| 17It came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go, that God did not lead them [by] way of the land of the Philistines for it was near, because God said, Lest the people reconsider when they see war and return to Egypt |
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יזוַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֘ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹֽא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י | אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה: |
| It came to pass when Pharaoh let…that God did not lead them: Heb. וְלֹא-נָחָם, and did not lead them, similar to “Go, lead (נְחֵה) the people” (Exod. 32:34) [and] “When you walk, it shall lead (תִּנְחֶה) you” (Prov. 6:22). |
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וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה וְלֹֽא־נָחָם:
נְהָגָם, כְּמוֹ "לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת הָעָם" (שמות ל"ב), "בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אוֹתָךְ" (משלי ו'):
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| for it was near: and it was easy to return by that road to Egypt. There are also many aggadic midrashim [regarding this]. |
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כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא:
וְנֹחַ לָשׁוּב בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ לְמִצְרַיִם; וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה:
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| when they see war: For instance, the war of “And the Amalekites and the Canaanites descended, etc.” (Num. 14:45). If they had gone on a direct route, they would have returned. Now, if when He led them around in a circuitous route, they said, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt” (Num. 14:4), how much more [would they have planned to do this] if He had led them on a direct route? [According to the sequence of the verse, the headings appear to be transposed. See Mizrachi, Gur Aryeh, and Minchath Yehudah for a correct solution of this problem.] |
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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:
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| Lest…reconsider: They will have [second] thoughts about [the fact] that they left Egypt and they will think about returning. |
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פֶּן־יִנָּחֵם:
יַחְשְׁבוּ מַחֲשָׁבָה עַל שֶׁיָּצְאוּ וְיִתְּנוּ לֵב לָשׁוּב:
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| 18So God led the people around [by] way of the desert [to] the Red Sea, and the children of Israel were armed when they went up out of Egypt. |
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יחוַיַּסֵּ֨ב אֱלֹהִ֧ים | אֶת־הָעָ֛ם דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר יַם־ס֑וּף וַֽחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים עָל֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| led…around: He led them around from a direct route to a circuitous route. |
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וַיַּסֵּב:
הֱסִבָּם מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשׁוּטָה לַדֶּרֶךְ הָעֲקוּמָה:
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| the Red Sea: Heb. יַם-סוּף, like לְיַם-סוּף, to the Red Sea. סוּף means a marsh where reeds grow, similar to “and put [it] into the marsh (בַּסוּף)” (Exod. 2:3); “reeds and rushes (וַסוּף) shall be cut off” (Isa. 19:6). |
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יַם־סוּף:
כְּמוֹ לְיַם סוּף, וְסוּף הוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲגַם שֶׁגְּדֵלִים בּוֹ קָנִים, כְּמוֹ "וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף" (שמות ב'), "קָנֶה וָסוּף קָמֵלוּ" (ישעיהו י"ט):
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| armed: Heb. חִמֻשִׁים וַחִמֻשִׁים [in this context] can only mean “armed.” (Since He led them around in the desert [circuitously], He caused them to go up armed, for if He had led them around through civilization, they would not have [had to] provide for themselves with everything that they needed, but only [part,] like a person who travels from place to place and intends to purchase there whatever he will need. But if he travels a long distance into a desert, he must prepare all his necessities for himself. This verse was written only to clarify the matter, so you should not wonder where they got weapons in the war with Amalek and in the wars with Sihon and Og and Midian, for the Israelites smote them with the point of the sword.) [In an old Rashi]) And similarly [Scripture] says: “and you shall cross over armed (חִמֻשִׁים)” (Josh. 1:14). And so too Onkelos rendered מְזָרְזִין just as he rendered: “and he armed (וְזָרֵיז) his trained men” (Gen. 14:14). Another interpretation: חִמֻשִׁים means “divided by five,” [meaning] that one out of five (חִמִֹשָה) [Israelites] went out, and four fifths [lit., parts of the people] died during the three days of darkness [see Rashi on Exod. 10:22]. — [from Mechilta, Tanchuma, Beshallach 1] |
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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):
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| 19Moses took Joseph's bones with him, for he [Joseph] had adjured the sons of Israel, saying, God will surely remember you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you |
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יטוַיִּקַּ֥ח משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־עַצְמ֥וֹת יוֹסֵ֖ף עִמּ֑וֹ כִּי֩ הַשְׁבֵּ֨עַ הִשְׁבִּ֜יעַ אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּקֹ֨ד יִפְקֹ֤ד אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶ֧ם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַ֛י מִזֶּ֖ה אִתְּכֶֽם: |
| for he had adjured: Heb. הִֹשְבִּיעַ הַֹשְבֵּעַ. [The double expression indicates that] he [Joseph] had made them [his brothers] swear that they would make their children swear (Mechilta). Now why did he not make his sons swear to carry him to the land of Canaan immediately [when he died], as Jacob had made [him] swear? Joseph said, “I was a ruler in Egypt, and I had the ability to do [this]. As for my sons-the Egyptians will not let them do [it].” Therefore, he made them swear that when they would be redeemed and would leave there [Egypt], they would carry him [out]. — [from Mechilta] |
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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:
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| and you shall bring up my bones from here with you: He made his brothers swear in this manner. We learn [from this] that the bones of all [the progenitors of] the tribes they brought up [out of Egypt] with them as it is said “with you” -[from Mechilta] |
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וְהַֽעֲלִיתֶם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה אִתְּכֶֽם:
לְאֶחָיו הִשְׁבִּיעַ כֵּן, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁאַף עַצְמוֹת כָּל הַשְּׁבָטִים הֶעֱלוּ עִמָּהֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אִתְּכֶם (מכילתא):
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| 20They traveled from Succoth, and they encamped in Etham, at the edge of the desert. |
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כוַיִּסְע֖וּ מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת וַיַּֽחֲנ֣וּ בְאֵתָ֔ם בִּקְצֵ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר: |
| They traveled from Succoth: on the second day, for on the first day they came from Rameses to Succoth. |
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וַיִּסְעוּ מִסֻּכֹּת:
בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָרִאשׁוֹן בָּאוּ מֵרַעְמְסֵס לְסֻכּוֹת:
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| 21And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to cause it to lead them on the way and at night in a pillar of fire to give them light, [they thus could] travel day and night. |
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כאוַֽיהֹוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה: |
| to cause it to lead them on the way: Heb. לַנְחֹתָם. [The “lammed” is] vowelized with a “pattach,” which is equivalent to לְהַנְחֹתָם, like “to show you (לַראֹתְכֶם) on the way on which you shall go” (Deut. 1:33), which is like לְהַרְאֹתְכֶם. Here also, [it means] to cause to lead you (לְהַנְחֹתָם) through a messenger. Now who was that messenger? [It was] the pillar of cloud, and the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory, led it before them. In any case, it was the pillar of cloud that He prepared so that they could be led by it, for they would travel by the pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud was not [meant] to provide light but to direct them [on] the way. |
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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:
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| 22He did not move away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire at night [from] before the people. |
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כבלֹֽא־יָמִ֞ישׁ עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְעַמּ֥וּד הָאֵ֖שׁ לָ֑יְלָה לִפְנֵ֖י הָעָֽם: |
| He did not move away: [I.e.,] the Holy One, blessed be He, [did not move away] the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire at night. [This verse] tells that the pillar of cloud transmitted [its light to] the pillar of fire, and the pillar of fire transmitted [its light to] the pillar of cloud, for while one had not yet set, the other one would rise. — [from Shab. 23b] |
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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:
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