The Egyptians Wail Over the Treasure They Let Go

[7] "And it came to pass [va-yehi]" (Exodus 13:17). Who cried "Woe [vai]"? The Egyptians cried "Woe." Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai taught: It may be compared to a man who inherited an estate in a land across the sea. The heir was lazy, and he went and sold it for a trifling sum. The buyer went and dug in it and found a treasure in it, and built a palace from it; and he would walk about the marketplace with attendants before him and attendants behind him. And the seller began to choke, saying, "Woe, what have I lost!" So too, when Israel encamped on the shore of the sea, they resembled the retinue of kings, and the Egyptians were choking and saying, "Woe, that we sent them away from our land!" Rabbi Yose said: It may be compared to a man who inherited a field of a kor's size that was a waste pit. The heir was lazy, and he went and sold it for a trifling sum. The buyer went and dug in it and found a spring, and made of it gardens and orchards. The seller began to choke and say, "Woe, what have I lost!" So too, when Israel encamped on the shore of the sea, they resembled the retinue of kings, and the Egyptians were choking and saying, "Woe, that we sent them away from our land!" Rabbi Nathan said: It may be compared to a man who inherited a stand of cedar. The heir was lazy, and he went and sold it for a trifling sum. The buyer went and made of it tablets, chairs, and benches. The seller began to choke and say, "Woe, what have I lost!" So too, when Israel encamped on the shore of the sea, they resembled the retinue of kings, and so forth.