִידְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ; וּכְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ כְּמוֹרָא רַבָּךְ מִנַּיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֹּאמֶר אַהֲרֹן אֶל מֹשֶׁה בִּי אֲדֹנִי", וַהֲלֹא אַהֲרֹן גָּדוֹל מֵאָחִיו הָיָה וְעוֹשֶׂה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ כְּרַבּוֹ. וּמוֹרָא רַבָּךְ כְּמוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם מִנַּיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲדֹנִי מֹשֶׁה כְּלָאֵם" – כַּלֵּם מִן הָעוֹלָם, חַיָּבִין הֵם כְּלָיָה, הַמּוֹרְדִים בְּךָ כְּאִלּוּ מָרְדוּ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם - And go out and fight - i.e., go out of the protection of the cloud and fight against them.		וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם. צֵא מִן הֶעָנָן וְהִלָּחֵם בּוֹ:
מָחָר - Tomorrow - at the time of battle, “I will station myself.”		מָחָר. בְּעֵת הַמִּלְחָמָה, אָנֹכִי נִצָּב:
בְּחַר־לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים - Choose for us men - i.e., mighty ones who are also sin-fearing, so that their merit aid them. Another explanation: “choose for us men” who know how to counteract witchcraft, for the Amalekites were sorcerers.		בְּחַר־לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים. גִּבּוֹרִים וְיִרְאֵי חֵטְא שֶׁתְּהֵא זְכוּתָן מְסַיַּעְתָּן. דָּבָר אַחֵר – בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין לְבַטֵּל כְּשָׁפִים, לְפִי שֶׁבְּנֵי עֲמָלֵק מְכַשְּׁפִין הָיוּ:
10Joshua did as Moses had told him, to fight against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.		יוַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ משֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמשֶׁה֙ אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה:
וּמשֶׁה אַֽהֲרֹן וְחוּר - While Moses, Aaron, and Hur. From here we learn that at a public fast three people must lead the prayers, for here, too, they were fasting.		וּמשֶׁה אַֽהֲרֹן וְחוּר. מִכָּאן לְתַעֲנִית שֶׁצְּרִיכִים שְׁלֹשָׁה לַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, שֶׁבְּתַעֲנִית הָיוּ שְׁרוּיִים (מכילתא):
חוּר - Hur. He was the son of Miriam, and Caleb was her husband.		חוּר. בְּנָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם הָיָה וְכָלֵב בַּעְלָהּ (סוטה י"א):
11Whenever Moses raised his arm, Israel prevailed. But whenever he lowered his arm, Amalek prevailed.		יאוְהָיָ֗ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ים משֶׁ֛ה יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֥ר עֲמָלֵֽק:
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ - Then, whenever Moses raised his arm. “Was it then Moses’ hands that accomplished victory in the battle?!” etc., as is stated in Tractate Rosh Hashanah. 4		כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ. וְכִי יָדָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה נוֹצְחוֹת הָיוּ הַמִּלְחָמָה וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה:
12Moses’ hands became heavy. So they took a stone and placed it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on each side, and he remained with his hands steady until the sun set.		יבוִידֵ֤י משֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ:
וִידֵי משֶׁה כְּבֵדִים - Moses’ hands became heavy. Because he was remiss by not himself physically carrying out God’s command to wage war with Amalek and had appointed someone else in his place, his hands became heavy.		וִידֵי משֶׁה כְּבֵדִים. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁנִּתְעַצֵּל בַּמִּצְוָה וּמִנָּה אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, נִתְיַקְּרוּ יָדָיו:
וַיִּקְחוּ־ - So they took - i.e., Aaron and Hur.		וַיִּקְחוּ־. אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר:
אֶבֶן וַיָּשִׂימוּ תַחְתָּיו - A stone and placed it under him - but he would not sit on a cushion or pillow, for he said, “Israel is suffering. I, too, will suffer along with them.”		אֶבֶן וַיָּשִׂימוּ תַחְתָּיו. וְלֹא יָשַׁב לוֹ עַל כַּר וָכֶסֶת. אָמַר: יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִין בְּצַעַר, אַף אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּהֶם בְּצַעַר (תענית י"א):
וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה - (lit.) And he was, his hands, faith - means “and Moses remained such that his hands were in faith,” i.e., spread heavenward in steady and confident prayer.		וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה. וַיְהִי מֹשֶׁה יָדָיו בֶּאֱמוּנָה, פְּרוּשׂוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם בִּתְפִלָּה נֶאֱמָנָה וּנְכוֹנָה:
עַד־בֹּא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ - Until the sun set - for the Amalekites had determined at what point they would win by calculating the hours through astrology, so Moses made the sun stand still for them and confused the hours.		עַד־בֹּא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ. שֶׁהָיוּ עֲמָלֵקִים מְחַשְּׁבִין אֶת הַשָּׁעוֹת בָּאִיצְטְרוּלוֹגִיאָה, בְּאֵיזוֹ שָׁעָה הֵם נוֹצְחִים, וְהֶעֱמִיד לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה חַמָּה וְעִרְבֵּב אֶת הַשָּׁעוֹת (תנחומא):
13Joshua weakened Amalek and his people by the sword.		יגוַיַּֽחֲל֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֥ק וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב:
וַיַּֽחֲלשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - Joshua weakened [Amalek]. He cut off the heads of the strong among them and left only the weak, but did not kill all of them. From here we learn that Joshua’s soldiers were acting according to Divine instruction.		וַיַּֽחֲלשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. חָתַךְ רָאשֵׁי גִבּוֹרָיו וְלֹא הִשְׁאִיר אֶלָּא חַלָּשִׁים שֶׁבָּהֶם, וְלֹא הֲרָגָם כֻּלָּם, מִכָּאן אָנוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל שְׁכִינָה (שם):
14God said to Moses, “Write this down as a remembrance in the scroll. Explain clearly to Joshua that I wish to utterly erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.”		ידוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־ משֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם:
כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן - Write this down as a remembrance - that Amalek came to attack Israel before any other nation.		כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן. שֶׁבָּא עֲמָלֵק לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לְיִשְׂרָאֵל קֹדֶם לְכָל הָאֻמּוֹת:
וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - Explain clearly to Joshua - who will lead Israel into the Land of Israel – that he should instruct Israel to give Amalek his recompense. Here it was hinted to Moses that Joshua, and not he, would lead Israel into the Land of Israel.		וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. הַמַּכְנִיס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ אֶת גְּמוּלוֹ; כָּאן נִרְמַז לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁיְּהוֹשֻׁעַ מַכְנִיס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ (שם):
כִּֽי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה - That I wish to utterly erase - i.e., for this reason I am charging you to do this, because I wish to wipe out Amalek.		כִּֽי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה. לְכָךְ אֲנִי מַזְהִירְךָ כֵּן, כִּי חָפֵץ אֲנִי לִמְחוֹתוֹ:
15Moses built an altar and gave it a name that made people proclaim, “God is my Miracle.”		טווַיִּ֥בֶן משֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֥ה \| נִסִּֽי:
וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ - (lit.) And its name called - i.e., the name of the altar.		וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ. שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ:
ה' נִסִּֽי - God is my Miracle - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, has performed for us here a great miracle. It was not that the altar was called “God,” but that whoever mentions the name of the altar thereby remembers the miracle that the Omnipresent performed and in recognition of this also says, “God is our Miracle.”		ה' נִסִּֽי. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָשָׂה לָנוּ כָּאן נֵס. לֹא שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ קָרוּי ה', אֶלָּא הַמַּזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ זוֹכֵר אֶת הַנֵּס שֶׁעָשָׂה הַמָּקוֹם – ה' הוּא נֵס שֶׁלָּנוּ:
16He said, “The hand of God is raised in oath on God’s throne to swear by it: God will remain at war with Amalek from generation to generation.”		טזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר:
וַיֹּאמֶר - He then said - i.e., Moses.		וַיֹּאמֶר. מֹשֶׁה:
כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ - (lit.) For a hand is upon God’s throne - means: “for the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, is raised to swear by His throne that He will wage war and enmity against Amalek forever.” Now, why is the incomplete form כֵּס used, and it does not say the full form כִּסֵּא as would be expected (to indicate the severity of the oath), and why is the Divine Name (יהוה) also halved and written יָהּ? The answer is: The Holy One, blessed be He, swore that His Name will not be complete, nor His throne complete, until the name of Amalek is entirely annihilated; but when his name will be annihilated, the Divine Name will be complete and His throne will be complete, as it says: 5 “The enemy whose swords of hatred were against us for eternity is destroyed” – this is referring to Amalek, about whom it is written: “and his wrath is held for eternity” 6 – “and You uprooted their cities so that their memory has vanished.” What does it say afterwards? “God will then be enthroned forever” – i.e., the Divine Name will be complete – “His Throne established (כִּסְאוֹ) for judgment” – i.e., the Divine Throne will be complete.		כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ. יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּרְמָה לִשָּׁבַע בְּכִסְאוֹ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ מִלְחָמָה וְאֵיבָה בַעֲמָלֵק עוֹלָמִית, וּמַהוּ כֵּס וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּסֵּא? וְאַף הַשֵּׁם נֶחֱלַק לְחֶצְיוֹ? נִשְׁבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵין שְׁמוֹ שָׁלֵם וְאֵין כִּסְאוֹ שָׁלֵם עַד שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק כֻּלּוֹ, וּכְשֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ יִהְיֶה הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם וְהַכִּסֵּא שָׁלֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הָאוֹיֵב תַּמּוּ חֳרָבוֹת לָנֶצַח" (תהלים ט'), זֶהוּ עֲמָלֵק שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ "וְעֶבְרָתוֹ שְׁמָרָה נֶצַח" (עמוס א'), "וְעָרִים נָתַשְׁתָּ אָבַד זִכְרָם הֵמָּה" (תהלים שם), מַהוּ אוֹמֵר אַחֲרָיו? "וַה' לְעוֹלָם יֵשֵׁב" — הֲרֵי הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם, "כּוֹנֵן לַמִּשְׁפָּט כִּסְאוֹ" — הֲרֵי כִּסְּאוֹ שָׁלֵם:

Footnotes

Avot 4:12.

Rosh Hashanah 29a.

Maftir Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 17

14God said to Moses, “Write this down as a remembrance in the scroll. Explain clearly to Joshua that I wish to utterly erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.”		ידוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־ משֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם:
כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן - Write this down as a remembrance - that Amalek came to attack Israel before any other nation.		כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן. שֶׁבָּא עֲמָלֵק לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לְיִשְׂרָאֵל קֹדֶם לְכָל הָאֻמּוֹת:
וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - Explain clearly to Joshua - who will lead Israel into the Land of Israel – that he should instruct Israel to give Amalek his recompense. Here it was hinted to Moses that Joshua, and not he, would lead Israel into the Land of Israel.		וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. הַמַּכְנִיס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ אֶת גְּמוּלוֹ; כָּאן נִרְמַז לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁיְּהוֹשֻׁעַ מַכְנִיס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ (שם):
כִּֽי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה - That I wish to utterly erase - i.e., for this reason I am charging you to do this, because I wish to wipe out Amalek.		כִּֽי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה. לְכָךְ אֲנִי מַזְהִירְךָ כֵּן, כִּי חָפֵץ אֲנִי לִמְחוֹתוֹ:
15Moses built an altar and gave it a name that made people proclaim, “God is my Miracle.”		טווַיִּ֥בֶן משֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֥ה \| נִסִּֽי:
וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ - (lit.) And its name called - i.e., the name of the altar.		וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ. שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ:
ה' נִסִּֽי - God is my Miracle - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, has performed for us here a great miracle. It was not that the altar was called “God,” but that whoever mentions the name of the altar thereby remembers the miracle that the Omnipresent performed and in recognition of this also says, “God is our Miracle.”		ה' נִסִּֽי. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָשָׂה לָנוּ כָּאן נֵס. לֹא שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ קָרוּי ה', אֶלָּא הַמַּזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ זוֹכֵר אֶת הַנֵּס שֶׁעָשָׂה הַמָּקוֹם – ה' הוּא נֵס שֶׁלָּנוּ:
16He said, “The hand of God is raised in oath on God’s throne to swear by it: God will remain at war with Amalek from generation to generation.”		טזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר:
וַיֹּאמֶר - He then said - i.e., Moses.		וַיֹּאמֶר. מֹשֶׁה:
כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ - (lit.) For a hand is upon God’s throne - means: “for the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, is raised to swear by His throne that He will wage war and enmity against Amalek forever.” Now, why is the incomplete form כֵּס used, and it does not say the full form כִּסֵּא as would be expected (to indicate the severity of the oath), and why is the Divine Name (יהוה) also halved and written יָהּ? The answer is: The Holy One, blessed be He, swore that His Name will not be complete, nor His throne complete, until the name of Amalek is entirely annihilated; but when his name will be annihilated, the Divine Name will be complete and His throne will be complete, as it says: 1 “The enemy whose swords of hatred were against us for eternity is destroyed” – this is referring to Amalek, about whom it is written: “and his wrath is held for eternity” 2 – “and You uprooted their cities so that their memory has vanished.” What does it say afterwards? “God will then be enthroned forever” – i.e., the Divine Name will be complete – “His Throne established (כִּסְאוֹ) for judgment” – i.e., the Divine Throne will be complete.		כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ. יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּרְמָה לִשָּׁבַע בְּכִסְאוֹ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ מִלְחָמָה וְאֵיבָה בַעֲמָלֵק עוֹלָמִית, וּמַהוּ כֵּס וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּסֵּא? וְאַף הַשֵּׁם נֶחֱלַק לְחֶצְיוֹ? נִשְׁבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵין שְׁמוֹ שָׁלֵם וְאֵין כִּסְאוֹ שָׁלֵם עַד שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק כֻּלּוֹ, וּכְשֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ יִהְיֶה הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם וְהַכִּסֵּא שָׁלֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הָאוֹיֵב תַּמּוּ חֳרָבוֹת לָנֶצַח" (תהלים ט'), זֶהוּ עֲמָלֵק שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ "וְעֶבְרָתוֹ שְׁמָרָה נֶצַח" (עמוס א'), "וְעָרִים נָתַשְׁתָּ אָבַד זִכְרָם הֵמָּה" (תהלים שם), מַהוּ אוֹמֵר אַחֲרָיו? "וַה' לְעוֹלָם יֵשֵׁב" — הֲרֵי הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם, "כּוֹנֵן לַמִּשְׁפָּט כִּסְאוֹ" — הֲרֵי כִּסְּאוֹ שָׁלֵם:

Footnotes

Psalms 9:7.

Amos 1:11.

Haftarah

Shoftim (Judges) Chapter 4

4Now Deborah was a woman prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth; she judged Israel at that time.		דוּדְבוֹרָה֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה נְבִיאָ֔ה אֵ֖שֶׁת לַפִּיד֑וֹת הִ֛יא שֹׁפְטָ֥ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽיא:
the wife of Lappidoth. She prepared wicks for the Sanctuary.		אשת לפידות. שהיתה עושה פתילות למקדש:
5And she sat under the palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-el, in the mountain of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.		הוְ֠הִיא יוֹשֶׁ֨בֶת תַּֽחַת־תֹּ֜מֶר דְּבוֹרָ֗ה בֵּ֧ין הָרָמָ֛ה וּבֵ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֵלֶ֛יהָ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַמִּשְׁפָּֽט:
under the palm tree. She had palm trees in Jericho.		תחת תומר. תמרים היו לה ביריחו:
between Ramah and Beth-el, in the mountain of Ephraim. According to Targum Jonathan’s rendering, we can derive that this verse is not to be taken literally. These were not her places of lodging but rather she was a wealthy woman and from these places she earned a livelihood and dwelt in her city Ataroth. Hence:		בין הרמה ובין בית אל בהר אפרים. לפי תרגומו של יונתן יש ללמוד שאין מקרא זה כמשמעו, ואין אלו סימני מקום ישיבתה, אלא למדנו שאשה עשירה היתה ומן המקומות האלו היתה פרנסתה, והיא יושבת בעירה, עטרות שמה:
under the palm tree. She had palm trees in Jericho, vineyards in Ramah, olives in the plain of Beth-el where oil was abundant, and (עָפָר חִיוֵר) white earth in the mountain of Ephraim in Tur Malka. I say that this was sold to potters. Some interpret עפר חיור - A sown field like a grain field.		תחת תומר. תמרים היו לה ביריחו, וכרמים ברמה, וזיתים בבקעת בית אל, שהוא מקום שמן, ועפר חיוור בהר אפרים, (תרגום:) 'בטור מלכא', אומר אני שמוכרין אותה ליוצרי חרש. ויש פותרין: 'עפר חיוור', שדה זרע, כמו (שביעית ב א): שדה הלבן:
6And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali. And she said to him, "Indeed the Lord, God of Israel, commanded, 'Go and draw toward Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun.		ווַתִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַתִּקְרָא֙ לְבָרָ֣ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֔עַם מִקֶּ֖דֶשׁ נַפְתָּלִ֑י וַתֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו הֲלֹ֥א צִוָּ֣ה \| יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֵ֚ךְ וּמָֽשַׁכְתָּ֙ בְּהַ֣ר תָּב֔וֹר וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ עִמְּךָ֗ עֲשֶֹ֚רֶת אֲלָפִים֙ אִ֔ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י נַפְתָּלִ֖י וּמִבְּנֵ֥י זְבֻלֽוּן:
“Indeed… commanded”. Through Moses (Deut. 20:17), “You shall totally destroy them.” So it is stated in the Mechilta.		הלא צוה. ביד משה (דברים כ יז): כי החרם תחרימם, כך שנויה במכילתא (בא יב):
7And I shall draw to you, to the brook Kishon, Sisera, the chieftain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will give him into your hand.' "		זוּמָשַׁכְתִּ֨י אֵלֶ֜יךָ אֶל־נַ֣חַל קִישׁ֗וֹן אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֙ שַׂר־צְבָ֣א יָבִ֔ין וְאֶת־רִכְבּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־הֲמוֹנ֑וֹ וּנְתַתִּ֖יהוּ בְּיָדֶֽךָ:
8And Barak said to her, "If you will go with me then I shall go, but if you will not go with me, I shall not go."		חוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּרָ֔ק אִם־תֵּלְכִ֥י עִמִּ֖י וְהָלָ֑כְתִּי וְאִם־לֹ֥א תֵלְכִ֛י עִמִּ֖י לֹ֥א אֵלֵֽךְ:
9And she said, "I shall surely go with you, but your glory will not be on the way which you go, for into the hand of a woman will the Lord deliver Sisera." And Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.		טוַתֹּ֜אמֶר הָלֹ֧ךְ אֵלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֗ךְ אֶ֚פֶס כִּי֩ לֹ֨א תִֽהְיֶ֜ה תִּֽפְאַרְתְּךָ֗ עַל־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּ֣ה הוֹלֵ֔ךְ כִּ֣י בְֽיַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה יִמְכֹּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָ֑א וַתָּ֧קָם דְּבוֹרָ֛ה וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ עִם־בָּרָ֖ק קֵֽדְשָׁה:
10And Barak gathered Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand men went up at his feet; and Deborah went up with him.		יוַיַּזְעֵ֨ק בָּרָ֜ק אֶת־זְבוּלֻ֚ן וְאֶת־נַפְתָּלִי֙ קֶ֔דְשָׁה וַיַּ֣עַל בְּרַגְלָ֔יו עֲשֶֹ֥רֶת אַלְפֵ֖י אִ֑ישׁ וַתַּ֥עַל עִמּ֖וֹ דְּבוֹרָֽה:
went up at his feet. (An expression meaning) with him.		ויעל ברגליו. עמו:
11Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses; and he pitched his tent as far as Elon-bezaanannim, which is by Kedesh.		יאוְחֶ֚בֶר הַקֵּינִי֙ נִפְרָ֣ד מִקַּ֔יִן מִבְּנֵ֥י חֹבָ֖ב חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁ֑ה וַיֵּ֣ט אָהֳל֔וֹ עַד־אֵל֥וֹן בְּצַעֲנַנִּ֖ים (כתיב בְּצַעֲנַּ֖יִם) אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶת־קֶֽדֶשׁ:
Elon-bezaanannim. Targum Jonathan renders מֵישָׁר אַגְנַיָא the site of a plain (אֵלוֹן) of pits (בְּצָעִים), mariscusm in O.F. This (i.e., בְּצָעִים) means אַגְנַיָא, being cavities similar to pits where water gathers, as in (Kiddushin 61a) “They are called pits (אגני) of the ground.”		אילון בצעננים. (תרגום:) מישר אגניא, מקום מישר של בצעים, מריש"ק בלע"ז והוא אגניא גבים, כמין גומות שהמים נקבצים שם, 'אגני דארעא מקרון' (קידושין סא א):
12And they told Sisera that Barak, the son of Abinoam, had gone up to Mount Tabor.		יבוַיַּגִּ֖דוּ לְסִֽיסְרָ֑א כִּ֥י עָלָ֛ה בָּרָ֥ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֖עַם הַר־תָּבֽוֹר:
13And Sisera gathered all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth-goiim, to the brook Kishon.		יגוַיַּזְעֵ֨ק סִֽיסְרָ֜א אֶת־כָּל־רִכְבּ֗וֹ תְּשַׁ֚ע מֵאוֹת֙ רֶ֣כֶב בַּרְזֶ֔ל וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ מֵחֲר֥שֶׁת הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֶל־נַ֥חַל קִישֽׁוֹן:
from Harosheth-goiim, to the brook Kishon. He gathered them to go to the brook Kishon from Harosheth-goiim where he dwelt.		מחרושת הגוים אל נחל קישון. הזעיקם שילכו אל נחל קישון מחרושת הגוים שהוא יושב שם:
14And Deborah said to Barak, "Rise, for this is the day which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Did not the Lord go out before you?" And Barak went down from Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men after him.		ידוַתֹּאמֶר֩ דְּבֹרָ֨ה אֶל־בָּרָ֜ק ק֗וּם כִּ֣י זֶ֚ה הַיּוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֚ה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ הֲלֹ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה יָצָ֣א לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַיֵּ֚רֶד בָּרָק֙ מֵהַ֣ר תָּב֔וֹר וַעֲשֶֹ֧רֶת אֲלָפִ֛ים אִ֖ישׁ אַחֲרָֽיו:
15And the Lord confused Sisera and all the chariots and all of the camp with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled on foot.		טווַיָּ֣הָם יְ֠הֹוָה אֶת־סִֽיסְרָ֨א וְאֶת־כָּל־הָרֶ֧כֶב וְאֶת־כָּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה לְפִי־חֶ֖רֶב לִפְנֵ֣י בָרָ֑ק וַיֵּ֧רֶד סִֽיסְרָ֛א מֵעַ֥ל הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה וַיָּ֥נָס בְּרַגְלָֽיו:
16And Barak pursued the chariots and the camp, to Harosheth-goiim; and all of Sisera's camp fell by the edge of the sword, not even one was left.		טזוּבָרָ֗ק רָדַ֞ף אַחֲרֵ֚י הָרֶ֙כֶב֙ וְאַחֲרֵ֣י הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה עַ֖ד חֲר֣שֶׁת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וַיִּפֹּ֞ל כָּל־מַחֲנֵ֚ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ לְפִי־חֶ֔רֶב לֹ֥א נִשְׁאַ֖ר עַד־אֶחָֽד:
17And Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.		יזוְסִֽיסְרָא֙ נָ֣ס בְּרַגְלָ֔יו אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל יָעֵ֔ל אֵ֖שֶׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י כִּ֣י שָׁל֗וֹם בֵּ֚ין יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶך־חָצ֔וֹר וּבֵ֕ין בֵּ֖ית חֶ֥בֶר הַקֵּינִֽי:
18And Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not." And he turned in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a garment.		יחוַתֵּצֵ֣א יָעֵל֘ לִקְרַ֣את סִֽיסְרָא֒ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו סוּרָ֧ה אֲדֹנִ֛י סוּרָ֥ה אֵלַ֖י אַל־תִּירָ֑א וַיָּ֚סַר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה וַתְּכַסֵּ֖הוּ בַּשְּׂמִיכָֽה:
with a garment. Targum Jonathan renders בְּגוּנְכָא which Rav Hai Gaon explains: a garment. Coate in O.F.		בשמיכה. תרגם יונתן: בגונכא, ופירש רב האי (שבת נא א): גונכא - גלופקרין, קוט"א בלע"ז:
19And he said to her, "Give me now a little water to drink, for I am thirsty;" and she opened the flask of milk and gave him to drink, and covered him.		יטוַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלֶ֛יהָ הַשְׁקִינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם כִּ֣י צָמֵ֑אתִי וַתִּפְתַּ֞ח אֶת־נֹ֧אוד הֶחָלָ֛ב וַתַּשְׁקֵ֖הוּ וַתְּכַסֵּֽהוּ:
the flask of milk. She gave him milk because it slackens the body and causes drowsiness.		נאד החלב. שהחלב מכביד את הגוף להיות נרדם:
20And he said to her, "Stand in the doorway of the tent; and it shall be, if any man comes and asks you and says, 'Is a man here?,' then you shall say, 'There is not.' "		כוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ עֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְהָיָה֩ אִם־אִ֨ישׁ יָב֜וֹא וּשְׁאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְאָמַ֛ר הֲיֵֽשׁ־פֹּ֥ה אִ֖ישׁ וְאָמַ֥רְתְּ אָֽיִן:
Stand in the doorway of the tent. (עֲמֹד) is masc.) Hasten like a man. And some interpret עֲמֹד as (לַעֲמוֹד) “to stand”.		עמוד פתח האהל. זרזי עצמך בדבר ויש פותרים: 'עמוד', כמו לעמוד:
21And Jael, the wife of Heber, took the tent-pin, and placed the hammer in her hand, and came to him stealthily, and thrust the pin into his temple, and it pierced through into the ground; and he was in a deep sleep and weary; and he died.		כאוַתִּקַּ֣ח יָעֵ֣ל אֵֽשֶׁת־חֶ֠בֶר אֶת־יְתַ֨ד הָאֹ֜הֶל וַתָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־הַמַּקֶּ֣בֶת בְּיָדָ֗הּ וַתָּב֚וֹא אֵלָיו֙ בַּלָּ֔אט וַתִּתְקַ֚ע אֶת־הַיָּתֵד֙ בְּרַקָּת֔וֹ וַתִּצְנַ֖ח בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֽוּא־נִרְדָּ֥ם וַיָּ֖עַף וַיָּמֹֽת:
Tent pin. Chevilles in O.F. A peg which is inserted into the ground together with the lower portion of a tent to stretch it out.		יתד האהל. קבילי"ל בלע"ז, שתוקעין בארץ עם שיפולי האהל לפושטו:
the hammer. Targum Jonathan renders , martel in Old French (a hammer).		המקבת. (תרגום:) ארזפתא, מרטי"ל בלע"ז:
stealthily. Targum Jonathan renders i.e., stealthily.		בלאט. (תרגום:) ברז, חרש:
and it pierced through into the ground. Targum Jonathan renders : and it pierced through into the ground.		ותצנח בארץ. (תרגום:) ונעצת בארעא:
22And behold, Barak pursued Sisera, and Jael came out to meet him, and she said to him, "Come and I will show you the man whom you seek," and he came to her, and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the pin was in his temple.		כבוְהִנֵּ֣ה בָרָק֘ רֹדֵ֣ף אֶת־סִֽיסְרָא֒ וַתֵּצֵ֚א יָעֵל֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ לֵ֣ךְ וְאַרְאֶ֔ךָּ אֶת־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵלֶ֔יהָ וְהִנֵּ֚ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ נֹפֵ֣ל מֵ֔ת וְהַיָּתֵ֖ד בְּרַקָּתֽוֹ:
in his temple. Targum Jonathan renders בְצִידְעֵיה (in his temple) tenplia in O.F. She had thrust it through his temple into the ground.		ברקתו. (תרגום:) בצידעיה, ניל"ה טימפי"ה בלע"ז, ותחבה ברקתו ובארץ:
23And God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan, before the children of Israel.		כגוַיַּכְנַ֚ע אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אֵ֖ת יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־כְּנָ֑עַן לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
24And the hand of the children of Israel prevailed constantly harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin, king of Canaan.		כדוַתֵּ֜לֶךְ יַ֚ד בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הָל֣וֹךְ וְקָשָׁ֔ה עַ֖ל יָבִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־כְּנָ֑עַן עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִכְרִ֔יתוּ אֵ֖ת יָבִ֥ין מֶֽלֶךְ־כְּנָֽעַן:

Shoftim (Judges) Chapter 5

1Now Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying.		אוַתָּ֣שַׁר דְּבוֹרָ֔ה וּבָרָ֖ק בֶּן־אֲבִינֹ֑עַם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹֽר:
2"When breaches are made in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly, bless the Lord.		בבִּפְרֹ֚עַ פְּרָעוֹת֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהִתְנַדֵּ֖ב עָ֑ם בָּֽרְכ֖וּ יְהֹוָֽה:
When breaches are made in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly. When breaches come upon Israel, for their enemies made breaches in them because they forsook their God and the masses feel motivated to repent, as of now it is proper to bless God (out of thankfulness) for the salvation He has wrought.		בפרע פרעות בישראל בהתנדב עם. כשבאו פרצות על ישראל שפרצו בהם אויביהם על עזבם את ה', והתנדב העם לשוב בתשובה, מעתה ברכו את ה' על התשועות שעשה:
3Hear, O kings, give ear, O princes; I, to the Lord I shall sing, I shall sing to the Lord, the God of Israel.		גשִׁמְע֣וּ מְלָכִ֔ים הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ רֹֽזְנִ֑ים אָֽנֹכִ֗י לַֽיהֹוָה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
אָנֹכִי אָנֹכִי. This word is repeated. I have heard an Aggadic interpretation: The Holy One did not rob (by withholding) the reward of Mount Tabor and Mount Carmel who arrived at the giving of the Torah, expecting it to be given upon them, and turned away in shame. The Holy One said to them, “I will pay you double fold. It was said at Sinai, (Ex. 20:2) ‘(אָנֹכִי) I am the Lord your God,’ at Tabor it will be said, ‘I… I…’ (אָנֹכִי אָנֹכִי). It was said at Sinai, ‘I am the Lord your God (ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ),’ at Carmel it will be said twice, (I Kings 18:39) ‘The Lord He is God, the Lord He is God (ה׳ הוּא הָאֱלֹקִים)’ in the days of Elijah.”		אנכי אנכי. כפול, שמעתי מדרש אגדה (ילקוט שמעוני ב מז) לא קפח הקדוש ברוך הוא שכר תבור וכרמל, שבאו למתן תורה לתת עליהם את התורה וחזרו בבשת הפנים, אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא, סוף שאני פורע לכם כפלים, נאמר בסיני (שמות כ ב) אנכי ה' אלהיך, בתבור יאמר: אנכי אנכי. נאמר בסיני (שם) אנכי ה' אלהיך, בכרמל יאמר, כפול (מלכים א יח לט) ה' הוא האלהים, ה' הוא האלהים, בימי אליהו:
4Lord, when You went forth out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dripped; also the clouds dripped water.		דיְהֹוָ֗ה בְּצֵאתְךָ֚ מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ בְּצַעְדְּךָ֙ מִשְּׂדֵ֣ה אֱד֔וֹם אֶ֣רֶץ רָעָ֔שָׁה גַּם־שָׁמַ֖יִם נָטָ֑פוּ גַּם־עָבִ֖ים נָ֥טְפוּ מָֽיִם:
Lord, when You went forth out of Seir. This refers to the giving of the Torah as it says, “And He appeared to them from Seir” (Deut. 33:2). The relation here is that thus said Deborah: “The Torah is detrimental to forsake and rewarding to cling to it for amidst awe and might it was given. Therefore Israel was delivered into the hands of their adversaries because they forsook it, but when they decided to engage in it they were saved.” This can be derived from Targum Jonathan’s translation.		ה' בצאתך משעיר. זה מתן תורה, כמה שנאמר (דברים לג ב) וזרח משעיר למו, ומה עניינה לכאן, כך אמרה דבורה: קשה היא התורה לפרוש ממנה וטובה היא לדבק בה, שהרי במורא ובגבורה נתנה, ולכך נמסרו ישראל ביד אויביהם על פרישתם הימנה וכשהתנדבו לעסוק בה נושעו, כל זה יש ללמוד מתרגומו של יונתן:
dripped. Dripped a life sustaining dew		נטפו. הזילו טל תחיה:
5The mountains melted at the presence of the Lord, this (was at) Sinai, because of the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.		ההָרִ֥ים נָזְל֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה זֶ֣ה סִינַ֔י מִפְּנֵ֕י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
The mountains melted. (Heb. נָזְלוּ) Like flowing water (נוֹזְלִים) they melted away.		הרים נזלו. כמים נוזלים נמוגו:
this (was at) Sinai. It is already stated what appeared there. (See Ex. 19:16 19, 20:15.) It was completely in smoke and amidst thunder, torches, and fire.		זה סיני. כבר מפורש (שמות יט כ) מה נראה בו: עשן כולו, וקול, ולפידים ואש:
because of the presence of the Lord. This is an abbreviated verse: This was at Sinai; that which occurred there was because God descended upon it.		מפני ה'. והרי זה מקרא קצר 'זה סיני', מה אירע בו, מפני אשר ירד עליו ה':
6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, caravans ceased, and travellers walked on crooked paths.		ובִּימֵ֞י שַׁמְגַּ֚ר בֶּן־עֲנָת֙ בִּימֵ֣י יָעֵ֔ל חָדְל֖וּ אֳרָח֑וֹת וְהֹלְכֵ֣י נְתִיב֔וֹת יֵלְכ֕וּ אֳרָח֖וֹת עֲקַלְקַלּֽוֹת:
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael. (Since they are equated,) This teaches us that Jael also judged Israel in her days.		בימי שמגר בן ענת בימי יעל. מלמד שאף יעל שפטה את ישראל בימיה:
caravans ceased. Israel was afraid to travel because of the enemy, hence they followed winding roads in secrecy.		חדלו ארחות. היו יראים ישראל לצאת לדרכם מפני האויבים והיו הולכים דרך עקלתון בהחבא:
7The open cities ceased, in Israel they ceased, until I Deborah arose; I arose as a mother in Israel.		זחָדְל֧וּ פְרָז֛וֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חָדֵ֑לּוּ עַ֚ד שַׁקַּ֙מְתִּי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה שַׁקַּ֥מְתִּי אֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
The open cities ceased. Heb. פְרָזוֹן. Open cities (פְּרָזִי), without walls, ceased to be inhabited because of the enemies, and they gathered into the fortified cities.		חדלו פרזון. ערי הפרזי שאין להם חומה חדלו מהיות יושבים בהם מפני אויביהם, ונאספו אל ערי המבצר:
until I (Deborah) arose. Heb. שַׁקַּמְתִּי. Interpreted as שֶׁקַּמְתִּי as below (6:17) “שָׁאַתָּה מְדַבֵּר עִמִּי” (That you are speaking with me, understood as שֶׁאַתָּה.)		עד שקמתי. כמו שקמתי, וכן (שופטים ו יז): שאתה מדבר עמי:
8When they chose new gods, then there was war in the cities; was there seen a shield or a spear (when the) forty thousand (went against) Israel?		חיִבְחַר֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אָ֖ז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִ֑ים מָגֵ֚ן אִם־יֵֽרָאֶה֙ וָרֹ֔מַח בְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
When they chose new gods then there was war in the cities. When Israel chose new gods (cf. Deut. 32:17), they were then subject to war within their cities. However, look now when they were willing, will there be seen among Israel a shield or a spear to use in battle against the 40,000 generals the heathens brought upon them. The Almighty confused all of them in the battle with the stars, and the brook of Kishon raked them away.		יבחר אלהים חדשים אז לחם שערים. כשבחר לו ישראל אלהים חדשים, אז הוזקקו למלחמה בשעריהם, ראו עתה בהתנדבם, אם יראה בישראל מגן ורומח, שצריך להלחם בארבעים אלף ראשי גייסות שהביא הגוי עליהם, וכולם הממם המקום במלחמת הכוכבים (פסוק כא) ונחל קישון גרפם:
cities. (שְׁעָרִים is usually interpreted as gates, however, here it means cities,) as in (Deut. 17:2), “When it will be found among you, within one of your cities” (שְׁעָרֶיךָ).		שערים. כמו (דברים יז ב) כי ימצא בקרבך באחד שעריך, עיירות:
9My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people, (saying,) 'Bless the Lord.'		טלִבִּי֙ לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֖ים בָּעָ֑ם בָּרֲכ֖וּ יְהֹוָֽה:
My heart…. I, Deborah, (my heart) is out to the lawgivers of Israel; to love the wise men of Israel who volunteered to tell the people, “Bless the Lord and return to Him.”		לבי. אני דבורה לחוקקי ישראל, לאהוב את חכמי ישראל שהתנדבו בעם, לאמר: ברכו את ה' ושובו אליו:
10The riders of white donkeys, those that sit in judgment, and those that walk on the path, tell of it.		ירֹכְבֵי֩ אֲתֹנ֨וֹת צְחֹר֜וֹת ישְׁבֵ֧י עַל־מִדִּ֛ין וְהֹלְכֵ֥י עַל־דֶּ֖רֶךְ שִֹֽיחוּ:
The riders of white donkeys. The merchants and nobles who may now ride on the precious white donkeys without fear or worry of the heathens, and those that sit in judgment (מִדִּין is an expression of דַיָּינִים, judges), who were afraid to practice justice publicly, and those that travel on foot, recite and tell of this salvation; (v. 11) that instead of the noise of your adversaries, the ambushers, bandits, and tax collectors who banded together to ambush at the water crossings, there the donkey riders and wayfarers will recite the righteous deeds of the Lord. What are His righteous deeds? Deeds of restoring open cities for Israel, for He granted tranquility to Israel to dwell in open cities and go about scattered, singly, without massing together as a group. Then… went down to the cities They now returned to their home cities whence they had fled to gather in the fortified cities.		רכבי אתנות צחורות. הסוחרים והשרים שירכבו מעתה על אתונות לבנות החשובות, מבלי יראה ודאגת אויביהם, ואותן שיושבין על מדין, לשון דיינים, שהיו יראים לעשות משפט בפרהסיא, וכן תרגם יונתן: דהוו מתחברין למיתב על דינא, ואותן שהולכין רגלי על דרך, שיחו וספרו את התשועה הזאת, אשר מקול המחצצים אתכם, אורבים, ליסטים ומוכסין, היושבין גדודים במערכות לארוב בעברי המים, שם יתנו עתה רוכבי האתונות והולכי על דרך את צדקות ה', ומה הן הצדקות (פסוק יא) צדקות פרזנו בישראל שהשקיט את ישראל, לשכון פרזון ולצאת מפוזרים ביחידי, שלא באסיפת עם:
11Instead of the noise of adversaries, between the places of drawing water, there they will tell the righteous acts of the Lord, the righteous acts of restoring open cities in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went down to the cities.		יאמִקּ֣וֹל מְחַֽצְצִ֗ים בֵּ֚ין מַשְׁאַבִּ֔ים שָׁ֚ם יְתַנּוּ֙ צִדְק֣וֹת יְהֹוָ֔ה צִדְקֹ֥ת פִּרְזֹנ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אָ֛ז יָרְד֥וּ לַשְּׁעָרִ֖ים עַם־יְהֹוָֽה:
.		אז ירדו לשערים. חזרו לערי מושבותם שברחו מהם ליאסף אל ערי המבצר:
adversaries. Heb. מְחַצְצִים. Menachem (ben Seruk, a Hebrew Grammarian,) interprets, “those that wage war and array battles,” therefore he classifies this along with, (Prov. 30:27) “The locusts have no king, yet they march (חֹצֵץ) together;” an expression of “troops”. Another interpretation is		מחצצים. פתר מנחם: עורכי מלחמה וסודרי קרב, וחברו עם (משלי ל כז): מלך אין לארבה ויצא חצץ כולו, לשון גדודים. דבר אחר:
Instead of the noise of adversaries, between the places of drawing water. מִקּוֹל מְחַצְצִים בֵּין מַשְׁאַבִּים , When you went to the river to draw water, you feared the sound of the pebbles smoothened by the river, Kiesels in German (cailloux in French is of Celtic origin), for their sound is heard when one passes over them, and you feared being detected by the heathens. However, now you do not have to worry about this. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to give thanks to His name. מְחַצְצִים (is then) an expression of “pebbles smoothened by the river,” as in (Lam. 3:16) “and he broke with the stones (בֶחָצָץ) my teeth.”		מקול מחצצים בין משאבים. כשהייתם הולכים בין משאבים לשאוב מים, הייתם יראים מקול אבנים, חלוקי הנחל, קיזל"ש בלע"ז, שהעובר עליהם נשמע קולם, והייתם יראים שלא ירגישו בכם אויביכם, מעכשיו אין לחוש על זאת, ומשום הכי מצוה עליכם ליתן הודיה לשמו:
adversaries. (is then) an expression of “pebbles smoothened by the river,” as in (Lam. 3:16) “and he broke with the stones (בֶחָצָץ) my teeth.”		מחצצים. לשון אבני חלוקי הנחל, כמו (איכה ג טז) ויגרס בחצץ:
12Praise! Praise! Deborah. Praise! Praise! Utter a song. Arise Barak, and capture your captives, son of Abinoam.		יבעוּרִ֚י עוּרִי֙ דְּבוֹרָ֔ה ע֥וּרִי ע֖וּרִי דַּבְּרִי־שִׁ֑יר ק֥וּם בָּרָ֛ק וּֽשֲׁבֵ֥ה שֶׁבְיְךָ֖ בֶּן־אֲבִינֹֽעַם:
Praise! Praise! Deborah. (עוּרִי is) An expression of praise, as in its plain meaning: Become firm in your praise. But our Rabbis said, because she praised herself by saying (v. 7) “Until I Deborah arose,” the Divine spirit left her (therefore she had to arouse (עוֹרֵר) it).		עורי עורי דבורה. לשון שבח כפשוטו, התגברי בשירתך ורבותינו אמרו (פסחים סו ב) מפני שנתהללה ואמרה (פסוק ז) עד שקמתי דבורה, נסתלקה הימנה רוח הקודש:
13Then ruled a remnant among the mighty of the nations; the Lord dominated the strong for me.		יגאָ֚ז יְרַ֣ד שָׂרִ֔יד לְאַדִּירִ֖ים עָ֑ם יְהֹוָ֕ה יְרַד־לִ֖י בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים:
Then ruled a remnant among the mighty. יְרַד = ירדה meaning “ruled,” as in (Isaiah 45:1) “Who rules (לְרַד) nations before Him.” The remnants of Israel ruled over the mighty (אַדִּירֵי) gentiles.		אז ירד שריד לאדירים. ירד - ירדה, כמו (ישעיהו מה א) לרד לפניו גוים, שרידי ישראל רדו באדירי הגוים:
the Lord dominated the strong for me. He gave me dominion (יְרַד לִי) over the mighty of the gentiles.		ה' ירד לי בגבורים. ירדה לי את גבורי הגוים:
14Out of Ephraim, whose root was against Amalek; after you (will be) Benjamin with your abaters; out of Machir came down officers, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the scribe.		ידמִנִּ֣י אֶפְרַ֗יִם שָׁרְשָׁם֙ בַּעֲמָלֵ֔ק אַחֲרֶ֥יךָ בִנְיָמִ֖ין בַּֽעֲמָמֶ֑יךָ מִנִּ֣י מָכִ֗יר יָֽרְדוּ֙ מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים וּמִ֨זְּבוּלֻ֔ן מֹשְׁכִ֖ים בְּשֵׁ֥בֶט סֹפֵֽר:
Out of Ephraim. From Ephraim issued the root (שׁוֹרֶשׁ, referring to Joshua the son of Nun (their prince), to subdue Amalek and weaken him by the sword (Ex. 17:13). This verse is connected to the previous one and explains: The Lord dominated the strong for me by establishing Joshua to subdue Amalek.		מני אפרים. מן אפרים יצא שורש יהושע בן נון, לרדות בעמלק לחלש אותו לפי חרב, ומחובר מקרא זה לעליון, לפרש: ה' ירד לי בגבורים, את יהושע הקים לרד בעמלק:
after you. Will arise from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul the son of Kish who will stone him and slacken (עֲמָם) him like dying (עוֹמְמוֹת) embers. We can (also) interpret בַּעֲמָמֶיךָ referring to the army of 200,000 soldiers with which Saul came upon them (I Sam. 15:4).		אחריך. יקום משבט בנימין שאול בן קיש שיגרמנו ויעמם אותו כגחלים עוממות ויש לפתור: 'בעממיך', בחיל של מאתים אלף רגלי שבא שאול עליהם:
Out of Machir came down officers. Outstanding officers who conquered the Amorites. This refers to those who captured sixty cities, the whole royal stretch conquered under Jair (of Menasseh See Deut. 3: 4, 14).		מני מכיר ירדו מחקקים. שרים גדולים שכבשו את האמורי, אשר כבשו (דברים ג ד) ששים עיר כל חבל ארגוב שכבש יאיר:
15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah, as was Issachar with Barak; into the valley they rushed forth with their feet. (But) among the divisions of Reuben, (there were) great resolves of heart.		טווְשָׂרַ֚י בְּיִשָּׂשׂכָר֙ עִם־דְּבֹרָ֔ה וְיִשָּׂשׂכָר֙ כֵּ֣ן בָּרָ֔ק בָּעֵ֖מֶק שֻׁלַּ֣ח בְּרַגְלָ֑יו בִּפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדֹלִ֖ים חִקְקֵי־לֵֽב:
And the princes of Issachar. The princes of Issachar are the Sanhedrin who were occupied in Torah and “knew how to treat the times” (I Chron. 12:32). They are always (cooperating) with Deborah to teach Israel statutes and laws.		ושרי ביששכר. שרים שביששכר, הם סנהדראות עוסקין בתורה, (דברי הימים א יא לב) יודעי בינה לעתים, הם תמיד עם דבורה ללמד בישראל חק ומשפט:
And the princes of Issachar. Heb. שָׂרַי. The “yud” is inconsequential and does not serve any purpose, as the “yud” in (Ps. 8:8) “the cattle of the field (שָׂדַי);” (Jer. 22: 14) “Expand the windows (חַלּוֹנָי).”		ושרי ביששכר. יו"ד זו טפילה היא ואינה משמשת כלום, והרי היא כיו"ד (תהלים ח ח) בהמות שדי, (ירמיהו כב יד) וקרע לו חלוני:
as was Issachar with Barak. (The princes) And the rest of the people of Issachar are faithful to Barak in all that he will instruct.		ויששכר כן ברק. ושאר העם של יששכר, כן הם עם ברק לכל אשר יצוה:
into the valley they rushed forth with their feet. He sent them for all his errands; to gather the people and for all the needs of war.		בעמק שלח ברגליו. שלחם בכל שליחותו, ולאסוף את העם ולכל צרכי המלחמה:
(But) among the divisions of Reuben. But in the divisions of Reuben’s heart were vast חִקְקֵי לֵב, (which Targum Jonathan renders) נִכְלֵי לִיבָּא i.e., shrewdness. And what was his shrewdness? He dwelt by the edges (מִשִׂפְתֵי) of the battle to hear who would win so that he should join with him.		בפלגות ראובן. אבל בחילוקי לבו של ראובן רבו חקקי לב. (תרגום:) נכלי ליבא, ערמומית, ומה היא ערמומיתו, ישב לו בין משפתי המלחמה לשמוע מי נוצח ויהיה עמו:
16Why do you sit between the borders, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? At the divisions of Reuben, (there are) great searchings of heart.		טזלָ֣מָּה יָשַׁ֗בְתָּ בֵּ֚ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ שְׁרִק֣וֹת עֲדָרִ֑ים לִפְלַגּ֣וֹת רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדוֹלִ֖ים חִקְרֵי־לֵֽב:
the bleatings of the flocks. To hear the sound of the flocks in battle; to whom is the sound of victory and to whom is the sound of defeat.		שרקות עדרים. לשמוע קול עדרי המלחמה, למי קול ענות גבורה ולמי קול ענות חלושה:
17Gilead abides beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why does he gather into the ships? Asher dwelt at the shore of the seas, and by his breaches he abides.		יזגִּלְעָ֗ד בְּעֵ֚בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ שָׁכֵ֔ן וְדָ֕ן לָ֥מָּה יָג֖וּר אֳנִיּ֑וֹת אָשֵׁ֗ר יָשַׁב֙ לְח֣וֹף יַמִּ֔ים וְעַ֥ל מִפְרָצָ֖יו יִשְׁכּֽוֹן:
abides beyond the Jordan. And he did not come to the battle, and likewise Dan gathered his wealth into ships to be prepared to escape.		בעבר הירדן שכן. ולא בא אל המלחמה, וכן דן הכניס ממונו בספינות לעמוד ולברוח:
and by his breaches. To watch the vulnerable parts of his land.		ועל מפרציו. לשמור פרצות ארצו:
18Zebulun is a people that jeopardized their lives to die, as did Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.		יחזְבֻל֗וּן עַ֣ם חֵרֵ֥ף נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לָמ֖וּת וְנַפְתָּלִ֑י עַ֖ל מְרוֹמֵ֥י שָׂדֶֽה:
Zebulun is a people that jeopardized…. He scorned himself and submitted himself to die in battle with Barak, and likewise Naphtali on the high places of the field, on Mount Tabor.		זבלון עם חרף וגו'. בזה נפשו והפקיר עצמו למות במלחמה עם ברק, וכן נפתלי על מרומי שדה על הר תבור:
19The kings came and fought; then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.		יטבָּ֚אוּ מְלָכִים֙ נִלְחָ֔מוּ אָ֚ז נִלְחֲמוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י כְנַ֔עַן בְּתַעְנַ֖ךְ עַל־מֵ֣י מְגִדּ֑וֹ בֶּ֥צַע כֶּ֖סֶף לֹ֥א לָקָֽחוּ:
in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. Jonathan renders: In Taanach they dwelt and reached until the waters of Megiddo. The edge of the camp was in Taanach and it reached until the waters of Megiddo.		בתענך על מי מגדו. תרגם יונתן: בתענך הוו שרן ומטן על מי מגדו, ראש המחנה בתענך ומגיע עד מי מגידו:
they took no gain of money. Without payment they came to aid Sisera, they asked no reward.		בצע כסף לא לקחו. חנם באו לעזרת סיסרא, לא בקשו ממנו שכר:
20From heaven they fought; the stars from their courses fought against Sisera.		כמִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם נִלְחָ֑מוּ הַכּֽוֹכָבִים֙ מִמְּסִלּוֹתָ֔ם נִלְחֲמ֖וּ עִם־סִיסְרָֽא:
From heaven they fought. (As they sought no gain,) likewise the Holy One sent against them His hosts who do not desire any reward.		מן שמים נלחמו. ואף הקדוש ברוך הוא שלח בם צבאיו שאינם רוצים שום שכר:
from their courses. The tip of the star being in heaven and its edge upon earth (see following verses). From here it was said: The thickness of the firmament is equivalent to the space between heaven and earth, since the star is inserted in the firmament like a bolt into a door (this refers to an old fashioned bolt which went through the thickness of the door), i.e., the size of its length equaling the thickness of the firmament. Thus from this verse, which attests that from their courses they fought, we derive that the thickness of the firmament is equal to the height between heaven and earth.		ממסלותם. ראש הכוכב בשמים וסופו בארץ, מכאן אמרו (תנחומא בראשית ה) עוביו של רקיע כאויר שבין שמים לארץ, שהכוכב תקוע ברקיע כמין נגר בדלת, מדת ארכו כעביו של רקיע, ומן המקרא שמעיד 'ממסילותם נלחמו', אנו שומעין שעוביו של רקיע כגובה שמים מן הארץ:
21The brook Kishon swept them away, that ancient brook, the brook Kishon; tread down, O my soul, (their) strength.		כאנַ֚חַל קִישׁוֹן֙ גְּרָפָ֔ם נַ֥חַל קְדוּמִ֖ים נַ֣חַל קִישׁ֑וֹן תִּדְרְכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י עֹֽז:
swept them away. Heb. גְּרָפָם. It swept them from the world like a rake (מַגְרֵפָה) that rakes ashes from an oven.		גרפם. טאטם מן העולם, כמגרפה זו שגורפת את האפר מן הכירה:
that ancient brook. It became a guarantor to the sea concerning this from the days of Egypt as it is stated in Pesachim (118b).		נחל קדומים. שנעשה ערב לים על זה מימות מצרים, כדאיתא בפסחים (קיח ב):
tread down, O my soul. By using my feet upon the strength (עוֹז) of the mighty of Canaan.		תדרכי נפשי. ברגלים את עוז גבורי כנען:
22Then were pounded the heels of the horses by reason of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones.		כבאָ֥ז הָלְמ֖וּ עִקְּבֵי־ס֑וּס מִֽדַּהֲר֖וֹת דַּהֲר֥וֹת אַבִּירָֽיו:
were pounded the heels of the horses. The hoofs of their horses slipped off because the heat of the star would boil the mud and the nail would slip off, as one scalds the feet in boiling water and the hoofs would slip off. And since they slipped off, the feet were stricken (הָלְמוּ) (Mechilta Ex. 14:24).		הלמו עקבי סוס. נשתלפו טלפי סוסיהם, שהיה חום הכוכב מרתיח את הטיט והציפורן נשמטה, כמו שמולגין את הרגלים ברותחין והטלפים נשמטים, מתוך שנשתלפו נהלמו הרגלים:
by reason of the prancings, the prancings of their mighty ones. They would cause their horses to prance in war as in (Nachum 3:2) “And a horse prancing” (דוֹהֵר). This is an expression of the prancing of a horse.		מדהרות דהרות אביריו. שהיו מרקידים את סוסיהם במלחמה, כמו (נחום ג ב) וסוס דהר, הוא לשון הרקדת הסוס:
23'Curse you Meroz,' said the messenger of the Lord, 'curse you bitterly (you) inhabitants thereof,' because they came not to the aid of the Lord, to the aid of the Lord against the mighty.		כגא֣וֹרוּ מֵר֗וֹז אָמַר֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֹ֥רוּ אָר֖וֹר יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ כִּ֚י לֹֽא־בָ֙אוּ֙ לְעֶזְרַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה לְעֶזְרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּגִּבּוֹרִֽים:
“Curse you Meroz,”. Some say it was a star and some say he was a prominent person who was near the battle area and yet did not come.		אורו מרוז. אמרי לה כוכבא הוה, ואמרי לה גברא חשיבא הוה (מועד קטן טז א), והיה סמוך למקום המלחמה ולא בא:
said the messenger of the Lord. Said Barak as an agent of the Holy One.		אמר מלאך ה'. אמר ברק בשליחותו של הקדוש ברוך הוא:
the inhabitants thereof. Those that dwell within his four cubits. With (the blast of) four hundred horns, Barak excommunicated Meroz.		יושביה. היושבים בארבע אמות שלו (שם) בארבע מאות שפורי שמתיה ברק למרוז:
to the aid of the Lord. Speaking as though it could be done, for he who aids Israel is as if he is aiding the Divine Presence.		לעזרת ה'. כביכול, שמי שהוא עוזר את ישראל, כעוזר את השכינה:
24Blessed above women shall Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, be; above women in the tent shall she be blessed.		כדתְּבֹרַךְ֙ מִנָּשִׁ֔ים יָעֵ֕ל אֵ֖שֶׁת חֶ֣בֶר הַקֵּינִ֑י מִנָּשִׁ֥ים בָּאֹ֖הֶל תְּבֹרָֽךְ:
above women in the tent. Heb. אֹהֶל. Referring to Sarah of whom it is said, (Gen. 18:9) “She is in the tent,” Rebecca of whom it is said, (ibid. 24:67) “And Isaac brought her into the tent,” and Rachel and Leah of whom it is said, (ibid 31:33) “And he went out of Leah’s tent and he entered Rachel’s tent”.		מנשים באהל. שרה, שנאמר בה (בראשית יח ט) הנה באהל רבקה, שנאמר בה (שם כד סז) ויביאה יצחק האהלה. רחל ולאה, שנאמר בהן (שם לא לג) ויצא מאהל לאה וגו':
above women in the tent shall she be blessed. (Referring to) Jael, because they bore and raised children, but if not Jael, this evil one (i.e., Sisera) would have come and destroyed them. So it states in Genesis Rabbah 48. Another interpretation is that Jael also dwelt in tents (above 4:18), therefore she was mentioned in the blessing of tents.		מנשים באהל תבורך. יעל למה - הן ילדו וגידלו, ואם לא יעל הרי הרשע הזה בא ומאבדן, כך הוא בבראשית רבה (מח טו). דבר אחר, אף יעל היתה יושבת אהלים, לפיכך הזכיר אותה בברכת אהלים:
25Water he requested, (but) milk she gave him: in a lordly bowl she brought him cream.		כהמַ֥יִם שָׁאַ֖ל חָלָ֣ב נָתָ֑נָה בְּסֵ֥פֶל אַדִּירִ֖ים הִקְרִ֥יבָה חֶמְאָֽה:
(but) milk she gave him. To test his state of consciousness, if he could discern between the taste of water and the taste of milk. So does Targum Jonathan paraphrase.		חלב נתנה. לדעת אם לבו עליו שיבין בין טעם מים לטעם חלב, כן תרגם יונתן:
in a lordly bowl. Heb. אַדִּירִים. In a vessel that one drinks water, since water is called “mighty” (or lordly i. e., אַדִּירִים), as it says, (Ex. 15:10) “In the mighty (אַדִּירִים) waters”.		בספל אדירים. בספל ששותין בו מים, שהמים נקראו 'אדירים', שנאמר (שמות טו י) במים אדירים:
26She put forth her hand to the pin, and her right hand to strike the weary; she struck Sisera, pierced his head, and wounded and penetrated his temple.		כויָדָהּ֙ לַיָּתֵ֣ד תִּשְׁלַ֔חְנָה וִֽימִינָ֖הּ לְהַלְמ֣וּת עֲמֵלִ֑ים וְהָלְמָ֚ה סִֽיסְרָא֙ מָחֲקָ֣ה רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וּמָחֲצָ֥ה וְחָלְפָ֖ה רַקָּתֽוֹ:
to strike the weary. Heb. עֲמֵלִים. Referring to Sisera who was exhausted (עָמֵל) and tired.		להלמות עמלים. סיסרא, שהיה עמל ויגע:
(she) pierced. Heb. מָחֲקָה. An expression of piercing (חִיקוּי).		מחקה. לשון חיקוי:
and (she) wounded. Heb. מָחֲצָה. An expression of wounding (מַחַץ).		ומחצה. לשון מחץ:
and penetrated. Heb. חָלְפָה means “she made pass through” (referring to the pin which pierced his head) coming out on the other side.		וחלפה. יוצא מצד אחר:
27At her feet he sank, fell, lay; at her feet he sank (and) fell; where he sank, there he fell down dead.		כזבֵּ֣ין רַגְלֶ֔יהָ כָּרַ֥ע נָפַ֖ל שָׁכָ֑ב בֵּ֚ין רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ כָּרַ֣ע נָפָ֔ל בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֔ע שָׁ֖ם נָפַ֥ל שָׁדֽוּד:
28Through the window the mother of Sisera looked forth, and peered through the window; why is his chariot late in coming? Why tarry the strides of his chariots?		כחבְּעַד֩ הַחַלּ֨וֹן נִשְׁקְפָ֧ה וַתְּיַבֵּ֛ב אֵ֥ם סִֽיסְרָ֖א בְּעַ֣ד הָֽאֶשְׁנָ֑ב מַדּ֗וּעַ בֹּשֵׁ֚שׁ רִכְבּוֹ֙ לָב֔וֹא מַדּ֣וּעַ אֶֽחֱר֔וּ פַּעֲמֵ֖י מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו:
and peered. Heb. וַתְּיַבֵּב. An expression of speaking, as in (Isa. 57:19) “The speech (נִיב) of the lips.” But our Rabbis explained (Rosh Hashanah 33b) מְיַבֵּב as an expression of wailing, as in (Num. 29:1), “Of wailing” (תְּרוּעָה) which is rendered יַבָּבָא. However, I say it is an expression of looking, as in, (Zach. 2:12) “The pupil (בָבַת) of his eye,” and so has Menachem classified it. הָאֶשְׁנָב, the window.		ותיבב. לשון דבור, כמו (ישעיהו יז יט) ניב שפתים ורבותינו פירשוהו (ראש השנה לג ב) לשון גניחה, כתרועה, דמתרגמינן 'יבבא' (ויקרא כג כד). ואני אומר: לשון ראייה, כמו (זכריה ב ב) בבת עיני, וכן חברו מנחם:
the window. the window.		אשנב. חלון:
29The wisest of her princesses answer her, she too returns answers to herself.		כטחַכְמ֥וֹת שָׂרוֹתֶ֖יהָ תַּעֲנֶ֑ינָּה אַף־הִ֕יא תָּשִׁ֥יב אֲמָרֶ֖יהָ לָֽהּ:
The wisest of her princesses answer her. Heb. חַכְמוֹת is interpreted as “the wise of her princesses” (an adjective in the constructive form), therefore the “Heth” is vocalized with a “patach” (“ah” sounding vowel). חָכְמוֹת as a noun is vocalized “hatof kamatz” (an “aw” sound), as in (Prov. 24:7) “Wisdom (חָכְמוֹת) to a fool is like a rare jewel.” However, this form is vocalized חַכְמוֹת and similarly, (Prov. 14:1) “The wise (חַכְמוֹת) of the women establish their house.”		חכמות שרותיה תענינה. החכמות שבשרותיה, לכך נקוד חי"ת פת"ח, חכמות שהוא שם דבר נקוד חט"ף קמ"ץ, כמו (משלי יד א) ראמות לאויל חכמות, וזה נקוד חכמות, וכן (שם יד א) חכמות נשים בנתה ביתה, חכמות שבנשים:
answer her. The dot in the (second) “nun” replaces the third “nun” (which would be needed to replace the word “her”). It thus means “they answer her.” The dot of a “nun” replaces the word “her” as in (Lev. 6:14) “Scalded he shall bring it,” (lit., her) (תְּבִיאֶנָּה).		תענינה. דגשות של נו"ן משמשת במקום נו"ן שלישית, ופתרונו תענינה אותה, דגשות נו"ן משמשת במקום 'אותה', כמו (ויקרא ו יד) מרבכת תביאנה:
she too returns answers. (Of) Consolation to herself saying: Why am I wondering about my son’s delay? (Are they not, etc.)		אף היא תשיב אמריה. תנחומין לעצמה: מה אני מתמה תמיה על עכוב בני:
30'Are they not finding (and) dividing the spoils? A damsel, two damsels to every man; a spoil of dyed garments to Sisera, a spoil of dyed garments of embroidery; dyed garments of embroidery for the neck of the spoiler.'		להֲלֹ֨א יִמְצְא֜וּ יְחַלְּק֣וּ שָׁלָ֗ל רַ֚חַם רַחֲמָתַ֙יִם֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גֶּ֔בֶר שְׁלַ֚ל צְבָעִים֙ לְסִ֣יסְרָ֔א שְׁלַ֥ל צְבָעִ֖ים רִקְמָ֑ה צֶ֥בַע רִקְמָתַ֖יִם לְצַוְּארֵ֥י שָׁלָֽל:
Are they not finding (and) dividing the spoils?. And that is delaying them.		הלא ימצאו יחלקו שלל. והוא מעכבן:
two damsels to every man. They are ravishing the pretty women of Israel and every one of the men has two or three women in his bed.		רחמתים לראש גבר. מענים נשים יפות בישראל, וכל איש מהם יש לו במטתו שתים ושלש נשים:
31So may perish all Your enemies, O Lord; but they that love Him (should be) as the sun when he goes forth in his might." And the land rested forty years.		לאכֵּ֠ן יֹאבְד֚וּ כָל־אוֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֹ֣הֲבָ֔יו כְּצֵ֥את הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ בִּגְבֻרָת֑וֹ וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֖רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה:
So may perish. Deborah said, “This is for her a vain consolation, for so may perish all your enemies, O Lord, as he was destroyed.”		כן יאבדו. דבורה אמרה: תנחומין של הבל הן לה, כן יאבדו כל אויביך ה', כאשר אבד הוא:
but they that love Him (should be) as the sun when he goes forth in his might. Which will occur in the coming future seven times seven the light of all the seven days of creation which is 343 times as much (as one day). This equals the sum of forty nine times seven. [Tanchuma].		ואהביו כצאת השמש בגברתו. לעתיד לבא, (ישעיהו ל כו) שבעתים כאור שבעת הימים, שהיא על אחת שלש מאות וארבעים ושלש כמספר ארבעים ותשע שביעיות:
And the land rested. These are not Deborah’s words, but rather the words of the writer of this book.		ותשקט הארץ. אין זה מדברי דבורה אלא מדברי כותב הספר:

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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