61. "And he took six hundred chosen chariots" (Ibid. 7). HE ASKS, Why 600 chariots? Rabbi Yosi said, This corresponds to the number of the children of Yisrael, as it is written, "About six hundred thousand men on foot" (Shemot 12:37). The word "chosen" corresponds to the men THAT WERE IN YISRAEL, who were the principal part of all the nation of Yisrael. "And all the chariots of Egypt," were all the other chariots that were secondary and behind THE SIX HUNDRED THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER. They correspond to the children IN YISRAEL WHO WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN ON FOOT, BUT WERE SECONDARY TO THEM, as is said, "Besides children." He did everything according to the advice of his sorcerers and wise men. "And captains over every one of them." He did everything with wisdom, for they corresponded to the celestial levels - WHICH ARE PLACED two and one OVER THEM. Rabbi Yitzchak said, This accords with the Aramaic translation, 'stimulating officers,' for they were swift in everything.

62. "And he took six hundred chosen chariots." Rabbi Chiya said, It is written, "That Hashem shall punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth" (Yeshayah 24:21). At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, gives dominion to the ministers of the nations above, He gives it to their nations below; and when He brings them down from their grade above, He brings down their nations below. "And he took six hundred chosen chariots." It was their minister WHO TOOK THEM. We have established that he led the chariots of the other peoples, FOR THESE SIX HUNDRED CHARIOTS WERE NOT FROM EGYPT, BUT WERE ONLY FROM THE OTHER NATIONS. They all fell in the army camp of Sisra. And this is the meaning of "SIX HUNDRED CHARIOTS chosen." Afterwards, "all the chariots of Egypt," FOR ONCE IT IS WRITTEN, "AND ALL THE CHARIOTS OF EGYPT," THEN "SIX HUNDRED CHOSEN CHARIOTS" IS SUPERFLUOUS. CERTAINLY, "SIX HUNDRED CHOSEN CHARIOTS" IS ONLY FROM THE OTHER NATIONS, AND THEREFORE IT SAYS AFTERWARDS, "AND ALL THE CHARIOTS OF EGYPT."

63. It is written, "I compare you, O my love, to a mare of the chariots of Pharaoh" (Shir Hashirim 1:9). Come and behold, he appeared in the image of a mare to Pharaoh's horses, AND THEREFORE THEY CHASED AFTER HER, INTO THE SEA. And they explained this. But, "to a mare of the chariots of Pharaoh." Come and behold, when Pharaoh was chasing after the children of Yisrael, what did he do? He took female horses and harnessed them to the chariot up front first, and harnessed male horses behind them. The males warmed to the females, but the females were reluctant and hastened to run. When they approached Yisrael, he took the females and placed them behind and the male horses in front in order to do harm to Yisrael and to war against them, BECAUSE THE MALE HORSES WERE STRONGER THAN THE FEMALES FOR WAR.

64. Similar to this, "And Hashem went before them by day" (Shemot 13:21). Afterwards, the Shechinah returned to the rear of Yisrael, as it is written, "And the angel of Hashem...moved and went behind them" (Shemot 14:19). Therefore, "I compare you, O my love..."