(Exodus 14:22) "And the children of Israel came in the midst of the sea on the dry land": R. Meir perceives it one way; R. Yehudah, another. R. Meir: When the tribes were standing at the sea, each said: I will go first. In the midst of the hue and cry, Benjamin sprang first into the sea, as it is written (Psalms 68:28-29) "There, Benjamin, the young (i.e., the youngest of the tribes) rodem, the princes of Judah rigmatham, the princes of Zevulun, and princes of Naftali. Your G–d has commanded your strength. Be strong, O G–d, — this (strength which) You have wrought for us!" Read it not "rodem," but "rad yam" ("went down into the sea") — whereupon Judah began to stone them ("rigmatham"), viz. "the princes of Judah rigmatham."
An analogy: A king has two sons. He enters the younger son's room at night and says: Wake me at sunrise — and to the older: Wake me in the third hour (of the day). The younger son comes to wake him at sunrise and is prevented from doing so by the older son, saying: He told me: at the third hour — to which the younger counters: He told me at sunrise. Their altercation awakes their father, who says: My sons, both of you acted for my honor — I will not withhold your reward for this.
Thus said the Holy One Blessed be He: What reward will accrue to the sons of Benjamin, who went down first into the sea? The reposing of the Shechinah in his portion (i.e., the Temple), as it is written (Genesis 49:27) "Benjamin tears (first), as a wolf," and (Devarim 33:12) "Of Benjamin he said: 'Beloved of the L–rd; He will repose securely upon him, etc.'" And what reward accrued to the tribe of Judah, who stoned him? They attained to kingdom, as it is written "The princes of Judah rigmatham," "rigmah" connoting kingdom, as in (Daniel 5:29) "And at Belshazzar's command, they clothed Daniel in purple ('argevana,' like 'rigmah'), placed a golden chain on his neck, and proclaimed that he should rule as one of three in the kingdom." "the princes of Zevulun and the princes of Naftali": Just as the Holy One Blessed be He wrought miracles for the tribe of Judah and Benjamin at the sea, so He wrought miracles for Zevulun and Naftali, through Devorah and Barak, as it is written (Judges 4:6-7) "And she summoned Barak the son of Avinoam of Kedesh Naftali, and said to him: The L–rd, the G–d of Israel has commanded: Go, ascend Mount Tavor, and take with you ten thousand men of Naftali and Zevulun. And I will draw to you Sisra the commander-in-chief of Yavin, etc." And it is written (Ibid. 5:18) "Zevulun is a people that bared its soul to death, and Naftali on the heights of the field."
R. Yehudah perceives it thus: "And the children of Israel came in the midst of the sea": When the tribes were standing at the sea, each of them said: I will not go down first into the sea, viz. (Hoshea 12:1-3) "Ephraim surrounds Me with deceit, and the house of Israel with guile. Because they stood and deliberated, Nachshon the son of Aminadav leaped into the sea. Of him Scripture writes (Psalms 69:2-3 ) "Save me, O G–d, for the waters have reached my soul. I am sinking in the slimy depths and I find no foothold. I have come into the watery depths, and the flood sweeps me away." (Ibid. 16) "Let the floodwaters not sweep me away, and let the deep not swallow me, and let the mouth of the pit not close over me." At that time Moses waxed long in prayer — whereupon the L–rd said to him: My loved ones are drowning in the sea, and the sea is raging, and the foe is pursuing, and you stand and wax long in prayer? To which Moses replied: L–rd of the universe, what can I do? And He said to him (Exodus 14:16) "And you, raise your staff, etc." And what did Moses and Israel say at the sea? (Ibid. 15:18) "The L–rd will reign for ever and ever" — to which He responded: He who made Me "King" at the sea, (i.e., the tribe of Judah) him will I make king over Israel."
R. Tarfon and the elders were once sitting in the shade of the grove of Yavneh when this question was once asked before them: Why need it be written (Genesis 37:25) "and their camels laden with spices, balm, and myrrh"? (He answered:) To apprise us of the extent to which the merit of the righteous comes to their aid. For if this "loved one" (Joseph) had gone down with (the usual wares of) the Arabs, would he not have died of the stench of the camels and the itran (a kind of resin)? But the Holy One Blessed be He "arranged" for him (a transport of) sacks full of spices and all goodly fragrances so that he not perish of their stench. (At this,) they said to him: You have taught us, our master, that this transpired in the merit of Joseph. They asked him: Our master, what is the blessing for one who drinks water to slake his thirst? He answered: "Who creates manifold beings and (supplies) their wants. (We thank you for) all that You have created — Life of the worlds!" They: You have taught us, our master, the blessing for one who drinks water to slake his thirst. Our master, in what merit did Judah attain to kingdom? R. Tarfon: You say. They: In the merit of his saying (Genesis, Ibid. 26) "What profit is it if we kill our brother, etc." by which he saved him from death. R. Tarfon: It suffices that this saving atone for his counsel to sell Joseph and not return him to his father.
They: If so, (he merited kingship) in the merit of his saying (Ibid. 38:26) "She is right; it is by me" (that she has conceived). R. Tarfon: It suffices that this atone for his living with her.
They: If so, in the merit of his saying (Ibid. 44:33) "Let your servant remain instead of the youth." R. Tarfon: In all places we find that the guarantor pays, (so this would not account for his meriting kingship.)
They: Master, you tell us. In what merit did he attain to kingship? R. Tarfon: When the tribes were at the sea, each one said: I will not go down first, viz. (Hoshea 12:1) "Ephraim has surrounded me with deceit, etc." Because they tarried in deliberation, Nachshon the son of Aminadav and his tribe after him leapt into the waves of the sea — wherefore he merited kingship.
As it is written (Psalms 114:1) "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from the people of a foreign tongue, Judah was His holy one, Israel, His ruler," the Holy One Blessed be He hereby saying: "Let him who sanctified My name at the sea come and rule Israel." And the elders acknowledged to R. Tarfon (the truth of his derivation.)
(Ibid. 24) "And it was in the morning watch": We find that the prayers of the righteous are heard in the morning. The "morning" of Abraham — (Genesis 22:3) "And Abraham rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Isaac — (Ibid. 9) "and both of them went together, etc." — and both had risen early in the morning.
The "morning" of Jacob — (Ibid. 28:18) "and Jacob rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Moses — Exodus 34:4) "and Moses rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Joshua — (Joshua 3:1) "And Joshua rose early in the morning and they journeyed from Shittim, etc." The "morning" of Samuel — (I Samuel 15:12) "and Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, etc." The "mornings" of the prophets that were destined to arise (for Israel) — (Psalms 5:4) "O L–rd, in the morning shall You hear my voice; in the morning will I order (my prayer) before You, and I will hope." The "morning" of the world to come — |(Eichah 3:23) "New every morning; great is Your faith." And thus do you find that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to exact punishment of the wicked in the world to come only in the mornings" — (Psalms 101:8) "In the mornings I will cut off all the wicked of the land to cut off from the city of the L–rd all the workers of iniquity." Also Jerusalem, in time to come, every morning her judgment will come to light, viz. (Tzefaniah 3:5) "The L–rd is righteous in its midst. He will do no wrong. Every morning He will bring His judgment to light. It will not fail. But the churl will not know shame." (Exodus 14:24) "And it was in the morning watch": This occurred at dawn. "and the L–rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, etc.":
The Holy One Blessed be He heals all who enter the world, viz. (Exodus 15:26) "for I am the L–rd who heals you", (Jeremiah 17:14) "Heal me, O L–rd, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved.", (Ibid. 3:22) "Return, wayward sons; I will heal your waywardness." Come and see that the healing of the Holy One Blessed be He is not like the healing of flesh and blood. The healing of flesh and blood — With what he smites, he does not heal. He smites with a knife and heals with a plaster. Not so the Holy One Blessed be He. With what He smites, He heals. When He smote Iyyov, He smote him with a tempest, viz. (Iyyov 9:11) "He struck me with a tempest and multiplied my wounds in vain." When He healed him, He healed him with a tempest, viz. (Ibid. 38:1) "And the L–rd answered Iyyov from the tempest." He answered him from the tempest and He healed him. And when the Holy One Blessed be He exiled Israel, He did so with clouds, viz. (Eichah 2:1) "How the L–rd has beclouded in His wrath the daughter of Zion." And when He gathers them in, He does so with clouds, viz. (Isaiah 60:8) "Who are those who fly like a cloud, like doves to their dove-cotes?" When He scatters them, He scatters them like doves, viz. (Ezekiel 7:16) "And their fugitives will flee. They will be in the mountains, all of them moaning like the doves of the valleys, each man in his sin." And when He returns them, He returns them like doves, viz.: "like doves to their dove-cotes." When He blesses Israel, He blesses them with looking, viz. (Devarim 26:15) "Look down from Your holy abode, from the heavens, and bless Your people, Israel." And when He exacted punishment of Egypt, He did so with "looking," viz. "and the L–rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, and He confounded the camp of Egypt, etc." The pillar of cloud descended and made the sea-bed clay, and the pillar of fire made it so hot that the horses' hooves fell off. "and He confounded the camp of Egypt": He confounded them, He mixed them up, He removed their ensigns and they did not know what they were doing. Variantly: "Confounding" is plague, viz. (Devarim 7:23) "And He will confound them with a great confusion until they are destroyed."
(Exodus 14:25) "And He removed their chariot wheels": R. Yehudah says: Because of the fire on high, the wheels below were broken, the yokes and the chariots ran of themselves, being filled with vessels of silver and gold and precious gems and pearls for Israel to take as spoil.
R. Nechemiah says: Because of the thunders on high, the pivots below flew off, viz. (Psalms 77:19) "The rumble of your thunder caught the wheel; lightings lit the world", and the yokes and the chariots ran of themselves.
"and He led them with hardness": R. Yehudah says: As they meted it out, so did He mete it out to them. (Exodus 5:9) "Let the labor be hard on the men" — "and He led them with hardness."
"And Egypt said: 'I shall flee from before Israel'": The wicked and the fools among them said: "Shall we flee these toils and tempests?" The sober among them said: "I shall flee from before Israel, for the L–rd wars for them against the Egyptians." They realized that He who wrought miracles for them in Egypt was doing so at the sea.
R. Yossi says: Whence do you derive that with the plagues that these were plagued at the sea, the others were plagued in Egypt and that they saw each other (at the time)? From "And Egypt said: "I (at the sea) shall flee from before Israel; for the L–rd is warring for them in Egypt (too)!"
And (this obtains) not with Egypt alone, but with all who afflict Israel throughout the generations. As it is written (Psalms 78:66) "And He beat back His foes. Eternal disgrace did He inflict upon them, viz. (Psalms 81:15-16) "In a moment I would humble their foes … and their time (of punishment) will be eternal", and (Isaiah 14:25) "to break Ashur in My land, etc." And thus, throughout the generations, viz. (Ibid. 26) "this is the counsel for all of the earth, and this is the hand stretched forth against all the nations" (that afflict Israel). Why so? (Ibid. 27) "For the L–rd of hosts has counseled, and who will annul it? And His hand is stretched forth, and who will turn it back?" Not Egypt ("Mitzrayim") alone, then, (is intended), but all who afflict ("meitzarim") them, throughout the generations. Thus — "for the L–rd wars for them against Mitzrayim (- "meitzarim").
(שמות יד,כב) ["וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, וְהַמַּיִם לָהֶם חוֹמָה מִימִינָם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם."] "וְיָבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה." רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר בְּלָשׁוֹן אֶחָד, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר בְּלָשׁוֹן אַחֵר. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: כְּשֶׁעָמְדוּ שְׁבָטִים עַל הַיָּם, זֶה אוֹמֵר: אֲנִי אֵרֵד, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר: אֲנִי אֵרֵד! מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹמְדִין וְצוֹהֲבִין,*צוֹהֲבִין: מקנאים. קָפַץ שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלְּבִנְיָמִין וְיָרַד לַיָּם תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (תהלים סח,כח) "שָׁם בִּנְיָמִן צָעִיר רֹדֵם, שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה רִגְמָתָם, שָׂרֵי זְבֻלוּן, שָׂרֵי נַפְתָּלִי. צִוָּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עֻזֶּךָ, עוּזָּה אֱלֹהִים זוּ פָּעַלְתָּ לָּנוּ." אַל תִּקְרֵי "רֹדֵם" אֶלָּא 'רֵד יָם!' הִתְחִילוּ שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה מְרַגְּמִין אוֹתָם בַּאֲבָנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (תהלים סח,כח) "שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה רִגְמָתָם".
(Exodus 14:22) "And the children of Israel came in the midst of the sea on the dry land": R. Meir perceives it one way; R. Yehudah, another. R. Meir: When the tribes were standing at the sea, each said: I will go first. In the midst of the hue and cry, Benjamin sprang first into the sea, as it is written (Psalms 68:28-29) "There, Benjamin, the young (i.e., the youngest of the tribes) rodem, the princes of Judah rigmatham, the princes of Zevulun, and princes of Naftali. Your G–d has commanded your strength. Be strong, O G–d, — this (strength which) You have wrought for us!" Read it not "rodem," but "rad yam" ("went down into the sea") — whereupon Judah began to stone them ("rigmatham"), viz. "the princes of Judah rigmatham."
מוֹשְׁלוֹ מָשָׁל, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי בָנִים, אֶחָד גָּדוֹל וְאֶחָד קָטָן. אָמַר לַקָּטָן שֶׁיַּעֲמִידֶנּוּ עִם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, אָמַר לַגָּדוֹל שֶׁיַּעֲמִידֶנּוּ בְּשָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת.*בְּשָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת זמניות אחרי הנץ החמה, בערך בתשע בבוקר. בָּא הַקָּטָן לְהַעֲמִידוֹ עִם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, וְלֹא הִנִּיחוֹ הַגָּדוֹל. אָמַר לוֹ: "לֹא אָמַר לִי אֶלָּא עַד שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת!" וְהַקָּטָן אָמַר: "לֹא אָמַר לִי אֶלָּא עִם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה!" מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹמְדִין וְצוֹהֲבִין, נִנְעַר אֲבִיהֶם. אָמַר לָהֶם: "בָּנַי! מִכָּל מָקוֹם, שְׁנֵיכֶם לֹא כִוַּנְתֶּם אֶלָּא לִכְבוֹדִי. אַף אֲנִי לֹא אֲקַפֵּחַ שְׁכַרְכֶם."
An analogy: A king has two sons. He enters the younger son's room at night and says: Wake me at sunrise — and to the older: Wake me in the third hour (of the day). The younger son comes to wake him at sunrise and is prevented from doing so by the older son, saying: He told me: at the third hour — to which the younger counters: He told me at sunrise. Their altercation awakes their father, who says: My sons, both of you acted for my honor — I will not withhold your reward for this.
כָּךְ מַה שָּׁכָר נָטְלוּ שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלְּבִנְיָמִן, שֶׁיָּרַד לַיָּם תְּחִלָּה? שָׁרַת שְׁכִינָה בְחֶלְקוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (בראשית מט,כו) "בִּנְיָמִין זְאֵב יִטְרָף". וְאוֹמֵר (דברים לג,יב) "לְבִנְיָמִן אָמַר: יְדִיד יי יִשְׁכֹּן לָבֶטַח עָלָיו, חֹפֵף עָלָיו כָּל הַיּוֹם, וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן." מַה שָּׁכָר נָטְלוּ עַל כָּךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁלִּיהוּדָה? זָכָה לַמַּלְכוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה רִגְמָתָם", (תהלים סח,כח) וְאֵין רְגִימָה אֶלָּא מַלְכוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (דניאל ה,כט)** אָז אָמַר בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר, וְהִלְבִּישׁוּ אֶת דָנִיֵּאל אַרְגָּמָן, וּרְבִיד שֶׁל זָהָב עַל צַוָּארוֹ, וְהִכְרִזוּ עָלָיו שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מוֹשֵׁל שְׁלִישִׁי בַּמַּלְכוּת. "בֵּאדַיִן אֲמַר בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר, וְהַלְבִּשׁוּ לְדָנִיֵּאל אַרְגְּוָנָא, וְהַמְנִיכָא דִי דַהֲבָא עַל צַוְּארֵהּ, וְהַכְרִזוּ עֲלוֹהִי, דִּי לֶהֱוֵא שַׁלִּיט תַּלְתָּא בְּמַלְכוּתָא." "שָׂרֵי זְבֻלוּן שָׂרֵי נַפְתָּלִי", מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכַּשֵּׁם שֶׁעָשָׂה הַמָּקוֹם נִסִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַיָּם, עַל יְדֵי שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִין, כָּךְ נֶעֱשׂוּ נִסִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי שֵׁבֶט זְבֻלוּן וְנַפְתָּלִי בִּימֵי דְּבוֹרָה וּבָרָק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (שופטים ד,ו-ז) "וַתִּשְׁלַח וַתִּקְרָא לְבָרָק בֶּן אֲבִינֹעַם מִקֶּדֶשׁ נַפְתָּלִי, וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו: הֲלֹא צִוָּה יי אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: לֵךְ וּמָשַׁכְתָּ בְּהַר תָּבוֹר, וְלָקַחְתָּ עִמְּךָ עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי נַפְתָּלִי וּמִבְּנֵי זְבֻלוּן. וּמָשַׁכְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶל נַחַל קִישׁוֹן אֶת סִיסְרָא שַׂר צְבָא יָבִין". וְאוֹמֵר: (שופטים ה,יח) "זְבֻלוּן עַם חֵרֵף נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת, וְנַפְתָּלִי עַל מְרוֹמֵי שָׂדֶה."
Thus said the Holy One Blessed be He: What reward will accrue to the sons of Benjamin, who went down first into the sea? The reposing of the Shechinah in his portion (i.e., the Temple), as it is written (Genesis 49:27) "Benjamin tears (first), as a wolf," and (Devarim 33:12) "Of Benjamin he said: 'Beloved of the L–rd; He will repose securely upon him, etc.'" And what reward accrued to the tribe of Judah, who stoned him? They attained to kingdom, as it is written "The princes of Judah rigmatham," "rigmah" connoting kingdom, as in (Daniel 5:29) "And at Belshazzar's command, they clothed Daniel in purple ('argevana,' like 'rigmah'), placed a golden chain on his neck, and proclaimed that he should rule as one of three in the kingdom." "the princes of Zevulun and the princes of Naftali": Just as the Holy One Blessed be He wrought miracles for the tribe of Judah and Benjamin at the sea, so He wrought miracles for Zevulun and Naftali, through Devorah and Barak, as it is written (Judges 4:6-7) "And she summoned Barak the son of Avinoam of Kedesh Naftali, and said to him: The L–rd, the G–d of Israel has commanded: Go, ascend Mount Tavor, and take with you ten thousand men of Naftali and Zevulun. And I will draw to you Sisra the commander-in-chief of Yavin, etc." And it is written (Ibid. 5:18) "Zevulun is a people that bared its soul to death, and Naftali on the heights of the field."
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: כְּשֶׁעָמְדוּ שְׁבָטִים עַל הַיָּם, זֶה אוֹמֵר: אֲנִי אֵרֵד, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר: אֲנִי אֵרֵד! שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (הושע יב,א) "סְבָבֻנִי בְכַחַשׁ אֶפְרַיִם, וּבְמִרְמָה בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל". מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹמְדִין וְנוֹטְלִין עֵצָה, קָפַץ נַחְשׁוֹן בֶּן עַמִּינָדָב וְנָפַל לוֹ לְגַלֵּי הַיָּם. עָלָיו הוּא אוֹמֵר: (תהלים סט,ב) "הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֱלֹהִים! כִּי בָאוּ מַיִם עַד נָפֶשׁ." (תהלים סט,ג) "טָבַעְתִּי בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה, וְאֵין מָעֳמָד, בָּאתִי בְמַעֲמַקֵּי מַיִם, וְשִׁבֹּלֶת שְׁטָפָתְנִי."*שִׁבֹּלֶת: זרם חזק של מים. (תהלים סט,טז) "אַל תִּשְׁטְפֵנִי שִׁבֹּלֶת מַיִם, וְאַל תִּבְלָעֵנִי מְצוּלָה, וְאַל תֶּאְטַר עָלַי בְּאֵר פִּיהָ."*תֶּאְטַר: תסגור. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם לְמֹשֶׁה: מֹשֶׁה! יְדִידִי מְשֻׁקָּע בַּמַּיִם, וְהַיָּם סוֹגֵר, וְשׂוֹנֵא רוֹדֵף, וְאַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמַרְבֶּה בִתְפִלָּה! אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה: וּמָה עָלַי לַעֲשׁוֹת? אָמַר לוֹ: (שמות יד,טז) "וְאַתָּה, הָרֵם אֶת מַטְּךָ וּנְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ עַל הַיָּם וּבְקָעֵהוּ, וְיָבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה." וּמָה אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַיָּם? (שמות טו,יח) "יי יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד!" אָמַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ: מִי שֶׁהִמְלִיכָנִי עַל הַיָּם, אֶעֱשֶׂנּוּ מֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
R. Yehudah perceives it thus: "And the children of Israel came in the midst of the sea": When the tribes were standing at the sea, each of them said: I will not go down first into the sea, viz. (Hoshea 12:1-3) "Ephraim surrounds Me with deceit, and the house of Israel with guile. Because they stood and deliberated, Nachshon the son of Aminadav leaped into the sea. Of him Scripture writes (Psalms 69:2-3 ) "Save me, O G–d, for the waters have reached my soul. I am sinking in the slimy depths and I find no foothold. I have come into the watery depths, and the flood sweeps me away." (Ibid. 16) "Let the floodwaters not sweep me away, and let the deep not swallow me, and let the mouth of the pit not close over me." At that time Moses waxed long in prayer — whereupon the L–rd said to him: My loved ones are drowning in the sea, and the sea is raging, and the foe is pursuing, and you stand and wax long in prayer? To which Moses replied: L–rd of the universe, what can I do? And He said to him (Exodus 14:16) "And you, raise your staff, etc." And what did Moses and Israel say at the sea? (Ibid. 15:18) "The L–rd will reign for ever and ever" — to which He responded: He who made Me "King" at the sea, (i.e., the tribe of Judah) him will I make king over Israel."
כְּבַר הָיָה רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן וּזְקֵנִים יוֹשְׁבִין בְּצִלּוֹ שֶׁלַּשּׁוֹבָךְ בְּיַבְנֶה, וְנִשְׁאֲלָה לִפְנֵיהֶם שְׁאֵלָה זוֹ: (בראשית לז,כה) "וּגְמַלֵּיהֶם נֹשְׂאִים נְכֹאת*נְכֹאת: מזוהה כאחד ממיני הקדד, Astragalus tragacantha. וּצְרִי*צֳרִי: שרף של אפרסמון, Commiphora opobalsamum. וָלֹט,*לֹט: לוטם שעיר, Cistus villosus. הוֹלְכִים לְהוֹרִיד מִצְרָיְמָה." לְהוֹדִיעַ זְכוּתָן שֶׁלַּצַּדִּיקִים, כַּמָּה מְסַיְּעַתָּן. שֶׁאִלּוּ יָרַד הַיָּדִיד הָאָהוּב הַזֶּה עִם הָעַרְבִיִּים, לֹא הָיוּ מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ מֵרֵיחַ הַגְּמַלִּים וּמֵרֵיחַ הָעִטְרָן?*עִטְרָן: נוזל חום כהה הדומה לזפת, שמפיקים אותו מזיקוק עצים, במיוחד מעץ אורן ודומיו, שימש למאור, אבל בעל ריח רע. אֶלָּא זִמֵּן לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם שַׂקִּים מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב וּבְשָׂמִים, שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּת מֵרֵיחַ הַגְּמַלִּים וּמֵרֵיחַ הָעִטְרָן. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּנוּ! לַמְּדֵנוּ, הַשּׁוֹתֶה מַיִם לְצִמְאוֹ, כֵּיצַד הוּא מְבָרֵךְ? אָמַר לָהֶם: אוֹמֵר אֲנִי, 'בּוֹרֵא נְפָשׁוֹת וְחֶסְרוֹנָן'. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: לִמַּדְתָּנוּ רַבֵּנוּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּנוּ! לַמְּדֵנוּ בְּאֵי זוֹ זְכוּת זָכָה יְהוּדָה לַמַּלְכוּת? אָמַר לָהֶם: אִמְרוּ אַתֶּם! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: בִּזְכוּת שֶׁאָמַר: (בראשית לז,כו) "מַה בֶּצַע כִּי נַהֲרֹג אֶת אָחִינוּ וְכִסִּינוּ אֶת דָּמוֹ." אָמַר לָהֶם: דַּיָּהּ לַהַצָּלָה שֶׁתְּכַפֵּר עַל הַמְּכִירָה!
R. Tarfon and the elders were once sitting in the shade of the grove of Yavneh when this question was once asked before them: Why need it be written (Genesis 37:25) "and their camels laden with spices, balm, and myrrh"? (He answered:) To apprise us of the extent to which the merit of the righteous comes to their aid. For if this "loved one" (Joseph) had gone down with (the usual wares of) the Arabs, would he not have died of the stench of the camels and the itran (a kind of resin)? But the Holy One Blessed be He "arranged" for him (a transport of) sacks full of spices and all goodly fragrances so that he not perish of their stench. (At this,) they said to him: You have taught us, our master, that this transpired in the merit of Joseph. They asked him: Our master, what is the blessing for one who drinks water to slake his thirst? He answered: "Who creates manifold beings and (supplies) their wants. (We thank you for) all that You have created — Life of the worlds!" They: You have taught us, our master, the blessing for one who drinks water to slake his thirst. Our master, in what merit did Judah attain to kingdom? R. Tarfon: You say. They: In the merit of his saying (Genesis, Ibid. 26) "What profit is it if we kill our brother, etc." by which he saved him from death. R. Tarfon: It suffices that this saving atone for his counsel to sell Joseph and not return him to his father.
אָמְרוּ: שֶׁאָמַר: (בראשית לח,כו) "וַיַּכֵּר יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר: צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי! כִּי עַל כֵּן לֹא נְתַתִּיהָ לְשֵׁלָה בְנִי, וְלֹא יָסַף עוֹד לְדַעְתָּהּ." אָמַר לָהֶם: דַּיָּהּ לַהוֹדָאָה שֶׁתְּכַפֵּר עַל הַבִּיאָה!
They: If so, (he merited kingship) in the merit of his saying (Ibid. 38:26) "She is right; it is by me" (that she has conceived). R. Tarfon: It suffices that this atone for his living with her.
אָמְרוּ: בִּזְכוּת שֶׁאָמַר: (בראשית מד,לג) "וְעַתָּה, יֵשֶׁב נָא עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת הַנַּעַר עֶבֶד לַאדֹנִי, וְהַנַּעַר יַעַל עִם אֶחָיו." אָמַר לָהֶם: מָצִינוּ שֶׁעָרֵב בְּכָל מָקוֹם מְשַׁלֵּם.
They: If so, in the merit of his saying (Ibid. 44:33) "Let your servant remain instead of the youth." R. Tarfon: In all places we find that the guarantor pays, (so this would not account for his meriting kingship.)
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבִּי! לַמְּדֵנוּ בְּאֵי זוֹ זְכוּת זָכָה יְהוּדָה לַמַּלְכוּת! אָמַר לָהֶם: כְּשֶׁעָמְדוּ שְׁבָטִין עַל הַיָּם, זֶה אוֹמֵר: אֲנִי יוֹרֵד, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר: אֲנִי יוֹרֵד! שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (הושע יב,א) "סְבָבֻנִי בְכַחַשׁ אֶפְרַיִם, וּבְמִרְמָה בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, וִיהוּדָה עֹד רָד עִם אֵל, וְעִם קְדוֹשִׁים נֶאֱמָן." מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹטְלִין עֵצָה,*מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁ-: בזמן ש-. קָפַץ נַחְשׁוֹן בֶּן עַמִּינָדָב וְנָפַל לַיָּם. אָמַר הַמָּקוֹם לְמֹשֶׁה: יְדִידִי מְשֻׁקָּע בַּמַּיִם, וְהַיָּם סוֹגֵר, וְשׂוֹנֵא רוֹדֵף, וְאַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמַרְבֶּה בִתְפִלָּה! אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה: וּמָה עָלַי לַעֲשׁוֹת? אָמַר לוֹ: (שמות יד,טז) "וְאַתָּה, הָרֵם אֶת מַטְּךָ וּנְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ עַל הַיָּם וּבְקָעֵהוּ, וְיָבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה." אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַיָּם: (שמות טו,יח) "יי יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד!" אָמַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: "מִי שֶׁהִמְלִיכָנִי עַל הַיָּם, אֶעֱשֶׂנּוּ מֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל."
They: Master, you tell us. In what merit did he attain to kingship? R. Tarfon: When the tribes were at the sea, each one said: I will not go down first, viz. (Hoshea 12:1) "Ephraim has surrounded me with deceit, etc." Because they tarried in deliberation, Nachshon the son of Aminadav and his tribe after him leapt into the waves of the sea — wherefore he merited kingship.
וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: (תהלים קיד,ב) "בְּצֵאת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם, בֵּית יַעֲקֹב מֵעַם לֹעֵז, הָיְתָה יְהוּדָה לְקָדְשׁוֹ, יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמְשְׁלוֹתָיו." אָמַר לָהֶם הַמָּקוֹם: מִי שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ שְׁמִי עַל הַיָּם, יָבֹא וְיִמְשֹׁל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל,
As it is written (Psalms 114:1) "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from the people of a foreign tongue, Judah was His holy one, Israel, His ruler," the Holy One Blessed be He hereby saying: "Let him who sanctified My name at the sea come and rule Israel." And the elders acknowledged to R. Tarfon (the truth of his derivation.)
"וְהַמַּיִם לָהֶם חוֹמָה מִימִינָם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם." עֲשָׂאָן כְּמִין חוֹמָה מִימִינָם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם. "מִימִינָם", בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁעֲתִידִין לְקַבֵּל מִיָּמִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג,ב) "מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁדָּת לָמוֹ." "וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם", זוֹ תְּפִלָּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר: "מִימִינָם", זוֹ מְזוּזָה, "וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם", זוֹ תְּפִלָּה.*תְּפִלָּה: תפילה של יד, תפילין.
(Exodus 14:22) "And the water was to them a wall": He made it as a wall. "on their right" — mezuzah; "and on their left": tefillin.
(שמות יד,כד) ["וַיְהִי בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר, וַיַּשְׁקֵף יי אֶל מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן, וַיָּהָם אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם."] "וַיְהִי בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר". כְּבַר הִקְדִּים לָמוֹ בָּקְרוֹ שֶׁלְּאַבְרָהָם וּבָקְרוֹ שֶׁלְּיִצְחָק. בָּקְרוֹ שֶׁלְּאַבְרָהָם, מְנַיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (בראשית כב,ג) "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ, וַיִּקַּח אֶת שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ, וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה, וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים.". שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (בראשית כב,ו) "וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו."
(Ibid. 24) "And it was in the morning watch": We find that the prayers of the righteous are heard in the morning. The "morning" of Abraham — (Genesis 22:3) "And Abraham rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Isaac — (Ibid. 9) "and both of them went together, etc." — and both had risen early in the morning.
בָּקְרוֹ שֶׁלְּיַעֲקֹב, מְנַיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (בראשית כח,יח) "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יַעֲקֹב בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו, וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתָהּ מַצֵּבָה, וַיִּצֹק שֶׁמֶן עַל רֹאשָׁהּ." בָּקְרוֹ שֶׁלְּמֹשֶׁה, מְנַיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (שמות לד,ד) "וַיִּפְסֹל שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים, וַיַּשְׁכֵּם מֹשֶׁה בַבֹּקֶר וַיַּעַל אֶל הַר סִינַי". בָּקְרוֹ שֶׁלִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ, מְנַיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (יהושע ו,יב) "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּבֹּקֶר, וַיִּשְׂאוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶת אֲרוֹן יי." בָּקְרוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁמוּאֵל, מְנַיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (שמואל א טו,יב) "וַיַּשְׁכֵּם שְׁמוּאֵל לִקְרַאת שָׁאוּל בַּבֹּקֶר". בָּקְרוֹת הַנְּבִיאִים הָעֲתִידִין לַעֲמֹד, מְנַיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (תהלים ה,ד) "יי! בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי, בֹּקֶר אֶעֱרָךְ לְךָ וַאֲצַפֶּה." בָּקְרוֹת הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מְנַיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (איכה ג,כג) "חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ." וְכֵן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא, שֶׁאֵין הַמָּקוֹם עָתִיד לִפָּרַע מִן הָרְשָׁעִים בַּגֵּיהִנָּם לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, אֶלָּא לַבְּקָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (תהלים קא,י) "לַבְּקָרִים אַצְמִית כָּל רִשְׁעֵי אָרֶץ,*אַצְמִית: אשמיד. לְהַכְרִית מֵעִיר יי כָּל פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן." אַף יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, כָּל בֹּקֶר וּבֹקֶר דִּינָהּ יוֹצִיא לָאוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (צפניה ג,ה) "יי צַדִּיק בְּקִרְבָּהּ, לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה עַוְלָה, בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר מִשְׁפָּטוֹ יִתֵּן, לָאוֹר לֹא נֶעְדָּר וְלֹא יוֹדֵעַ עַוָּל בֹּשֶׁת."*וְלֹא יוֹדֵעַ עַוָּל בֹּשֶׁת: אבל הרשע אינו מתבייש. דָּבָר אַחֵר: "וַיְהִי בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר", זֶה הֵעִיר מִזְרָח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וַיַּשְׁקֵף יי אֶל מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן, וַיָּהָם אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם."
The "morning" of Jacob — (Ibid. 28:18) "and Jacob rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Moses — Exodus 34:4) "and Moses rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Joshua — (Joshua 3:1) "And Joshua rose early in the morning and they journeyed from Shittim, etc." The "morning" of Samuel — (I Samuel 15:12) "and Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, etc." The "mornings" of the prophets that were destined to arise (for Israel) — (Psalms 5:4) "O L–rd, in the morning shall You hear my voice; in the morning will I order (my prayer) before You, and I will hope." The "morning" of the world to come — |(Eichah 3:23) "New every morning; great is Your faith." And thus do you find that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to exact punishment of the wicked in the world to come only in the mornings" — (Psalms 101:8) "In the mornings I will cut off all the wicked of the land to cut off from the city of the L–rd all the workers of iniquity." Also Jerusalem, in time to come, every morning her judgment will come to light, viz. (Tzefaniah 3:5) "The L–rd is righteous in its midst. He will do no wrong. Every morning He will bring His judgment to light. It will not fail. But the churl will not know shame." (Exodus 14:24) "And it was in the morning watch": This occurred at dawn. "and the L–rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, etc.":
הַקֹּדֶשׁ קָרוּי רוֹפֵא לְכָל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (שמות טו,כו) "כִּי אֲנִי יי רֹפְאֶךָ." (ירמיה יז,יד) "רְפָאֵנִי יי וְאֵרָפֵא, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וְאִוָּשֵׁעָה!" (ירמיה ג,כב) "שׁוּבוּ בָנִים שׁוֹבָבִים! אֶרְפָּה מְשׁוּבֹתֵיכֶם! הִנְנוּ אָתָנוּ לָךְ כִּי אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ." בֹּא וּרְאֵה, שֶׁלֹּא רְפוּאָתוֹ שֶׁלַּקֹּדֶשׁ כִּרְפוּאַת בָּשָׂר וָדָם: בָּשָׂר וָדָם, בְּמַה שֶּׁהוּא מַכֶּה בוֹ, אֵינוֹ מְרַפֵּא בוֹ, אֶלָּא מַכֶּה בְאַזְמֵל*אַזְמֵל: סכין מנתחים. וּמְרַפֵּא בִרְטִיָּה,*רְטִיָּה: תחבושת. אֲבָל הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֵינוֹ כֵן, אֶלָּא בְּמַה שֶּׁהִכָּה, בּוֹ הוּא מְרַפֵּא. כְּשֶׁהִכָּה אֶת אִיּוֹב, לֹא הִכָּהוּ אֶלָּא בַּסְּעָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (איוב ט,יז) "אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׂעָרָה יְשׁוּפֵנִי וְהִרְבָּה פְצָעַי חִנָּם."*יְשׁוּפֵנִי: מחץ אותי. וּכְשֶׁרִפָּאהוּ, לֹא רִפָּאהוּ אֶלָּא בַּסְּעָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (איוב לח,א) "וַיַּעַן יי אֶת אִיּוֹב מִן הַסְּעָרָה, וַיֹּאמַר". וּכְשֶׁהִגְלָה הַמָּקוֹם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא הִגְלָם אֶלָּא בְּעָבִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (איכה ב,א)*עָבִין: עננים. "אֵיכָה יָעִיב בְּאַפּוֹ אֲדֹנָי אֶת בַּת צִיּוֹן". וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְכַנְּסָן אֵינוֹ מְכַנְּסָן אֶלָּא בְּעָבִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (ישעיה ס,ח) "מִי אֵלֶּה כָּעָב תְּעוּפֶינָה וְכַיּוֹנִים אֶל אֲרֻבֹּתֵיהֶם." וּכְשֶׁפִּזְּרָן, לֹא פִזְּרָן אֶלָּא כַיּוֹנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (יחזקאל ז,טז) "וּפָלְטוּ פְּלִיטֵיהֶם, וְהָיוּ אֶל הֶהָרִים כְּיוֹנֵי הַגֵּאָיוֹת, כֻּלָּם הֹמוֹת אִישׁ בַּעֲוֹנוֹ." וּכְשֶׁמַּחְזִירָן, אֵינוֹ מַחְזִירָן אֶלָּא כַיּוֹנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (ישעיה ס,ח) "וְכַיּוֹנִים אֶל אֲרֻבֹּתֵיהֶם." וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵינוֹ מְבָרְכָן אֶלָּא בְּהַשְׁקָפָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (דברים כו,טו) "הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ, מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמְּךָ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל". וּכְשֶׁנִּפְרַע מִן הַמִּצְרִיִּין, לֹא נִפְרַע מֵהֶם אֶלָּא בְּהַשְׁקָפָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (שמות יד,כד) "וַיַּשְׁקֵף יי אֶל מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן", שֶׁהָיָה עַמּוּד עָנָן יוֹרֵד וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ כַטִּיט, וְעַמּוּד אֵשׁ מַרְתִּיחוֹ, וְטַלְפוֹת סוּסָיו מִשְׁתַּמְּטוֹת, הַזָּכָר מִלְּמַעְלָן, וְהַנְּקֵבָה מִלְּמַטָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (שופטים ה,כב) "אָז הָלְמוּ עִקְּבֵי סוּס, מִדַּהֲרוֹת דַּהֲרוֹת אַבִּירָיו." "וַיָּהָם אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם." הֲמָמָן, עִרְבְּבָן, נָטַל סִגְנָיוֹת שֶׁלָּהֵם,*סִגְנָיוֹת. signa: דגלים להעברת פקודות בקרב. וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים מָה הֵם עוֹשִׂין. דָּבָר אַחֵר: "וַיָּהָם אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם." אֵין הֲמָמָה אֶלָּא מַגֵּפָה, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (דברים ז,כג) "וְהָמָם מְהוּמָה גְדֹלָה עַד הִשָּׁמְדָם."
The Holy One Blessed be He heals all who enter the world, viz. (Exodus 15:26) "for I am the L–rd who heals you", (Jeremiah 17:14) "Heal me, O L–rd, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved.", (Ibid. 3:22) "Return, wayward sons; I will heal your waywardness." Come and see that the healing of the Holy One Blessed be He is not like the healing of flesh and blood. The healing of flesh and blood — With what he smites, he does not heal. He smites with a knife and heals with a plaster. Not so the Holy One Blessed be He. With what He smites, He heals. When He smote Iyyov, He smote him with a tempest, viz. (Iyyov 9:11) "He struck me with a tempest and multiplied my wounds in vain." When He healed him, He healed him with a tempest, viz. (Ibid. 38:1) "And the L–rd answered Iyyov from the tempest." He answered him from the tempest and He healed him. And when the Holy One Blessed be He exiled Israel, He did so with clouds, viz. (Eichah 2:1) "How the L–rd has beclouded in His wrath the daughter of Zion." And when He gathers them in, He does so with clouds, viz. (Isaiah 60:8) "Who are those who fly like a cloud, like doves to their dove-cotes?" When He scatters them, He scatters them like doves, viz. (Ezekiel 7:16) "And their fugitives will flee. They will be in the mountains, all of them moaning like the doves of the valleys, each man in his sin." And when He returns them, He returns them like doves, viz.: "like doves to their dove-cotes." When He blesses Israel, He blesses them with looking, viz. (Devarim 26:15) "Look down from Your holy abode, from the heavens, and bless Your people, Israel." And when He exacted punishment of Egypt, He did so with "looking," viz. "and the L–rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, and He confounded the camp of Egypt, etc." The pillar of cloud descended and made the sea-bed clay, and the pillar of fire made it so hot that the horses' hooves fell off. "and He confounded the camp of Egypt": He confounded them, He mixed them up, He removed their ensigns and they did not know what they were doing. Variantly: "Confounding" is plague, viz. (Devarim 7:23) "And He will confound them with a great confusion until they are destroyed."
(שמות יד,כה) ["וַיָּסַר אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו, וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת, וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם: אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי יי נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם."] "וַיָּסַר אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ". רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מֵחֲמַת הָאֵשׁ שֶׁלְּמַעְלָן, נִשְׂרְפוּ הַגַּלְגַּלִּין שֶׁלְּמַטָּן, וְהָיוּ מוֹטוֹת מֶרְכָּבוֹת רָצוֹת וְנִכְנָסוֹת עַל כָּרְחָן, שֶׁהָיוּ טְעוּנוֹת כֶסֶף וְזָהָב וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּטְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַבִּזָּה.
(Exodus 14:25) "And He removed their chariot wheels": R. Yehudah says: Because of the fire on high, the wheels below were broken, the yokes and the chariots ran of themselves, being filled with vessels of silver and gold and precious gems and pearls for Israel to take as spoil.
רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר: מִקּוֹל רַעַם שֶׁלְּמַעְלָן נִתְּזוּ צִנּוֹרוֹת מִלְּמַטָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (תהלים עז,יט) "קוֹל רַעַמְךָ בַּגַּלְגַּל, הֵאִירוּ בְרָקִים תֵּבֵל, רָגְזָה וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ." וְהָיוּ מוֹטוֹת וּמֶרְכָּבוֹת רָצוֹת וְנִכְנָסוֹת עַל כָּרְחָן. שֶׁהָיוּ טְעוּנוֹת כֶסֶף וְזָהָב וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּטְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַבִּזָּה.
R. Nechemiah says: Because of the thunders on high, the pivots below flew off, viz. (Psalms 77:19) "The rumble of your thunder caught the wheel; lightings lit the world", and the yokes and the chariots ran of themselves.
לְשֶׁעָבַר, הָיוּ הַפְּרָדוֹת מוֹשְׁכוֹת אֶת הַמֶּרְכָּבוֹת, וְעַכְשָׁו, מֶרְכָּבוֹת מוֹשְׁכוֹת אֶת הַפְּרָדוֹת.
In the past, the mules would pull the chariots. Now, the chariots were pulling the mules.
"וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת". רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בַּמִּדָּה שֶׁמָּדְדוּ, בָּהּ מָדַדְתָּ לָהֶן, הֵם אָמְרוּ: (שמות ה,ט) "תִּכְבַּד הָעֲבֹדָה", אַף אַתְּ בְּאוֹתָהּ מִדָּה מָדַדְתָּ לָהֶן. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת".
"and He led them with hardness": R. Yehudah says: As they meted it out, so did He mete it out to them. (Exodus 5:9) "Let the labor be hard on the men" — "and He led them with hardness."
"וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם: אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל!" הַטִּפְּשִׁים שֶׁבָּהֶם הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: מִפְּנֵי דוֹוִין וּכְסוּפִין הַלָּלוּ אָנוּ בּוֹרְחִין,*דוֹוִין וּכְסוּפִים: בזויים. "אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל." וְהַפִּקְּחִין שֶׁבָּהֶן הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: (שמות יד,כה) "אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי יי נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם!" אָמְרוּ: מִי שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים בְּמִצְרַיִם, הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים עַל הַיָּם.
"And Egypt said: 'I shall flee from before Israel'": The wicked and the fools among them said: "Shall we flee these toils and tempests?" The sober among them said: "I shall flee from before Israel, for the L–rd wars for them against the Egyptians." They realized that He who wrought miracles for them in Egypt was doing so at the sea.
רַבִּי יוֹסֵה אוֹמֵר: מְנַיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, שֶׁבַּמַּכּוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ אֵלּוּ עַל הַיָּם לוֹקִים, הָיוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁבְּמִצְרַיִם לוֹקִין, וְהָיוּ רוֹאִין זֶה אֶת זֶה? לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: "וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם: אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי יי נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם."
R. Yossi says: Whence do you derive that with the plagues that these were plagued at the sea, the others were plagued in Egypt and that they saw each other (at the time)? From "And Egypt said: "I (at the sea) shall flee from before Israel; for the L–rd is warring for them in Egypt (too)!"
לֹא בְמִצְרַיִם בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא בְּכָל הַמְּצֵרִין לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל פְּנֵי כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (תהלים עח,סו) "וַיַּךְ צָרָיו אָחוֹר, חֶרְפַּת עוֹלָם נָתַן לָמוֹ." (תהלים כז,ב) "צָרַי וְאֹיְבַי לִי, הֵמָּה כָשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ." וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים פא,טו) "כִּמְעַט אוֹיְבֵיהֶם אַכְנִיעַ". (אסתר ט,י) "עֲשֶׂרֶת בְּנֵי הָמָן בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא צֹרֵר הַיְּהוּדִים הָרָגוּ". (ישעיה יד,כה) "לִשְׁבֹּר אַשּׁוּר בְּאַרְצִי, וְעַל הָרַי אֲבוּסֶנּוּ, וְסָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עֻלּוֹ, וְסֻבֳּלוֹ מֵעַל שִׁכְמוֹ יָסוּר." (ישעיה יא,כה) "וְסָרָה קִנְאַת אֶפְרַיִם וְצֹרְרֵי יְהוּדָה יִכָּרֵתוּ, אֶפְרַיִם לֹא יְקַנֵּא אֶת יְהוּדָה, וִיהוּדָה לֹא יָצֹר אֶת אֶפְרָיִם." כָּךְ הִיא מִדָּה מְהַלֶּכֶת עַל פְּנֵי כָל הַדּוֹרוֹת: (ישעיה יד,כו) "זֹאת הָעֵצָה הַיְּעוּצָה עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ, וְזֹאת הַיָּד הַנְּטוּיָה עַל כָּל הַגּוֹיִם." מִפְּנֵי מָה? (ישעיה יד, כז) "כִּי יי צְבָאוֹת יָעָץ, וּמִי יָפֵר? וְיָדוֹ הַנְּטוּיָה, וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנָּה?" הָא לֹא בְמִצְרַיִם בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא בְּכָל הַמְּצֵרִין עַל פְּנֵי כָל הַדּוֹרוֹת. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: (שמות יד,כה) "כִּי יי נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם."
And (this obtains) not with Egypt alone, but with all who afflict Israel throughout the generations. As it is written (Psalms 78:66) "And He beat back His foes. Eternal disgrace did He inflict upon them, viz. (Psalms 81:15-16) "In a moment I would humble their foes … and their time (of punishment) will be eternal", and (Isaiah 14:25) "to break Ashur in My land, etc." And thus, throughout the generations, viz. (Ibid. 26) "this is the counsel for all of the earth, and this is the hand stretched forth against all the nations" (that afflict Israel). Why so? (Ibid. 27) "For the L–rd of hosts has counseled, and who will annul it? And His hand is stretched forth, and who will turn it back?" Not Egypt ("Mitzrayim") alone, then, (is intended), but all who afflict ("meitzarim") them, throughout the generations. Thus — "for the L–rd wars for them against Mitzrayim (- "meitzarim").