Why can the Torah not mean literally, that they spent the entire 430 years in Egypt?
Rashi: Because even if one adds up all the years of Kehas (who went down to Egypt with Yaakov), Amram his son, and the eighty years of Moshe his grandson, they will fall far short of 430 (let alone the fact that many of their years overlapped). 1
Rashi: In fact, they spent 210 years in Egypt (See Bereishis 42:2:1:1). See also Ramban, who explains that the tradition of 210 years began after the death of Yaakov (in which case, they actually spent 227 years in Egypt).
If they spent only 210 years in Egypt (see Rashi), why does the Torah write that they left Egypt after 430 years?
Rashi, Ramban and Rashbam (to 12:41): What the Torah means is that the last of the 430 years of Galus (over and above the years that the Avos spent in lands that were not theirs) were spent in Egypt, which they now left. 1
Targum Yonasan: The Pasuk means that there were thirty Shemitos of years (210) in Egypt, until reaching 430 years after Hashem told Avraham [about the Galus]. 2
Seeing as the Torah writes (in Parshas Lech Lecha, Bereishis 15:13) that the Galus would last 400 years, why does the Torah write here 430?
Rashi, Ramban #1 (citing the Seder Olam), Seforno, Rashbam and Targum Yonasan: The four hundred 1 years began from the birth of Yitzchak 2 (when Avraham was 100 years old); whereas the Pasuk here counts from Bris Bein ha'Besarim, which took place thirty years earlier, (when Avraham was seventy 3 ).
Ramban #2: Hashem said 400 years, but He added (see 15:16) that [only] "the fourth generation would return;" hinting that 400 years was not meant as precise, and that it would extend until the fourth generation of the Kena'anim. 4
Ramban #3 (citing the Ibn Ezra): Refer to Bereishis 15:13:3:3.
Ramban #4: The 400 years that Hashem told Avraham began with the Bris Bein ha'Besarim. Hashem promised Avraham that his children would be in Galus for 400 years, that they would not return for four generations, and that 'after that,' they would leave with great possessions (Bereishis 15:13-14). He did not, however, specify exactly what 'after that' entailed. Consequently, whether they would leave immediately, or only at some later time, would depend on their worthiness when the time arrived. And because when the time arrived, they were not worthy of redemption, 5 Hashem extended the Galus by thirty years. 6
Targum Yonasan: Refer to 12:40:2:2.
Moshav Zekenim (to 12:41): When Hashem decrees exile on a nation, He exiles their angels too. Thus "Yatze'u Kol Tziv'os Hashem" (12:41) refers to [Yisrael's] guardian angels 7 that were had been in Egypt for 430 years.
Yalkut Shimoni (Lech Lecha 62): Yisrael were there for 215 years, counting from the birth of Yosef's sons, five years before Ya'akov descended. The Mitzrim enslaved Yisrael, and made them work double, both day and night (and 2 x 215 = 430). 8
Kol Eliyahu (1:14): The Bnei Yisrael were in Egypt only 210 years; meaning that 190 years were deducted due to the harsh conditions of the slavery. The Ta'amim (cantillation notes) 'Kadma v'Azla' (which translate as 'went early') on the words "va'Yemareru Es Chayeihem" (1:14) hint at this; the Gematriya of 'Kadma v'Azla' is 190. Penimim mi'Shulchan ha'Gra (10:9) - The same Ta'amim appear on the words "b'Vaneinu u'vi'Venoseinu" (10:9); this hints that the 190 years were deducted due to the large numbers of children.
Rashi: As Hashem told Avraham in Parshas Lech-Lecha, "[Ki Ger Yiheyeh] Zar'acha" (Bereishis 15:13).
Ramban: When their sins would warrant their destruction (and Yisrael's remaining in the desert for forty years had nothing to do with the Emori's sins). It therefore transpires that Galus Mitzrayim lasted 400 years, plus another 30 years while they waited for the sins of the Emori to be complete (See Ramban, who cites a similar explanation regarding Devarim 2:14).
Ramban: See Yechezkel 20:8. Hashem would have extended it still further, and it is only due to their harsh treatment (refer to 12:40:3:1*), and their bitter cries, that He had compassion on them and took them out (see for example Shemos 2:23-24, and Devarim 27:7, as recorded in the Hagadah). The fact that Hashem gave the initial time of the Ge'ulah as 400 years, also explains why the Bnei Efrayim left Egypt thirty years before the rest of the people - see Sanhedrin 92b (also the opening of Targum Yonasan in Parshas Beshalach) - because they calculated correctly, and did not err (Ramban).
In the same way as He kept them in the desert due to the sin of the Meraglim, thereby delaying their return to their land by another forty years, as a result of which the fourth generation did not return as Hashem had originally told Avraham.
Many sources (for example, Pirkei d'R. Eliezer, 24), Otzar ha'Midrashim (Aseres ha'Dibros 3), Ramban to Devarim 32:12, Rikanti to Devarim 32:5, R. Bechayei to Shemos 25:18; also refer to 12:12:7.6:6 and 12:12:7.6:7;) say that only other nations are under the jurisdiction of an angel, but Yisrael are directly under the jurisdiction of Hashem. However, we find "Micha'el Sarchem" (Daniel 10:21); and Yalkut Shimoni (Vayishlach 132) says that Hashem appointed him over Yisrael. Zohar (2, Terumah 139a) calls him the Apotropos (overseer) of Yisrael (even though Shemos Rabah 18:5 implies that he is merely an advocate of Yisrael). Otzar Midrashim (Gan Eden and Gehinom; DH l'Asid) calls also Gavriel a Sar of Yisrael, and Sefer ha'Manhig (Tefilah 57) maintains that Refa'el is the third angel appointed over Yisrael to advocate for us. (PF)
Hadar Zekenim also learns like this, only he omitted counting from the birth of Yosef' sons. (I do not understand counting double 215 years due to the work at night, starting that early, since the slavery began only after Yosef died! (PF))
How can the years of Galus of the "Bnei Yisrael" include the years of Avraham and Yitzchak - bearing in mind that it was only from the time of Ya'akov that the name "Bnei Yisrael" came into existence?
Oznayim la'Torah: Seeing as Ya'akov was called 'Yisrael' because he fought and overcame with Sama'el - the angel of Esav, alias the Yetzer ha'Ra - See Bereishis 32:29), anyone who fights and overcomes Sama'el falls under the category of 'Bnei Yisrael.'
How can the Torah write "b'Eretz Mitzrayim" exclusively, seeing as many of the years of Galus were spent in Eretz Kena'an?
Oznayim la'Torah: Because Eretz Kena'an, during that period, paid taxes to Egypt 1 and was under their jurisdiction. 2 Perhaps it is because the majority of the 400 years were spent in Egypt, combined with the fact that those years comprised the most difficult part of the Galus.
Gur Aryeh: The Bnei Yisrael were pre-destined to go down to Egypt 3 by Hashem's command. Thus, even when our forefathers were still in Kena'an, prior to their descent, they were considered to be "based" in Egypt. 4 All of the events in their lives brought them closer to that descent to Egypt (e.g., the sale of Yosef).
See Oznayim la'Torah, who proves this from a Midrash Rabah. (This is known from external sources as well. See the book "Erkah Shel Eretz Yisrael" by Rabbi Yehudah Landy zt'l - Intro. p. 16, and pp. 64, 191, 197.)
Megilah 9a: It is due to this very question that when King Ptolemy placed the seventy elders in seventy separate rooms and asked them to translate the Torah into Greek, Hashem put into their heads to change the wording to 'Asher Yashvu b'Mitzrayim uv'Sha'arei Aratzos' - see 12:40:4.1 and its note.
Why Egypt specifically? (After all, the Bris Bein ha'Besarim did not specify in which land they would be strangers.) Refer to 12:36:2.1:2*.
Gur Aryeh: It was not merely a temporary stop-over, but rather their organic environment.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'430 years' - In total. [Counting] from Yitzchak's birth ... From the time Avraham had offspring, the verse 'your offspring will be strangers...' (Bereishis 15:13) was fulfilled." Why were they considered "strangers in a land not theirs," in the very Land of Kena'an that had been promised to them?
Gur Aryeh; Maharal (Gevuros Hashem, beg. Ch. 38, p. 141): The Bnei Yisrael were pre-destined by Hashem's command to descend to Egypt; they were already considered to be "based" there. 1 Thus, they were strangers in Kena'an.
See the preceding question, 12:40:3.2:2. Gur Aryeh - They were like a person who lives in a certain place, but sometimes visits elsewhere - only his permanent location is what defines him.
Rashi writes: "'430 years' - In total.... There were 30 years between the decree of [the Bris] Bein ha'Besarim, and the birth of Yitzchak." But we know that Avraham was commanded to leave Charan (Lech Lecha) for Eretz Kena'an, only at age 75 (Bereishis 12:4); and also that Avraham was age 100 at the time of Yitzchak's birth (Bereishis 21:5). How can these numbers be resolved?
Ibn Ezra: These additional 30 years are counted from when Avraham first left Ur Kasdim, intending to go to Eretz Kena'an; whereupon "they stopped in Charan, and remained there" (Bereishis 11:31) - for five years. Only then did Hashem command Avraham to complete his journey to Kena'an. These five years of sojourn in Charan are counted 1 towards the total of 430.
Ramban: When Hashem told Avraham that the exile would last "400 years" (Bereishis 15:13), it is not intended as a precise number. A subsequent verse adds an additional, unspecified amount - "[Only] the fourth generation will return here; for the sins of the Amorites will not be complete until then" (Bereishis 15:16). Our verse then means, 'The sojourn of Bnei Yisrael in Egypt was [tantamount] to 430 years;' - i.e., their term of exile was completed, and they would be not be exiled any further. 2
Gur Aryeh: The Midrash of Seder Olam writes that Hashem brought Avraham out of Ur Kasdim at age 70. Hashem brought Avraham to Eretz Kena'an already at that time, and they made the covenant of the Bris Bein ha'Besarim. Avraham then returned to Charan for five years; only to leave there permanently for Eretz Kena'an at age 75. 3
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem, beg. Ch. 38, p. 141): Perhaps the Pesukim are in sequence (i.e., and the Bris Bein ha'Besarim took place after Lech Lecha), yet the exile had been decreed even five years prior to that event. 4
But according to Ramban in Bereishis, Charan was actually Avraham's birthplace (refer to Bereishis 11:28:2:1, Bereishis 12:2:3.2:1, and Bereishis 12:4:1). Gur Aryeh - Nevertheless, Ramban still could have opted to count these years towards the exile. Avraham had already set out with Eretz Kena'an as his goal (Bereishis 11:31) - such that Charan was no longer his place.
According to Ramban, Parshas Lech Lecha must be learned in order -- Avraham reached Eretz Kena'an only at age 75, and the Bris Bein ha'Besarim took place a while afterwards. He therefore cannot explain that the additional 30 years are counting from the Bris Bein ha'Besarim. He also does not count Avraham's years in Charan prior to Lech Lecha (see above note, 12:40:4:1*). He must explain a different way.
Although this would deviate from the order of Parshas Lech Lecha, the Torah is not in chronological order (Ein Mukdam u'Me'uchar ba'Torah).
Maharal (loc .cit.): (As a parallel, Hashem decreed the Mabul 120 years beforehand, even before He informed Noach of it.) And Avraham was in fact a stranger during those five years; he had already left Ur Kasdim, residing in Charan.
Rashi writes: "'430 years' - ... This is one of the matters that [the Sages] changed [when translating the Torah] for King Ptolemy." How did they translate this verse?
Gur Aryeh: See Megilah 9a - 'The sojourn of the Bnei Yisrael, which they dwelt in Egypt and in other lands, was 430 years 1 ....'
Maharsha (to Megilah 9a): Our text in Gemara Megilah makes a second change -- they wrote '400 years,' rather than 430, in order to directly parallel Bereishis 15:13.
