AND HE SAID UNTO HIS PEOPLE. Said R. Simeon: ‘This refers to Egypt’s principality in heaven. Note that this passage mostly speaks of “the king of Egypt”, which refers to the celestial chieftain of Egypt; but where it says, “Pharaoh king of Egypt” the actual king is meant.
R. Isaac said: ‘All the nations of the world derive their power from their celestial prototypes, but Israel only from God, therefore she is called “the people of the Lord”.’ R. Judah said: ‘The Egyptians are here called “his (their representative’s) people”, and God says of Israel: “I have seen the affliction of my people” (Ex. 3, 7): it is to be taken in the strictly literal sense, as it is written, “For all peoples walk every one in the name of its god, but we walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever” (Micah 4, 5).’
R. Abba said: ‘Instead of the peculiar expression “the people of the children of Israel”, we should expect either “the people of Israel”, or simply “the children of Israel”. “Children of Israel”, therefore, must refer to the angels, the children of the supernal Israel, and the Israelites were called by Pharaoh their people and not the people of the Lord.’
R. Johanan, being in the presence of R. Isaac, put to him the question: ‘What made Balak say, “Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt” (Num. 22, 5) instead of saying, “Behold, a people, to wit, the children of Israel “?’ R. Isaac replied: ‘Balak was a great sorcerer, and it is the way of sorcerers to avoid any doubtful statement. Thus, in mentioning a man they will never mention the name of his father, but that of his mother, for the reason that a man’s maternal descent is beyond any doubt.
They adopt this course because the demons scrutinize every word uttered to them, so that if it be a falsehood they communicate to the utterer lying information, but if it be truthful they communicate truthful information, at least about things that are to happen shortly. All the more is this the case when they are invoked to perform some action.’ R. Aha said: ‘Balak wished to show his contempt of Israel by his expression: “Behold, a people went forth from Egypt”, as much as to say, “a people, whose origin we know not”.’
R. Johanan said: ‘Why are the nations of the celestial chieftains kept in safety and the people of the Holy One not?’ R. Isaac replied: ‘A poor man needs to take care of his goods, but not a rich one. Further, Israel belongs to the King who loves truth and justice, and therefore He punishes principally and first of all the members of His own family, in order that they may guard themselves from sin more than the outsiders, as it says: “Only you have I known from among all the families of the earth, therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities” (Amos 3, 2).’
R. Jose one day went for a walk with R. Aha bar Jacob. Neither spoke, but whereas R. Aha meditated on spiritual matters, R. Jose’s mind was occupied with worldly things. As they were thus proceeding, R. Jose suddenly beheld a wild beast running after him. He said to R. Aha: ‘Dost thou not see the beast running after me?’ ‘No,’ replied R. Aha, ‘I see nothing.’ R. Jose ran, pursued by the beast. He fell, and blood gushed from his nose. Then he heard a voice say: “You only have I known, etc.” Musing on these words, he said: ‘If I have been punished because my mind was but for one moment separated from the Torah, what must await him who is for ever apart from her!’
It is written, “Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions” (Deut. 8, 16). Why fiery serpents? To punish Israel should she separate herself from the Tree of Life, which is the Torah.
AND HE SAID UNTO HIS PEOPLE. He gave them advice to do evil to them. R. Tanhum said: ‘The Egyptians knew through their astrology that they would eventually be punished on account of Israel, and therefore their ruler hastened to do evil to them.’
R. Isaac once drew near to the foot of a mountain, and there beheld a man sleeping under a tree. He sat down. Suddenly and without warning the earth began to quake violently and became full of fissures. The tree was uprooted and fell to the ground;
and the man beneath it woke, and cried with a loud voice:’O Jew, O Jew, weep and lament with mourning and sounds of sorrow! For even at this very moment a great supernal prince of the Gentiles is being appointed in Heaven, who will cause terrible misfortune to Israel. This quaking of the earth is meant as a portent and a warning to you.’
(שמות א׳:ט׳) וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ הִנֵּה עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּהָא עַל כָּל פָּנִים מַלְאָכָא שִׁלְטוֹנָא דִּמְמָנָא עַל מִצְרָאֵי הֲוָה, וְהָכִי הוּא, דְּרוּבָא דְּפַרְשְׁתָּא לָא אִתְּמַר, אֶלָּא מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם (י' ע"א) סְתָם, וְהַיְינוּ מְמָנָא רַבְרְבָא עַל מִצְרָאֵי. פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, פַּרְעֹה מַמָּשׁ.
AND HE SAID UNTO HIS PEOPLE. Said R. Simeon: ‘This refers to Egypt’s principality in heaven. Note that this passage mostly speaks of “the king of Egypt”, which refers to the celestial chieftain of Egypt; but where it says, “Pharaoh king of Egypt” the actual king is meant.
אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, לְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב, וַיֹּאמֶר (בראשית רל"ד ע"ב) כְּלוֹמַר אַכְנִיס בְּלִבְּהוֹן מִלְּתָא דָּא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שמואל ב ט״ז:י׳) כִּי יְיָ' אָמַר לוֹ (לך) קַלֵּל אֶת דָּוִד. מַחֲשֶׁבֶת הַלֵּב בִּלְבַד. וְכֵן (אסתר ו׳:ו׳) וַיֹּאמֶר הָמָן בְּלִבּוֹ, וְכֵן (בראשית י״ז:י״ז) וַיֹּאמֶר בְּלִבּוֹ הַלְּבֶן מֵאָה שָׁנָה. אוּף הָכָא נָמֵי, אַכְנִיס מַחֲשַׁבְתָּא בְּלִבְּהוֹן, דְּאָמְרוּ רַב וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ. מַאי מִמֶּנּוּ. רְצוֹנוֹ לאמָר מְמָנָא דִּילְהוֹן, אִינּוּן אָמְרוּ בְּלִבַּיְיהוּ, דְּחֵילָא וְתּוּקְפָּא דִּילְּהוֹן, רַבְרְבָא וְתַקִּיפָא מִמֶּנּוּ, מִשׁוּלְטָנָא דִּילְהוֹן.
“He said” means he put the idea into their minds that the representative in heaven of the children of Israel was mightier than theirs.’
ר' יִצְחָק אָמַר, כָּל אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא, (בר ישראל) מַשְׁכִין תּוּקְפָּא מִשָּׂרֵיהוֹן, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַגְדִּין חֵילֵיהוֹן מִּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִינּוּן אִתְקְרוּן עַמָּא דַּיְיָ', וְלָא עַמָּא דְּשׁוּלְטָנַיָּא. ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר, הָכָא אִתְקְרוּן עַמּוֹ, דִּכְתִּיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ, וְהָתָם כְּתִיב, (שמות ג׳:ז׳) רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי, עַמִּי מַמָּשׁ, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרוּן עַם יְיָ', וּשְׁאַר אוּמִין אִקְרוּן, עַמּוֹ דְּשׁוּלְטָנָא דִּילְהוֹן דִּכְתִּיב, (מיכה ד׳:ה׳) כִּי כָּל הָעַמִּים יֵלְכוּ אִישׁ בְּשֵׁם אֱלֹהָיו וַאֲנַחְנוּ נֵלֵךְ בְּשֵׁם יְיָ' אֱלהֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
R. Isaac said: ‘All the nations of the world derive their power from their celestial prototypes, but Israel only from God, therefore she is called “the people of the Lord”.’ R. Judah said: ‘The Egyptians are here called “his (their representative’s) people”, and God says of Israel: “I have seen the affliction of my people” (Ex. 3, 7): it is to be taken in the strictly literal sense, as it is written, “For all peoples walk every one in the name of its god, but we walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever” (Micah 4, 5).’
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, הַאי פְּסוּקָא, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר (הנה עם ישראל או) בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ, (אלא) מַהוּ עַם בְּנֵי. אֶלָּא עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמָּשׁ, מֵהַהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא, דַּחֲשִׁיבוּ דְּעַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ, וְלֹא עַם יְיָ', וּכְתִיב (שמות א') וַיָּקוּצוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא כְּתִיב מִפְּנֵי עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא מִפְּנִי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמָּשׁ.
R. Abba said: ‘Instead of the peculiar expression “the people of the children of Israel”, we should expect either “the people of Israel”, or simply “the children of Israel”. “Children of Israel”, therefore, must refer to the angels, the children of the supernal Israel, and the Israelites were called by Pharaoh their people and not the people of the Lord.’
רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הֲוָה קָאִים קָמֵיהּ דְּר' יִצְחָק, אָמַר, מֶה חָמָא בָּלָק לְמֵימַר (במדבר כ״ב:ה׳) הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְלֹא אָמַר הִנֵּה עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. (אלא) אֲמַר לֵיהּ ר' יִצְחָק, בָּלָק מְכַשֵּׁף גָּדוֹל הֲוָה, וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ הַמְכַשְּׁפִים לָקַחַת הַדָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ חֲשָׁדָא, וְכֵן אֵין מַזְכִּירִין לְעוֹלָם שֵׁם אָבִיו שֶׁל אָדָם, אֶלָּא שֵׁם אִמּוֹ, דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ חֲשָׁדָא.
R. Johanan, being in the presence of R. Isaac, put to him the question: ‘What made Balak say, “Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt” (Num. 22, 5) instead of saying, “Behold, a people, to wit, the children of Israel “?’ R. Isaac replied: ‘Balak was a great sorcerer, and it is the way of sorcerers to avoid any doubtful statement. Thus, in mentioning a man they will never mention the name of his father, but that of his mother, for the reason that a man’s maternal descent is beyond any doubt.
דְּכֵן דֶּרֶךְ הַשֵּׁדִים, דִּמְעַיְּינִים בְּהַהוּא מִלָּה דְּקַאמְרֵי לְהוּ, אִי אִיהוּ כְּדִיבָא, מוֹדִיעִין לֵיהּ מִלִּין כְּדִיבִין, וְאִי הוּא קְשׁוֹט, כָּל מַה דְּאַמְרִין לְזִמְנָא זְעֵירָא קוּשְׁטָא הוּא, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְמֶעְבַּד עֲבִידְתָּא. רִבִּי אָחָא אָמַר, בָּלָק אוֹרְחָא דְּקָלָנָא נָקַט, הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם, כְּלוֹמַר, דְּלֵית אֲנָן יַדְעִין מִמָּאן אִינּוּן.
They adopt this course because the demons scrutinize every word uttered to them, so that if it be a falsehood they communicate to the utterer lying information, but if it be truthful they communicate truthful information, at least about things that are to happen shortly. All the more is this the case when they are invoked to perform some action.’ R. Aha said: ‘Balak wished to show his contempt of Israel by his expression: “Behold, a people went forth from Egypt”, as much as to say, “a people, whose origin we know not”.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן, מִפְּנֵי מַה עַמָּא דְּרַבְרְבִין נְטִירִין, וְעַמָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא נְטִירִין. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, לָא דָּמֵי מִסְכְּנָא לַעֲתִירָא. מִסְכְּנָא בָּעֵי לְנַטְרָא דִּילֵיהּ, עֲתִירָא לָא נָטִיר דִּילֵיהּ, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִינּוּן מִמַּלְכָּא דְּרָחִים קְשׁוֹט וְדִינָא. וְדִינָא קַדְמָאָה עָבִיד בְּגוּבְרִין דְּבֵיתֵיהּ, דְּבָעֵי דְּאִינּוּן לֶהוָון נְטִירִין מֵחַטָּאָה יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, (עמוס ג׳:ב׳) רַק אֶתְכֶם יָדַעְתִּי מִכֹּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה וְגוֹ'.
R. Johanan said: ‘Why are the nations of the celestial chieftains kept in safety and the people of the Holy One not?’ R. Isaac replied: ‘A poor man needs to take care of his goods, but not a rich one. Further, Israel belongs to the King who loves truth and justice, and therefore He punishes principally and first of all the members of His own family, in order that they may guard themselves from sin more than the outsiders, as it says: “Only you have I known from among all the families of the earth, therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities” (Amos 3, 2).’
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי נָפַק לָאוֹרְחָא, וַהֲוָה רִבִּי אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב אָזִיל עִמֵּיהּ, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי שָׁתִיק רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְהִרְהֵר בְּמִלֵּי דְּעָלְמָא. וְרִבִּי אַחָא הִרְהֵר בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. (עד דהוו אזלי) חָמָא רִבִּי יוֹסֵי חַד חִוְיָא, דְּהֲוָה רָהִיט אֲבַתְרֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי אַחָא, חָזֵית הַאי חִוְיָא דְּרָהִיט אֲבַתְרָאי. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אַחָא, אֲנָא לָא חֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ. רָהַט רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְחִוְיָא אֲבַתְרוֹי. נָפַל רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְדָמָא שָׁתַת וְנָחַת מֵחוֹטָמוֹי, שָׁמַע דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרִין, רַק אֶתְכֶם יָדַעְתִּי מִכֹּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה וְגוֹ', אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וּמָה עַל שַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא כַּךְ, מַאן דְּמִתְיָיאֵשׁ מִנָּהּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
R. Jose one day went for a walk with R. Aha bar Jacob. Neither spoke, but whereas R. Aha meditated on spiritual matters, R. Jose’s mind was occupied with worldly things. As they were thus proceeding, R. Jose suddenly beheld a wild beast running after him. He said to R. Aha: ‘Dost thou not see the beast running after me?’ ‘No,’ replied R. Aha, ‘I see nothing.’ R. Jose ran, pursued by the beast. He fell, and blood gushed from his nose. Then he heard a voice say: “You only have I known, etc.” Musing on these words, he said: ‘If I have been punished because my mind was but for one moment separated from the Torah, what must await him who is for ever apart from her!’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (דברים ב׳:ז׳) כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בֵּרַכְךָ בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶךָ יָדַע לֶכְתְּךָ וְגוֹ' הַמּוֹלִיכְךָ וְגוֹ', נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב וְגוֹ', נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף לָמָּה הָכָא. אֶלָּא, לָקַחַת עוֹנְשָׁן מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל זְמָן שֶׁמִּתְפָּרְשִׁין מִן עֵץ הַחַיִּים. דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ל׳:כ׳) כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ וְאוֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ.
It is written, “Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions” (Deut. 8, 16). Why fiery serpents? To punish Israel should she separate herself from the Tree of Life, which is the Torah.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, כְּתִיב (משלי י״ג:כ״ד) חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב (מלאכי א׳:ב׳) אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר ה'. וּכְתִּיב, (מלאכי א׳:ב׳) וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי. מַהוּ שָׂנֵאתִי, דִּכְתִּיב חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ. כְּלוֹמַר שָׂנֵאתִי אוֹתוֹ, וְעַל כֵּן חָשַׂכְתִּי שֵׁבֶט מֵהֶם, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, דְּלָא בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִתְפָּרְשׁוּן מֵעֵץ הַחַיִּים אֲפִילוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא.
God punishes the students of the Torah in order that they may not be separated from the Tree of Life even for a single moment.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ. יָהַב לְהוֹן עֵיטָא, לְמֶעְבַּד עִמְּהוֹן בִּישָׁא. אָמַר רִבִּי תַּנְחוּם, יַדְעִין הֲווֹ מִצְרָאֵי בְּאִצְטַגְנִינוּת דִּלְהוֹן, שֶׁסּוֹפָן לְמִלְקֵי בְּגִין יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְכָךְ אַקְדִּים שׁוּלְטָנָא דִּלְּהוֹן, לְמֶעְבַּד עִמְּהוֹן בִּישׁ.
AND HE SAID UNTO HIS PEOPLE. He gave them advice to do evil to them. R. Tanhum said: ‘The Egyptians knew through their astrology that they would eventually be punished on account of Israel, and therefore their ruler hastened to do evil to them.’
רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּגַע בְּהַהוּא טוּרָא, וְחָמָא חַד בַּר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה נָאִים תְּחוֹת חַד אִילָן. יָתִיב תַּמָּן, אַדְהֲוָה יָתִיב, חָמָא אַרְעָא דְּמִתְחַלְחֲלָא, וְאִתְּבַּר הַהוּא אִילָנָא, וְנָפַל, וְחָמָא בְּקִיעִין גּוּמִּין בְּאַרְעָא, וְאַרְעָא סַלְּקָא וְנַחְתָּא.
R. Isaac once drew near to the foot of a mountain, and there beheld a man sleeping under a tree. He sat down. Suddenly and without warning the earth began to quake violently and became full of fissures. The tree was uprooted and fell to the ground;
אִתְּעַר הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, צָוַוח לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יִצְחָק, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ יוּדָאי יוּדָאי, בְּכֵי וְנָהִים, דְּהָאִידָּנָא מְקִימִין בִּרְקִיעָא חַד רַבְרְבָא מְמָנָא שֻׁלְטָנָא עִלָּאָה, וְהוּא זַמִין לְמֶעְבַּד עִמְּכוֹן בִּישׁ סַגִּי, וְהַאי רִגְשָׁא דְּאַרְעָא בְּגִינֵיכוֹן הֲוָה. דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּרָגְשָׁא אַרְעָא, כַּד קָם מְמָנָא, דְּיַעֲבֵיד עִמְּכוֹן בִּישָׁא.
and the man beneath it woke, and cried with a loud voice:’O Jew, O Jew, weep and lament with mourning and sounds of sorrow! For even at this very moment a great supernal prince of the Gentiles is being appointed in Heaven, who will cause terrible misfortune to Israel. This quaking of the earth is meant as a portent and a warning to you.’