Shabbat Morning Mattot Masei 5782

They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. It was on the morrow of the passover offering that the Israelites started out defiantly, in plain view of all the Egyptians.

The Egyptians meanwhile were burying those among them whom יהוה had struck down, every [male] first-born—whereby יהוה executed judgment on their gods.

ומצרים מקברים AND THIS EGYPTIANS WERE BURYING [ALL THEIR FIRSTBORN] — they were busily occupied in their mourning.

ובאלוהיהם עשה ה' שפטים, “and the Lord executed judgments on their gods.” Read שופטיהם, “their judges,” instead of their gods; “judgments” cannot be executed on inert idols. The Torah here uses a play on words, seeing that the word אלוהים is also used in the Torah for judges. (Compare Exodus 22,7)

Egypt was burying. The Egyptians did not know that Bnei Yisroel did not intend to return, since it was on this very condition that they lent them their items. This is the reason they pursued after them when it became known that Pharaoh had driven them out for good. If so, how was it that, Bnei Yisrael went out high handedly [in triumph]? This is why Scripture writes “And Egypt were burying…” They were busy with a painful matter.

They were preoccupied with their grief. Meaning: This is an explanation of what is written previously, “Yisroel left triumphantly.” For why would the Egyptians have allowed them to do so? Scripture explains that “Egypt was burying…” and thus they were preoccupied with their grief. If it had referred to the burial itself, this would not have been visible to all of Egypt. Now, given that the Torah writes, “Triumphantly, before the eyes of all Egyptians” this apparently repetitive language must certainly be to inform that all of them actually saw [the departure]. However, if they were burying, like the plain understanding, not everyone would have seen, for they would have to bury in the burial grounds. Therefore, Rashi explains that “they were preoccupied…” and “burying” means that they were also preoccupied with burial. R. Yaakov Triosh.

(Exodus 13:3) "This day you go out in the month of Aviv (spring)": Let this not be written (i.e., Why is it needed?) (To signify) a month that is kasher — neither burning sun nor (heavy) rains. And thus is it written (Psalms 68:7) "G d settles the solitary in their homes. He takes out the bound bakosharoth." What is the intent of "bakosharoth"? A month that is kasher for you. Neither burning sun nor (heavy) rains. R. Nathan says "bakosharoth": These (the Egyptians) crying ("bacho"); the others (Israel) singing ("meshorerim"). The Egyptians crying, viz. (Numbers 33:4) "And the Egyptians were burying, etc." And Israel singing, viz. (Psalms 118:15) "A sound of song and salvation in the tents of the righteous." (Ibid.) "The right hand of the L rd is uplifted" — over Egypt. R. Nathan says: "bakosharoth" — by the deeds of the "kesheiroth" (the virtuous women) among them. Rebbi says: in the merit of the mirrors of "the congregating women," viz. (Numbers 38:8). R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: In the merit of our father Abraham He took them out of Egypt, viz. (Psalms 105: 42-43) "For He remembered His sacred word to Abraham His servant, and He took out His people in gladness, His chosen ones, in song." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: He took them out in the merit of (the mitzvah of) circumcision, viz. (Ezekiel 16:6) "And I passed by you, and I saw you steeped in your blood, etc." Variantly: With zeal (that of the L rd) did Israel leave Egypt, viz. (Exodus 13:3) "For with strength of hand did the L rd take you out of here." Variantly: With their own zeal did they leave Egypt, viz. (Ibid. 12:15) "And thus shall you eat it, your thighs, girded (ready for the road), etc." Variantly (Psalms 68:7) "G d settles the solitary in their homes. He takes out the bound bakosharoth. But rebels dwelling in dryness, etc.": They were rebels, in spite of which He dealt with them with "kashruth." And thus is it written (Ezekiel 20:7-9) "And I said to them: Let each of you cast away the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt … and they rebelled against Me and would not listen to Me. They did not cast away the abominations of their eyes and they did not abandon the idols of Egypt … But I wrought for the sake of My name, that it not be profaned in the eyes of nations in whose midst they were, having made Myself known to them before their eyes to take them out of the land of Egypt." They were rebels — but He dealt with them with "kashruth."

Our sages explain that the words in 14,10: "And here Israel saw מצרים travelling behind them,” refer to the שר של מצרים. This is the reason the Torah speaks about מצרים instead of about מצריים. When the Israelites saw this, they were assailed by great doubts. At the time of the slaying of every first-born in Egypt they had believed that G–d personally was in their midst and that all these miracles had not been orchestrated with the help of angels, etc., but had been performed by G–d in His capacity as the four-lettered Ineffable Name. They had been convinced that the first-born highest-ranking שר של מצרים, had also been defeated and no longer existed. They had believed that G–d had disposed of that force because no one but G–d Himself was able to accomplish this! The very fact that the Egyptians had buried all their dead had served as a sign for the Israelites that G–d personally had struck down every first-born (as described in Numbers 33,4). When Israel saw that all the Egyptian first-born on earth had been slain, they naturally assumed that their שר in the upper regions had been slain also, because we know of the principle that the spiritual counterparts of the nations on earth suffer defeat in the Celestial Regions prior to the defeat of the nations on earth whom they represent. In this instance, however, the שר של מצרים had not yet been totally eliminated. When the Torah in Numbers 33,4 spoke about G–d having struck, i.e. הכה Egypt, this did not mean that G–d struck a fatal blow at that time. G–d had allowed the שר to survive until the Egyptians were drowned in the sea. The שר had already been weakened.

And יהוה had disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people, and they let them have their request; thus they stripped the Egyptians.

וישאילום, וינצלו את מצרים, they let them have what they asked; they emptied Egypt (of valuables). All this was a result of G'd giving the people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians so that the Egyptians lent them these trinkets against their will (the will of the Israelites). This proves that the Israelites were not prepared at that time to leave Egypt permanently else they themselves would have asked not only for what the Egyptians volunteered but for much more in order to enrich themselves. When the Torah writes that: "they emptied Egypt," the subject are the Egyptians themselves. From the above we see how correct the Talmud was in Berachot 9 where it is stated that the Israelites were so enamoured of the idea of leaving Egypt that financial gain did not interest them at that time. As a result G'd helped them acquire great possessions in a miraculous manner. All of this was a reward for their meritorious behaviour. [The author implies that if the Israelites had displayed greed by asking for a lot they never would have received as much as they did. Ed.]

וינצלו את מצרים, the Israelites had asked for precious jewelry and fancy garments which they used to dress up their children in. The expression is used again in Exodus 33,6 after the sin of the golden calf when the Jews had to divest themselves of their jewelry which they had obtained at the time of the revelation at Mount Sinai. [at that time it had been jewelry of a spiritual nature, i.e. the phylacteries. Ed.] At any rate, the expression וינצלו refers to jewelry.

With regard to the spoils taken from Egypt described in the verse: “And the Lord gave the nation grace in the eyes of Egypt, and they gave them what they requested and they emptied Egypt” (Exodus 12:36), Rabbi Ami said: This teaches that the Egyptians gave them what they requested against their will. There is a dispute with regard to the question: Against whose will? Some say it was given against the will of the Egyptians, and some say it was given against the will of Israel. The proponent of each position cites support for his opinion.

The Gemara relates: On another occasion, the people of Egypt came to judgment with the Jewish people before Alexander of Macedon. The Egyptian people said to Alexander: It says in the Torah: “And the Lord gave the people favor in the eyes of Egypt, and they lent them” (Exodus 12:36). Give us the silver and gold that you took from us; you claimed that you were borrowing it and you never returned it.