AND THE LORD SPOKE. It is truly not proper for an intelligent person to scrutinize God’s actions and ask, why did the Lord act thus?¹ For all of God’s actions are done wisely. Man’s wisdom is as nothing before God.² I mention this because you will read in this Torah portion that God³ guilefully commanded the Israelites to turn back⁴ so that Pharaoh would go out and pursue them, and drown in the sea.⁵ God’s thoughts are very deep.⁶

footnotes: ¹ In other words, truthfully speaking one can not always fathom God’s will. ² Cf. Ps. 39:6. ³ Acting like the general of an army. ⁴ Compare, verses 2 and 3. ⁵ Compare, verse 4. ⁶ Hence we cannot understand why the Lord chose to destroy Pharaoh and his hosts in this way when he could have killed them with a plague or the like.

PI-HAHIROTH. Pi-hahiroth is elsewhere called Pene-hahiroth (Num. 33:8). It is so called⁷ because the mouth (peh) is on the face (panim).⁸ (mouth of) and pene (face of) interchange. It is the name of a place.

footnotes: ⁷ By these two names. ⁸ Hence pi

BEFORE BAAL-ZEPHON. Some say that the Egyptian magicians made bronze images which drew power from the stars, and that Baal-zephon was a statue that no slave fleeing Egypt was able to pass by.⁹ It is because of this that Scripture reads, that the people were fled (v. 5).¹⁰ However, in my opinion because Moses said to Pharaoh, We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness (Ex. 8:23), it appeared to Pharaoh from these words that Moses knew the road that they would take to the place where they intended to sacrifice. Thus when Pharaoh heard that the Israelites started to go by way of the wilderness,¹¹ and when they had traveled some distance¹² backtracked to go in another way, Pharaoh surmised that everything that Moses had told him was said in guile, that he did not intend to sacrifice but to flee. For one who flees becomes confused on the way and does not know which road to take.

footnotes: ⁹ They held that Baal-zephon was an image on the border of Egypt which supernaturally prevented fleeing slaves from crossing it. ¹⁰ Once the Israelites passed Baal-zephon the Egyptians realized that the statue was ineffective against Israel and that the Israelites had fled. ¹¹ To the place where they were going to offer sacrifices. ¹² Into the desert away from Egypt.

OVER AGAINST IT. The word nikhcho (over against it) is vocalized with a chirik.¹³. The word nikhcho consists of the word nokhach (against) plus the pronominal suffix. In such cases the cholam changes to a kamatz katan. Thus we would expect nokhcho rather than nikhcho, hence I.E.’s comment. It is similar to the word niflo (was fallen)¹⁴, for niflo consists of the word nofel plus the pronominal suffix. in after that he was fallen (II Sam. 1:10). There are many other such instances.¹⁵ comes in place of a kamatz katan where a word vocalized with a cholam is combined with a pronominal suffix.

footnotes: ¹³ Rather than a kamatz katan ¹⁴ Which should have been vocalized noflo ¹⁵ In which the chirik

AND PHARAOH WILL SAY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. This is similar to say of me (Gen. 20:13).¹⁶ (say of me); literally, say to me. I.E.’s point is that there are instances in which the lamed is to be interpreted to mean of, concerning, about. Thus li-vene yisrael does not mean to the children of Israel but of the children of Israel.

footnotes: ¹⁶ Hebrew, imri li

ENTANGLED. Nevukhim (entangled) is vocalized with a shuruk in place of a cholam.¹⁷ is navokh. Thus we would expect to see nevokhim rather than nevukhim. Compare, nakhon, nekhonim, navon, nevonim. It is similar to the word ta’avuri (pass)¹⁸ comes in place of a sheva. The usual form of the kal feminine imperfect is ta’avri. in neither pass from hence (Ruth 2:8), for nevukhim is a nifal as the word nekhonim (ready) (Ex. 19:11) is.¹⁹ Now navokhu (perplexed) (Joel 1:18) and also navokhah (perplexed) in but the city of Shushan was perplexed (Est. 3:15) are like nakhonah (established)²⁰ and follow the same paradigm. Similarly nevukhim despite its irregular vocalization. in And the kingdom was established (I Kings 2:46). Its meaning is, they are like a person who cannot find anyone to advise him and does not know what to do.²¹ means perplexed. The nun in nivkhe (depths of) in the depths of the sea (Job 38:16)²² is a root letter.²³ of nevukhim is not a root letter but the nun of the nifal form. The root of nevukhim is bet, vav, kaf and the root of nivkhe is nun, bet, kaf. The meaning of nivkhe yam (the springs of the sea) is the depths of the sea. Nivkhe has no place here.²⁴ and nivkhe. Rashi comments, “Nevukhim means enclosed and sunk deep, as in nivkhe yam.”

footnotes: ¹⁷ The singular form of nevukhim ¹⁸ In which a shuruk ¹⁹ Hence it should have followed that paradigm and been similarly vocalized. See note 17. ²⁰ They are all nifals ²¹ In other words, nevukhim ²² Translated according to I.E. ²³ Whereas the nun ²⁴ Contra Rashi and Rashbam, who connect nevukhim

THE WILDERNESS HATH SHUT THEM IN. The ways of the wilderness are closed to them, and like fugitives they do not know where to go.

AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART. As if he forgot the plagues²⁵ means: I will harden his heart so that he will act as if he forgot the plagues. with which the Egyptians were smitten because of Israel.

footnotes: ²⁵ That is, And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart

AND I WILL GET ME HONOR UPON PHARAOH. My glory shall be manifest in the world when I drown Pharaoh and his army.²⁶ (upon Pharaoh) is to be interpreted, via Pharaoh.

footnotes: ²⁶ In other words, be-faroh

AND THE EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW. The remnants²⁷ and those who drowned prior to their death shall know that I am the Lord.

footnotes: ²⁷ Those who remained in Egypt and did not pursue Israel.

AND THEY DID SO. Scripture’s short way of saying that they turned backwards.²⁸ is short for: and they turned backwards and encamped before pi-hahiroth. According to Krinsky, and they did so is short for: and Moses told Israel to turn backwards, etc.

footnotes: ²⁸ In other words, and they did so

AND IT WAS TOLD THE KING OF EGYPT. That they are not going for any purpose but to flee.

AND HE MADE READY HIS CHARIOT. By command.²⁹ It is like So Solomon built the house (I Kings 14:4).³⁰

footnotes: ²⁹ Contra Rashi, who explains that Pharaoh himself made ready his chariot. ³⁰ Which means Solomon commanded that the house be built.

AND HE TOOK SIX HUNDRED CHOSEN CHARIOTS. The chosen chariots of all the chariots that he had.³¹

footnotes: ³¹ The best of his chariots.

AND CAPTAINS. Note that the king is like the number one. Therefore the one who is next to him in rank is called the mishneh (the second), which is derived from the same root as shenayim (two). The third in rank is called the shelishi. ³² (captains) are third in rank.

footnotes: ³² See I.E. on Gen. 41:43. Thus shalishim

WITH A HIGH HAND. They had all the weapons of war and so did not go out like fugitives.

AND THE EGYPTIANS PURSUED AFTER THEM. This is in keeping with linguistical style.³³. It is similar to and the people saw,³⁴. and they trembled and stood far off³⁵ (Ex. 20:15), the meaning of which is, when they saw this,³⁶ (and they saw) is to be rendered: and when they saw. Otherwise Scripture would be literally repeating itself. they trembled and stood far off. The meaning of and the Egyptians pursued after them thus is: when the Egyptians pursued them,³⁷ (and they pursued) is to be rendered: and when they pursued. Thus Scripture does not literally repeat itself. they overtook them as they were encamping by the sea.

footnotes: ³³ For Scripture to repeat itself in this manner. The previous verse reads, and he pursued after the children of Israel ³⁴ Which follows And all the people saw ³⁵ Translated literally. ³⁶ In others words, va-yar ³⁷ In other words, va-yirdefu

[ALL THE HORSES.] Scripture notes this³⁸ (all the horses); literally, every horse, hence I.E.’s comment. to inform us that they did not come upon them scattered.³⁹

footnotes: ³⁸ The Hebrew text reads, kol sus ³⁹ The horsemen did not approach Israel in scattered groups but as a united force (Cohen).

AND HIS HORSEMEN. Parashav means his horsemen.

AND HIS ARMY. Chelo (his army) means his foot soldiers.

AND WHEN PHARAOH DREW NEAR. When Pharaoh caused his camp to draw near.⁴⁰ (and Pharaoh drew near) means: and when Pharaoh caused to draw near, i.e., when Pharaoh caused his army to draw near. The verb hikriv (drew near) is always transitive in Scripture.⁴¹

footnotes: ⁴⁰ In other words, u-faroh hikriv ⁴¹ Hence it means to cause to draw near rather than drew near.

AND THEY SAID. We find that the holy tongue employs two words with one meaning back to back when one would suffice. Now the phrase ha-mibbeli en kevarim (because there were no graves)⁴² and en mean the same thing. is similar to ha-rak akh be-mosheh (only with Moses?) (Num. 12:2).⁴³ and akh mean the same thing.

footnotes: ⁴² Literally, because there are no graves, for bli ⁴³ Literally, only only with Moses? For rak

TO BRING US FORTH. Le-hotzi’anu (to bring us forth) is vocalized with a long kamatz in place of a tzere.⁴⁴. According to the rules of Hebrew grammar the word should be le-hotzi’eni. Compare, hotzi’eni (Ps. 25:17); ve-hotzie’ni (I Kings 22:34). It is similar to ro’ani (seeth me)⁴⁵ has been substituted for a tzere. The word should have read, ro’eni. Compare, ro’enu (Is. 29:15). in Thou hast said:⁴⁶ None seeth me (Is. 47:10).

footnotes: ⁴⁴ Literally, a short kamatz ⁴⁵ Wherein a long kamatz ⁴⁶ This is how Scripture reads. I.E. has: And I say. He probably quoted from memory and erred.

IS THIS NOT THE WORD. This is not stated.⁴⁷ However, we know that this was the case, for how could they say to his face something that was not true? This remark was included in but they hearkened not unto Moses (Ex. 6:9).⁴⁸, etc., follows but they hearkened not to Moses, etc., in the Samaritan Pentateuch.

footnotes: ⁴⁷ In the Exodus narrative. Nowhere is it stated that the Israelites told Moses, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians, etc. ⁴⁸ It is worthy of note that Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians

STAND STILL, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD. For you will not wage war but you shall see the salvation which the Lord will work for you this day. One may ask: How is it that a large camp comprising six hundred thousand armed men were afraid of those who pursued them? Why did they not stand and fight for their own and their children’s lives? The answer is: The Egyptians were masters over Israel. The generation that left Egypt were trained from their youth to bear the yoke of the Egyptians. They were of humble spirit. How then could they now wage war against their masters? The Israelites were lazy and not learned in war. Can you not see that were it not for the prayers of Moses, the Amalekites, who came⁴⁹ with a small number of men, would have defeated Israel. God alone, Who doeth great things (Job 5:9); And by Him actions are weighed (I Sam. 2:3), so arranged events that all Israelite males⁵⁰ who left Egypt died out,⁵¹ for they had no spirit to fight the Canaanites; and a new generation with a noble spirit, who had never tasted exile, arose after the generation of the wilderness.⁵² I have noted the aforementioned in the account of Moses recorded in the Torah portion Ve-Eleh Shemot.⁵³

footnotes: ⁴⁹ To attack Israel. See Ex. 17:8-13. ⁵⁰ Under the age of 20. See Num. 14:31. ⁵¹ See Num. 14:22. ⁵² The generation that left Egypt and died in the wilderness. ⁵³ Ex. 2:3.

THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU. Lakhem means for you.⁵⁴ Similarly, whenever the word war (milchamah) is followed by a lamed it indicates aid. Rabbi Moses Ha-Kohen therefore explains li (me) in For there are many that fight (lochamim) me (li) on high⁵⁵ (Ps. 56:3) to mean for me.⁵⁶ follows the word war (lochamim.) According to Rabbi Moses Ha-Kohen, Ps. 56:3 should be translated: For there are many that fight on high for me. The meaning of on high is, a war on high, as is the case with all that sit.⁵⁷ (that sit) to ha-chashuvim (that are important), the idea being that important people have others who fight for them. The verse thus states: For there are many that fight for me on high as is the case with all important people. However, in I.E.’s short commentary the reading is ha-moshekhim, which is a technical term for words that are to be read as if written twice. In this case our verse is to be read as follows: For there are many that fight for me, that fight for me on high, the reference being to angels who fight on his behalf. See I.E. on Ps. 56:3. In this case the last line of I.E. should be interpreted as: The meaning of on high is a war on high, as our verse belongs to those verses in which there is a word that is to be read as if written twice.

footnotes: ⁵⁴ Literally, to you, hence I.E.’s comment. ⁵⁵ Translated according to I.E. ⁵⁶ For a lamed ⁵⁷ It is unclear what I.E. means. Filwarg suggests emending ha-yoshevim

AND YE SHALL HOLD YOUR PEACE. In contrast to and the children of Israel cried out (v. 10).

WHEREFORE CRIEST THOU UNTO ME. Some say that Moses was crying out unto the Lord.⁵⁸ However, this is incorrect, for God had already told Moses, and I will get Me honor upon Pharaoh (v. 4).⁵⁹ On the contrary, this was told to Moses who stood in Israel’s stead⁶⁰ because the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.

footnotes: ⁵⁸ See Mekhilta and Rashi on this verse: “This teaches us that Moses was standing and praying.” ⁵⁹ Thus Moses knew that God would destroy Pharaoh and his army and would not cry unto the Lord. ⁶⁰ The words were directed to the children of Israel, not to Moses.

THAT THEY GO FORWARD. Little by little until they reach the edge of the sea.

AND LIFT THOU UP. God told Moses to lift up his rod and divide the sea before the children of Israel went forward. The Lord did not tell Moses to strike the sea.⁶¹ He told him to stretch out his hand toward the sea⁶² (over the sea) is to be rendered, toward the sea. in the manner⁶³ means toward. of And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven ⁶⁴ which literally means over the heaven. (Ex. 9:23). We know that the rod did not divide the sea but that from the moment that Moses stretched his hand toward the sea God caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind and the waters then⁶⁵ rather than oh (Vat. Ebr. 38). split. For it is so written.⁶⁶

footnotes: ⁶¹ Which shows that Moses was some distance from it. ⁶² Which he could do from a distance. According to I.E. al ha-yam ⁶³ That is, al ⁶⁴ Hebrew, al ha-shamyim ⁶⁵ Reading az ⁶⁶ In verse 21.

AND I. We know that the Red Sea is not situated between Egypt and the Land of Israel. There was no reason for them to enter the sea.⁶⁷ is the Red Sea. However, the Red Sea is not located between Canaan and Egypt. There was thus no reason to cross the Red Sea, hence I.E.’s comment. However, God commanded them to do so, so that the Egyptians would enter behind them and drown. The children of Israel, as I will explain,⁶⁸ entered the sea from the wilderness of Etham and exited the sea to the wilderness of Etham.

footnotes: ⁶⁷ I.E. apparently assumes that yam suf ⁶⁸ See I.E. on verses 22 and 29 and Ex. 15:22.

AND THE EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW. Those that remained.⁶⁹

footnotes: ⁶⁹ In Egypt shall know that I am the Lord, for those who pursued Israel all perished (v. 28). See I.E. on verse 4.

WHEN I HAVE GOTTEN ME HONOR UPON PHARAOH. Who will drown along with his chariots and horsemen.

AND THE ANGEL OF GOD. This took place before speak unto the children of Israel, that they should go forward (v. 15).⁷⁰ (v. 20). It’s meaning thus is, and the angel of God had already removed.⁷¹ (removed) is a pluperfect, meaning had removed. I have already showed you many such instances.⁷² Now because these three verses⁷³ are connected to each other and each one has seventy-two letters we find in them, as stated in the books,⁷⁴ on Ex. 14; Responsa of R. Hai Gaon. Also see Ozer Ha-Geonim, Hagigah, p. 23. The Talmud speaks of the 72-letter name of God. See Sukkah 45a. Those who see the 72-letter name of God in these verses do so in one of the following two ways. They arrange the three verses on top of each other and arrive at God’s name by reading down, i.e., vav, vav, vav; yod, yod, yod; samekh, bet, tet, etc. Or they invert verse 20 and arrange the three verses as above and read down, i.e., vav, heh, vav; yod, lamed, yod; samekh, alef, tet, and so on. The reason they invert the middle verse is that it states, and the one did not come near the other all the night; i.e., one is not to combine the letters of this verse in their normal fashion but they are to be read backwards as the word ha-laylah (the night) is. For ha-laylah reads the same whether from left to right or right to left (Krinsky). the sign of the secret of God’s explicit name. However, in my opinion it is so written⁷⁵) whose might delivered Israel. because, as I will explain in the Torah portion Ki Tissa,⁷⁶),which when calculated as follows, Y (10) YH (15) YHV (21) YHVH (26), comes to 72. Cf. I.E.’s Sefer Ha-Shem 5. the numerical value of God’s glorious name comes to seventy-two. The Book of Raziel⁷⁷ states that one who wants to query the heavenly powers in a dream should read the verse, Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, etc. (Ezek. 1:1), for it contains seventy-two letters.⁷⁸, and apparently also in I.E’s version of Scripture, the words ha-golah and marot in Ezek. 1:1 were spelled without a vav. Otherwise the number of letters in Ezek 1:1 comes to 74 as they do in our editions of the Prophets. Cf. Minchat Shai on Ezek. 1:1.

footnotes: ⁷⁰ The incident described in verses 19 and 20 must have taken place before Israel was commanded to go forward, since the pillar of cloud came between the two camps and prevented the Egyptians from harming the Israelites all the night ⁷¹ In other words, va-yissa ⁷² Where Scripture employs a pluperfect. ⁷³ Verses 19, 20, 21. ⁷⁴ Post-talmudic works such as Lekach Tov ⁷⁵ These three verses. In other words, verses 19-21 consist of 72 letters each, not because a combination of their letters spells out a secret name of God, but rather they allude to God (YHVH ⁷⁶ I.E. insists that when the Talmud speaks of the 72-letter name of God it refers to the tetragrammaton (YHVH ⁷⁷ An early cabalistic work which is supposed to have been given to Adam by the angel Raziel (Hebrew, mystery of God). It contains mystical teachings, letter mysticism, descriptions of heaven, as well as formulas for amulets. ⁷⁸ In the Sefer Raziel

THE ANGEL OF GOD. The reference is to the great prince⁷⁹. who goes in the cloud, concerning whom it is written, And the Lord went before them by day (Ex. 13:21). When this angel, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, the pillar of cloud moved with him. Let the one who identifies the angel of God with the cloud show us where we find the pillar of cloud called the angel of God. Furthermore, if the angel and the pillar are one and the same, why is and the pillar of cloud removed from before them repeated? If he should answer that Scripture repeats the same idea in different words,⁸⁰ then we respond that it is not the manner of Scripture to repeat itself except in prophecy⁸¹ or reproof.⁸² Moreover, it is unfit to repeat oneself when reporting how something happened.⁸³

footnotes: ⁷⁹ The angel Michael. Cf. Dan. 21:1, And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of Israel ⁸⁰ As it often does. ⁸¹ Which is given in poetic form. ⁸² Prophet’s words of reproof. ⁸³ When prose is employed. In other words, Scripture repeats the same idea in different words in poetry but not in prose.

AND IT CAME. And the angel came.⁸⁴, which may mean: and it came, or, and he came, hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ⁸⁴ The Hebrew reads, va-yovo

AND THERE WAS THE CLOUD AND THE DARKNESS HERE. Between the camps.

AND IT LIT UP THE NIGHT.⁸⁵ As was the manner on all the nights, so that Israel could cross the sea. They crossed it at night. Rabbi Merinus says that the meaning of va-ya’er (he lit up) is, he darkened. And the night shall be light about me (Ps. 139: 11)⁸⁶ is similar. Furthermore, we find, On the light of the fourteenth day⁸⁷ 2a. The meaning of which is, on the night of the fourteenth day, i.e., the night preceding the fourteenth day. We thus see that the word light can refer to night or darkness. in rabbinic literature. However, the one who interprets thus turns darkness into light and light into darkness, for it is impossible in any language for a word to mean both a thing and its opposite unless it is euphemistically used, as in Naboth did bless God and the king (I Kings 21:13).⁸⁸. The word light in shall be light about me refers to the light itself, as I have explained.⁸⁹ Similarly, the sages said⁹⁰ 3a. that On the light of the fourteenth is a refined language,⁹¹ which is similar to a euphemism. Furthermore, what reason was there for Scripture to say, and he darkened the night? It is dark every night. The only meaning of va-ya’er et ha-laylah is that he⁹² lit up the night⁹³ means: and he lit up the night. as he did from the day that Israel went out of Egypt, for the pillar of fire was seen every night. Now if Israel had no light how did they cross the sea?⁹⁴ For behold, by the time Pharaoh came into the sea and the Lord looked forth upon him in the morning watch, most of the Israelites had already crossed.⁹⁵

footnotes: ⁸⁵ I.E. renders this, and he lit up the night, the reference being to the angel who lit up the night via the pillar of fire (Krinsky). ⁸⁶ Translated literally. So too Rashi on Ps. 139:11. ⁸⁷ Pesachim ⁸⁸ Translated literally. Its meaning is, as J.P.S. translates, Naboth did curse God and the king ⁸⁹ Cf. I.E. on Ps. 139:11. ⁹⁰ Pesachim ⁹¹ They did not want to mention darkness. ⁹² The angel via the pillar of fire (Krinsky). ⁹³ In other words, va-ya’er et ha-laylah ⁹⁴ Another argument against Rabbi Merinus’ interpretation. ⁹⁵ Thus most of the Israelites crossed during the night. However, if they had no light how could they have crossed?

AND MOSES STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND…ALL THE NIGHT. Even while Israel was crossing, the wind did not cease.

AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA. Do not think that because Scripture reads, in the midst⁹⁶ in (the middle), hence I.E.’s comment. of the sea that the Israelites reached the middle of the Red Sea. On the contrary, even if they entered the sea for even half of a Persian mile one may say that they came in the midst of the sea.⁹⁷ is not to be taken literally. It is like And the mixed multitude that was in the midst of them⁹⁸ (Num. 11:4), for the mixed multitude was not in the middle of the camp. The meaning of the midst of the sea is, the place where there was water at the beginning of the night.⁹⁹

footnotes: ⁹⁶ Hebrew, be-tokh ⁹⁷ In other words, the word tokh ⁹⁸ Translated literally. ⁹⁹ Not literally in the midst of the sea.

AND THE WATERS WERE A WALL UNTO THEM. The waters froze.¹⁰⁰ It is also written, The floods stood upright as a heap (Ex. 15:8).¹⁰¹. After most of Israel crossed, the waters which formed a wall for them melted. This is the meaning of that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians (v. 26). These waters¹⁰² separated between the Egyptians and the dry land.¹⁰³ It therefore states, and the Egyptians fled against it (v. 27), as the Egyptians thought that they would go out onto dry land.¹⁰⁴ But the walls of water melted and separated them and dry land. There is no doubt that those who pursued Israel saw the light by which Israel crossed.¹⁰⁵

footnotes: ¹⁰⁰ The waters on either side of the Israelites froze and formed two solid walls (Krinsky, Cohen). ¹⁰¹ The verse continues, The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea ¹⁰² Which formed from the melting walls. ¹⁰³ That the Israelites were on. ¹⁰⁴ The dry land that the Israelites were on. ¹⁰⁵ Hence they saw the Israelites on dry land and wanted to follow them.

AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MORNING WATCH. The alef of ashmoret¹⁰⁶. (watch) is a superfluous letter.¹⁰⁷

footnotes: ¹⁰⁶ From the root shin, mem, resh ¹⁰⁷ It is not a root letter, nor is it a prefix. It has no translatable meaning.

THAT THE LORD LOOKED FORTH. The reference is to the angel of the Lord mentioned earlier.¹⁰⁸ The same is the case with Gideon,¹⁰⁹ (Jud. 6:11), And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him (Ibid.). This angel is subsequently referred to as the Lord in verses 14, 15, 23, 27; i.e., and the Lord turned, And the Lord said, etc. Similarly, the angel mentioned in verse 19 of this chapter is subsequently called the Lord. where the messenger is called by the name of the sender. Since the sender commands his agent to commit an act, it is as if the sender himself had executed it.

footnotes: ¹⁰⁸ Verse 19. ¹⁰⁹ Concerning whom we read, And the angel of the Lord came

THROUGH THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND OF CLOUD. Between these two pillars.¹¹⁰ of be-ammud (through the pillar) to mean with; i.e., God threw the Egyptians into confusion through the use of the two pillars. I.E. interprets the bet of be-ammud as meaning in the pillars, i.e., between the pillar of cloud, which was behind the camp of Israel, and the pillar of fire, which was in front of Israel (Filwarg).

footnotes: ¹¹⁰ Contra Rashi, who interprets the bet

AND DISCOMFITED. Possibly because of this the poet says, The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind (Ps. 77:19).¹¹¹ (discomfited) refers to a discomfit brought about by lightning and thunder. Ps. 77:19 speaks of the splitting of the Red Sea (Weiser). Similarly And He shot forth lightnings, and discomfited them¹¹². This is the reading in Ps. 18:15. However, I.E. has va-yahom. He probably quoted from memory. The parallel verse in II Sam. 22:15 has va-yahom as the kre. Be that as it may, this verse shows that the root heh, mem, mem refers to discomfit brought about by thunder and lightning (Weiser). (Ps. 18:15). Elsewhere it is written, And He sent…Lightning, and discomfited them¹¹³. (II Sam. 22:15).

footnotes: ¹¹¹ For va-yaham ¹¹² Hebrew, va-yehummem ¹¹³ Hebrew, va-yahom

AND HE TOOK OFF. Va-yasar (and He took off) is a hifil.¹¹⁴. It should have been vocalized va-yaser with a segol beneath the samekh. I have already noted its grammatical explanation.¹¹⁵

footnotes: ¹¹⁴ From the root samekh, vav, resh ¹¹⁵ See I.E. on Ex. 8:27.

[AND HE TOOK OFF THEIR CHARIOT WHEELS.]¹¹⁶ Some say its meaning is that they¹¹⁷ untied the knot of the wheel¹¹⁸ from the horses¹¹⁹ so that, being lighter,¹²⁰ they could flee more easily. However, the above-mentioned divine discomfit fell upon them and their horses, and they could only drive them with great difficulty.¹²¹ Others say that va-yasar comes from the root of sorer (rebellious) (Deut. 21:18).¹²², meaning to rebel. Thus va-yasar (and he took off) means: and he rebelled. He who went before them wanted to turn the chariot around.¹²³

footnotes: ¹¹⁶ Literally, and he removed the wheel of his chariots, hence the various interpretations. ¹¹⁷ In other words, “he” refers to each one of the chariot drivers. ¹¹⁸ That is, the chariots. ¹¹⁹ They untied the knot by which the horses were tied to the chariots and tried to escape by riding on the horses. ¹²⁰ Not having to pull the chariots, the horses had a lighter load, i.e., only the rider. ¹²¹ Cohen paraphrases I.E. in this way: “To hasten their flight, the Egyptians unharnessed the chariots; but the general confusion also affected the horses.” ¹²² From the root samekh, resh, resh ¹²³ Filwarg believes that the reference is to the leading chariot. He wanted to turn his chariot around and flee. In this case, “and he rebelled” means: and he turned the wheels of his chariot around. That is, instead of going forward as his orders said, the lead charioteer tried to turn his chariot around and flee. Rashbam interprets similarly.

FOR THE LORD FIGHTETH FOR THEM AGAINST THE EGYPTIANS. Lahem¹²⁴ means for them.¹²⁵ it means on behalf (see Weiser). It now becomes clear that God’s word, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord (v. 4), which He spoke earlier meant: and the Egyptians shall know before their deaths.

footnotes: ¹²⁴ Its literal meaning is, to them. ¹²⁵ When the word to fight is followed by a lamed

THAT THE WATERS MAY COME BACK. The waters which served as walls for them should return to their previous state.

WHEN THE MORNING APPEARED. Lifnot boker (when the morning appeared) means toward morning.

TO ITS STRENGTH. Le-etano means to its strength. It is a noun,¹²⁶ is a noun. Cf. I.E. on Ps. 74:15. Le-etano is the noun etan plus the prepositional lamed and the pronominal suffix. like etan in mighty rivers (Ps. 74:15).¹²⁷

footnotes: ¹²⁶ That is, etan ¹²⁷ Translated according to I.E.

FLED AGAINST IT. I have already explained¹²⁸ that the Egyptians in fleeing thought that they were returning to dry land when in actuality they were going toward the sea. May the bones of Chivi¹²⁹ the dog¹³⁰ (the dog). be crushed. Chivi said that Moses knew the time of low tide, when the level of the sea goes down, and the time of high tide, when the sea comes in and its level rises, and so brought his people across the sea when the tide was normally low. However, Pharaoh did not know the manner of the sea and therefore drowned. This interpretation is sheer madness, as the sea is not normally dry in any place when its level goes down. However, all was dry.¹³¹ Neither do walls of water remain on the right or the left.¹³² Furthermore, the end of low tide and the beginning of high tide do not become clear until some hours have passed.¹³³ Moreover, the Israelites had not yet finished crossing before Pharaoh and his army drowned.¹³⁴

footnotes: ¹²⁸ In verse 22. ¹²⁹ Chivi Al-Balkhi, a Persian Bible exegete born in Balkh (now in Afghanistan) who lived in the latter part of the 9th century. He wrote a book containing two hundred queries on the Bible. Surviving quotations show Chivi to have been a free-thinking man “who sought to explain biblical miracles naturally…His views aroused intellectual ferment among Oriental Jewry and Saadiah Gaon published a refutation” (Roth, p. 916). ¹³⁰ A play on Ha-Balkhi. By inverting the letters of Ha-Balkhi from Balakh, we get ha-kalbi ¹³¹ According to verse 29 Israel crossed on dry land. ¹³² When the sea retreats at low tide. ¹³³ It takes some hours before the effects of high and low tide are perceptible. Thus it would take quite a while for the waters to have enveloped the Egyptians. However, it appears from Scripture that the waters overwhelmed the Egyptians in a short period of time. ¹³⁴ If it was low tide why did Pharaoh and his army drown?

AND THE LORD OVERTHREW. Va-yena’er (overthrew) is a pi’el. Na’arti (I shook) in Also I shook out my lap (Neh. 5:13) is similar to it.¹³⁵ means to shake, or cast out something from one’s lap, hand or vessel. Va-yena’er is to be understood in the manner of hath He thrown into the sea (Ex. 15: 1).¹³⁶ is to be interpreted: and the Lord threw them into the sea (Weiser).

footnotes: ¹³⁵ It comes from the same root. Thus va-yena’er ¹³⁶ And the Lord overthrew

AND THE WATERS RETURNED. The waters that were walls returned.

SO MUCH AS ONE OF THEM. Even one of them did not escape.¹³⁷ (literally, until one) means so much as one. Similarly ad echad in and, behold, there was not so much as one (ad echad) of the cattle of the Israelites dead (Ex. 9:7). Indeed, the poet says, There was not one of them (echad me-hem) left (Ps. 106: 11).¹³⁸ means so much as one.

footnotes: ¹³⁷ In other words, ad echead ¹³⁸ We thus see that ad echead

BUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The reason this is noted a second time¹³⁹ is that there remained some Israelites who were still crossing the sea while Pharaoh was drowning. This was a miracle within a miracle, for in the place where the Israelites were crossing the sea there was a strong east wind drying¹⁴⁰ and where Pharaoh and his host were, God brought another wind to melt the waters that were frozen and formed walls. There were thus two winds in two places in the sea close to one another.¹⁴¹ True proof that this interpretation is correct is offered by the statement in the Song of Moses, And with the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were piled up (Ex. 15:8), which speaks of the wind that blew for Israel; and the statement, Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them (Ex. 15:10), which speaks of the wind that caused the Egyptians to drown. It is because of this that the end of the song reads, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea (Ex. 15:19). Do not ask, how could all of Israel cross in one night? Did not the six hundred thousand men on foot¹⁴² make up only a quarter of the camp?¹⁴³. 38 is: For the six hundred thousand men on foot did not make up even a quarter of the camp. Perhaps they passed over some other way.¹⁴⁴ Or perhaps the sea split into twelve parts, as the sages of blessed memory say.¹⁴⁵ 42; Tanchuma, Be-Shallach 10; Mekhilta, Be-Shallach 4. Now the Israelites did not cross the width of the sea.¹⁴⁶ On the contrary, they moved along its length and came out in the wilderness of Shur from wherein, as I will explain, they entered the sea.¹⁴⁷

footnotes: ¹³⁹ After already noting it in verse 22. ¹⁴⁰ The sea. ¹⁴¹ At the same time. ¹⁴² Who left Egypt. See Ex. 12:37. They were married and had children. Additionally, a mixed multitude went up with them. ¹⁴³ Of the Israelites. The reading in Vat. Ebr ¹⁴⁴ Pharaoh only pursued the 600,000 armed men. The rest continued along on an overland road and eventually joined up with the group that crossed over (Filwarg). See the rest of I.E.’s comments. ¹⁴⁵ Cf. Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer ¹⁴⁶ See I.E.’s comments on verse 22. ¹⁴⁷ See I.E. on Ex. 15:22.

THUS THE LORD SAVED. Now the Israelites were saved from the hand of the Egyptians. Until now the fear of Pharaoh was upon them.¹⁴⁸ Scripture tells us that the Egyptians drowned in the sea. The sea did not cast their bodies out upon the dry land,¹⁴⁹ on this verse, and Pesachim 118b. for it is clearly written, The earth swallowed them (Ex. 15:12).¹⁵⁰ The meaning of and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore¹⁵¹ therefore is: when the Egyptians drowned, the Israelites, who were on the shore, saw their dead bodies.¹⁵²

footnotes: ¹⁴⁸ The Israelites dreaded Pharaoh until they saw the Egyptian corpses. ¹⁴⁹ Contra Rashi and Mekhilta ¹⁵⁰ That is, the sea bed swallowed them (Krinsky). ¹⁵¹ Which implies that the sea cast them out. ¹⁵² Before they sank.

FEARED. When Israel saw this great blow they feared God, as in And David was afraid of the Lord that day when Uzzah who put forth his hand to the ark of God died (II Sam. 6:9).

AND THEY BELIEVED IN THE LORD. They believed that the Lord is truth¹⁵³ 1:3,4: “The Truth of His being is incomparable to the truth of any other individual being…He alone is the Truth, and no other being possesses a truth similar to His Truth.” and that Moses is His servant and will do only that which the Lord commands him to do.

footnotes: ¹⁵³ Unchanging and Ultimate Being. Cf. Mishneh Torah, Mada