Shemot שמות

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואלה שמות בני ישראל NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — Although scripture has already enumerated them by name whilst they were living, when they went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:8-27), it again enumerates them when it tells us of their death, thus showing how dear they were to God — that they are compared to the stars which also God brings out and brings in by number and name when they cease to shine, as it is said, (Isaiah 40:26) “He bringeth out their host by number, He calleth them all by name” (Exodus Rabbah 1:3; Tanchuma Yashan 1:1:2).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויוסף היה במצרים lit., AND JOSEPH WAS IN EGYPT — But were not he and his sons included in the seventy? What, then, is this statement intended to tell us? Do we not know that he was in Egypt? But its purpose is to inform you of Joseph’s righteousness: this is the same Joseph who tended his father’s sheep; this is the same Joseph who was in Egypt and became king there, and yet he remained steadfast in his righteousness, and the change from a humble position to exalted rank in Egypt caused no deterioration in his character (cf. Sifrei האזינו; Exodus Rabbah 1:7).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וישרצו AND THEY INCREASED ABUNDANTLY (more lit., they swarmed, a word used of the prolificness of reptiles) — they bore six children at one birth (the six words from פרו to מאד suggest or imply the number six) (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 5).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויקם מלך חדש NOW THERE AROSE A NEW KING — Rab and Samuel (two Amoraim or Talmudical teachers) differed in their interpretation of these words. One said that he was really a new king; the other said that it was the same king but he made new edicts (Sotah 11a).

אשר לא ידע WHO KNEW NOT [JOSEPH] — he comported himself as though he did not know him (Sotah 11a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הבה נתחכמה COME ON, LET US DEAL WISELY — Wherever הבה is used it has the meaning of preparing oneself and making oneself ready to do a particular matter; it signifies as much as: get yourself ready for this (cf. Rashi on Genesis 11:4 and Rashi on Genesis 38:16).

נתחכמה לו LET US DEAL WISELY WITH THEM (לו more lit., with him) — i. e. with the people (the word לו, which is singular, refers to עם used in the preceding verse in the phrase עם בני ישראל): let us consider wisely what to do to them. Our Rabbis, however, explained that the singular לו refers to God, and that the words mean: “let us use our wisdom against Him who would show Himself Israel’s deliverer, by sentencing them to death by water, since He has already sworn that He will not bring another flood upon the world, and He will therefore be unable to punish us ‘measure for measure’, as is His way.”)

ועלה מן הארץ AND HE WILL GO UP OUT OF THE LAND, against our will. Our Rabbis explained that they spoke like a person who is pronouncing a curse against himself but attaches the curse to others (because he does not wish to use an ominous expression of himself), so that it is as though Scripture wrote “and we shall have to go up out of the land” and they will take possession of it (Sotah 11a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

עליו [THEREFORE THEY DID SET] OVER THEM (עליו over him) i. e. over the people.

מסים has the meaning of tribute (מס), a forced levy of labour, so that שרי מסים are the officers who exact the tribute of labour from them. And what was this tribute? That they should build store-cities for Pharaoh.

למען ענותו בסבלותם TO AFFLICT THEM WITH THEIR BURDENS — i. e. the burdens of the Egyptians.

ערי מסכנות — Translate this as the Targum does: CITIES WHICH ARE PLACES FOR TREASURES; similarly we have, (Isaiah 22:15) “Go, get thes unto this steward (הסוכן)” — the treasurer appointed over the stores (Exodus Rabbah 2:1).

את פתם ואת רעמסס PITHOM AND RAMESES — These cities already existed but were not adapted originally for this purpose; now they strengthened them and fortified them to serve as store-cities.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וכאשר יענו אתו AND AS THEY AFFLICTED THEM — In whatsoever matter it was that they set their hearts upon afflicting them so was the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, set upon multiplying them and making them grow apace.

כן ירבה signifies: so they multiplied and so they grew apace (i. e. God’s determination was carried out, the imperfect tenses of the verbs denoting the continuance of the increase and growth). This is the real meaning; but there is a Midrashic explanation of these imperfect tenses: The Holy spirit (God) said this: You say פן ירבה, “lest they increase”, but “I” say כן ירבה, “thus will they assuredly increase” (Sotah 11a).

ויקצו the word means, THEY WERE WEARY OF THEIR LIVES. Our Rabbis explained that it means that they were as thorns (קוצים) in their eyes (cf. Sotah 11a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

בפרך means with hard service which crushes (מפרכת) the body and shatters it (cf. Sotah 11b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

למילדת (the Piel participle) — This is synonymous with מולידות (the Hiphil participle, and both denote the women who assist the mother in bringing the child to birth). But some verbs are used in forms of a light conjugation (i. e. one which has no strong Dagesh as a characteristic) or in forms of a strong conjugation (one that has such a Dagesh), as e. g., שׁוֹבֵר (Kal) and מְשַׁבֵּר (Piel); דּוֹבֵר (Kal) and מְדַבֵּר (Piel). both having the same meaning; similarly here we may have מוליד (the Hiphil — without a strong Dagesh) or מְיַלֵּד (the Piel), both signifying one who helps to bring to birth.

שפרה SHIPHRAH — This was Jochebed; she bore this additional name because she used to put the babe after its birth into good physical condition (משפרת) by the care she bestowed upon it (Sotah 11b).

פועה PUAH — This was Miriam, and she bore this additional name because she used to Call aloud and speak and croon to the babe just as women do who soothe a child when it is crying (Sotah 11b).

פועה has the meaning of crying aloud, as (Isaiah 42:14) “I will cry (אפעה) like a travailing woman”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

בילדכן WHEN YE DO THE OFFICE OF A MIDWIFE — This word (the Piel) has the same force as בהולידכן (the Hiphil): when you assist them to give birth.

על האבנים UPON THE STOOLS — the seat for the woman in the act of childbirth; in another passage (Isaiah 37:3) Scripture terms it מַשְׁבֵּר. Similar is, (Jeremiah 18:3) “He was at work on the אבנים" — the place of the vessels of (being produced by) the craftsmanship of the potter.

אם בן הוא וגו IF IT BE A SON etc. — He was particular only about the male children because his astrologers had told him that there was to be born to a Hebrew woman a son who would become their deliverer (Exodus Rabbah 1:18).

וחיה has the same meaning as ותחיה THEN SHE SHALL LIVE.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ותחיין את הילדים This may mean THEY MAINTAINED THE CHILDREN IN LIFE — they provided them with food (Sotah 11b). The Targum renders ותחיין the first time it occurs (i. e. in this verse) by וקימא (which means, “and they — the women — preserved the babes”). and the second time (Exodus 1:18) by וקימתן (which means, “and ye women have preserved etc.”) The Targum is able to distinguish between the two meanings of this word, but this cannot be done in Hebrew because in the Hebrew language in the case of fem. plur. this word and similar forms (ending in נָה or ןָ) are used in the sense of “they did something” (3rd person) and in the sense of “ye did something” (2nd person). For example: (Exodus 2:19) “And they (the daughters of Jethro) said, (וַתֹּאמַרְןָ) “An Egyptian man etc.”, which is the past tense (the Rashi text must read here לשון עָבַר) (imperf. with Vau conv.), just as one would use וַיֹאמְרוּ if one were speaking of men; (Jeremiah 54:25) “Ye women have spoken (ותדברנה) with your mouths”, having the same meaning as דברתן, and corresponding to ותדברו when used of men; (Ezekiel 13:19) “And ye (women) have profaned Me (ותחללנה) among My people” which is a past tense, the same as חללתן corresponding to ותחללו when used of men.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי חיות הנה signifies they are just as skilful as midwives. The Aramaic for מילדות, midwives, is חיתא (hence the term חיות in this verse). Our Rabbis, however, (taking this word in the sense of animals) gave the following explanation (Sotah 11b): they have been compared to the beasts of the field which do not require the help of midwives. And where are they compared to animals? (Genesis 49:9) “Judah is a young lion”; (Genesis 27) “Benjamin is a wolf that leareth”; (Deuteronomy 33:17) “Joseph is the firstling of his ox”; (Genesis 49:21) “Naphtali is a hind sent forth”. As for the ancestors of those tribes about whom such a comparison is not expressly written Scripture implicitly includes them in the several blessings bestowed upon their brothers, (and thus they also are compared, as their brothers, to animals), for Scripture states, (Genesis 49:28) “And he blessed them etc.” (cf. Rashi on these words). Then, again, it is written, (Ezekiel 19:2) “How was thy mother a lioness!” (The prophet is addressing the princes of Israel as the representatives of the people, and by the term “thy mother” means the progenitors of the nation; the chapter proceeds to speak of the mother’s offspring as “whelps”).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וַיֵּיטָב means HE DID GOOD TO THEM. — The following is the difference between certain forms in a word (verb) whose root is two letters when one prefixes ו and י to them: when it intends to express the meaning “and he caused someone or something to do a particular action” (i. e. the 3rd masc. sing, imperf. Hiphil with Vau conversive), the י has the vowel Tzéré which is what we call Kametz Katan, as, (in this verse) “And God dealt well (וַיֶּיטָב) with the midwives” (to Rashi the root it טב; we take it as יטב); (Lamentations 2:5) “וַיָרָב for the daughter of Judah [mourning]” i. e. He increased (made great) the mourning; (root רֹב; we take it as רבה). Similarly (II Chronicles 36:20) “וַיָּגָל the remnant” which occurs in connection with Nebuzaradon, i. e. he caused the remnant to be exiled; (Judges 15:4) וַיָּפָן tail to tail”, i. e. he turned the tails one towards the other (more lit., he caused one tail to turn to the other) — all these express the meaning “he caused others to do something” (i. e. they are of the Hiphil conjugation). When, however, it speaks in the sense of “and he did something” (3rd masc. sing, imperf. Kal with Vau conv.), the י has the vowel Chirik. For example, (Leviticus 10:20) “וַיִיטַב in his eyes” — this means, “it was good”. Similarly (in this verse) the people”, i. e. the people became many; (2 Kings 25:21) “וַיִגָל Judah”, i. e. Judah became an exile; (2:12) “וַיִפֵן this way and that way”, i. e. he turned this way and that way. Do not answer me (do not raise an objection) by quoting the words וַיֵּלֶךְ and וַיֵּשֶׁב and וַיַרֶד and וַיֵּצֵא (saying that these verbal forms also have ו and י prefixed and the י has the vowel Tzéré and yet they are Kal, not Hiphil forms), because these are not of the same class of verbs as those above-mentioned, for the י is part of the root in them — in יֵלֵךְ and יֵשֵׁב and יֵרֵד and יֵצֵא, the י is a third root letter in each of these.

וייטב אלהים למילדת THEREFORE GOD DEALT WELL WITH THE MIDWIVES — What was the good He dealt out to them? The next verse gives the reply to this —

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויעש להם בתים HE MADE THEM HOUSES — houses (dynasties) of the priesthood and the Levites and of royalty which are all termed בתים, “houses”, as it is said, (1 Kings 9:1) “and Solomon built the house of the Lord and the house of the king”: “the house of the Lord” i. e. a dynasty of priests and Levites — from Jochebed (Shifrah); and “the house of the king”, i. e. a royal dynasty — from Miriam (Puah), just as it is stated in Treatise Sotah 11b.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לכל עמו This may be translated AND PHARAOH GAVE COMMAND REGARDING ALL (לכל) HIS PEOPLE — Regarding them, too, he made a decree (Sotah 12a). For on the day when Moses was born his astrologers said to him, “To-day their deliverer has been born, but we know not whether he is born of an Egyptian father or of an Israelite; but we see by our astrological art that he will ultimately suffer misfortune through water”. Pharaoh therefore made a decree that day regarding the Egyptians also, as it is said here, “Every son that is born [ye shall cast into the river]”, and it is not stated “[every son] who is born to the Hebrews”. They (the astrologers), however, were not aware that Moses was ultimately to suffer misfortune through the waters of Meribah and not through the waters of the Nile (Exodus Rabbah 1:18; Sotah 12a; cf. also Rashi on Numbers 20:13).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויקח את בת לוי AND HE HAD TAKEN TO WIFE A DAUGHTER OF LEVI — He had lived apart from her in consequence of Pharaoh’s decree that the children should, on their birth, be drowned. Now he took her back and entered into a second marriage with her, and she also physically became young again. For really she was then 130 years old — for she was born “between the walls” when they were about to enter Egypt (cf. Rashi on Genesis 46:15) and they (the Israelites) remained there 210 years, and when they left Egypt Moses was 80 years old; consequently when she became pregnant with him she was 130 years old — and yet Scripture calls her בת לוי a young daughter of Levi (Sota 12a; Bava Batra 119b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי טוב הוא THAT HE WAS GOODLY — When he was born the whole house became filled with light (Sotah 12a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ולא יכלה עוד הצפינו AND SHE COULD NO LONGER CONCEAL HIM, because the Egyptians calculated the period from when he (Amram) took her back. She, however, bore him after a term of six months and one day — for a woman who gives birth to a child in the seventh month may do so in incomplete months (i. e. the seventh month of pregnancy may not be completed) (Niddah 38b) — and they (the Egyptians) made enquiry regarding her at the end of nine months (the normal term of pregnancy, but in this case three months after the child’s birth; therefore “she could no longer conceal him”).

גמא PAPER-REED — In the language of the Mishna it is called גמי (Shabbat 78a), and in old French junc. It is a flexible substance that offers resistance to the pressure of both soft and hard things (Sotah 12a).

בחמר ובזפת — with pitch (זפת) outside, but with slime (חמר) inside, in order that that righteous child might not smell the disagreeable odour of the pitch (Sotah 12a).

ותשם בסוף AND SHE PUT IT IN THE FLAGS — It (סוף) has the same meaning as אגם. old French rosel. Another example of the word is (Isaiah 19:6) “And reeds and flags (סוף) shall wither”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לרחץ על היאר — Invert the order of the words in this verse and then explain it: “The daughter of Pharaoh went down על היאר, by the river, לרחץ to bathe in it”.

על יד היאר means BESIDE THE RIVER. Similar is (II Samuel 14:30) “See, the field of Joab is beside mine (על ידי)”. It really denotes even in this sense the actual hand, for a person’s hand is beside him (i. e. beside his body). Our Rabbis explained that the word הלכת “they were going” denotes dying, similar to (Genesis 25:32) “Behold I am going (הולך) to die” — they were going to their death because they attempted to prevent her from saving the child. Scripture, too, supports them in this explanation, for if this is not the meaning, why do we need that it should write “and her damsels were going”? (Scripture reports nothing as having happened because they were walking there. Why then stress this detail if it merely signifies that they were walking along the bank?).

את אמתה means her handmaid. Our Rabbis, however, explained it in the sense of hand (cf. Sotah 12b) — but according to the grammar of the Holy Language it should then have been written אַמָּתָה , dageshed in the מ. — And the reason why they explained את אמתה to mean את ידה “she stretched forth her hand” is because they hold that Scripture intentionally uses this term to indicate that her hand increased in length several cubits (אמה, a cubit) in order that she might more easily reach the cradle.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ותפתח ותראהו lit., AND SHE OPENED IT AND SHE SAW HIM — whom did she see? את הילד THE CHILD. This is the literal sense of the suffix in ותראהו. A Midrashic explanation is (taking את in the sense of “with”— she saw Him with the child): she saw the Shechina with him (cf. Sotah 12b).

והנה נער בכה lit., AND BEHOLD A BOY WEEPING — Although he was a ילד, “a child”, his voice was like that of a נער, a grown up boy (cf. Sotah 12b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מן העבריות OF THE HEBREWS — She expressly said, “shall I call a nurse of the Hebrews?” because she (Pharaoh’s daughter) had handed him to many Egyptian women to suckle him and he had refused to take suck — this was because he was destined to hold converse with the Shechina (Exodus Rabbah 1:21 and Sotah 12b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ותלך העלמה AND THE YOUNG WOMAN WENT — she went eagerly and with vigour (עלמות) like a young man (עלם) (cf. Sotah 12b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

היליכי (the word may be explained as a compound of two Aramaic words, הי, here is, and ליכי, that which belongs to thee — thine own) — she prophesied without knowing what she was prophesying (unconsciously she stated the actual fact) — here is thine own (Exodus Rabbah 1:21 and Sotah 12b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

משיתיהו The Targum renders this by שחלתיה which in the Aramaic language means drawing out. The word occurs in the Talmud, (Berakhot 8a) “as one draws out (משחל) a hair from milk”, and in the Hebrew language משיתיהו might be taken to mean “I have removed him”, just as, (Joshua 1:8) “it shall not depart (ימוש)”; (Numbers 14:44) “they did not depart (משו)”. Thus indeed did Menachem b. Seruk classify it (i. e. he put משיתיהו under the same root as מש and משו in the verses quoted; according to him a biliteral root מש, our ע"ו root מוש). I, however, say, that it should not be classified together with מש and וימוש but that it is to be derived from משה, and that it means taking out, similar to (II Samuel 22:17) “He draws me out (ימשני) from many waters”. For if it were of the same class as מש, it would not be correct to say משיתיהו (in the Kal), but הֲמישׁוֹתִיהוּ a Hiphil form, (since this root in the Kal means “to depart” or “go away” and not “to make a thing go away”), just as from קם one says הֲקִימוֹתִי and from שב — הֲשִׁיבוֹתִי and from הֲבִיאוֹתִי — בא; or one must say מַשְתִּיהוּ (which is also a form from מוש used in a causative sense), just as, (Zechariah 3:9) “And I will remove (וּמַשְׁתִּי) the iniquity of that land”. But מָשִׁיתִי can only be derived from a word whose verbal form has a ה as a root letter at the end of the word, as e. g., משה and בנה and עשה and צוה and פנה. When it wishes to say in regard to these verbs, “I have done so-and-so” (a Kal), a י takes the place of the ה, as in בָּנִיתִי and עָשִׂיתִי and צִוִּיתִי.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויגדל משה AND MOSES WAS GROWN — But has it not already been written, (Exodus 2:10) “And the child grew”? Rabbi Judah the son of Eloai said: the first time it refers to growth in stature, the second time to greatness, — that Pharaoh appointed him to have charge over his palace (Tanchuma Yashan 2.2:17; cf. also Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 166:11).

וירא בסבלתם AND HE SAW THEIR BURDENS — he set his eyes and mind to share in their distress. (Exodus Rabbah 1:27)

איש מצרי AN EGYPTIAN MAN — This was one of the taskmasters appointed over the Israelite officers and he used to rouse them from their beds at cock-crow that they might proceed to their work (Exodus Rabbah 1:28 and Leviticus Rabbah 32:4).

מכה איש עברי SMITING A HEBREW MAN — beating and flogging him. The latter was the husband of Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri (see Leviticus 24:11), and the Egyptian taskmaster had set his fancy upon her. During the night he compelled him (her husband) to rise and made him leave the house. He, however, returned, entered the house and forced his attentions upon the woman, she believing it was her husband. The man returned and became aware of what had happened, and when the Egyptian perceived that he was aware of it he beat him and flogged him the whole day long (Exodus Rabbah 1:28).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויפן כה וכה AND HE TURNED THIS WAY AND THAT WAY — he saw what he had done to him in the house and what he had done to him in the field (outside the house. viz., the beating to which he had subjected him) (Exodus Rabbah 1.28). But according to the literal meaning it must be explained in its ordinary sense: he turned this way and that way.

וירא כי אין איש AND HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NO MAN destined to issue from him, who would become an adherent of Israel’s religion (Exodus Rabbah 1:29; cf. Targum Jonathan on Exodus 2:12) .

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

שני אנשים עברים TWO MEN OF THE HEBREWS — viz., Dathan and Abiram (Nedarim 64b); it was they, too, who left over some of the manna (Exodus Rabbah 1:29).

נצים means quarelling.

למה תכה lit., WHEREFORE WILT THOU SMITE — Although he had not yet smitten him he is termed here רשע wicked, because he had merely raised his hand against him (Sanhedrin 58b).

רעך THY FELLOW (the word denotes one who is the equal of another) — who is as wicked as yourself (Exodus Rabbah 1:29).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מי שמך לאיש WHO MADE THEE A PERSONAGE (lit., a man), and you are yet only a boy (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10).

הלהרגני אתה אמר lit. WILT THOU SPEAK IN ORDER TO SLAY ME — From this we may learn that he had killed him by the mere utterance of the “Shem Hamephorash” (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10; Exodus Rabbah 1:30).

ויירא משה AND MOSES FEARED — Explain it in its literal sense: he was afraid of Pharaoh. A Midrashic explanation is: he felt distressed because he saw that there were wicked men among the Israelites — common informers. He said: Since this is so (מעתה), perhaps they are not worthy to be delivered from bondage (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10).

אכן נדע הדבר SURELY THE THING IS KNOWN — Explain it in its literal sense: the fact that I have killed the Egyptian is known. A Midrashic explanation is: now there is known to me that matter about which I have been puzzled — how has Israel sinned more than all the seventy nations, that they should be oppressed by this crushing servitude? But now I see that they deserve this (Exodus Rabbah 1:30).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וישמע פרעה AND PHARAOH HEARD IT — they (Dathan and Abiram) slandered (denounced) him (Exodus Rabbah 1:31).

ויבקש להרג את משה AND HE SOUGHT TO SLAY MOSES — He handed him over to the executioner to slay him, but the sword proved powerless against him. It is to this that Moses referred when he said, (18:4) “And He delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword” (see Mechilta יתרו and Exodus Rabbah 1:31).

[וישב בארץ מדין AND HE ABODE IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN — the word וישב means he stayed there, as (Genesis 37:1) “And Jacob abode (וישב)‎”.]

וישב על הבאר — Here the word וישב has the meaning of sitting down. He learnt to sit at the well from Jacob whose marriage had been brought about by means of a well (Exodus Rabbah 1:32).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ולכהן מדין THE PRIEST OF MIDIAN — כהן signifies the chief amongst them (see Targ. Onkelos and Mekhilta יתרו); he had abandoned the idol-worship to which they were addicted and they banished him, driving him away from them (Exodus Rabbah 1:32).

את הרהטים THE GUTTERS — the troughs for the currents of water which are excavated in the ground.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויגרשם AND THEY DROVE THEM AWAY, because of the banishment into which their father and his family had been driven (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 11).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

למה זה עזבתן — WHEREFORE HAVE YE LEFT [THE MAN]? — He recognised that he was of the offspring of Jacob because for him (Moses), as for Jacob, the water had risen in the well at his approach (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 11)

ויאכל לחם THAT HE MAY EAT BREAD — perhaps he will marry one of you — just as you say, (Genesis 39:6) “except the bread which he did eat” (cf. Rashi on this verse, where the word “bread” is explained as a euphemism) (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 11).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויואל — Translate this as the Targum does: AND HE WAS WILLING. Similar are: (Judges 19:6) “Be content (הואל), I pray thee, and tarry all night”; (Joshua 7:7) “would that we had been content (הואלנו)”; (Genesis 18:31) “I am content (הואלתי) to speak”. A Midrashic explanation is that it has the sense of taking an oath (אלה), so that it should be rendered, “And Moses pledged himself by an oath to remain with the man” — he swore to him that he would not stir from Midian save by his permission (cf. Exodus 4:18) (Nedarim 65a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

[ויהי בימים הרבים ההם AND IT CAME TO PASS DURING THOSE MANY DAYS during which Moses was sojourning in Midian, וימת מלך מצרים THAT THE KING OF EGYPT DIED, and the Israelites felt the need of help; and therefore ומשה היה רעה “And Moses fed the flock” and help came through him. For this reason these chapters are placed in juxtaposition].

וימת מלך מצרים THE KING OF EGYPT DIED — he became stricken with leprosy (and therefore may be spoken of as dead; cf. Numbers 12:12), and he used to slaughter Israelitish children and bathe in their blood as a cure for his disease (cf. Targum Jonathan and Exodus Rabbah 1:34).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

נאקתם means THEIR CRY. Similar is, (Job 24:12) “from out of the populous city men groan (ינאקו)”.

‎ את בריתו את אברהם — The words את אברהם, are the same as עם אברהם, with Abraham (i. e. the word את means “with”, whilst in the preceding phrase, את בריתו, it is the sign of the accusative).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וידע אלהים AND GOD KNEW — He directed His heart to them and did not hide His eyes from them.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אחר המדבר [HE LED THE SHEEP] BEHIND THE DESERT — in order to keep them away from private property (גֶזֵל i. e. things which can be appropriated only as the result of “robbery”) — that they should not graze in other people’s fields (Exodus Rabbah 2:3).

אל הר האלהים TO THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD — Scripture so names it with reference to what happened there in the future (Sifrei on Deuteronomy 1:24).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

בלבת אש means IN A FLAME OF FIRE, i. e. in the very heart of (לב) the fire. Similarly is לב used of inanimate objects in: (Deuteronomy 4:11) “in the heart of (לב) heaven”; (II Samuel 18:14) “in the midst of (לב) the terebinth”. Do not be puzzled by the ת, although the ordinary word for heart, לב. does not require the suffix ת in the construct form, because we have another example of this form, viz., (Ezekiel 16:30) “how weak is thy heart (לבתך)”.‎

מתוך הסנה OUT OF THE MIDST OF A BUSH (a thornbush) — and not from any other tree, in accordance with the idea (Psalms 91:15) “I will be with him in trouble” (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 14).

אֻכָּל means DEVOURED, eaten. It is of the same grammatical form as, (Deuteronomy 21:3) “which hath not been wrought with (עֻבַּד)”; (Genesis 3:23) “whence he was taken (לֻקַח):

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אָסוּרָה means I WILL TURN ASIDE from here in order that I may approach thither.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

של means DRAW OFF and take off. It is of the same root as, (Numbers 19:5) “and the iron-head slippeth off (נשל) from the handle”; (Deuteronomy 28:40) “for thine olives shall drop off (ישל)‎”.

אדמת קדש הוא the place IS HOLY GROUND (i. e. the masculine pronoun הוא refers to the word המקום and not to אדמת, which is feminine).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי ידעתי את מכאביו FOR I KNOW THEIR SORROWS — The verb has the same meaning as in (Exodus 2:25) “and God knew”, signifying as much as: for I have set my heart upon noticing and understanding their sorrows, and I have not hidden my eyes from their distress, nor have I stopped my ears against their cry.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ועתה לך ואשלחך אל פרעה COME NOW, THEREFORE, AND I WILL SEND THEE UNTO PHARAOH — And if you ask “What will this avail?” והוצא את עמי AND BRING FORTH MY PEOPLE — your words will prove effective and you will bring them forth from there.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מי אנכי WHO AM I? — Of what importance am I that I should speak with monarchs?

וכי אוציא את בני ישראל AND THAT I SHOULD BRING FORTH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — and even if I am of sufficient importance for this, how has Israel merited that a miracle should be wrought for them and that I should bring them forth from Egypt?

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויאמר כי אהיה עמך AND HE SAID, BECAUSE I WILL BE WITH THEE — He answered his first question first and his last question last: as regards what thou hast said, “Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh?” i. e. of what importance am I to speak with kings, I reply, it is not an undertaking of yours, but it is partly mine for “I” will be with thee”, וזה AND THIS — i. e. the sight which thou hast witnessed in the bush, לך האות כי אנכי שלחתיך SHALL BE A SIGN UNTO THEE, BECAUSE (כי) “I” HAVE SENT THEE and “I” am competent to save: just as thou hast seen the bush carrying out the mission I laid upon it and it was not consumed, so go thou too on the mission I entrust to thee and thou shalt suffer no harm. And as regards thy question: What merit have the Israelites that they should go forth from Egypt? — I reply that I have a great purpose in this, My bringing them forth, for they are destined to accept the Torah upon this mountain at the expiration of three months after they leave Egypt (cf. Exodus Rabbah 3:4). Another explanation is: כי אהיה עמך FOR I WILL BE WITH THEE and thou wilt therefore succeed, וזה AND THIS — viz., the fact that thou wilt succeed in thy mission לך האות WILL BE A SIGN UNTO THEE with respect to another promise: for I promise thee that when thou hast brought them forth from Egypt ye will serve Me upon this mountain — i. e. that ye will receive the Torah upon it. This is the merit which is an advocate for Israel. An exactly similar use of the word אות, where something that will happen in the future is to serve as an אות in regard to an event that will transpire in the more distant future we find elsewhere: (Isaiah 37:30.) “And this shall be a sign unto thee — for ye shall eat this year that which groweth of itself etc.” (the passage proceeds to state that after a few years the devastated land will have regained its former fertility) — this, i. e, the fall of Sennacherib promised in the preceding section of that chapter shall be a sign to thee in respect to another promise: for your land is now barren of fruits, but I will bless that which grows of itself and the land shall bring forth fruits in abundance.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אהיה אשר אהיה I AM THAT I AM — I will be with them in this sorrow — I Who I will be with them in the subjection they will suffer at the hands of other kingdoms (Berakhot 9b). Whereupon Moses said to him: Lord of the Universe! Why should I mention to them other sorrows: they have enough with this sorrow! God replied to him: You have spoken rightly — כה תאמר THUS SHALT THOU SAY etc.… Ehyeh, “I am” — without the addition of אשר אהיה which has reference to future sorrows — has sent me unto you”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

זה שמי לעלם THIS IS MY NAME FOR EVER — The last word is written without ו (so that it may be read לְעַלֵּם and it would mean “this is My Name which is to be concealed”) to suggest: Conceal it (this Divine Name), so that it shall not be read exactly as it is written (but should be read as אדני; cf. Pesachim 50a; Exodus Rabbah 3:7).

וזה זכרי AND THIS IS MY MEMORIAL (the word may signify “the mention of Me”) — He taught him how the Divine Name should be read. So, too, did David say, (Psalms 135:13) “O Lord, Thy name is for ever (שמך לעולם), O Lord, Thy memorial is throughout all generations (זכרך לדר ודר).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

את זקני ישראל THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, those singled out to attend meetings, (i. e. the leaders) (cf. Yoma 28b). If, however, you should say that the text means old men in the ordinary sense I ask: How was it possible for him to gather all the old men amongst a male population of 600,000?

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ושמעו לקלך AND THEY SHALL HEARKEN TO THY VOICE — as soon as you will mention to them this expression (the double use of the verb פקד as in v. 16) they will hearken to your voice, for they have long had this sign as a tradition from Jacob and Joseph that by mention of this phrase their deliverance will be brought about. Jacob said to them “And God will surely visit you”, and Joseph said to them (Genesis 50:25) “God will surely visit you”.

נקרה עלינו GOD HATH HAPPENED TO MEET US — The word נקרה signifies a casual meeting. Similar are: (Numbers 23:4) “And God happened to meet (ויקר) [Balaam]”; (Numbers 23:15) ואנכי אִקָּרָה כה which means “I will be met by him yonder”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא יתן אתכם מלך מצרים להלך THE KING OF EGYPT WILL NOT LET YOU GO, if I do not (ולא) show him My strong hand (יד חזקה) — it is as much as to say: so long as I do not let him feel My strong hand he will not let you go.

לא יתן — Translate this as the Targum does: he will not give leave. Similar uses of נתן followed by ל with the infinitive in sense of permitting are: (Genesis 20:6) “therefore I did not permit thee (נתתיך) to touch her”; (Genesis 31:7) “And God did not permit him (נתנו) to do me evil”. Still all these passages really have the sense of giving”. Some explain the phrase ולא ביד חזקה to signify: “He will not permit you to go, and this will not be because his hand is strong”, for (v. 20) “As soon as I stretch forth My hand I will smite the Egyptians [… and afterwards he will let you go]”. And so the Targum renders it: and not on account that his power is mighty. This explanation was told me in the name of Rabbi Jacob the son of Menachem.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ומגרת ביתה means from that woman with whom she sojourneth in one house.

ונצלתם render it as the Targum does: and ye shall empty out Egypt. Similar are: (Exodus 12:36) “And they emptied out (וינצלו) Egypt”; (Exodus 33:6) “And the children of Israel stripped themselves (ויתנצלו) of their ornaments” The נ in it is a root-letter. Menachem ben Seruk placed it (this word ויתנצלו) in section צ (taking the root as צל not as נצל) together with, (Genesis 31:9) “And God took away (ויצל) your father’s cattle”, and with, (Genesis 31:16) “which God hath taken away (הציל) from our father”, but his view cannot be sustained. For if the נ is not a root-letter, then seeing that it (the word ונצלתם) is vowelled with Chirik, it cannot be used in the sense of “and ye shall do something” (the active voice, which is required here since את מצרים can only be the object of the verb), but in the sense of “and ye shall have something done to you” (the passive — “Niphal”), as (Deuteronomy 28:63) “And ye shall be plucked up (וְנִסַּחְתֶּם) from off your land”; (Leviticus 26:25) “and ye shall be given (וְנִתַּתֶּם) into the hand of the enemy”; (Leviticus 17) “And ye shall be smitten (וְנִגַּפְתָּם) before your enemies”; (Ezekiel 22:21) “And ye shall be melted (וְנִתַּכְתָּם) in the midst thereof”; (Jeremiah 7:10) “And ye say, נִצַּלְנוּ” — which expresses the idea “we have had something done to us” (the Niphal: we have been delivered). Then again, every נ which sometimes appears in a word and sometimes is omitted, as e. g. the נ of נוגף and נושא and נותן and נושך, when the word expresses the sense “and ye shall do something” (the Kal), it is pointed with vocal Sheva (חטף a “snatched” sound), as, for instance, (Genesis 45:19) “and ye shall bear (וּנְשָׂאתָם) your father”; (Numbers 32:29) “And ye shall give (וּנְתַתֶּם) them the land of Gilead”; (Genesis 17:11) “And ye shall circumcise (וּנְמַלְתֶּם) the flesh of your foreskin”. Consequently I am of the opinion that this letter נ which is vowelled with a Chirik is one of the root letters, and the grammatical form of the noun of the same root is נִצּוּל which is of the strong (dageshed) forms, just as דִּבּוּר and כִּפּוּר and לִמּוּד. When, in the case of verbs formed from these roots one expresses the idea of “and ye shall do something” (active voice) the נ has the vowel Chirik (i. e. it is the Piel conjugation), as (Numbers 20:8) “And ye shall speak (וְדִבַּרְתֶּם) unto the rock”; (Ezekiel 45:20) “And ye shall atone (וְכִּפַּרְתֶּם) for the house”; (Deuteronomy 11:19) “And ye shall teach (וְלִמַּדְתָּם) them unto your children”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מזה בידך WHAT IS THAT IN THINE HAND? —The reason why the words מה זה are written here as one word is to afford the opportunity to explain it thus: on account of this (מִזֶּה) that is in thine hand thou wilt make thyself liable to punishment because thou hast harboured suspicion about worthy persons (Exodus Rabbah 3:12). The real meaning, however, is that it is a question such as one puts to his fellow: “You admit that this object in front of you is a stone?” The other replies, “Yes”. The former says, “Well, I’ll turn it into wood”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויהי לנחש AND IT BECAME A SERPENT — This was an indication to him, that he had slandered the Israelites by saying (v. 1) “But, behold they will not believe me etc.”, and that he had made the serpent’s occupation (slander) his own (cf. Genesis 3:5) (Exodus Rabbah 3:12).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויחזק בו AND HE LAID HOLD OF IT —The phrase signifies “grasping” (אחז). There are many examples of it in the Scriptures: (Genesis 19:16) “The men laid hold of (ויחזיקו בְּ..) his hand”; (Deuteronomy 25:11) “And she layeth hold of (והחזיקה בְּ..) his secret parts”; (I Samuel 17:35) “And I caught him by (והחזקתי בְּ..) his beard”. [Wherever the root חזק in the Hiphil is followed by the preposition ב it denotes “taking hold of a thing”].

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מצרעת כשלג LEPROUS AS SNOW — It is the nature of leprosy to be white, and thus we read in reference to a leper, (Leviticus 13:4) “If the bright spot be white [in the skin of his flesh]”. By this sign, too, he indicated that he had made a slanderous statement when he said, (v. 1) “But, behold, they will not believe me”. Therefore He smote him with leprosy (Exodus Rabbah 3:13) even as Miriam was so smitten for the slander she had spoken (cf. Shabbat 97a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויוצאה מחיקו והנה שבה כבשרו AND HE BROUGHT IT OUT OF HIS BOSOM AND, BEHOLD, IT HAD RETURNED AS HIS OTHER FLESH — From this we may infer that the measure of Divine good comes more quickly than the measure of the punishment He inflicts, for in the former case it does not say מחיקו after the word ויוצאה. (Shabbat 97a; Exodus Rabbah 3:13).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

והאמינו לקל האת האחרון THEY WILL BELIEVE THE VOICE OF THE LATTER SIGN — As soon as you say to them, “On your account have I been smitten — because I uttered slander about you”, they will believe you, for they are already experienced in this: that those who combine to harm them are smitten by plagues, e. g., Pharaoh and Abimelech who were punished on Sarah’s account.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

והיו המים וגו׳ — Here we have the word והיו twice. It appears to me that if it was stated היאר לדם ביבשת מן והיו המים אשר תקח, I might understand it to mean that it would be turned into blood in his hand and that also when it reached the ground it would retain that state (more lit., it would be as it was). But now (as the text stands) it tells us that it would not become blood until it would come on the dry ground.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

גם מתמול וגו׳ NEITHER FROM YESTERDAY [NOR FROM BEFORE YESTERDAY] — This teaches us that for an entire period of seven days God had been endeavouring to persuade Moses at the thornbush to go on his mission, for the terms מתמול and שלשום and מאז דברך imply three days, and the three-fold גם which is mentioned here point to three extensions of the period, making six in all, and therefore he had now reached the seventh day when he further said to him, (Exodus v. 13) “Send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send” — until God became angry with him (Exodus v. 14), and he accepted the mission (cf. Leviticus Rabbah 11:6, and Seder Olam ch. 5). All this reluctance was because he was unwilling to assume any dignity that would make him superior to his brother Aaron who was older than he and was also a prophet, as it is said (I Samuel 2:27) that the man of God spoke to Eli, the high-priest, in God’s name, “Surely I revealed myself unto the house of thy father when they were in Egypt” — thy father means Aaron. Similary in : (Ezekiel 20:5, 7) “And I made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt … and I said unto them, “cast ye away every man the detestable things of his eyes”, and that prophecy was spoken to Aaron (Exodus Rabbah 3:16; and cf. ברייתא דל"ב מדות).

כבד פה SLOW OF SPEECH (lit. heavy of mouth) — I speak heavily (with difficulty); old French balbus. (English = stammerer).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מי שם פה וגו׳ WHO HATH MADE MAN’S MOUTH etc.? — Who taught you to speak when you were arraigned in judgment before Pharaoh on account of the Egyptian whom you slew?

או מי ישום אלם OR WHO MAKETH THE DUMB — Who made Pharaoh dumb so that he could not insist upon the carrying out of his command to kill you? Who made his ministers deaf so that they could not hear when he gave orders concerning you? And the executioners whose task it was to slay — who made them blind so that they could not see when you fled from the platform (raised place of execution) and escaped? (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10)

הלא אנכי ה' DID NOT I whose name is THE LORD do all this?

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ביד תשלח signifies by the hand of him whom Thou art accustomed to send; viz., Aaron (Exodus Rabbah 3:16). Another explanation is: by the hand of some other person whom Thou wilt be pleased to send — for in the end “I” shall not bring them into the land of Palestine nor shall “I” become their deliverer in the future — and You have many messengers! (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 40)

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויחר אף AND [THE LORD’S] WRATH GLOWED — Rabbi Joshua the son of Korcha said: wherever the term “and God’s wrath glowed” occurs in the Scriptures it leaves a definite impression (mention of punishment of some kind follows), but here no such result is mentioned, for we do not find that any punishment came upon Moses in consequence of that anger of God. Rabbi José said to him: As a matter of fact here, too, some definite result is mentioned, viz., הלא אהרן אחיך הלוי “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother?” — which implies, that he was destined to be a Levite (an attendant on the priests) and not a priest, — and I intended that the priesthood should proceed from you. Now, however, this shall not be so, but he will be the Priest and you the Levite, as it is said, (I Chronicles 23:14) “But as for Moses the man of God his sons are named among the tribe of Levi” (Zevachim 102a).

הנה הוא יצא לקראתך HE WILL BE GOING FORTH TOWARDS THEE, when you will be going to Egypt.

וראך ושמח בלבו AND WHEN HE SEETH THEE, HE WILL BE GLAD IN HIS HEART — not as you believe, that he will be angry with you because you have attained a high position. In consequence of this, Aaron was privileged to wear the ornament of the breastplate which was placed over his heart (cf. Exodus 28:29) (Shabbat 139a; Exodus Rabbah 3:17).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ודבר הוא לך means HE WILL SPEAK to the people ON THY ACCOUNT (לְךָ). This passage is proof, regarding every usage of לך and לי and לו and לכם and להם that follow after the verb דבר, that they all have the meaning of על “on account of”.

יהיה לך לפה HE SHALL BE TO THEE INSTEAD OF A MOUTH — he will be to thee as a spokesman because thou art slow of speech (Exodus Rabbah 3:17).

לאלהים means a superior and chief (cf. Onkelos).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וישב אל יתר חתנו AND HE RETURNED TO JETHRO HIS FATHER-IN-LAW, to obtain his permission to go to Egypt, for he had sworn to him that he would not leave Midian except by his permission (Nedarim 65a). He is here called יתר and he had seven names: Reuel, Jether, Jethro, Keni, Hobab, Cheber and Putiel (cf. Mekhilta)

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

FOR ALL THE MEN ARE DEAD — Who were these men? Dathan and Abiram: Really they were still alive, but they had come down in the world, having lost their property, and a poverty-stricken man may well be regarded as dead (Nedarim 64b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

על החמור UPON “THE” ASS — the ass designated for this purpose: this was the ass which Abraham had saddled for the purpose of travelling to bind Isaac on Mount Moriah, and this, too, is the ass upon which King Messiah will once show himself in public, as it is said, (Zechariah 9:9) “[Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, …] lowly and riding upon an ass” (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31).

וישב ארצה מצרים ויקח משה את מטה AND HE RETURNED TO THE LAND OF EGYPT: AND MOSES TOOK THE STAFF [OF GOD] — “Earlier and later” are not strictly observed in the Scriptures (i. e. incidents are not necessarily related in the exact order in which they occur. Here it should state: He took the staff etc. and returned to Egypt; cf. v. 17).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

בלכתך לשוב מצרימה וגו׳ WHEN THOU GOEST TO RETURN TO EGYPT, [SEE THAT THOU DO etc.] — Understand that you should go thither with this purpose in mind: that you should be vigorous in carrying out my mission — to do all my wonders before Pharaoh and that you should not be afraid of him.

אשר שמתי בידך [THE WONDERS] WHICH I HAVE PUT IN THY HAND — Not in reference to the three signs mentioned above was God speaking, for he had not commanded him to do these before Pharaoh, but before Israel in order that they might believe in him, nor do we find that he did them before him. But God meant: those wonders which I shall in future place in thy hand in Egypt — such as (Exodus 7:9) “When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, [saying, show a wonder (מופת) for yourselves]”. Do not be puzzled because it is written אשר שמתי (a past tense), for the following is what it means: when you will be speaking with him I shall already have put them into thy hand.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואמרת אל פרעה AND THOU SHALT SAY UNTO PHARAOH — When you perceive that his heart is stubborn and that he refuses to let them go speak to him thus:

בני בכרי [ISRAEL IS] MY SON, MY FIRSTBORN — The term בכור “firstborn” denotes high dignity as, (Psalms 89:28) “I also will appoint him a בכור” (which is explained by the following words, “the highest of the kings of the earth”). This is the literal meaning; a Midrashic comment is: Here (in these words) the Holy One, blessed be He, set His seal to the sale of the birthright which Jacob had purchased from Esau (Genesis Rabbah 63:14).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואמר אליך AND I HAVE SAID UNTO THEE, as a messenger of the Omnipresent God, שלח את בני LET MY SON GO,

הנה אנכי הרג וגו׳ BEHOLD I WILL SLAY etc. — This, it is true, was the last of the plagues, but it was by mention of it that God gave him the first warning regarding the plagues that would come upon him, because this was the severest of them all. This is what Scripture means by, (Job 36:22) “Behold God is mighty in His power”, therefore “Who is a teacher like unto Him?” — This signifies: A human being who intends to avenge himself upon his fellow keeps his plans secret in order that he may not seek means of escape. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is so mighty in His power that there is no possibility of escape from His hand except by returning to Him in penitence. Just on this account He teaches him (informs him what punishment will befall him) and so warns him to return to Him (Exodus Rabbah 9:9).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויהי AND HE WAS — Moses was — DURING THE JOURNEY IN THE LODGING PLACE.

ויבקש המיתו AND HE SOUGHT TO PUT HIM TO DEATH — the angel sought etc., because he had not circumcised his son Eliezer; and because he had showed himself remiss in this, he brought upon himself the punishment of death. It has been taught in a Boraitha (Nedarim 31b): Rabbi José said: God forbid that this was so; Moses had not been remiss in this duty; but he thought, “If I circumcise him and immediately proceed on the journey, the child’s life will be in danger for three days. If, on the other hand, I circumcise him and wait three days — the Holy One, blessed be He, has commanded me, “Go return to Egypt!” Consequently, he obeyed His command, intending to circumcise the child as soon as the opportunity presented itself. There was therefore no remissness on his part; why, then, was he threatened with punishment? Because he busied himself with the affairs of the lodging place first, (i. e. because when he arrived at the inn he troubled himself first about eating and drinking. He should first have circumcised his son. Being now so much nearer Egypt, the danger that follows upon the circumcision was not so great, since the interval of time between the operation and his arrival in Egypt was now shorter than if he had circumcised him before he set out on the journey). See this in Treatise Nedarim. — The angel became a kind of serpent and swallowed him (Moses) from his head to his thigh, spued him forth, and then again swallowed him from his legs to that place (the membrum). Zipporah thus understood that this had happened on account of the delay in the circumcision of her son (Nedarim 32a; cf. Exodus Rabbah 5:8).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ותגע לרגליו AND CAST IT AT HIS FEET — i. e. she cast it before Moses’ feet (Talmud Yerushalmi Nedarim 3:9).

ותאמר AND SHE SAID, referring to her son:

כי חתן דמים אתה לי which means, thou hast brought it about that my bridegroom (Moses) was on the point of being killed because of thee: thou hast been to me my husband’s murderer.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וירף SO HE LOOSENED HIS HOLD — the angel loosened his hold ממנו FROM HIM; (cf. Exodus Rabbah 5:8). אז THEN she understood that he had come to kill him because of the delay in the circumcision,

אמרה חתן דמים למלות SHE SAID “BRIDEGROOM OF BLOOD BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMCISION” — my bridegroom was on the point of being killed on account of the circumcision.

למלות means on account of (ל) the circumcision (מולות). The word מולות it a noun, and the ל prefixed it used in the tense of על, “on account of”, just as in (Exodus 14:3) “And Pharaoh will say regarding the children (לבני) of Israel”. Onkelos, however, translated the word דמים as having reference to the blood of the circumcision (whilst, according to Rashi, it refers to the blood of Moses which was about to be shed).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואחר באו משה ואהרן AND AFTERWARDS MOSES AND AARON CAME — But the elders slipped away one by one from behind Moses and Aaron until every-one of them had slipped away before they arrived at the palace, because they were afraid to go there. At Sinai they were punished for this, for it is stated (Exodus 24:2) “And Moses alone shall draw near unto the Lord, but they, (the elders; cf. Exodus 24:1) shall not draw near” — He bid them stay behind. (Exodus Rabbah 5:14)

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

פן יפגענו LEST HE LIGHT ON US — They should have said, “Lest He light on thee (Pharaoh) [with pestilence] etc.” — but they showed respect to royalty (the king) by thus expressing themselves. This term פגיעה “lighting on”, “meeting” denotes meeting with death (Exodus Rabbah 5:15).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

תפריעו את העם ממעשיו means ye detach and take them away from their work, because they listen to you and believe that they may refrain from the work. Similar are: (Proverbs 4:15) “פרעהו pass not by it”, i. e. keep it far from thee, pass not by it; (Proverbs 1:25) “and ye withdraw (ותפרעו) all my counsel”; (Exodus 32:25) “for it is פרע” i. e. it had removed itself from the proper path and had made itself a thing to be abhorred (but cf. Rashi on this verse where he explains the word by מגולה — נתגלה שמצו וקלונו).

לכו לסבלתיכם. GO YE UNTO YOUR BURDENS — Go to your work which you have to do at home; but it cannot signify “go to your labours as slaves”, for he was speaking to Moses and Aaron who were of the tribe of Levi, and the work of Egyptian slavery had not been imposed on the tribe of Levi. You may know that this was so, because Moses and Aaron went and came just as they pleased (Exodus Rabbah 5:16).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הן רבים עתה עם הארץ BEHOLD THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND NOW ARE MANY upon whom lies the duty of working, and you make them rest from their burdens — this is a great loss to us, since so many will refrain from work.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הנגשים THE TASKMASTERS — These were Egyptians, and the שוטרים, bailiffs, were Israelites (cf. vv. 14, 15, 19) (Exodus Rabbah 5:18). A taskmaster (נוגש), was given charge over many bailiffs, and a שוטר was one who was appointed to have control over the workmen.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

תבן STRAW — In old French estouble; English stubble. They used to knead this into the clay.

לבנים BRICKS — old French tuiles: English tiles, which they make from clay and dry in the sun; sometimes they are burnt in a kiln.

כתמול שלשם means as you have been doing UP TILL NOW (not “yesterday and the day before” as is the literal meaning, but merely “formerly”).

וקששו means AND LET THEM GATHER.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואת מתכנת הלבנים means the total number of bricks which each made per day when straw was being supplied to them — that total you shall impose upon them now also, in order that the service may be hard upon them.

כי נרפים signifies because they have loosened themselves from the work; therefore (this word in Rashi corresponds to על כן in the Hebrew text) their mind turns to idleness and they cry out, saying, נלכה וגו׳ LET US GO [AND SACRIFICE etc.].

מתכנת — This word, and ותכן (v. 18), and the words of the same root in (I Samuel 2:3) “And by Him actions are counted (נתכנו)” and in (2 Kings 12:12) “the money that was counted (המתכן)”, all have the meaning of counting.

נרפים — The work is loose (רפויה) in their hand and neglected by them so that they are loosened (הם נרפים) from it. In old French retrait.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואל ישעו בדברי שקר AND LET THEM NOT REGARD VAIN WORDS — let them not think and speak always about “words of wind” saying, “Let us go and sacrifice”. Of similar meaning is, (Psalm 119:117) “And I will speak of (ואשעה ב־) thy statutes continually”. The phrase (Deuteronomy 28:37) למשל ולשנינה “[thou shalt become] a proverb and a byword” we translate in the Targum by “a topic of conversation (שועי)”, and the word ויספר (Genesis 24:66) “and he related” by ואשתעי “and he spoke about”. One cannot possibly say that the word ישעו has the same meaning as the verbs in (Genesis 4:4) “And the Lord turned (וישע) to Abel” and in (Genesis 4:4) “but to Cain and his offering he did not turn (שעה)”, and that we must translate אל ישעו by “Let them not turn”, for if this were so Scripture should have written אל דברי שקר or לדברי שקר (instead of בדברי) for so is the construction in all such cases. Examples are: (Isaiah 17:7) “A man shall turn to (ישעה אל) his Maker”; (Isaiah 17:8) “and he shall not turn to (ישעה על) the altars”; (Isaiah 31:1) “they turn not unto (שעו על) the Holy One of Israel”. I do not find the construction of a ב following these verbs in the sense of “turning to”, but after an expression of דבר “speaking” — as when one intently directs his conversation upon a matter — the construction with כ is quite an appropriate one. For instance: (Ezekiel 33:30) “those who intently direct their conversation (הנדברים) upon thee (בך)”; (Numbers 12:1) “And Miriam and Aaron directed their speech (ותדבר) upon Moses (במשה)”; (Zechariah 4:1) “And the angel who directed his conversaion (הדובר) upon me (בי)”; (Deuteronomy 11:9) “To turn your conversation (לדבר) intently upon them (בם)”; (Psalm 119:46) “And I will direct my speech (אדברה) upon thy testimonies (בעדותיך)”. So, too, here: ואל ישעו בדברי שקר means “let them not always be conversing about vain and idle matters”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אתם לכו קחו לכם תבן GO, YE, TAKE TO YOURSELVES STRAW — and you will have to go pretty quickly,

כי אין נגרע מעבודתכם דבר FOR THERE SHALL NOT BE DIMINISHED OF YOUR WORK A SINGLE THING from the whole total of bricks which you used to make daily when straw was supplied to you, ready to use, from the king’s store.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לקשש קש לתבן means TO MAKE A GATHERING, to make a collection FOR the purpose of STRAW for the clay.

קש denotes collecting. Because stubble is something that is strewn about and must be gathered (קושש) it is called קש in other passages.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אצים means PRESSING.

דבר יום ביומו means the full quantity due each day complete it on that day, as ye used to do when straw was ready at hand.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויכו שטרי בני ישראל AND THE BAILIFFS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL … WERE SMITTEN — These bailiffs were Israelites and they spared their fellow-Israelites, not urging them on to their work. When they handed over the bricks to the taskmasters who were Egyptians and something was deficient in the total they used to beat them because they had not urged on the Israelitish workmen. On this account these bailiffs were privileged to become members of the Sanhedrin later on, and there was taken some of the prophetical spirit that was upon Moses and it was placed upon them, as it is said, (Numbers 11:16) “Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel [whom thou knowest]” — of those about whom thou knowest the kindly acts which they did in Egypt, “for they are the real elders of the people having been their bailiffs” (Exodus Rabbah 5:20).

ויכו שטרי בני ישראל אשר שמו נגשי פרעה THEN WERE SMITTEN THE BAILIFFS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHOM PHARAOH’S TASKMASTERS HAD PUT as bailiffs עליהם OVER THEM (i. e. over the Israelites) לאמר מדוע וגו׳ SAYING, WHEREFORE etc. — Why were they beaten? because they (the taskmasters) said to them (the bailiffs) WHEREFORE DID YE NOT FINISH (גם תמול גם היום) BOTH YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY THE TASK SET FOR YOU (חקכם) IN MAKING BRICKS as ye did yesterday-in-the-third-degree (כתמול שלשם) — which means the day before yesterday — which was the time when straw was given to them.

Heb. וַיֻכּוּ They were the object of an action. [The word is in the “hoph’al” conjugation, the recipient of the “hiph’il.”] They were beaten by others; the taskmasters beat them.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ולבנים אמרים לנו AND BRICKS THEY — the taskmasters — SAY TO US עשו MAKE, just as the former number.

וְחָטָאת עַמֶּךָ BUT THE FAULT IS IN THINE OWN PEOPLE — If the word וחטאת had the vowel Patach under the ט I would say that it is a noun in the construct state, so that the meaning would be, “and this thing is the sin of thy people” But now, since the vowel is Kametz, it is a noun in the absolute case, and its meaning is as follows: “And this thing brings sin upon thy people”, as though it were written וחטאת לעמך. Sirnilarly we find ל omitted in, (Ruth 1:19) “When they were come בית לחם” which is the same as לבית לחם, to Bethlehem, and there are many similar examples.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ותכן לבנים means THE NUMBER OF THE BRICKS; similar is (2 Kings 12:12) “the money המתכן”, i. e. the money which was counted, just as it states in that passage (v. 11), “and they put it up in bags and counted the money”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויראו שטרי בני ישראל The meaning is: AND THE BAILIFFS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID SEE [THEM] i. e. their fellow-lsraelites who were ruled by them,

ברע — they saw them in the misfortune and trouble that befell them, because they had to make the labour hard upon them. לאמר לא תגרעו וגו׳ BY SAYING, YE SHALL NOT DIMINISH etc.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ויפגעו AND THEY MET — men of Israel met — את משה ואהרן וגו׳ MOSES AND AARON etc.; Our Rabbis explained that wherever it speaks of people “quarelling” (2:13; cf. Rashi on that verse) or “standing” these were Dathan and Abiram about whom it is stated (Numbers 16:27) “[And Dathan and Abiram] came out standing” (Nedarim 64b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

למה הרעתה לעם הזה WHEREFORE HAST THOU DONE SO EVIL TO THIS PEOPLE? — And if You ask, “What concern is that of yours?” I answer “I have to complain that You have sent me at all” (Exodus Rabbah 5:22).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הרע This is an expression denoting “he has caused something to happen” — he (Pharaoh) has brought even more evil upon them. It must be translated in the Targum by אבאיש “he has treated badly”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

עתה תראה וגו׳ NOW THOU SHALT SEE etc. — You have criticised My methods of guiding the world. You are not like Abraham to whom I said. (Genesis 21:12) “for through Isaac shall seed be raised unto thee” and to whom I afterwards said, (Gen 22:2) “bring him up as a burnt offering”, and yet he did not criticise My ways, therefore, עתה תראה NOW THOU SHALT SEE — what will now be done to Pharaoh thou shalt see, but thou shalt not see what will be done to the kings of the seven nations of Canaan when I shall bring them (the Israelites) into the Holy Land (cf. Sanhedrin 111a).

כי ביד חזקה ישלחם this means: for on account of My strong hand (i. e. the strong hand which I will use against him, the ב in ביד denoting “on account of”) — which will prove strong against him he will send them away.

וביד חזקה יגרשם מארצו AND WITH A STRONG HAND SHALL HE DRIVE THEM OUT OF HIS LAND — against the will of the Israelites themselves will he drive them out of his land: they will not have sufficient time to prepare provisions for themselves for the journey. So, indeed, does Scripture state: (Exodus 12:33) “And Egypt was urgent (תחזק. lit., was strong) upon the people etc.”.