Mark the wondrous punishment that overtook the enemies of Israel. On the night of the Exodus there were three slayings in Egypt. First, the firstborn killed whomsoever they could lay hands on; then, the Holy One executed His judgement at midnight; and, lastly, Pharaoh, on seeing the havoc wrought upon his own household, himself arose and with bitterness and fury smote those princes and nobles who had advised him to persecute Israel. He rose up at midnight; yea, even at the hour and moment when the Holy One Himself began His judgement (Ex. 12, 30), did Pharaoh likewise rise up in wrath, and kill his of ficers and nobles,
just as a dog, if hit with a stone, goes and bites another dog. Having done this, Pharaoh roamed through the market-places crying, “Rise up and get you forth from among my people” (Ibid. 5, 31); and in fear he added, “and bless me also” (v. 32), as if to say, “let me live”. Then, so eager was he to be rid of them that he himself accompanied them, as it says, “he sent the people away” (beshallach, lit. escorted).
וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם, מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא, וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה לַיְלָה הוּא וְכָל עֲבָדָיו. תָּא חֲזֵי, נוּקְמָא עִלָּאָה דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם. תְּלַת מוֹתָנִי הֲווֹ. חַד, דְּעָבְדוּ בּוּכְרִין בְּמִצְרַיִם, דְּקָטִילוּ כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַשְׁכָּחוּ. וְחַד, דְּקָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא. וְחַד, כַּד חָמָא פַּרְעֹה מוֹתָנָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ בִּבְנוֹי וּבְעַבְדוֹי, קָם וְזָרִיז גַּרְמֵיהּ, וְקָטִיל אֲפַרְכִין וְסַרְכִין, וְכָל דְּאַמְלִיכוּ לֵיהּ לְסָרְבָא בְּעַמָּא עַד דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אַסְהִידַת עָלֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ קָם בְּלֵילְיָא מַמָּשׁ. כְּמָה (דקודשא בריך הוא בפלגות) דְּלֵילְיָא קָטַל בּוּכְרִין וְעָבִיד נוּקְמִין, הָכִי קָם פַּרְעֹה בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם, וְקָטַל וְעָבִיד נוּקְמִין בְּסַרְכוֹי, וְאָפַרְכוֹי, וַאֲמַרְכְּלוֹי, וּבְכָל אִינּוּן רַבְרְבִין הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שמות י״ב:ל׳) וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה (לילה ממש), דְּקָם לְקַטָלָא וּלְשֵׁיצָאָה.
Mark the wondrous punishment that overtook the enemies of Israel. On the night of the Exodus there were three slayings in Egypt. First, the firstborn killed whomsoever they could lay hands on; then, the Holy One executed His judgement at midnight; and, lastly, Pharaoh, on seeing the havoc wrought upon his own household, himself arose and with bitterness and fury smote those princes and nobles who had advised him to persecute Israel. He rose up at midnight; yea, even at the hour and moment when the Holy One Himself began His judgement (Ex. 12, 30), did Pharaoh likewise rise up in wrath, and kill his of ficers and nobles,
אוֹרְחוֹי דְּכַלְבָּא, כַּד מַחְיָין לֵיהּ בְּאַבְנָא, אִיהוּ אָתֵי וְנָשִׁיךְ לְחַבְרֵיהּ, כַּךְ פַּרְעֹה, לְבָתַר אִיהוּ הֲוָה אָזִיל בַּשְּׁוָקֵי, וַהֲוָה מַכְרִיז וְאָמַר, קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי, אַתּוּן קָטַלְתּוּן לְכָל בְּנִי מָתָא, אַתּוּן קָטַלְתּוּן סַרְכֵי וְאָפַרְכֵי וְכָל בְּנֵי בֵּיתִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן לַיְלָה. כֵּיוָן דְּבִידְכוֹן הֲוָה כֹּלָּא, וּבֵרַכְתֶּם גַּם אוֹתִי, דְּלָא תִּקְטְלוּן לִי. לְבָתַר אִיהוּ בְּגַרְמֵיהּ אוֹזִיף לוֹן, וְאַפִּיק לוֹן מֵאַרְעָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם וְגוֹ'.
just as a dog, if hit with a stone, goes and bites another dog. Having done this, Pharaoh roamed through the market-places crying, “Rise up and get you forth from among my people” (Ibid. 5, 31); and in fear he added, “and bless me also” (v. 32), as if to say, “let me live”. Then, so eager was he to be rid of them that he himself accompanied them, as it says, “he sent the people away” (beshallach, lit. escorted).