Israel the Deposit That Pharaoh Tried to Steal

"And it came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go" (Exodus 13:17). Let our master teach us: one who lays a hand on a deposit entrusted to him by his fellow, how is it collected from him? Thus our masters taught: one who lays a hand on a deposit - the House of Shammai say he is liable for both the decrease and the increase, the House of Hillel say according to the value at the time of the theft, and Rabbi Akiva says according to the value at the time of the claim. And our masters said: certainly, whoever lays his hand on the deposit of his fellow deserves to have his arm broken. From whom do you learn this? From Pharaoh, for Israel were placed in his hand as a deposit, and he sought to lay a hand upon them, and the Holy One broke his arm, as it is said, "Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt" (Ezekiel 30:21). And how do we know that Israel were a deposit in his hand? For He said to Moses to tell Israel, "I have surely remembered you" (Exodus 3:16). And because Israel were despairing of the redemption, the Holy One said: go, tell them, just as the owner of a deposit takes back his deposit whenever he wishes, so you - whenever your time arrives, at once I will bring you out of his hand. Israel said to Him: Master of the worlds, see how he denies You and refuses to send us, as it is said, "I do not know the LORD, neither will I let Israel go" (Exodus 5:2). The Holy One said to them: by your lives, you shall see - the mouth that said "Who is the LORD" will in the end say "the LORD is righteous" (Exodus 9:27); and the mouth that said "I do not know the LORD" will in the end say "Entreat the LORD" (Exodus 9:28); and the mouth that said "I will not let Israel go" will in the end take hold of each one by the hand and send him off. From where? From what we read in the matter of "And it came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go." "And it came to pass when Pharaoh let go..." Thus Rabbi Tanhuma son of Rabbi opened: "Say to God, How awesome are Your works" (Psalms 66:3). Rabbi Yohanan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean: they say to a good worker, well done. "Say to God, How awesome are Your works." The slain do the slaying, the destroyed do the destroying, the crucified do the crucifying: from the gallows that Haman prepared for Mordecai, to rise early and hang him on it, Haman himself rose early and was hanged upon it. Therefore, "Say to God, How awesome are Your works." "Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies will cringe before You" (Psalms 66:3). Our masters said: "Your enemies will cringe before You" - your foes will be shattered before You; when the wicked one comes in his strength to exalt himself before You, through the greatness of his strength he will be broken by the greatness of Your power. And Rabbi Berekhiah said: "will lie to You," like "and deals falsely with his fellow" (Leviticus 5:21). David said: Master of the world, when the wicked come to exalt themselves before You, with their own mouths they will turn back and lie and break their words, so that they will be put to shame. And so you find with many of the wicked. Nebuchadnezzar at first, when dealing with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, says to them, "and who is the God who will deliver you out of my hands?" (Daniel 3:15). The Holy One said to him: you were exalting yourself before Me, saying, who is the God? When the measure of judgment is done to you, you will have to say, He is God. David said: "Say to God, How awesome are Your works; through the greatness of Your power Your enemies will cringe before You."