Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Reader

(Exodus 17:14) "And the L–rd said to Moses: Write this as a remembrance in the book and place it in the ears of Joshua": The early elders said: So is it with all the generations. The rod with which Israel is smitten, in the end, will be smitten itself. Let all men learn from Amalek, who came to smite Israel, and whom the Holy One Blessed be He "smote" out of this world and the world to come. As it is written (Ibid.) "for blot out will I blot out the remembrance of Amalek."

And thus, the wicked Pharaoh, who subjugated Israel — the Holy One Blessed be He drowned him in the Red Sea, viz. (Psalms 136:15) "And He shook out Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea." And thus, every people and kingdom that arises to harm Israel will be harmed in the same manner. "As one metes it out, so is it meted out to him," viz. (Exodus 18:11) "for (they were destroyed) by the (very) thing (water) whereby they devised evil against them."

(Exodus 19:3) "And Moses went up to G–d": This was on the second day. "and the L–rd called to him": We are hereby apprised that the calling preceded the speaking. "Thus shall you say": "thus" — in the holy tongue. "Thus" — in this order. "Thus" — on this matter. "Thus" — that you do not detract and that you not add.

(Exodus 21:4) "If his master gives him a wife": ("If" here connotes) optionality. But perhaps it is mandatory? (This is not so, for) "If alone (i.e., without a wife) he came, alone shall he go out" connotes what is optional and not what is mandatory. These are the words of R. Yishmael.

(Exodus 22:30) "And men of holiness shall you be to me": R. Yishmael says: When you are holy, you are Mine. Issi b. Yehudah says: When the Holy One Blessed be He originates a mitzvah for Israel, He adds holiness to them. Issi b. Guriah says: It is written here (Devarim 14:21) "holy" ("for a holy people are you … You shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk"), and, elsewhere (Exodus, Ibid.) "holiness." Just as here ("a kid, etc.") the prohibition is eating, so, there, ("treifah") the prohibition is eating.

(Exodus 35:1) "And Moses assembled, etc." What is the intent of this section? From (Ibid. 25:8) "and they shall make for Me a sanctuary," I might think both on a weekday and on the Sabbath. And how would I understand (Ibid. 31:14) "Those who profane it shall be put to death"? As referring to their labors, other than those for the sanctuary. (Or, even to the labors for the sanctuary.) And how would I understand "And they shall make for Me a sanctuary"? As referring to other days, other than the Sabbath. Or, even on the Sabbath, etc.

R. Akiva says: This is one of the three things which Moses could not visualize until they were pointed out to him by the L–rd. Likewise, (Leviticus 11:29) "And this shall be unclean for you from among all the things that swarm upon the earth." (Likewise,) (Numbers 8:4) "And this is the work of the menorah." Others say: He was likewise perplexed as to slaughtering, viz. (Numbers 29:38) "And this is what you shall do upon the altar."

Variantly: "Chiroth" connotes the place of their (Israel's) freedom ("cheruthan"), a choice place for them (the Egyptians), the place of their idolatry. In the past it was called Pithom, viz. (Exodus 1:11) "And it (Israel) built treasure cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Ramses." They (the Egyptians) stopped (calling it Pithom) and called it Pi Chachiroth because it disappointed ("me'achereth" [lit., "delayed"]) its worshippers (by not stopping Israel from escaping).

Variantly: He exalted me at the (Red) Sea, viz. (Exodus 14:19) "And the angel of G–d who went before the camp of Israel, etc." I, likewise, exalted Him at the sea and chanted song before Him, viz. "I shall sing to the L–rd for He is high on high."

"and they encamped there by the waters": R. Elazar Hamodai says: When the Holy One Blessed be He created His world, He created twelve springs, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Jacob, and seventy date-palms, corresponding to the seventy elders. What is the intent of "and they encamped there by the water"? They preoccupied themselves there with the study of the (sections of the) Torah which had been given to them at Marah.

"and flesh in the field, treifah ("torn"): This tells me only of the field. Whence do I derive (that a treifah is forbidden also) in the house? From (Leviticus 22:8) "Neveilah (carrion) and treifah he shall not eat." Treifah is likened to neveilah. Just as neveilah is forbidden both in the house and in the field, so, treifah. If so, why is "field" (specifically) written here? Scripture speaks of the common instance.

And it would follow (that labors for the sanctuary would override the Sabbath, viz.:) If the sacrificial service, which comes only from the enablers, (i.e., the vessels, etc.) overrides the Sabbath, then the (fixing of) the enablers of the sacrificial service, which (service) comes only from them — how much more so should they (i.e., their fixing) override the Sabbath! So that if the horn of the altar were removed or if the (sacrificial) knife were damaged, I would think they could be repaired on the Sabbath. It is, therefore, written "And Moses assembled, etc." (where the exhortation against working on the Sabbath (Ibid. 35:2-3) precedes their being charged with the work of the sanctuary — to teach that such work is to be done) on the weekday, and not on the Sabbath).

And the children of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth, and from Succoth to Eitam, and from Eitam to Pi Hachiroth. On the fifth day (of the week) they journeyed from Egypt, and they came to Ramses. On the sixth day and on the Sabbath they rested there, and on the first day of the week, the fourth day of their journeying, Israel began to prepare their vessels and preparing their beasts to leave, at which their (Egyptian) emissaries said to them: Your time has arrived to return to Egypt (viz. [5:3] "Let us go a three days' distance, etc."), whereupon Israel said to them: When we left, was it by leave of Pharaoh? (viz. Numbers 33:3) "On the morrow of the Pesach the children of Israel went out with a high hand") — to which the emissaries retorted: Whether you like it or not, you must fulfill the royal decree!

At this, Israel rose up against them. Some they killed, some they wounded, some fled and reported to Pharaoh. At this, Moses said to them: Turn back, so that Pharaoh not say that you are fleeing. When he blew the shofar for return the faint-hearted among them began to tear their hair and rend their garments — until Moses said to them: The L–rd has said to me that you are free. Thus, "Let them return and encamp before Pi Hachiroth."

Variantly: "for He is high on high": He is exalted (now) and is destined to be exalted, viz. (Isaiah 2:12) "For there is a day for the L–rd of hosts over all the exalted and high and against all the uplifted — and he will be brought low", and (Ibid. 13) "against all the lofty and exalted cedars of Levanon", and (Ibid. 16) "against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the splendid palaces", and (Ibid. 17) "the height of man will be lowered, and the pride of men will be brought down, and the L–rd alone will be exalted on that day", and (Ibid. 18) "all the false gods will disappear."

(Exodus 16:1) "And they journeyed from Eilim, and they came … on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt": Why is "day" mentioned? We are hereby apprised that on that day Sabbath fell out, it having recurred from the six days of creation until the giving of Torah to Israel.

(Ibid.) "a wife": Scripture here speaks of a Canaanite woman. But perhaps it speaks of a Hebrew woman. (This cannot be, for) "the woman and her children shall belong to her master" indicates that it is a Canaanite woman that is being spoken of.

"between Migdol and the sea": There, was their greatness ("gedulathan," as in "Migdol"). There, was their glory and their splendor. There, Joseph had gathered their silver and their gold, viz. (Genesis 47:14) "And Joseph collected, etc."

Variantly: "for high on high": He exalts Himself over the exalted. With what the nations of the world exalt themselves before Him, He exacts punishment of them. In the generation of the flood, (Iyyov 21:10) "His (the evildoer's) bull begets, and does not fail. His cow bears without miscarriage," (11) "they send out their young, (sprightly) as sheep; their children prance about." (12) "they raise (their voices) with drum and harp; they rejoice at the sound of the flute."

What do they say? (15) "What is the Almighty that we should serve Him, and what will we gain if we pray to Him?" They say: What do we need Him for? Only for a drop of rain? We have wells and pits — (Genesis 2:6) "A vapor rose from the earth and watered the entire face of the ground!"

The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: Fools, do you vaunt yourselves before Me with the good that I bestowed upon you!" With that (itself) I will exact punishment of you! As it is written (Ibid. 7:12) "And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights."

Variantly: "on the fifteenth day of the second month": Why is "day" mentioned? To know on which day the Torah was given to Israel. (Rosh Chodesh of the) Nissan on which Israel left Egypt fell out on the fifth day of the week. Nissan was a complete month (thirty days, so that Rosh Chodesh) Iyyar fell out on the Sabbath. Iyyar was a defective month (twenty-nine days, so that Rosh Chodesh) Sivan fell out on the first day of the week.

And it is written (Numbers 33:3) "On the morrow of the Pesach, the children of Israel went out," and (here) "on the fifteenth day of the second month," and (Exodus 19:1) "On the third month of the exodus of the children of Israel, they came to the desert of Sinai," whence it is derived (that the sixth day of their encampment was on the third month (Sivan), on the sixth day of the month, on the eve of the Sabbath, (and the Torah was given the next day, Sabbath [viz. Shabbath 87b-88a]).

"You have seen what I did to Egypt": I am not speaking to you from tradition. They (i.e., their punishment) is not written down for you. I am not sending you missives. I am not producing witnesses. But you yourselves have seen what they were guilty of — idolatry, illicit relations, and the spilling of blood. In the past, I did not exact punishment of them. (I did so) only for your sakes.

(Ibid.) "and she bears him sons or daughters": This tells me only of sons or daughters. Whence do I derive (the same for) a tumtum (one whose sex is in doubt) and a hermaphrodite? From "the woman and her children shall belong to her master" — in any event. R. Nathan says: It is written "and she bears him": to include the master who lived with his bondswoman, that her children are slaves.

(Ibid. 2) "Six days may work be done": And another verse states (Ibid. 20:9): "Six days shall you work." (How are these to be reconciled?) When Israel do the will of the L-rd, their work is done by others. (Hence, the first verse.)

"This month": Nissan. You say it is Nissan. But perhaps it was some other month of the year? It is written (Exodus 23:16) "And the festival of the ingathering (Succoth) at the end of the year," (Ibid. 34:22) "And the festival of the ingathering at the turn of the year." In which month is there ingathering and turning (from one solstice to another) and the expiration of a year? Tishrei. After learning that the seventh month is Tishrei, we infer that the first month is Nissan. And even though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Esther 3:7) "In the first month, the month of Nissan."

"before Ba'al Tzefon": Only Ba'al Tzefon remained of all their idolatries. "Over against it shall you encamp by the sea": to deceive the Egyptians into believing that it had rescued itself, viz. (Iyyov 12:23) "He deceives (homiletically, "mashgi") the nations to destroy them."

They set their eyes (["eineihem" for erotic gazing]), the higher (the males) upon the lower (the female) in order to vent their lust, and the Holy One Blessed be He opened against them wells ("mayanoth" [like "eineihem"]) from above and below to destroy them, as it is written (Ibid. 11) "On this day, all the fountains of the great deep burst, and the windows of heaven were opened."

Variantly: "on the fifteenth day of the second month": Why is the day mentioned? To know on which day the manna descended for Israel. Israel ate from the wafer that they took out of Egypt for thirty-one days, viz. (Exodus 12:39) "And they baked the dough which they had taken out of Egypt, etc.", and (here) "on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt." And what is written at its side (Ibid. 5)? "Behold, I shall rain down for you bread from heaven," (the wafer having sufficed for thirty-one days, from the fifteenth of Nissan until the sixteenth of Iyyar.) R. Shila says: It sufficed for sixty-one meals.

R. Eliezer Hamodai says: He (Moses) is one of the four tzaddikim to whom He gave a hint (of what was to follow): Two took the hint and two did not take it. Moses was given a hint but did not take it. Jacob was given a hint but did not take it. David and Mordecai were given a hint and they took it. Moses, wherefrom? "and place it in the ears of Joshua." He was thereby intimating that Joshua would cause Israel to inherit the land,

"the woman and her children": What is the intent of this? That her children are (slaves) as she is. This tells me only of a bondswoman, that her children are as she is. Whence do I derive the same for a gentile woman (that her children are regarded as hers and not as the father's)? R. Yishmael was wont to say: It follows inductively, viz.: Just as the children of a Canaanite bondswoman, who is not betrothed to any man, are considered hers, so, the child of any woman who is not betrothed to any man (i.e., a woman with whom betrothal is not binding) is considered hers. And who is that: The child of a gentile woman.

(Exodus 12:2) "The beginning of the months": We are hereby apprised that Nissan is the beginning for the months. And whence do we derive (the same for) the reign of kings? From (I Kings 6:1) "In the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (Iyyar), the second month," (his reign having begun with the first month, Nissan). And whence do we derive (the same for) festivals (i.e., that one is not in transgression of delaying his vows until three consecutive festivals have passed)? From (Devarim 16:16) "… the festival of matzoth (in Nissan), and the festival of Shavuoth, and the festival of Succoth." We find, then, that Nissan is the beginning for months, for kings, and for festivals.

(Exodus 14:3) "And Pharaoh will say about the children of Israel: They are nevuchim in the land": "nevuchim" is "confounded," as in (Joel 1:18) "How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle navochu!" Variantly: "nevuchim" — "bewildered," as in (Esther 3:15) "And the king and Haman sat down to feast, and the city of Shushan navochah." Variantly: "And Pharaoh said": He said and he did not know what he was saying. (i.e., unbeknownst to him he was prophesying.

On the surface) he was saying that Moses was leading them without knowing where — but "nevuchim" (prophetically) intimates Moses, viz. (Devarim 32:49) "Ascend the Mount Avarim, Mount Nevo, (short for 'nevuchim')." Variantly: "And Pharaoh said," without knowing what he was saying, viz.: Israel are destined to cry ("livkoth" as in "nevochim") in the desert, viz. (Numbers 14:1) "And the entire congregation lifted their voices and the people cried (vayivku)" Israel are destined to fall in the desert, viz. (Ibid. 29) "In this desert shall your carcasses fall."

And thus do you find with the men of the tower (of Bavel) that with what they vaunted themselves before Him, He exacted punishment of them. As it is written (Genesis 11:4) "And they said: Let us build for ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves lest we be scattered, etc." (Ibid. 6-8) "And the L–rd said … Let us go down, etc…. And the L–rd scattered them from there, etc."

(Ibid. 2) "And the entire congregation of the children of Israel caviled against Moses and Aaron in the desert": R. Yehoshua says: Israel should have sought counsel from their leader (Moses) — "What shall we eat?" Instead, they caviled against Moses. R. Eliezer Hamodai says: Israel were accustomed to cavil against Moses. And not against Moses alone, but also against Aaron.

and, in the end, Moses arose and implored (that he be permitted to enter the land, etc.), viz. (Devarim 3:24) "And I entreated the L–rd at that time, saying, etc." An analogy: A king decrees that his son not enter his palace with him. He enters the first door and he is met with silence; and so, the second. At the third, he is rebuked and told: It is enough for you until here. Similarly, when Moses conquered the land of the two nations, Sichon and Og, and he gave it to Reuven and Gad and the half tribe of Menasheh, he said: It seems to me that the decree (of the L–rd) is conditional,

"and I brought you to Me": before Mount Sinai. R. Akiva says: It refers to the day of the giving of the Torah, when Israel recoiled twelve mil and returned twelve mil — so that they "traveled" twenty-four mil for each pronouncement. "and I will bring you" — to the Temple.

"and he shall go out alone": We are hereby apprised that a (Canaanite) bondswoman does not require a get (a divorce) from a Jew. Whence do we derive the same (i.e., that she does not require a get) for a Hebrew maid-servant who cohabited with a (Canaanite) bondsman? From (Leviticus 25:49) "From them (the Canaanites) shall you buy a man-servant and a maid-servant." A man-servant is being likened to a maid-servant, and a maid-servant to a man-servant. Just as a maid-servant does not require a get from a (Hebrew) man-servant, so a Hebrew maid-servant does not require a get from a man-servant.

(Ibid. 2) "and on the seventh day it shall be holy for you": That Israel not say: Since we are permitted to perform labor (i.e., the daily offering) in the Temple (on Sabbath), it should (also) be permitted outside the Temple. It is, therefore, written "(Sabbath) shall be holy for you," (labor being forbidden to you), but for the L–rd (i.e., for sacrifice), it is "mundane."

R. Nathan and R. Tzaddok say: Also for house rentals (i.e., If one says: I am renting it to you for this year, the understanding is until the beginning of Nissan.) But this does not apply to (the reckoning of) years, shemitah, Yovloth, planting (in respect to arlah [viz. Leviticus 19:23]) or (the tithing of) greens, in which respect it is written (Devarim 31:10-11) "At the end of seven years, in the time of the year of the shemitah … when all of Israel, etc.", and (Exodus 34:22) "and the festival of the ingathering, the circuit of the year."

(Exodus, Ibid.) "The desert has closed upon them": When Israel saw the sea raging, they turned their faces to the desert (to escape), and the Holy One Blessed be He confronted them with wild beasts, which did not let them pass, viz.: "He has closed 'sagar' the desert upon them," "sagar" alluding to wild beasts, as in (Daniel 6:23) "My G–d sent His messenger and closed the lions' mouth and they did not wound me."

And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that with what they vaunted themselves before Him, He exacted punishment of them. As it is written (Iyyov 28:5-8) "A land from which bread had issued forth — its place was overturned, as if (consumed by) fire. A place of sapphire were its stones, and dusts of gold were there. (And now it is) a path unknown (i.e., unfrequented) by brigands, and unseen by the falcon's eye, untrodden by the haughty (beasts) and not crossed by the lion."

The Sodomites said: We need no men to come to us. Food "sprouts" from us, and silver and gold and precious stones and pearls sprout from us. Let us come and forget the way of the wayfarer from our land — At which the Holy One Blessed be He said to them: Fools that you are! Do you vaunt yourselves in the good that I have bestowed upon you!

You have said: Let us forget the Torah of the foot (i.e., the wayfarer) from our land. I, likewise, will "forget" you from the world, viz. (Ibid. 4) "A stream (of fire and brimstone) burst forth from its source (upon Sodom and Gomorrah), who (i.e., the people of Sodom) caused the (codes of the) wayfarer to be forgotten." And (Ibid. 12:6) "The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who anger G–d dwell secure."

Where from? From what? (Ibid.) "from what G–d has brought into his (the evildoer's) hand." And thus is it written (Ezekiel 16:50) "And they (the men of Sodom) were haughty and committed abomination before Me, and I removed them (from the world) when I saw (their ways). And (Ibid. 49) "Behold, this was the sin of Sodom, your sister.

She and her daughters had pride, surfeit of bread, and peaceful serenity — wherefore she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy. And thus is it written (Genesis 13:10) "Before the L–rd destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it (Sodom) was like the Garden of the L–rd, like the land of Egypt." What is written afterwards? (Genesis 19:33) "And they (the daughters of Lot) made their father drink wine that night."

Whence did they have wine in the cave? The Holy One Blessed be He "readied" it for them, as in (Yoel 4:18) "And it will be on that day, that the mountains will drip wine. (If the Holy One Blessed be He thus "readies" (things) for His angerers, how much more so for the doers of His will!)

at which he said to the Holy One Blessed be He: Can it be that Your ways are like those of flesh and blood? The apitoropos makes a decree and the kalidikos abrogates it; the kalidikos makes a decree and the dikorion abrogates it; the dikorion makes a decree and the hegmon abrogates it; the hegmon makes a decree and the ipitikos abrogates it; the ipitikos makes a decree and the overlord comes and abrogates all of them? Why so? For all are appointees of his, one above the other; but his decree cannot be abrogated? — But You are not like this! You decree and a tzaddik can abrogate it. (Devarim, Ibid.) "For who is Almighty in the heavens and in the earth to do as Your deeds ad as Your strength": "as Your deeds" — at the Red Sea; "and as Your strength" — at the streams of Arnon.

Variantly: "and I bore you on eagles' wings": How is the eagle different from all other birds? All other birds keep their young under their feet, fearing other birds that fly above them — unlike the eagle, who fears man alone, that he not shoot an arrow at him. Better that it strike it and not its young.