"I am Hashem your Elohim from the land of Egypt"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar wonders why it seems that the title verse is saying there was no Elohim before Yisrael were in Egypt, and Rabbi Shimon explains that Yisrael only knew the glory of God from the time they were in Egypt. From that time they saw many miracles and wonders, and His glory was exposed to them when He parted the sea.

Jacob Torah Tree

81. Rabbi Elazar was going to visit Rabbi Yosi, son of Shimon, the son of Lakunya, his father-in-law. With him were Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi. When they arrived at a field, they sat beneath a tree. Rabbi Elazar commenced to say, each should speak about a passage in the Torah. Rabbi Elazar began, "I am Hashem your Elohim from the land of Egypt, and you know no Elohim but Me" (Hoshea 13:4). It is not written as in another place, "who have brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Shemot 20:2), but, "I am Hashem your Elohim from the land of Egypt." HE QUESTIONS: They had a King only since the time in Egypt and not before? Is it not written: "Then Jacob said to his household... Put away the strange Elohim that are among you...and let us arise, and go up to Bethel" (Beresheet 35:2-3)? Yet you say that it was only since the time of Egypt.

81. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל לְמֵחֱמֵי לְר' יוֹסֵי בר"ש בֶּן לָקוּנְיָא, חָמוּי וַהֲווֹ עִמֵּיהּ ר' חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, כַּד מָטוּ חַד בֵּי חֲקַל, יָתְבוּ תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא חֲדָא. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, כָּל חַד לֵימָא מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, וְאָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וֵאלֹֹהִים זוּלָתִי לֹא תֵּדָע. לָא כְּתִיב אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, אֶלָּא אָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, וְכִי מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הֲוָה לְהוּ מַלְכָּא, וְלָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא, וְהָא כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו הָסִירוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכְכֶם. וּכְתִיב וְנָקוּמָה וְנַעֲלֶה בֵּית אֵל, וְאַתְּ אַמְרַת מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.

Gold Wicked Wickedness

82. AND HE ANSWERS: From the day Yisrael were in the world, the glory for the Holy One, blessed be He, was never known except in the land of Egypt. When they found themselves in harsh bondage, they cried to Him and did not change from their accustomed practice. There were our ancestors tested as gold taken from the pipe IN THE SMELTING POT. Furthermore, daily they would see numerous sorcerers, many wicked kinds trying to mislead people, but they did not turn right or left from their path, even as they understood little about the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, but were following the customs of their fathers.

82. אֶלָּא, מִן יוֹמָא דַּהֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא, לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָעוּ יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. בַּר בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם, דַּהֲווּ בְּהַהוּא פּוּלְחָנָא קַשְׁיָא, וְצָוְוחוּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּנּוּ מִנִּימוּסָא דִּלְהוֹן לְעָלְמִין. וְתַמָּן אִתְבְּחִינוּ אֲבְהֲתָנָא, כִּדַהֲבָא מִגּוֹ שָׁפְכָה. וְעוֹד, דַּהֲווֹ חָמָאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא, כַּמָה חַרְשִׁין, כַּמָה זִינִין בִּישִׁין, לְאַטְעָאָה לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וְלָא סָטוּ מֵאָרְחָא לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא. ואע"ג דְּלָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי כָּל כַּךְ בִּיקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא הֲווֹ אַזְלִין בָּתַר נִימוּסֵי אֲבָהַתְהוֹן.

Deeds Eyes Face Miracle Plagues Seas Ten

83. Afterwards, they saw numerous miracles, many mighty deeds, and the Holy One, blessed be He, took them for His service. Since all saw numerous miracles and wonders before their eyes, and all these signs and mighty deeds, He said: "I am Hashem your Elohim from the land of Egypt." For there, His glory was exposed. He was seen by them by the sea. They saw the brilliance of His supernal splendor face to face. Thus, you should not say now that another deity spoke with us. 'But I am He, you saw ME in Egypt. I am He who slew your enemies in the land of Egypt. I am He who performed all ten plagues in Egypt.' For this reason, "you know no Elohim but Me;" you will not say that it was another, but it is I who am in every thing.

83. וּלְבָתַר, חָמוּ כַּמָה נִסִּין, וְכַמָּה גְּבוּרָאן, וְנָטַל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ. וּבְגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ חָמוּ כַּמָה נִסִּין וְאָתִין בְּעֵינֵיהוֹן, וְכָל אִינּוּן אָתִין וּגְבוּרָן. אָמַר וְאָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. דְּתַמָּן הֲוָה בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ. וְאִתְגְּלֵי עָלַיְיהוּ עַל יַמָּא, וְחָמוּ זִיו יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה דִּילֵיהּ אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין. דְּלָא תֵּימְרוּן אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא הוּא דְּמַלִּיל עִמָּנָא, אֶלָּא אֲנָא הוּא דַּחֲמִיתוּן בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם, אֲנָא הוּא דְּקָטַלְנָא סָנְאֵיכוֹן בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם. אֲנָא הוּא דְּעָבֵדְנָא כָּל אִינּוּן עֲשַׂר מְחָאָן בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם. וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ, וֵאלֹהִים זוּלָתִי לֹא תֵדָע, דְּלָא תֵּימָא דְּאָחֳרָא הֲוָא, אֶלָּא אֲנָא הוּא כֹּלָּא.