What is the translation of "be'Shalach Par'oh es ha'Am"?
Targum Onkelos: 'When Par'oh sent the people away'. 1
Targum Yonasan: 'When Par'oh set the people free'. 2
Mechilta: 'When Par'oh accompanied the people'. 3
Mechilta: As a reward Hashem commanded Yisrael "Lo Sesa'ev Mitzri" (not to abhor an Egyptian). See Ki Seitzei, Devarim, 23:8, where the Pasuk gives a different reason for the prohibition?
Implying completely - that they did not need to return, which explains why they were free to travel to Eretz Cana'an via the land of the P'lishtim, had Hashem so wished. And it was following a change of heart that he chased after them (as Hashem planned).
See Torah Temimah, note 67.
Why does the Torah say "be'Shalach Par'oh es ha'Am and not ''be'Tzeis ha'Am'?
Refer to 13:17:0.1.3.
Oznayin la'Torah: In order to deride Par'oh, who said earlier "ve'Gam es Yisrael Lo Ashale'ach".
What does the Torah mean when it gives the reason for not taking Yisrael via the land of the P'lishtim (the shortest route) as "Ki Karov Hu"?
Rashi Rashbam and Ramban #1 (citing the Ibn Ezra): Hashem was afraid that, since it was close and easy to return to Egypt the way they had come, at the slightest excuse, they would make their way back. 1
Ramban #2: It is not the reason why Hashem did not take them via the P'lishtim, but why He ought to have done so. 2
Hadar Zekenim #1, Da'as Zekenim #1 and Rosh: The P'lishtim were relatives of the Egyptians. 3 Consequently, since Yisrael fled from the Egyptians - their relatives - they would be prone to fight Yisrael and return them to their relatives. 4. Da'as Zekenim #2 and Hadar Zekenim #2: Hashem did this favor 4 for Yisrael, since they are His relatives. - "Am Kerovo."
Hadar Zekenim #3: The Shevu'ah that Avraham made to Avimelech (Bereishis 21:23) not to harm his son or grandson was close (had not yet expired). 5
Da'as Zekenim #3: The Kena'anim had recently inherited the land. It says (Bereishis 15:16) "Dor Revi'i Yashuvu Henah"; so Hashem kept them in the Midbar for 40 years (until it was time for them to return).
Da'as Zekenim #4: If they will enter Eretz Yisrael quickly, they will engage with their fields and neglect Torah. Rather, they will be 40 years in the Midbar with their food and water supplied, and [Torah] will be settled in their bodies.
Da'as Zekenim #5: When the Kena'anim heard that Yisrael left Egypt, they said that we will take the land from them, so they ruined it. Hashem promised Avraham that his seed will inherit a land filled with good, so He detained them in the Midbar so the Kena'anim could fix what they ruined - "va'Ani Yisarti Chizakti Zero'osam" (Hoshe'a 7:16).
Rashi and Rashbam: Which they attempted to do, even now when He took them on a longer route (See Bha'aloscha Bamidbar, 14:3 & 4). See Ramban's objection to this explanation. The Moshav Zekenim maintains that "Karov" cannot refer to "Derech", which is feminine. (However, the Gemara Kidushin 2b states that 'Derech' can be feminine or masculine! - PF)
Ramban: Because it was the shortest and most convenient route (because, once they crossed the Nile, they would be in Eretz P'lishtim, which is part of Eretz Yisrael - Hadar Zekenim and Da'as Zekenim). Proof of this is the fact that Yitzchak went to G'rar, which is a town in P'leshes, and we know that he was forbidden to go to Chutz la'Aretz! According to R"M, Eretz P'lishtim is mainly in Chutz la'Aretz, but a strip enters Eretz Yisrael.
See Bereishis 10:13 & 14.
Da'as Zekenim: The favor was to conduct with them unlike Derech Eretz. The word P'lishtim in the middle of this Drashah has no meaning. (PF) Refer to 13:17:152:3 and note.
Oznayim la'Torah: It had expired for Yisrael, whose lives were curtailed due to their harsh conditions (See Oznayim la'Torah). Refer also to Bereishis, 21:23:0.1:2 and note.
Which war is the Pasuk referring to?
Rashi (citing the Mechilta) and Ramban #2: The Pasuk is referring to any future war that they might be forced to enter into, such as that of the Amoleki and the Kena'ani, as recorded in Shelach (Bamidbar 14:45).
Ramban #1: It is referring to the battle with the P'lishtim, which they would have had to enter into had they traveled along that route. 1
Rashbam: It is referring to the battles pertaining to the conquest of Cana'an.
Seforno: Since the route via P'lishtim was close to Egypt and was used by many travelers, Par'oh was bound to receive a report about Yisrael's whereabouts, as a result of which he would gather an army to attack Yisrael, who would take fright and return to Egypt. 2 So Hashem took them on a roundabout route via uninhabited terrain. 3
Targum Yonasan: This refers to the two hundred thousand 4 men of Efrayim, who left Egypt early and went to Cana'an by way of the P'lishtim, were they began to plunder the herds of cattle belonging to the men of Gas, who annihilated them . 5 Hashem knew that, if Yisrael would travel the same route and come across the remains of the B'nei Efrayim, they would take fright and return to Egypt. 6
Now that they traveled via the desert, they were not destined to encounter any wars until they reached the land of Sichon and Og. As for the battle with Amalek (later in the Parshah), that was no reason to return to Egypt, seeing as it was not they (Yisrael) who arrived in their land, but Amalek who attacked them, and they had no option but to fight in self-defense. Moreover, they were already too far away from Egypt to make their way back on their own (Ramban).
Just as some of them wanted to do at the Yam-Suf (See Targum Yonasan 14:13). Targum Yonasan adds that they were the dry bones that Yechezkel would bring back to life in the time of Nevuchadnetzar (See Na'ar Yonasan).
Indeed, when Par'oh suddenly caught up with them at the Yam-Suf (See below 14:10) they wanted to return, but were unable to, since Par'oh would not have accepted them (Seforno, Pasuk 18).
Presumably, this ought to read two hundred and forty thousand (Refer to 12:38:2:1**). (EC)
Targum Yonason: This was a Divine punishment for leaving Egypt thirty years before the allotted time. And the reason tthat they were so severly punished for a mistake - counting the decree of four hundred years from B'ris Bein ha'Besarim (See Targum Yonason Bereishis' 50:25) - is because Yosef made them swear not to leave Egypt until two redeemers would come and say to them "Pakod Yifkod."
Targum Yonasan adds that they were the dry bones that Yechezkel would bring back to life in the time of Nevuchadnetzar (See Na'ar Yonasan).
How could Hashem even contemplate taking Yisrael via the land of P'lishtim, bearing in mind that He intended to first take them to Har Sinai to receive the Torah, as He told Moshe by the Burning Bush (See Sh'mos, 3:12)?
Seforno: The quickest way to Har Sinai was, in fact, via the land of P'leshes. Nevertheless, Hashem deliberately took Yisrael on a longer route via the Yam-Suf, in order to drown the Egyptians there.
Seeing as "Vay'hi" always denotes something sad, who distressed at the fact that Par'oh sent Yisrael away?
Hadar Zekenim #1: Initially, Par'oh did not hold Yisrael in high esteem. But when he saw them by the Yam-Suf encamped as an army according to the four Degalim, he regretted having sent them away. 1
Hadar Zekenim #2: Par'oh was distressed at having suffered the ten plagues and because Egypt was emptied [of its wealth], and because he sent Yisrael away. 2
Hadar Zekenim #3: The Cana'anim bemoaned that Yisrael will receive their land. A parable for this - a king had a small son. He gave the land to a servant, to return it to the son when he will mature. When the son matured, the servant bemoaned the loss of the land.
Hadar Zekenim #4: Egypt bemoaned sending Yisrael. Until now, if there is a Makah, Moshe prays for us. Now, if Hashem brings a Makah on us, who will pray for us?!
Hadar Zekenim #5: Hashem bemoaned the fact that Par'oh sent them, and did not keep them longer, so He could bring on them more Makos and show His strong hand. 3
It seems that this Pasuk applies to when when he sent them away, at which point he was desperate for them to leave and to bless (pray for) him. See Bo, 12:31 (PF)
Hadar Zekenim: This can be compared to a king who ordered a servant to purchase fish for him. When the servant bought back a putrid fish, the king gave him the choice of either eating it or of receiving a hundred lashes or of paying a large fine. After opting to eat the fish, he realized that he would not be able to finish it, so he switched to the lashes. However, before even receiving fifty lashes, he realized that he would not be able to bear the full amount, so he agreed to pay. It transpires that he suffered all three punishments - eating, lashes and paying. Likewise, when Par'oh enslaved Yisrael excessively. Hashem gave him three options - either send them out be stricken or pay for their labor. He denied Hashem and refused, so Hashem decreed that he suffer all three.
This requires investigation. Hashem hardened Par'oh's heart in order to bring ten plagues. Had He wanted to bring more, He could have hardened his heart more! (PF)
What is the meaning of "ve'Lo Nacham Elokim"?
Rashi: It means 'And He did not lead them'.
Hadar Zekenim: It means tht Par'oh had no consolation for sending Yisrael away; it was a great loss. 1
P'sikta de'Rav Kahana 11 (partially cited in Hadar Zekenim): [Hashem] did not behave with Yisrael] with Derech Eretz (in the normal manner). Normally, water comes from above and food from below. But in the desert, food came from above and water from below! Normally, the Talmid goes in front and holds a lamp on behalf of the Rebbi. Here, Hashem went in front and lit up the night on behalf of Yisrael! 2
He will have consolation however, when he falls into Gehinom, and sees the other nations there. See Yechezkel 32:31.
Also other deviations are cited there. I heard that the Vilna Gaon proved from here that one may expound words of a Pasuk even if, according to the Drashah, the remaining words - such as P'lishtim Ki Karov) make no sense, thereby justifying the Hadar Zekenim's D'rashah. Refer to 13:17:152:2. (PF)
