"The enemy said, 'I will purse, I will overtake'"

Synopsis

We are told that the enemy spoken of here is the great minister appointed over Egypt. Along with all the ministers appointed over all the heathen nations he wanted to destroy the children of Yisrael, but the Holy One, blessed be He, protected them when he remembered the mountains of the world, the patriarchs.

Egypt Patriarchs

313. "The enemy said, 'I will purse, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil'" (Shemot 15:9). The enemy is the great minister appointed over Egypt. When he was given dominion over Yisrael, he intended to destroy them under his domination, but the Holy One, blessed be He, remembered the mountains of the world, THE PATRIARCHS, who protected them. Do not think that he alone WANTED TO DESTROY THEM, because all the ministers who were appointed over all the heathen nations desired to destroy Yisrael under them when they were granted authority and dominion over Yisrael.

313. אָמַר אוֹיֵב אֶרְדּוֹף אַשִּׂיג אֲחַלֵּק שָׁלָל. אָמַר אוֹיֵב, דָּא הַהוּא מְמָנָא רַבְרְבָא עַל מִצְרָאֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, חָשִׁיב דְּיֵשֵׁיצִינוּן תְּחוֹת שֻׁלְטָנֵיהּ. אֶלָּא דְּדָכַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא טוּרֵי עָלְמָא, דַּהֲווֹ מְגִינִּין עָלַיְיהוּ. וְלָא תֵּימָא דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶלָּא כָּל אִינּוּן רַבְרְבִין דִּמְמָנָן עַל כָּל עעכו"ם, וְכַד אִתְיְיהִיב לְהוּ רְשׁוּתָא וְשֻׁלְטָנוּתָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֻּלְּהוּ בָּעָאן דִּישֵׁיצוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ.

Moses Patriarchs Praise

314. וְעַל דָּא, אִינּוּן עַמִּין דִּתְחוֹת שׁוּלְטָנֵיהוֹן דְּאִינּוּן מְמָנָן, כֻּלְּהוּ גַּזְירִין גְּזִרִין לְשֵׁיצָאָה לוֹן, אֶלָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּכַר טוּרֵי עָלְמָא, וְאָגִין עָלַיְיהוּ. וְכַד חָמָא מֹשֶׁה דָּא, שָׁרָא לְשַׁבְּחָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר מִי כָמוֹכָה בָּאֵלִים יְיָ.'