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):