## Chizkuni, Exodus

###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:2:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:2:1)

**כל בכור. באדם** בתחלה היתה העבודה בבכורות.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כל בכור, “every firstborn;” this refers to the firstborn human male; in earlier times sacrificial rituals were performed exclusively by such firstborn males.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:2:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:2:2)

**באדם ובבהמה** השוה בכור אדם לבכור בהמה מה בכור אדם אתה נותנו לכהן בכל מקום אף בכור בהמה כן ומה בכור אדם אתה מטפל בו עד ל׳‎ יום אף בכור בהמה כן.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
באדם ובבהמה, “of man or domesticated beast;” this comparison of the firstborn human being to the firstborn domestic animal, means that just as a firstborn human being belongs to the priest, so a firstborn domestic animal belongs to the priest, G-d’s representative on earth. Just as the redemption of a firstborn human being takes place on the thirty first day of his life, so the firstborn domestic beast has to be given to the priest on the thirty first day of its life. (Mechilta Pisscha 16)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:4:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:4:1)

**היום אתם יצאים** אזכור קאי זכור את היום הזה אשר אתם יוצאים בחדש האביב.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
היום אתם יוצאים; this is an exclamation equivalent to: “remember that you are leaving Egypt in the month of spring” (nature’s renewal)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:5:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:5:1)

**והיה כי יביאך** חזר והזהירם שינהגו איסור חמץ אפילו בארץ.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
והיה כי יביאך, “it will be when Hashem will bring you, etc.” the Torah repeats that the prohibition to eat leavened products on Passover will remain in force also when the people are settled in their own country.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:6:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:6:1)

**שבעת ימים תאכל מצות** אהדריה קרא בשביל ביאת הארץ.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
שבעת ימים תאכל מצות, “you will eat matzot for seven days.” Here too the Torah repeats this to leave no doubt that this law will remain in force when the people have reached their destination and settled in the land of Canaan (Israel).


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:6:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:6:2)

**וביום השביעי חג** חז״‎ק אמאי לא הזכיר שם לחוג את יום הראשון.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וביום השביעי חג, “and the seventh day you will observe as a festival.” “Why did the Torah here not mention that the first day was also to be observed as a festival?” (Our author appears to be the only one having raised this question.) Possibly it had already been answered by Sh’mot rabbah who points out that a reminder of this has already been found in verse three, where the Torah commanded “to remember this day (the 15th of Nissan) on which the Lord took you out of Egypt.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:8:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:8:1)

**והגדת לבנך** שאינו יודע לשאול, תאמר לו כך: מה ראה הקב״‎ה לתת למצרים כח לגרשנו מארצם קודם שהספיק בצקת אבותינו להחמיץ הרי בידו להעמידנו שם עד שתחמץ ועד שיכינו להם צידה לדרך. תשובה לדבר בעבור זה שקבלתי עלי לקיים מצות פסח מצה ומרור **עשה ה׳‎ לי** הנסים בצאתי ממצרים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
והגדת לבנך, “you will tell your son, etc.;” the son who is too young to pose the question, you will tell without his having asked: “why did G-d saw fit to make Pharaoh kick out the Jews before their dough had even had a chance to be baked into bread? Did He not have the power to keep them there until they could at least have taken baked bread with them?” You will answer the question you have put into the mouth of the שאינו יודע לשאול, the child that is as yet not curious to formulate his own questions: בעבור זה, “in order to make sure that I will observe these commandments involving the Passover sacrifice, the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs as a commemoration of all the miracles he performed for me then when I came out of Egypt.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:8:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:8:2)

**בעבור זה עשה ה׳‎ לי** פרש״‎י רמז תשובה לבן רשע כלומר דבר זה תגיד לבן שאינו יודע לשאול, ומתיבת **לי** נלמד שאף זו תשובה לבן רשע כלומר לי ולא לך.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
בעבור זה עשה ה' לי, according to Rashi this is a hint of the answer to be given to the son called רשע in the haggadah of Pessach. Rashi means that this is the answer to be given to the wicked son who does not even bother to ask about what is special on these days, and especially on the first night. The word לי, “for me,” and not for someone like him, would make this a suitable answer for the wicked son described in the haggadah as reacting to all the ritual he observes with a derisive: “why are you going to all this trouble?” The word לי implies that if he had been there at the time, G-d most certainly would not have bothered either with redeeming him or any of the miracles leading up to it.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:9:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:9:1)

**והיה לך לאות על ידך** כל זה תאמר לבנך. והיה לך לאות וגו׳‎ כרך אחד של ד׳‎ פרשיות.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
, והיה לך לאות על ידך, “it shall be a symbol, (tangible reminder) for you on your hand (and arm);” all of this is part of what you are to tell your son. It is inscribed on the first parchment inside the phylacteries.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:9:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:9:2)

**לך לאות** הדין נותן להיות **לך לאות** תחלה ואחר כך לאחרים, היינו **ולזכרון בין עיניך** וזהו שנאמר וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה׳‎ נקרא עליך, ואמר מר אלו תפילין שבראש.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
לך לאות, “for you as a symbol;” logic dictates that first and foremost the phylacteries are to serve as historical reminder for you (sing.) on your arm (where not everyone can see it, but once you have put on phylacteries as a historical reminder for yourself, it must also serve as such for all the other Jews, (and gentiles) i.e. you must wear another one of the phylacteries on your forehead to trumpet this message to all who see you, i.e. בין עיניך, literally: “between your eyes.” Thus will be fulfilled what is written in Deuteronomy 28,10: וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה' נקרא עליך, “and all the nations of the earth will see that the name of the Lord has been proclaimed upon you.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:10:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:10:1)

**מימים ימימה** מלמד שצריך אדם לבדוק תפילין אחת לי״‎ב חודש נאמר כאן ימים וכו׳‎ דברי ב״‎ה, ב״‎ש אומרים אין צריך לבדקן עולמית. הלל הזקן אומר אלו תפילין של אבי אמא ותנן התם בחלק עמד יהודה בן בתירא על רגליו ואמר אני מבני בניהם של מתים שהחיה יחזקאל והללו תפילין שהניח לי אבא מהם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
מימים ימימה, “from year to year;” this is a reminder that one has to examine one’s תפילין, phylacteries once every year to check the writing on the parchments. This is the opinion of the school of Hillel. (His disciples) They based themselves on the fact that elsewhere the meaning of the word ימים means “days,” or maximum “a year.” The school of Shammai holds that they need to be examined only once in a lifetime. Hillel the elder, is reputed to have shown someone the phylactery of his grandfather. (Mechilta, Pisscha, section 17). In the Talmud Sanhedrin folio 92b, Yehudah ben Beteyrah who claimed to be a descendant of one of the dead resurrected by the prophet Ezekiel, is reputed to have shown the phylacteries that his father had bequeathed to him as stemming from that generation. (about 300 years prior)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:11:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:11:1)

**והיה כי יביאך** שלא תאמר לא צוה הקב״‎ה לקדש רק אותם שיצאו ממצרים לכך בא ולמדך כאן שאפילו בארץ יקדשום.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
והיה כי יביאך, “it will be when He brings you, etc.” the reason this introductory line is repeated here is so that we should not think that only the firstborn that came out of Egypt needed to be sanctified. The Torah therefore makes it clear that this law continues to apply to children born as firstborn to their parents in the Hoy Land (and in the Diaspora in due course)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:11:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:11:2)

**אל ארץ הכנעני** על ידי שבני חת כבדו את אברהם הזקן וכששמעו שנתן הקב״‎ה לאבותינו את הארץ עמד הוא ופנה מפניהם, אמר הקב״‎ה אתה פנית מפני בני חייך הארץ תקרא על שמך, ואני נותן לך אחרת טובה ואיזו זו אפריקי.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אל ארץ הכנעני, “to the land of the Canaanite;” the reason why the Canaanites had a legal claim to that country was that the children of Chet, a friend of Avraham, honoured Abraham and when they heard that G-d had promised this land to our forefathers, they emigrated from that land to make it available to the descendants of Avraham. In appreciation of that, G-d rewarded them by this land becoming known as “the land of Canaan.” (Mechilta Pisscha, chapter 18.) [According to my version of the Mechilta, printed in the chumash with Malbim’s commentary, it was not one of the Hittites that was so “generous,” but Canaan the grandson of Noach, whom his grandfather had cursed. According to that version he was rewarded with being given a land in Africa superior to the land in which he had resided at the time. Canaan, a grandson of Noach may well have still been alive during the lifetime of Avraham. I do not know how this jives with Canaan having been condemned to be a slave to his brothers. Ed.]


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:11:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:11:3)

**כאשר נשבע לך** ונתתי אותה לכם מורשה אני ה'.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כאשר נשבע לך, “as He has sworn to you.” The meaning of the line is: “you will receive it as an ancestral heritage as G-d had sworn to your forefathers.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:12:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:12:1)

**והעברת כל פטר רחם** דוגמא והעברתם את נחלתו לבתו. שמעבירין הנחלה מן הקרובים זכרים לבת אף כאן תעביר את הבכור מתורת שאר בנים לתתו להקב״‎ה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
והעברת כל פטר רחם לה, “you shall set apart for the Lord every first issue of the womb;” we encounter a similar expression in Numbers 27,8: והעברתם את נחלתו אל בתו, “you will set side his inheritance for his daughter.” In that instance, the inheritance of potential male heirs is set aside for a female heir, a daughter if there is one. Here too, the firstborn is set apart from the other heirs as an inheritance for the Lord.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:12:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:12:2)

**וכל פטר שגר בהמה** לא היה להם לישראל באותו זמן בהמה טמאה רק חמור לפיכך לא הוצרך לפרש טהורה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וכל פטר שגר בהמה, likewise every male firstling that emerges from the womb of a beast;” at that time the Israelites did not own any ritually impure beasts except donkeys; (no camels or horses) this is why there was no need for the Torah to add the expression: טהורה, “ritually pure,” in our verse.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:13:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:13:1)

**וכל פטר חמר**פרשה זו נשנית בשביל מצות בכור חמור ופדיון חמור שנתחדשו בה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וכל פטר חמור, “and every firstling of a donkey;” this paragraph has been repeated because the laws about the firstlings of donkeys, and the redemption of them was a totally new concept.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:13:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:13:2)

**בבניך תפדה**מצוה זו לא נהגה עד לאחר שנתקדשו הלויים בשנה שניה תחת כל בכור בבני ישראל.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
בבניך תפדה, “as well as amongst your sons, you have to redeem.” This law did not become applicable until after the Levites had become sanctified in lieu of the firstborn sons during the second year of the Israelites in the desert. (Numbers 3,45)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:14:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:14:1)

**מה זאת** לפי שהוא רואה בן נכר ערל תושב ושכיר לא יאכל בו מה שאין כן במועדים אחרים. ד״‎א **מה זאת** על פסח ועל מצה כבר שמענו טעם, אבל על פדיית הבן והבהמה לא שמענו, ואמרת אליו כי בחזק יד וגו', על כן שהציל בכורינו ובכורי בהמתנו אני זובח וגו'.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
?מה זאת, “what is the significance of this?” Seeing that your son observes that neither a gentile nor an uncircumcised Israelite is permitted to partake of the Passover meat, something that sets the festival of Passover apart from all other festivals, he is entitled to ask the reason for this. An alternate explanation: the words: מה זאת, do not refer to Passover and the unleavened bread, the reason for which we have already read about. However, the son asks, on the new concept of redeeming something that was perceived as sacred for something that was perceived as secular; you, the father, are to answer him in the words of the Torah that we imitate what G-d had done with the firstborn sons and beasts of the Israelites in Egypt on that night when He exempted them from execution at His hands. In exchange for being saved, we offer a sacrifice.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:16:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:16:1)

**והיה לאות על ידכה** תפלין של יד זכרון לחוזק יד, ותפילין של ראש זכרון לאותות ולמופתים שעשה הקב״‎ה לעינינו. כדכתיב בפ׳‎ ואתחנן ויתן אותות ומופתים בפרעה ובמצרים לעינינו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
.והיה לאות על ידכה, “it shall be as a symbol on your hand;” the phylactery to be worn on the arm (hand) is to serve as a symbol for the “strong hand,” with which G-d compelled the Egyptians to release the Israelites, as mentioned in the previous verse; the phylactery to be worn on the forehead however, is to be a reminder of the miracles G-d had performed as stated in Deuteronomy 6,22: ויתן ה' אותות ומופתים גדולים ורעים בפרעה ובמצרים לעינינו, “the Lord performed signs and miracles great and awesome before our eyes against Pharaoh and the Egyptians.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:16:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:16:2)

**ידכה** יד כהה לפי שהימין מזומנת לכל דבר ומושיטין אותה בכל מקום לפי שהיא עסקנית מן השמאלית ואין נכון שיהיו השמות נתונים עליה. ד״‎א אמרו רבותינו לפי שהימין מזומן לקשור התפילין על יד השמאל ולא השמאל על הימין וברוב מקומות נקרא השמאל יד.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ידכה, the unusual spelling instead of ידך alerts us to the need to wear the phylactery on the left arm, our weaker arm. Seeing that we use our right arm for all manner of activities, it is not fitting that the holy name of G-d be attached to it. An alternate explanation: our sages have stated that seeing that the right arm and hand are used to attach the phylactery to our left arm, instead of vice versa, and in most instances the left arm or hand are called יד, there is nothing surprising in this.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:16:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:16:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:16:3)

**ולטוטפת** לשון הבטה כמו ועינוהי מטייפין על שם וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה׳‎ נקרא עליך, ומתוך שיראו אותם יזכרו הנסים. שלימא סדרא דפרשת בא

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ולטוטפות, the word means: “something to look at.” We find in this context in Deuteronomy 28,10: וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה' נקרא עלדך, “and all the nations of the earth will see that the name of the Lord) has been proclaimed upon you.” (Compare Talmud megillah 14 מטייפין)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:17:1)

**ויהי בשלח פרעה את העם** לרבות ערב רב ואיקטורין ששלח עמהם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויהי בשלח פרעה את העם, “It was when Pharaoh had let the people go;” the reason why the Torah did not write that “Pharaoh let the Israelites go,” is because the word העם included fellow travelers who had joined the Jewish nation, as well as spies who would report back to Pharaoh on the route they had taken.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:17:2)

**ולא נחם אלהים** ללכת אל ארץ כנען שנתן להם. וי״‎ו ד**ולא נחם** יתרה היא.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ולא נחם אלו־הים, ”and G-d had not led them, etc.” G-d did not lead them on the shortest route that led to the land of Canaan; the letter ו in the word ולא is superfluous (if that was all this meant)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:17:3)

**דרך ארץ פלשתים כי קרוב הוא** אעפ״‎י שקרוב הוא דוגמא כי לי כל הארץ רפאה נפשי כי חטאתי לך. שכל את ידיו כי מנשה הבכור. שפי׳‎ אעפ״‎י שכן ארץ פלשתים מפסקת בגבול אחד בין גבול ארץ מצרים ובין גבול ארץ כנען כמו שמצינו ביצחק שהיה יורד מארץ כנען ללכת לארץ מצרים דרך ארץ פלשתים מפני הרעב, ומה טעם לא נחם, דרך ארץ פלשתים, כי אמר אלהים פן ינחם העם על שיצאו ממצרים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
דרך ארץ פלשתים כי קרוב הוא, “the route which runs through the land of the Philistines; although (or because), it was the shortest route.” According to our author what is meant is “although,” despite, the fact that it was the shortest route. We find a similar meaning for the word כי in Exodus 19,5: כי לי כל הארץ, “although the whole earth belongs to Me.” Another example of this meaning of the word כי is found in Psalms 41,5, “heal me although I have sinned against You.” רפאה נפשי כי חטאתי לך. Consider also Genesis 48,14: שכל ידיו כי מנשה הבכור, “he crossed his hands although Menashe was the firstborn.” In our context, although there was an additional boundary to be crossed between Egypt and the land of Canaan, namely the land of the Philistines, as we know from when while in the land of the Philistines G-d had commanded Yitzchok not to continue on to Egypt on account of the famine in the land of Canaan, (Genesis 26,1) so that it seemed strange that G-d did not lead the Israelites by this route, He was afraid that if they would find resistance to their traversing that land, they would refer to return to Egypt.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:4
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:17:4)

**כי אמר אלהים פן ינחם העם** אין להרהר על פסוק זה כי גלוי וידוע שבידו לנחותם גם דרך ארץ פלשתים ולא ישובו מצרימה, אלא כנגד מדת הדין שהיתה מקטרגת עליהם לנסותם אם ישובו אם לא ישובו, אמר הקב״‎ה כך גלוי לפני אם יהיו מנוסים לא יעמדו בנסיון ודוגמא זו פי׳‎ בפרשת בראשית גבי ועתה פן ישלח ידו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כי אמר אלוקים פן ינחם העם, “for G-d had said: “lest the people have remorse;” we must not criticize this verse by saying that it cannot be reconciled with G-d’s Omniscience, i.e. that He did know all this in advance; besides, surely if G-d had wanted to He could have led the Israelites through the land of the Philistines without their coming to any harm; however, what is written here is an answer to the attribute of Justice which wanted to exploit that opportunity to accuse the Israelites of lack of faith in their G-d. Precisely, because G-d was aware that the Israelites were not yet in a condition to withstand the Satan, He decided not to give them that opportunity at this time. We find an example of a similar situation in Genesis 3,22 where G-d is portrayed as being “afraid” that Adam and Eve after having eaten from the tree of knowledge and having forfeited immortality might eat from the tree of life in order to regain it, and to thereby nullify the penalty G-d had imposed upon them. The Torah, justifying G-d’s expelling them from the garden, wrote there: ועתה פן ישלח ידו, “and now, lest he will extend his hand, etc.” There too you could have asked: “seeing that G-d knew what would happen, why did He not remove the tree, instead of depriving mankind of access to the garden?”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:5
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:17:5)

**בראתם מלחמה** שהפלשתים יהיו סבורים עלינו הם באים לנקום בני אפרים שהרגנו ע״‎י שמהרו לצאת משעבוד מצרים ל׳‎ שנה. כדמתרגמינן והוה כד שלח פרעה בשביעי של פסח. והם טעו למנות את הארבע מאות שנה מזמן ברית בין הבתרים והם לא התחילו אלא משנולד יצחק וילחמו עם ישראל וישיבו את ישראל למצרים. ע״‎א **כי קרוב הוא** אבימלך מלך פלשתים קרוב הוא לפרעה מלך מצרים ואברהם נשבע לו אם תשקור לי ולניני ולנכדי, כדאיתא במדרש תהלים ואויבי חיים עצמו אמר דוד מה שנתן לאבימלך לשלשה דורות נתן לאברהם לשבעה דורות, שהרי משה שביעי לאברהם ועדיין נכדו של אבימלך קיים ולכך **לא נחם דרך ארץ פלשתים פן** ילחמו ישראל עמהם ועדיין השבועה קיימת, וזהו שיסד הפייט וזכר הקב״‎ה ברית סבו של פרעה שנשבע לו אברהם אם תשקור לי ולניני ולנכדי ולפיכך מעם פלשתים הסבו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
בראותם מלחמה “when they would see they would be involved in war;” The Philistines would attack them, thinking that the Israelites were approaching in order avenge the 30000 men of Ephrayim they had killed 30 years previously when these people having miscalculated the time when their redemption was due had taken matters into their own hands and had marched out of Egypt in order to recapture their homeland. Their miscalculation had been that they thought the 400 years mentioned at the covenant of the pieces in Genesis 15,13 had commenced then and not at the birth of Yitzchok. Actually, the 430 years mentioned in Exodus 12,40 had commenced then, (although Rash’bam has trouble accounting for this). According to Yonatan ben Uzziel this may have been what Pharaoh had counted on. A grandson of Avimelch attacked the members of Ephrayim. According to Chronicles I 7,20, the battle with the Philistines occurred at Gat. According to some scholars the members of the tribe of Ephrayim killed during that battle were the “dried bones” resurrected by the prophet Ezekiel, (Ezekiel 37) כי קרוב הוא, “for he was very close to him;” according to some scholars Pharaoh and Avimelech of the Philistines were politically very close to one another, and Pharaoh counted on the Philistines to bring the Israelites back to him. He also counted on the promise of Avraham to Avimelech valid for 4 generations hence not to engage in hostilities against him. Actually, a grandson of the Avimelech with whom Avraham, had concluded a non aggression pact, a pact that his son Yitzchok had renewed, was still alive when the Israelites left Egypt. Avraham’s descendants did not engage in warfare with the Philistines for seven generations. (Moses was the seventh generation from Avraham). All these considerations prompted G-d not to lead the Israelites on the shortest route to the Holy Land. [Besides, if G-d meant for them to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai, this would have been quite impossible, and G-d had told Moses already at the burning bush that one of the reasons why He redeemed them earlier than expected was that they would receive the Torah at that site. Ed.] Our author also quotes the liturgist who in his poem makes reference to these points. For all the reasons quoted, G-d ensured that the Israelites did not take the route that had proven so tragic for the members of the tribe of Ephrayim some thirty years earlier.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:6
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:17:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:17:6)

**בראתם מלחמה** מצרים ירדפו אחריהם. ופלשתים יצאו לקראתם להחזירם אל קרוביהם המצריים. ועוד שיודעים שעליהם הם באים כי ארץ פלשתים מארץ ישראל הוא כמו שפירשתי בפרשת וירא ובפרשת תולדות וכמפורש בספר יהושע ותהי להם המלחמה פנים ואחור, וע״‎י כך **ושבו מצרימה** יתנו לב לשוב מצרימה כמו שעשו אפילו כשנשתהו במדבר.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
בראותם מלחמה, “when they come face to face with war.” This would have been a war on two fronts, the pursuing Egyptians at their back and the furious Philistines facing them, trying to force them back to their allies the Egyptians. Our author had explained already on Genesis 21,22 where the fact that the barren Sarah had given birth to a son for Avraham, that the prophecies given to him started to be taken seriously by the rulers of that time. Up until then they had not worried about these prophecies. In Joshua 13,3, we read about the Israelites indeed having had to face enemies on two fronts when Joshua had aged and not yet conquered all of the land of Canaan as he had been instructed to do. ושבו מצרימה. “and they will prefer to return to Egypt.” That this was a logical consideration is born out by the fact that the Israelites, even though not having taken that route, were on the point of voluntarily returning to Egypt on numerous occasions, on most occasions when they faced problems in the desert.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:18:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:18:1)

**דרך המדבר ים סוף** דרך המדבר של ים סוף. כמו הארון הברית שפירושו הארון שהוא ארון הברית, וכן עץ הדעת טוב ורע, שפירושו עץ שהוא דעת טוב ורע.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
דרך המדבר ים סוף, “the route through the desert bordering the sea of reed.” The word של, “of” was omitted here as something that the reader can fill in for himself, just as it has been omitted in “הארון הברית,” in Joshua 3,14, where we read: הארון הברית instead of הארון שהוא ארון הברית, “the ark, which is the ark housing the covenant.” In Genesis 2,9 we find a similar construction, i.e. עץ הדעת טוב ורע, where we would have expected instead: עץ שהוא דעת טוב ורע, “the tree which is (the key) to knowledge of good and evil.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:18:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:18:2)

**וחמשים** מה שפירש״‎י מזויינים, לומר לך לא מפני שהיו יראים מן המצרים הסיבן דרך ים סוף שהרי מזויינים עלו בני ישראל ממצרים, ועוד שלא תתמה מהיכן באו להם כלי זיין במלחמת המדבר ובמלחמות ארץ ישראל. ד״‎א **וחמשים** לשון וחמש את ארץ מצרים פי׳‎ מכולכלים מהבצק שהוציאו מצרים שהספיק להם עד ט״‎ו באייר לפי שהסיבם דרך המדבר.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וחמושים, according to Rashi, the meaning of the word is: “armed.” According to Rashi, the fear of the Israelites was not due to their not having arms with which to defend themselves. They were well armed. You are not to wonder where the Israelites had taken all these arms from, arms which they used in the desert for several wars, starting immediately after they had crossed the sea of reeds and had been attacked by the Amalekites. They needed these arms again when the conquered the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. An alternate explanation of the word: חמושים. The word refers to provisions for the journey. The word is used in Genesis 41,34, where it describes the provisions stored by Joseph in anticipation of the seven years of famine that were to follow the seven years of plenty. In practice this meant (according to tradition) that the dough the Israelites took with them lasted them a whole month until the 15th of lyar, when the heavenly food, the manna took over. The reason for the need for that miracle had been that G-d took the people on a detour through the desert. (Compare Mechilta)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:19:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:19:1)

**כי השבע השביע** שבועה אחר שבועה השביע את אחיו שישביעו את בניהם דור אחר דור, אמר להם אין אני מטריח אתכם שלא כדין, משכם גנבתוני כדכתיב ויבא שכמה, לשכם החזרוני וכן עשו דכתיב ואת עצמות יוסף אשר העלו ממצרים קברו בשכם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כי השבע השביע, the repetition of the words “he made swear repeatedly,” was that Joseph did not know which generation would experience the Exodus. Joseph had told his brothers that by committing them to this oath he was not asking them for a favour: they who had been instrumental in his being dragged to Egypt as a slave if they wanted to complete the act of repentance,must ensure that he would be brought to burial in the land of his forefathers from where he had been kidnapped. He had performed a mission on his father’s behalf when he came to Sh’chem (Genesis 37,14) and this is why he expected to be buried near there. This is where he was interred eventually, as we know from Joshua 24,32.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:20:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:20:1)

**ויסעו מסכת** ביום השני.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויסעו מסכות, “they journeyed from Sukkot;” on the second day.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:21:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:21:1)

**וה'** הוא ומלאכיו. ד״‎א מלאך כמו שאמרנו בפ׳‎ וירא וה׳‎ זה גבריאל.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
“and the Lord, etc:” the letter ו at the beginning of the word indicates that G-d’s “entourage” accompanied Him.” An alternate interpretation: the letter ו, as we mentioned already on Genesis 19,24, refers to the angel Gavriel.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:21:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:21:2)

**ללכת יומם ולילה** ויהא פרעה סבור בורחים הם ורדף אחריהם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ללכת יומם ולילה, “to keep marching both by day and by night, in order to convince Pharaoh that the Israelites were fleeing. This would make him pursue them.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:22:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:22:1)

**עמוד הענן יומם** לא תמצא תיבת יומם בכל המקרא רק בהיות השמש על הארץ, אבל תיבת יום תמצא בתורה ובנביאים ובכתובים שהוא לילה. בתורה ביום הכותי כל בכור והוא לילה. בנביאים היום יום בשורה ושם כתיב וחכינו עד אור הבקר. בכתובים יום צעקתי בלילה נגדך.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
עמוד הענן יומם, “the pillar of cloud by day;” The only other time when the word: יומם occurs in the Torah is when it describes a period when the sun shines on earth. On the other hand, the expression יום, occurs also both in the Torah and in the rest of the Bible when describing a particular day regardless of whether is daylight at the time. In the Torah we find: ביום הכותי כל בכור (Numbers 3,13) although we know that it was at midnight. In the Book of prophets we find the word יום applied to something that happened at night in Kings II 7,9: היום הזה יום בשורה, “this day, the day of good tidings.” It is clear from the context that these words were spoken at night. The speakers added: “let us wait with bringing this news until morning.” In Psalms 88,2 we read: יום צעקתי בלילה נגדך, “a day when I cry out at night before You.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 13:22:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 13:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/13:22:2)

**לא ימיש** כמו לא מש כמו ומשרתו יהושע בן נון נער לא ימיש.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
לא ימיש, “it did not depart;” the word used is in the future tense, however; we would have expected the Torah to have written: לא מש instead.