"And it came to pass when Pharaoh sent out the people" (Exodus 13:17). Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk reads the entire Exodus story as a map of the soul's struggle against the evil inclination.
Pharaoh (Par'oh) is a name for the yetzer hara, the evil inclination. Its letters rearrange to spell ha-oref—"the stiff neck," the force that makes a person rigid against God. "When Pharaoh sent out the people" means: when the evil inclination releases its grip on a person who has repented. But "God did not lead them by the way of the Philistines"—even after repentance, God is not fully consoled. Why? Because this person "holds the rope at both ends." They have abandoned their worst sins, but not completely.
The Philistines are the proof. They showed Isaac some derech eretz (civility)—Avimelech said, "My land is before you"—but also "envied him." Their goodness was incomplete. So too this half-repentant person: close to returning to old patterns, vulnerable when the war of the yetzer hara intensifies.
"God turned the people by way of the wilderness"—through hitbodedut, solitary contemplation, like the emptiness of a desert. "Sea of Reeds"—through Torah study, for Torah is called a sea. But the complete tzaddikim (a righteous person) (the righteous), "the children of Israel, went up armed (chamushim) from Egypt"—they leave fully equipped, their spiritual armor so strong that the evil inclination has no power over them.
"And Moses took the bones of Joseph"—the great tzaddik takes upon himself the quality of Joseph: atzamot (bones), meaning strength and fortitude in divine service. Each patriarch—Abraham in Kindness, Isaac in Might, Jacob in Splendor—contributed a different weapon for the battle.
And it came to pass when Pharaoh sent out the people" (Exodus 13:17). It seems one can explain this as follows: "Pharaoh" (Par'oh) is a name for the yetzer hara (evil inclination), as it is the same letters as "ha-oref" (הערף) — that which stiffens a person's neck. Sometimes a person stirs himself toward repentance, regrets what he has done, confesses, and abandons his sins. "When Pharaoh sent out" — meaning: when [the yetzer hara] released him from his sins. "The people" — this alludes to simple, ordinary folk. "And God did not lead them" — meaning: even so, there is no rest before the Blessed Holy One, and no consolation before Him over the person's having abandoned his sins — because this person is holding the rope at both ends: even though he holds onto good qualities, he does not do so completely. "The way of the land of the Philistines" — this alludes to what we find regarding the Philistines: they had somewhat more derech eretz (civil decency) than other nations, for they drew Isaac close, as Avimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you" — and yet it is also written "and the Philistines envied him": their goodness was not complete. So too this person who abandons his sins — but not entirely. "For he was close" — meaning: this person is close to returning to his old ways. "For God said: lest the people repent when they see war" — meaning, when the war of the yetzer hara rises against them — "And they return to Egypt" — meaning, they will return to "the narrow sea" (ha-meitzar yam) — that is, to their original constriction entirely. "And God turned the people by the way of the wilderness of the Sea of Reeds". "And God turned" — the Holy One Blessed be He, in His great mercy, actively creates circumstances to turn the people toward His good path. "By the way of the wilderness" — through hitbodedut (solitary contemplation/seclusion), like the wilderness. "Sea of Reeds" — and also through Torah study, for Torah is called "sea." "And the children of Israel went up armed (chamushim) from the land of Egypt" - "Chamushim" — but the complete tzaddikim, who are called by the name "Israel," go up from Egypt armed and equipped with weapons, so that the yetzer hara has no power over them. "And Moses took the bones of Joseph" - This alludes to the great tzaddik called by the name "Moses" — he took for himself the midah (character quality) of "Joseph": namely, that he holds himself with strength and atzamot (fortitude) in the service of the Creator, blessed be He. "Atzamot" (bones) — in the sense of strength and reinforcement. And it is easy to understand. (vekal lehavin) Rather it appears that the truth of the matter is like this: That each one of the holy patriarchs was on their level, as is well known — Abraham was upon Kindness [Chesed], Isaac upon Might [Gevurah], and Jacob upon Splendor [Tiferet]. So behold our father Jacob, peace be upon him would serve God, may He be blessed, with his trait, which was Splendor. And everything that he saw, heard, did, or ate, he took the Splendor from it for the Creator, blessed be He. For example, if he would eat something that tastes good, he would think in his mind, "This food was created. And who gave the good taste in this food, was it not the Creator, blessed be He? And if this food is so tasty, is it not certain that all good taste is with the Creator, blessed be He, may His name be blessed, who has no limit or end?" And so did he think with everything. And with that, the verse, And Jacob kissed Rachel (Genesis 29:11), can be understood. It is also strange that our father Jacob, peace be upon him, would act like this. Rather the explanation is like this, as we wrote. That anything good that our father Jacob, peace be upon him, saw went from the potential of that thing to clinging [with God], may His name be blessed and exalted. And here, when he saw that Rachel was very beautiful, He attached himself to Him, may He be blessed, through her, as mentioned above. And that is the explanation of And Jacob kissed Rachel [leRachel]. For clinging is called a kiss, the clinging of a spirit to a spirit; and the word, leRachel [literally, to Rachel], is like on account of Rachel.
