WHEREFORE SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, I AM THE LORD, AND I WILL BRING YOU OUT FROM UNDER THE BURDENS OF THE EGYPTIANS, ETC. Said R. Judah: ‘These words are in the wrong order, and should read, firstly, “I will redeem you”, and then “I will bring you out”. The reason, however, why bringing out is put first is that God desired to announce to them first the best promise of all.’
To which R. Jose remarked: ‘But does not the greatest promise of all come last, namely, “I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God” (v. 7)?’ R. Judah replied: ‘Deliverance from Egypt was the chief concern of the people then, because they despaired of escaping on account of the magical arts with which the Egyptians held fast their prisoners; hence it came first in order in the proclamation, followed by the promise of deliverance from bondage once and for all, as they might have been afraid that the Egyptians would enslave them again.
Then came the promise of redemption, namely, that He would not merely free them from Egypt and then leave them to themselves: this was followed by the proclamation that He would make them His people; and finally came the promise that He would bring them into their own land (v. 7).’
(שמות ו׳:ו׳) לָכֵן אֱמֹר לִבְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי יְיָ' וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, הַאי קְרָא אִפְּכָא הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר וְהִצַּלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מֵעֲבוֹדָתָם, וּלְבָתַר וְגָאַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימָר מֵעִיקָּרָא וְגָאַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, וּלְבָתַר וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם. אֶלָּא, עִקָּרָא דְּכֹלָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דְּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְבַשְּׂרָא לוֹן בִּשְׁבָחָא דְּכֹלָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא.
WHEREFORE SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, I AM THE LORD, AND I WILL BRING YOU OUT FROM UNDER THE BURDENS OF THE EGYPTIANS, ETC. Said R. Judah: ‘These words are in the wrong order, and should read, firstly, “I will redeem you”, and then “I will bring you out”. The reason, however, why bringing out is put first is that God desired to announce to them first the best promise of all.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְהָא שְׁבָחָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לִי לְעָם וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ לְבָתַר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, לֵית לְהוּ שְׁבָחָא אֶלָּא יְצִיאָה. דְּחָשִׁיבִי דְּלָא יִפְקוּן מֵעַבְדוּתְהוֹן לְעָלְמִין, בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ חָמָאן תַּמָּן דְּכָל אֲסִירֵי דַּהֲווֹ בֵּינַיְיהוּ מְקַשְׁרוּ לוֹן בְּקִשְׁרָא דְּחָרָשֵׁי, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְנָפְקָא מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ לְעָלְמִין. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, מַה דְּחָבִיב עָלַיְיהוּ מִכֹּלָּא, אִתְבַּשָּׂרוּ בֵּיהּ.
To which R. Jose remarked: ‘But does not the greatest promise of all come last, namely, “I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God” (v. 7)?’ R. Judah replied: ‘Deliverance from Egypt was the chief concern of the people then, because they despaired of escaping on account of the magical arts with which the Egyptians held fast their prisoners; hence it came first in order in the proclamation, followed by the promise of deliverance from bondage once and for all, as they might have been afraid that the Egyptians would enslave them again.
וְאִי תֵּימָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּנָפְקוּ, הָא דִּילְמָא יִזְּלוּן (חיליהו) בַּתְרַיְיהוּ לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן, כְּתִיב וְהִצַּלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מֵעֲבוֹדָתָם. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא יִפְקוּן וְיִשְׁתֵּזְבוּן, וְלָא יְהֵא לוֹן פְרִיקָא, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְגָאַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בִּזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה. וְאִי תֵּימָא לֹא יְקַבְּלֵם, הָא כְּתִיב וְלָקַחְתִּי. וְאִי תֵּימָא כְּשֶׁיְּקַבְּלֵם לֹא יְבִיאֵם לָאָרֶץ, הָא כְּתִיב וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם וְגוֹ'.
Then came the promise of redemption, namely, that He would not merely free them from Egypt and then leave them to themselves: this was followed by the proclamation that He would make them His people; and finally came the promise that He would bring them into their own land (v. 7).’