Another matter: Rabbi Elazar said: When Israel was redeemed from Egypt, they were redeemed only due to these five matters: Due to distress, due to repentance, due to the merit of the patriarchs, due to mercy, and due to the end.46According to this view, God had decreed that Abraham’s descendants would be “strangers in a land that is not theirs…four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13), and that this period began from the birth of Isaac.
Therefore, once that time period ended, it was time for Israel to be redeemed (Etz Yosef). Due to distress, as it is written: “The children of Israel sighed” (Exodus 2:23). Due to repentance, as it is written: “Their plea rose to God” (Exodus 2:23).47The fact that their pleas rose to God and were accepted indicates that they had repented. Alternatively, see Etz Yosef based on the Jerusalem Talmud.
Due to the merit of the patriarchs, as it is written: “God remembered His covenant [with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob]” (Exodus 2:24). Due to mercy, as it is written: “God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:25).48He saw their plight and had mercy on them. And due to the end, as it is written: “And God knew” (Exodus 2:25).49He knew that the time had come to fulfill His promise to Abraham (see Shemot Rabba 1:36).
In the future, too, they will be redeemed only due to those five matters: Due to distress, as it is written: “When you are in distress” – that is due to distress. “You will return to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 4:30) – that is due to repentance. “As the Lord your God is a merciful God” (Deuteronomy 4:31) – that is due to mercy. “Nor forget the covenant of your fathers” (Deuteronomy 4:31) – that is due to the merit of the patriarchs.
“And all these matters befall you by the end of days” (Deuteronomy 4:30) – this is due to the end. David articulated them: “He saw their distress” (Psalms 106:44) – that is due to distress. “When He heard their cry” (Psalms 106:44) – that is due to repentance. “He remembered His covenant for them” (Psalms 106:45) – that is due to the merit of the patriarchs.
“He caused them to receive mercy” (Psalms 106:46) – that is due to mercy. “Save us, Lord our God, and gather us in and save us from the nations” (I Chronicles 16:35)50See also Psalms 106:47. – this is due to the end.