(Exod. 23:21, cont.:) FOR MY NAME IS WITH HIM. The name of the Holy One is associated with each and every angel.⁵⁸. Moses said to him: I do not want an angel to go with us.⁵⁹., Exod. 6:18, reads more clearly: “I do not want an angel to go with us but you.” He said to him: If you yourself do not go with us, we are not moving from our place. The Holy One said to him: By your life, even though I will not send an angel before you, I will send the hornet before you, as stated (in Exod. 23:28): I WILL SEND THE HORNET BEFORE YOU TO DRIVE OUT THE HEVITES, THE CANAANITES, AND THE HITTITES FROM BEFORE YOU. How did the Amorites die? R. Levi said: He wedded two hornets to each and every one of them. Then when each and every hornet poured out its venom right into an Amorite's eyes, he died immediately. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: How did they die? A poison entered them, they {became saturated} [contracted diarrhea], and they died in the presence of Israel. R. Berekhyah said: The Holy One bound them before Israel. Then they came and killed them, as stated (in Deut. 3:3): SO THE LORD OUR GOD GAVE OG, KING OF BASHAN, INTO OUR HANDS…. The Holy One acted like someone who binds his child's enemy and sets him before his child. In case you say the Amorites were small, the Holy One exalts them (in Amos 2:9): [YET I DESTROYED THE AMORITES BEFORE THEM,] WHOSE STATURE WAS LIKE THE CEDARS IN HEIGHT. And what did I do to them? (Ibid., cont.:) I DESTROYED THEIR FRUIT ABOVE, i.e., their prince; AND THEIR ROOTS BELOW, i.e., the rest of the Amorites. The Holy One said: In this world I sent an angel before them, and he destroyed the peoples of the world; but in the world to come, I am sending you Elijah, may his memory be blessed. It is so stated (in Mal. 3:24 [4:5]): LO, I AM SENDING YOU THE PROPHET ELIJAH BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD.

footnotes: ⁵⁸ In other words the name of each angel contains the name of the Holy One, e.g., Michael, Rafael, and Gabriel, all of which contain the name, El ⁵⁹ Tanh

The End of Parashah Mishpatim