What was the point of reminding Bnei Yisrael of what they had seen?
Rashi: Hashem was pointing out to them that His connection with them was not indirect. 1 Rather, it was with their own eyes, that they had witnessed what Hashem had done to the Egyptians - whose sins had accumulated already before they started up with Yisrael, yet Hashem only punished them now, on account of what they did to Yisrael.
Seforno: He was highlighting His Midah of compassion - since Yisrael had seen firsthand how He pleaded with the Egyptians over and over again to repent, before punishing them. 2
Oznayim la'Torah: Hashem argued that if Yisro, who only heard from others about the miracles in Egypt, came to accept the Torah; Yisrael who witnessed them firsthand, how much more so! 3
Rashi: E.g., via second-hand accounts, or via witnesses who had seen Hashem at work. Gur Aryeh - Thus the emphasis, "Atem Re'isem."
Seforno: To teach them that He does not want "the dead to die," and it was only after they stubbornly refused to do Teshuvah that He found it necessary to increase His wonders against them and to destroy them.
Oznayim la'Torah: Based on the principle that 'seeing is more powerful than hearing.'
What event is "va'Esa Eschem Al Kanfei Nesharim" referring to?
Rashi #1: It is referring to the morning of the fifteenth of Nisan, when they left Egypt. Hashem gathered Yisrael, who were scattered all over the land of Goshen, together to Ra'meseis, before leaving Egypt.
Rashi #2 (to Shemos 12:37): It is referring to the day of the fifteenth of Nisan, when Hashem transported Yisrael out of Egypt from Ra'meseis to Sukos - a distance of 120 Mil - in no time at all. 1
Targum Yonasan: It is referring to the night of the fifteenth of Nisan in Egypt (when Yisrael were forbidden to leave their houses, and) when Hashem transported them to the location of the Beis-ha'Mikdash to bring the Korban Pesach. 2
Oznayim la'Torah: It is referring to the high spiritual level that they attained in an incredibly short time. On Erev Pesach, they took a lamb and relinquished the Avodah Zarah that they had previously worshipped in Egypt; and seven short days later, they not only "believed in Hashem and in Moshe His servant" (14:31), but they attained a level of prophecy and Hashra'as ha'Shechinah higher than that of Yechezkel ha'Navi. 3
See Sifsei Chachamim. Rashi does not know where Sukos was. Targum Yonasan (12:37) explains that the place was called Sukos because that is where they were joined by the (seven) Ananei Kavod (see Targum Yonasan).
See Perush Yonasan and Na'ar Yonasan.
As is hinted in the words "va'Avi Eschem Eilai." See Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates at length.
What is the significance of the "eagles' wings" mentioned here?
Rashi: Because, unlike other birds, who, more afraid of the eagle who soars above them, hold their young between their legs (thereby leaving them at the mercy of archers who shoot at them from the ground); eagles carry their young safely on their backs - so that, should the archers shoot at them, the arrows will pierce them and not their children. Much in the same way, on the night of Keri'as Yam-Suf, Egyptians fired arrows and slingshots at them, and the Pillar of Cloud containing the Shechinah (k'va'Yachol), moved in between the two camps and absorbed the projectiles, lest they hit Yisrael.
Seforno: Just as eagles fly high in the air along a route that no other birds venture, so too, did Hashem take Yisrael out into the desert, along a route that no other man would venture, in order to separate them from the abominations of Egypt and their practices, to become His nation.
Targum Yonasan: Refer to 19:4:2:3.
What did Hashem mean when He said, "va'Avi Eschem Eilai"?
Rashi and Rashbam: 'I brought you to worship Me' (to be for you a G-d - Rashbam).
Seforno: 'I brought you to the mountain of Hashem which has been designated for prophecy.'
Moshav Zekenim: "Avi" is an expression of Bi'ah, marital relations. Hashem was Mekadesh Yisrael through all three ways 3 via which man betroths his wife - 1. 'Kesef' - the booty of Egypt); 2. 'Shtar' - the Torah 4 and 3. 'Bi'ah.' 5
Ramban Where the Shechinah was currently located; hence the word "Eilai."
Targum Yonasan: I brought you [back] to Ra'meseis (see above, 19:4:2:3 ), and from Ra'meseis [to Har Sinai, in order] to receive My Torah.
It says "v'Eirastich Li" (I was Mekadesh you to Me) three times in Hoshe'a 2:21-22. (PF)
Presumably, this refers to the Luchos, which are called 'Eidus,' and which were written with His finger (below, 31:8). (This is like a signed document; also refer to Bereishis 48:9:151:1.) The Torah was not written yet, and it was not in Hashem's handwriting. Elsewhere, the Luchos are compared to a Kesuvah. Refer to 34:1:3:1* & 19:1:151:1*** (PF).
Moshav Zekenim: As the Pasuk states, "va'Efros Kenafi Alayich ... [va'Tih'yi Li]" (Yechezkel 16:8); and "v'Eirastich Li l'Olam ... " (Hoshe'a 2:21). Gur Aryeh (to 19:17, DH uv'Midrash) - A Midrash says that Hashem forced Yisrael to accept the Torah, so the law of coercion would apply, and He can never 'divorce' them. Even though He did not sin, the Chibur was totally due to Him without the recipient's Da'as, so it is permanent.
The Mechilta cites a Machlokes Tana'im as to what events our Pasuk refers to. According to R. Eliezer, "I carried you..." refers to their gathering together at Ra'meseis prior to the Exodus (see Rashi); and "I brought you unto Me" means 'to Sinai.' According to R. Akiva, "I carried you" at Sinai (when Yisrael faded backwards out of fright during the Aseres ha'Dibros); and "I brought you unto Me" - to the Beis ha'Bechirah (i.e., in the future). What is the basis for this Machlokes?
Maharal (Tif'eres Yisrael Ch. 28, p. 85): According to Rebbi Eliezer, Hashem's taking us unto Him as a nation, began at the Exodus from Egypt, and culminated at the Giving of the Torah. According to Rebbi Akiva, the ultimate attachment to Hashem would come in the Beis Hamikdash - a process which started with the Giving of the Torah. 1
But we still must explain - since the beginning of this Pasuk emphasizes "Atem Re'isem" - you yourselves witnessed the Exodus (see Mechilta and Rashi), how can the end of the Pasuk be referring to future events - which Bnei Yisrael would have to accept in faith, without having witnessed them personally? (EK)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "You saw what I did to Mitzrayim; and for how many sins they were liable unto Me, even before they got involved with you -- and [yet] I exacted punishment upon them, only due to [what they did to] you!" Why does Rashi add this?
Gur Aryeh: If the Egyptians were punished, then that was their own fault! Why should that be a reason that Yisrael should now accept the Torah? Rather, Hashem explained that when He punished Egypt, it was in order to grant favor to Yisrael, by exacting vengeance upon Yisrael's enemies.
Rashi writes: "And I bore you [on the wings of eagles] - That [occurred on] the day that Bnei Yisrael arrived at Ra'meseis...." Why does Rashi explain differently here, than he does in Parshas Bo (see above, 19:4:2) ?
Gur Aryeh: Both explanations are correct. Hashem brought Bnei Yisrael to Sukos swiftly - in order to bring them close to the Yam Suf, so as to lure Pharaoh towards his ultimate punishment there. But as our Pasuk continues, "... and I brought you unto Me." This would only describe the preceding stage, when Hashem gathered Yisrael quickly to the point of their Exodus - in order to bring them out of Egypt. 1
Also see Mizrachi.
Rashi writes: "'On the wings of eagles' - Like the eagle, which carries its young on its wings ... saying, 'Better that the arrow enter me, and not my children. I did likewise (14:19-20), when the Egyptians shot arrows and catapults [at you], and the Cloud caught them." But that event took place six days after the Exodus, at the Yam Suf! According to Rashi's preceding comment, the phrase "on the wings of eagles " refers to Hashem's gathering them from throughout Egypt, immediately prior to the Exodus - and no arrows were being shot at them just then!
Gur Aryeh: The entire chain of events should be considered one long continuum of Hashem "carrying" us - starting with gathering the Bnei Yisrael in Goshen, and until their arrival at Har Sinai. Just as the eagle doesn't always fly at high speeds, but only when necessary; so too Hashem at times brought us quickly, and at times intercepted the arrows shot at us.
Rashi writes: "'On the wings of eagles' - Like the eagle, which carries its young on its wings ... I did likewise, when the Egyptians shot their arrows [at you] ....'" In Rashi's preceding comment, the eagle is used as a metaphor of swiftness; and the event it alludes to was Bnei Yisrael gathering to Ra'meseis prior to the Exodus. Why does Rashi shift here to a different eagle metaphor - the way it protects its young (referring to Hashem protecting us at the Yam Suf)?
Gur Aryeh: If the metaphor was to the eagle's speed alone, the verse could have said, 'I carried you as an eagle does its young,' without mentioning wings. Had it referred to protection alone, it could have said, 'I carried you on wings,' without specifying the eagle. We see that the Pasuk must be alluding to both metaphors. 1
Furthermore, although as Rashi states, of all the bird species, only the eagle is unafraid of attack from above, and carries its young on its wings - and therefore it goes without saying that the bird in the metaphor must be an eagle - it nevertheless mentions the eagle outright, in order to allude to a second quality - its swiftness in reaching its destination. (EK)
Rashi writes: "... The Egyptians shot arrows and catapults [at you], and the Cloud caught them." But in his comments to 14:19, Rashi writes that it was the angel who had taken up position behind them, who intercepted the arrows?
Gur Aryeh: The angel caught the arrows by means of the Cloud. Refer to 14:19:2.2:1 .
