"And when Pharaoh drew near"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi tells us that Pharaoh actually caused the children of Yisrael to come closer to the Holy One, blessed be He, because it is in times of tribulation that they remember and pray to Him. Then He becomes full of compassion for them. Speaking of Moses, Rabbi Shimon said that the shepherd of the people is really the whole people, for if he deserves then all the people are righteous, and if he is not, the people are punished because of him. Rabbi Yehuda concludes that the merit of Jacob protected the Congregation of Yisrael.

Chariot Pharaoh, The Repentance

Mercy Prayer Revenge

66. It is written, "Hashem, in trouble have they sought You, they poured out a silent prayer" (Yeshayah 26:16). "In trouble have they sought You," MEANS Yisrael did not seek the Holy One, blessed be He, at times of comfort. Only when they have trouble do they all remember and seek Him. "They poured out a silent prayer." They all pray with prayers and beseeching, and pour out prayers before Him. When? "When Your chastening was upon them" (Ibid.), at the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, chastened them with His whip. The Holy One, blessed be He, stands over them with Mercy. Their voice is favorable to Him in order to take revenge from their enemies, and He becomes full of compassion for them.

66. כְּתִיב יְיָ' בַּצַּר פְּקָדוּךָ צָקוּן לַחַשׁ וְגוֹ.' בַּצַּר פְּקָדוּךָ: לָא פַּקְדִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנַיְיחָא, אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָקִין לְהוּ, וּכְדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ פַּקְדִין לֵיהּ. צָקוּן לַחַשׁ: וְכֻלְּהוּ צַלָּאן בִּצְלוֹתִין וּבְבָעוּתִין, וְאָרִיקוּ קָמֵיהּ צְלוֹתִין. אֵימָתַי. מוּסָרְךָ לָמוֹ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּפָקִיד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּרְצוּעוֹי. כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאֵים עָלַיְיהוּ בְּרַחֲמֵי, וְנִיחָא קָמֵיהּ הַהוּא קָלָא דִּלְהוֹן, בְּגִין לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִן שַׁנְאֵיהוֹן, וְאִתְמְלֵי עָלַיְיהוּ בְּרַחֲמֵי.

Doves Eyes Fear Hawk Heaven Pharaoh, The Seas Stones

67. As we have explained the parable of the dove with the hawk, so it is with Yisrael. They were approaching the sea and saw the sea before them, raging and storming. Its waves were towering above, and they feared. They raised their eyes and saw Pharaoh and his army and flying stones and arrows, and they feared greatly. What did they do? "And the children of Yisrael cried out." Who caused the children of Yisrael to come closer to their Father in heaven? Pharaoh. This is what is written, "And when Pharaoh drew near." It has already been explained.

67. כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, מְתָל לְיוֹנָה עִם הַנֵּץ וְכוּ,' כַּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ קְרִיבִין לְיַמָּא, וַהֲווֹ חָמָאן לְיַמָּא קָמַיְיהוּ. אָזִיל וְסָעִיר וְגַלְגַּלּוֹהִי זַקְפִין לְעֵילָּא, הֲווֹ דְּחִילִין. זָקְפוּ עֵינַיְיהוּ וְחָמוּ לְפַרְעֹה וּלְמַשִׁירְיָיתֵיהּ, וְאַבְנֵי גִּירִין וּבַלִּסְטְרָאִין, כְּדֵין וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד. מַה עָבְדוּ, וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַאן גָּרִים הַאי דְּקָרִיבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי אֲבוּהוֹן דִּלְעֵילָּא, פַּרְעֹה. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב וְהָא אִתְּמַר.

Merit Moses Redemption and Salvation Righteous Shepherd

68. "And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of Hashem'" (Shemot 14:13). Rabbi Shimon said, Fortunate is the portion of Yisrael that a shepherd like Moses goes among them. It is written, "Then He remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people" (Yeshayah 63:11). "Then He remembered the days of old" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He; "Moses, and his people," because Moses was equal to all of Yisrael. We learned from this that the shepherd of the people is really the whole people. If he merits, then all the people are righteous. If he does not merit, then all of the people have no merit and are punished because of him. This has already been explained.

68. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַל תִּירָאוּ הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת יְשׁוּעַת יְיָ.' אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהָא רַעְיָא כְּמֹּשֶׁה אָזִיל בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ. כְּתִיב וַיִּזְכּוֹר יְמֵי עוֹלָם מֹשֶׁה עַמּוֹ. וַיִּזְכּוֹר יְמֵי עוֹלָם: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מֹשֶׁה עַמּוֹ: שָׁקִיל הֲוָה מֹשֶׁה כְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵהָא, כִּי רַעְיָא דְּעַמָּא הוּא מַמָּשׁ עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ, אִי אִיהוּ זָכֵי, עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ זָכָאן. וְאִי אִיהוּ לָא זָכֵי, עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ לָא זָכָאן וְאִתְעֲנָשׁוּ בְּגִינֵיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.

Congregation Jacob Judgment Merit Patriarchs Peace Prayer Yisrael Saba

69. "Stand still and see." You do not have to do battle because the Holy One, blessed be He, will do battle for you, as written, "Hashem shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace" (Ibid. 14). Come and behold, that night, the Holy One, blessed be He, gathered His retinue and Judged the Judgment of Yisrael. If the Patriarchs had not hastened TO PRAY for Yisrael, they would not have been saved from the Judgment. Rabbi Yehuda said, the merit of Jacob protected the Congregation of Yisrael. This is what is written, "If not for Hashem, Who was with us, let Yisrael now say" (Tehilim 124:1), who IS Yisrael Saba, NAMELY JACOB.

69. הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ, לֵית לְכוּ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יַגִּיחַ קְרָבָא בְּגִינֵיכוֹן, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, יְיָ' יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם וְאַתֶּם תַּחֲרִישׁוּן. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַהוּא לֵילְיָא, כָּנַשׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְפָּמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְדָאִין דִּינַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאַקְדִּימוּ אֲבָהָן עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָא אִשְׁתֵּזִיבוּ מִן דִּינָא. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, זְכוּתָא דְּיַעֲקֹב אַגִּין עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הה"ד לוּלֵי יְיָ' שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ יֹאמַר נָא יִשְׂרָאֵל, יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא.