Specifically, we're looking at section 18, which explores the verse "it was at midnight" (Exodus 12:29) in the context of miracles, divine messengers, and God's intricate plans.
The passage opens with King David, who says, "I will remember my song during the night" (Psalms 77:7). But what does "song" mean here? According to this Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), it's not necessarily a happy tune. Instead, "song" can refer to disaster, to the ways God has overcome our enemies. As we find in (Lamentations 3:63-64), "...I am their song [manginatam], [exact retribution against them, Lord]." It's about remembering God's power, especially in times of darkness.
Think about Sennacherib, the Assyrian king who threatened Jerusalem. II (Kings 19:35) tells us, "It was that night, the angel of the Lord emerged, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians." Rabbi Nechemya points out the incredible love God has for Israel, assigning ministering angels, "mighty in strength who fulfill His word" (Psalms 103:20), as guardians. Who are these guardians? Mikhael and Gavriel. (Isaiah 62:6) says, "Upon your walls, I have set watchmen."
But here’s the really cool part: these angels weren't just randomly assigned. The Holy One, blessed be He, set conditions with them long ago. When? When God was about to rescue Abraham from the fiery furnace. Mikhael and Gavriel offered to help, but God said, essentially, "He's doing this for my name, so I will rescue him," as it is stated: “I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7). Remember that Ur can also mean fire.
However, because they were willing to help, God promised them future roles: Mikhael against the Assyrians, Gavriel against the Chaldeans – who, by the way, are associated with the Babylonians who threw Hananya, Mishael, and Azarya (also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3).
When Gavriel descended to rescue Hananya, Mishael, and Azarya, he commanded the fire, and it turned on their tormentors! (Daniel 3:22) tells us, "The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, [and Abednego]." The Midrash even suggests that four classes of officers perished in that fire, a detail you can tease out by comparing the lists of officials in (Daniel 3:3) and 3:27. The three were so excited they all sang praises (Psalm 117), and the angel confirmed the truth of God's promise to him when he rescued Abraham.
And Mikhael? He did exactly as God commanded, smiting the Assyrian camp. The Midrash paints a vivid picture of drunken generals and commanders, their wine jugs cast aside. God says to Sennacherib, "You acted through messengers… I, too, [will act] by means of My messengers." And what was the result? "Instead of his glory, a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire" (Isaiah 10:16). The Assyrians' bodies were burned from within, but their garments remained intact because they were descendants of Shem, to whom God was indebted for his and Yefet's covering of their father's nakedness (Genesis 9:23).
The next morning, "they awoke early in the morning, and behold, they were all dead corpses" (II (Kings 19:3)5). It was like the first night of Passover, with the Israelites reciting hallel (praises) and fearing Sennacherib's attack. But when they awoke, their enemies were gone. That's why Isaiah was told to name his son "Maher Shalal Hash Baz" (Isaiah 8:3), meaning "plunder hastens, spoils quicken," and to call the other one "Immanu El" (Isaiah 7:14), meaning "God is with us."
The passage concludes by looking to the future. Just as God acted through Mikhael and Gavriel in the past, so too will He act through them in the future. (Obadiah 1:21) tells us, "Saviors will ascend to Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau" – these are Mikhael and Gavriel. Some say this verse refers to Mikhael alone, who "stands for the members of Your people" (Daniel 12:1).
Rabbi Yosei compares Mikhael and Samael (the adversary) to an advocate and a prosecutor in court. Mikhael defends Israel, silencing the adversary so that God's voice of peace can be heard (Psalm 85:9).
The Midrash then returns to the idea of "song," linking it to the strategies God employed in Egypt. Initially intending to strike the firstborn first (Exodus 4:23), God changed course, bringing other plagues first. This is why David asks, "Who knows the power of Your anger?" (Psalms 90:11). "Who knows Your strategies that you employed at the sea... Your footsteps [ikvotekha] were not known" (Psalms 77:20).
So, what does it all mean? This passage from Shemot Rabbah isn't just a retelling of historical events. It's a reminder that God's hand is always present, working in ways we may not fully understand. It's about the power of divine intervention, the roles of angels as messengers and protectors, and the intricate, often hidden, strategies God uses to bring about salvation. It's about remembering our "song" – both the triumphs and the disasters – and recognizing God's presence in both. And it’s a call to recognize that we are never truly alone, even in the darkest of nights.
Another matter, “it was at midnight” – David said: “I will remember my song during the night” (Psalms 77:7). The congregation of Israel said: ‘We remember the disasters with which you would overcome the enemies on our behalf at night.’ “My song” means nothing other than disaster, as you say: “…I am their song [manginatam], [exact retribution against them, Lord]” (Lamentations 3:63–4), and it says: “Blessed is God Most High, who has delivered [migen] your enemies into your hand” (Genesis 14:20).8The term for “delivered,” migen, is related to the word for “song,” negina. Sennacherib came against us and You overcame him at night, as it is stated: “It was that night, the angel of the Lord emerged, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians” (II Kings 19:35). Rabbi Neḥemya said: Come and see the love of the Holy One blessed be He, for Israel, as the Holy One blessed be He rendered the ministering angels, who are “mighty in strength who fulfill His word” (Psalms 103:20), guardians of Israel. Who are they? Mikhael and Gavriel, as it is stated: “Upon your walls, I have set watchmen” (Isaiah 62:6). When Sennacheribcame, Mikhael emerged and smote them; and Gavriel rescued Ḥananya and his compatriots at the command of the Holy One blessed be He. Why is it so? The Holy One blessed be He had set conditions with them. When? When He prepared to descend to rescue Abraham from the fiery furnace, Mikhael and Gavriel said before Him: ‘We will descend to rescue him.’ He said to them: ‘If [Abraham] had descended to the furnace for the sake of one of you, you would rescue him, but he descended for the sake of My name, and I will descend to rescue him,’ as it is stated: “I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7).9The term Ur can also mean fire. This verse alludes to the fact that God saved Abraham from the fiery furnace. ‘But because you were prepared to rescue him for the sake of My name, I will set a time for you when you will descend; you, Mikhael, against the Assyrian encampment and you, Gavriel, against the Chaldean encampment.10The Chaldeans are associated with the Babylonians, who threw Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya into the fiery furnace. See Daniel chapter 3. When Gavriel descended to rescue Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, he decreed to the fire, and it emerged and burned all those who had cast them in, as it is stated: “The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, [and Abednego]” (Daniel 3:22).11Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were the Babylonian names of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya (Daniel 1:7). Some say: Four classes [of officers] died there; at first, it is written: “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king’s ministers…were assembled” (Daniel 3:3).12In this verse there are actually eight different officials listed. It should be noted that “the king’s ministers” are not included in this verse, but rather in verse 27. Here, [following this event,] four were missing, as it is stated: “And the satraps assembled…” (Daniel 3:27).13In this verse there are only four different types of official listed. Therefore, Ḥananya said: “Praise the Lord, all nations” (Psalms 117:1). Mishael said: “Laud Him, all the peoples” (Psalms 117:1). Azarya said: “For His mercy is great toward us” (Psalms 117:2). The angel said: “And the truth of the Lord endures forever” (Psalms 117:2); it is true what He said to me when I descended to rescue Abraham. Likewise, Mikhael did what He told him, as it is stated: “It was that night, that the angel of the Lord emerged [and smote in the camp of the Assyrians…]” (II Kings 19:35). It was taught: All the generals and the commanders were drinking wine and they left their jugs cast aside. The Holy One blessed be He said to Sennacherib: ‘You did yours,’14You did it by means of messengers. as it is stated: “By your messengers you taunted” (II Kings 19:23); ‘I, too, [will act] by means of My messengers.’ What did He do to him? “And instead of his glory, a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire” (Isaiah 10:16). What is “instead of his glory”? It is that He burned their bodies from within and left their garments [intact] on the outside, as the glory of a person is his garment. Why did he leave their garments [intact]? It is because they were the descendants of Shem, as it is stated: “The children of Shem: Eilam and Ashur…” (Genesis 10:22). The Holy One blessed be He said: I am indebted to their ancestor Shem, as he and Yefet took their garments and covered their father’s nakedness, as it is stated: “Shem and Yefet took the garment” (Genesis 9:23); that is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Mikhael: ‘Leave their garments intact and burn their souls.’ What is written there? “They awoke early in the morning, and behold, they were all dead corpses” (II Kings 19:35). That is what is written: “Each morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land” (Psalms 101:8). The people of Israel and Hezekiah were sitting and reciting hallel, as it was the [first] night of Passover, and they were afraid, saying: ‘Now Jerusalem will be conquered by his hand [Sennacherib].’ When they awoke in the morning to stand and recite Shema and pray, they found their enemies “dead corpses.” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Isaiah: “Call his name Maher Shalal Ḥash Baz” (Isaiah 8:3),15This means: Plunder hastens, spoils quicken. and he quickly plundered their spoils. And he called the name of the other one: “Immanu El” (Isaiah 7:14),16Literally, God is with us. saying that I am with him, as it is stated: “With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God” (II Chronicles 32:8). Just as the Holy One blessed be He acted in this world through Mikhael and Gavriel, so too, in the future, He will act through them, as it is stated: “Saviors will ascend to Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau” (Obadiah 1:21) – these are Mikhael and Gavriel. Our saintly Rabbi17Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. says: This [verse refers to] Mikhael himself, as it is stated: “At that time, Mikhael the great angel, who stands for the members of Your people, will stand” (Daniel 12:1), as he is an advocate for the needs of Israel, and speaks on their behalf, as it is stated: “The angel of the Lord spoke and said: Lord of hosts, how long will You not have compassion on Jerusalem…” (Zechariah 1:12), and it says: “And there is no one who helps me against these, except for Mikhael, your prince” (Daniel 10:21). Rabbi Yosei said: To what are Mikhael and Samael comparable? To an advocate and a prosecutor standing at trial. This one speaks and that one speaks. This one completes his contentions and that one his contentions. That advocate knows that he prevailed; he begins praising the judge [and imploring him] to issue his ruling. The prosecutor seeks to add to his statement, and the advocate says to him: ‘Be silent and let us hear the judge.’ So Mikhael and Samael stand before the Divine Presence, and the adversary18Samael. prosecutes and Mikhael speaks in defense of Israel. The adversary comes to speak and Mikhael silences him. Why? It is as it is stated: “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, as He will speak peace to His people” (Psalms 85:9); that is: “I will remember my song during the night,” regarding the miracle of Hezekiah. Another matter, “I will remember my song [neginati],” – I remember what You did on our behalf in Egypt, and the strategies [menagenin] that You employed in Egypt. How so? Initially, when the Holy One blessed be He sought to bring plagues on the Egyptians, He intended to bring the plague of the firstborn first, as it is stated: “Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn” (Exodus 4:23). [Pharaoh] began saying: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). The Holy One blessed be He said: If I bring the plague of the firstborn first, He will let them go; rather, I will bring other plagues upon him [first], and in the wake of this, I will bring them all, as it is stated: “And the Lord smote all the firstborn.”19The verse specifies that during the plague of the firstborn, God killed the firstborn of Pharaoh along with all the other firstborn of Egypt. Thus, God waited until after all the other plagues to kill Pharaoh’s firstborn (Etz Yosef). Therefore, David lauds: “Who knows the power of Your anger?” (Psalms 90:11). Who knows Your strategies that you employed at the sea, as it is stated: “Your way in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps [ikvotekha] were not known” (Psalms 77:20); who knows the matters that You do at the end [akev]?20Who knows what God is doing to carry out His plans, and the great calculations that go into His actions?
