R. Judah further discoursed on the verse: In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them (Is. 63, 9). He said: ‘This is the translation of the k’ri, hut according to the k’thib we should translate, “He was not afflicted.” The lesson to be derived from this variation is that Israel’s affliction reaches the Holy One even in the place above which is beyond affliction or perturbation.
“And the angel of his presence saved them.” If He is together with them in their affliction, how can it be said that He saves them? Observe, however, that it is not written, “He saves them”, but “he saved them”, that is, He determined in advance to partake in their sufferings. For whenever Israel is in exile the Shekinah accompanies them, as it is written, “Then the Lord thy God will return (v’-shab) with thy captivity” (Deut. 30, 3).
According to another explanation, “The angel of his presence” signifies the Shekinah, which accompanies them in exile. Hence in the Scripture the words “and I have remembered my covenant” (Ex. 6, 5) are immediately followed by “and now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; moreover, I have seen” (Ex. 3, 9).
It is also written, “And God remembered his covenant” (Ibid. 2, 24), referring to the Shekinah, “with Abraham” (Ibid.), symbolic of South-west, “with Isaac” (Ibid.), symbolic of North-west, “and with Jacob” (Ibid.), symbolising the complete and perfect union.
The Holy One, blessed be He, will one day send forth a voice to proclaim to the world the words, “For he said, Surely, they are my people, children that will not deal falsely; so he was their saviour” (Is. 63, 8). Blessed be the Lord for evermore, Amen and Amen.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (ישעיהו ס״ג:ט׳) בְּכָל צָרָתָם לֹא צָר וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם וְגו'. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל צָרָתָם דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד אִזְדַּמַּן לוֹן עָאקָן, כְּתִיב לֹא בְּאל"ף וּקְרִי בְּוא"ו, בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עִמְּהוֹן בְּעָקוּ. לא בְּאל"ף, אֲתַר עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָאו בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר רוּגְזָא וְעָקוּ, לְהָתָם לְעֵילָא מָטָא עַקְתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. לא בְּאל"ף כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהלים ק) הוּא עָשָׂנוּ וְלֹא אֲנַחְנוּ. כְּתִיב בְּאל"ף וּקְרִי בְּוא"ו.
R. Judah further discoursed on the verse: In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them (Is. 63, 9). He said: ‘This is the translation of the k’ri, hut according to the k’thib we should translate, “He was not afflicted.” The lesson to be derived from this variation is that Israel’s affliction reaches the Holy One even in the place above which is beyond affliction or perturbation.
וּמַלְאַךָ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם. וְהָא אִיהוּ עִמְהוֹן בְּהַהוּא עָקוּ, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הוֹשִׁיעָם. אֶלָּא מוֹשִׁיעָם לֹא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא הוֹשִׁיעָם מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין בְּהַהוּא עָקוּ לְמִסְבַּל עִמְּהוֹן. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִנּוּן בְּגָלוּתָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ל׳:ג׳) וְשָׁב יְיָ אֱלהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחַמְךָ וְגו'.
“And the angel of his presence saved them.” If He is together with them in their affliction, how can it be said that He saves them? Observe, however, that it is not written, “He saves them”, but “he saved them”, that is, He determined in advance to partake in their sufferings. For whenever Israel is in exile the Shekinah accompanies them, as it is written, “Then the Lord thy God will return (v’-shab) with thy captivity” (Deut. 30, 3).
דָּבָר אַחֵר וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא. דְּאִיהִי עִמְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ דְּאִיהוּ הוֹשִׁיעָם. אֶלָּא הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּאִלֵּין אִנּוּן מִשְׁכְּנוֹתָיו דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגָלוּתָא, וּבְגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַדְכַּר לוֹן לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן וְלְאֲפָקָא לוֹן מִן גָּלוּתָא, דִּכְתִיב, (שמות ו׳:ה׳) וָאֶזְכֹּר אֶת בְּרִיתִי בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה צַעֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָה אֵלַי.
According to another explanation, “The angel of his presence” signifies the Shekinah, which accompanies them in exile. Hence in the Scripture the words “and I have remembered my covenant” (Ex. 6, 5) are immediately followed by “and now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; moreover, I have seen” (Ex. 3, 9).
וְגַם רָאִיתִי. לְאַסְגָּאָה רְאִיָה אָחֳרָא דְּאִיהוּ קַדְמָאָה דְּכֹלָּא, וּכְתִיב, (שמות ב׳:כ״ד) וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא. אֶת אַבְרָהָם לְאַבְרָהָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אֶלָּא אֶת אַבְרָהָם דָּא הוּא חַבְרוּתָא וְזִוּוּגָא דִילָהּ בַּאֲבָהָן. אֶת אַבְרָהָם (במדבר קכ א) דָּא הוּא מַעֲרָבִית דְּרוֹמִית. אֶת יִצְחָק דָּא הוּא צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית. וְאֶת יַעֲקֹב דָּא הוּא זִוּוּגָא חָדָא, כְּלָלָא חָדָא, זִוּוּגָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת.
It is also written, “And God remembered his covenant” (Ibid. 2, 24), referring to the Shekinah, “with Abraham” (Ibid.), symbolic of South-west, “with Isaac” (Ibid.), symbolic of North-west, “and with Jacob” (Ibid.), symbolising the complete and perfect union.
כְּגַוְונָא דָא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם דָּא הוּא כְּלָלָא מִדַּת לַיְלָה בַּיּוֹם. וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ דָּא מִדַּת יוֹם בְּלַיְלָה כְּחֲדָא. אוּף הָכָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ אֶת, וּבְיַעֲקֹב וְאֶת, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא זִוּוּגָא חָדָא דְּלָא מִתְפַּרְשִׁין דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא לְעָלְמִין. וְזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַכְרָזָא בְּכָל עַלְמָא וּלְאַשְׁמָעָא קָל דְּיֵימָא (ישעיהו ס״ג:ח׳-ט׳) וַיֹּאמֶר אַךְ עַמִּי הֵמָּה בָּנִים לֹא יְשַׁקֵּרוּ ויְהִי לָהֶם לְמוֹשִׁיעַ. בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן: (עד כאן פרשת וירא)
The Holy One, blessed be He, will one day send forth a voice to proclaim to the world the words, “For he said, Surely, they are my people, children that will not deal falsely; so he was their saviour” (Is. 63, 8). Blessed be the Lord for evermore, Amen and Amen.