י"ג:י"ז
וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
13:17
Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, “The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.”
13:17
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said: 'Lest the people regret when they see war, and they return to Egypt.’
י"ג:י"ז
וַהֲוָה כַּד שַׁלַח פַּרְעֹה יָת עַמָא וְלָא דַבָּרִינוּן יְיָ אֹרַח אַרְעָא פְלִשְׁתָּאֵי אֲרֵי קָרִיבָא הוּא אֲרֵי אֲמַר יְיָ דִילְמָא יְזוּעוּן עַמָא בְּמֶחֱזֵיהוֹן קְרָבָא וִיתוּבוּן לְמִצְרָיִם:
ויהי בשלח פרעה, ולא נחם. נְהָגָם, כְּמוֹ "לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת הָעָם" (שמות ל"ב), "בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אוֹתָךְ" (משלי ו'):
כי קרוב הוא. וְנֹחַ לָשׁוּב בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ לְמִצְרַיִם; וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה:
בראתם מלחמה. כְּגוֹן מִלְחֶמֶת "וַיֵּרֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְגוֹ'" (במדבר י"ד), אִם הָלְכוּ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים, וּמָה אִם כְּשֶׁהִקִּיפָם דֶּרֶךְ מְעֻקָּם אָמְרוּ "נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה" (שם), אִם הוֹלִיכָם בִּפְשׁוּטָה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה:
פן ינחם. יַחְשְׁבוּ מַחֲשָׁבָה עַל שֶׁיָּצְאוּ וְיִתְּנוּ לֵב לָשׁוּב:
י"ג:י"ז
אור החיים
1וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח וְגוֹ׳. צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה אָמַר לְשׁוֹן צַעַר בִּמְקוֹם גִּילָה וְרֶנֶן. עוֹד לָמָּה כִּנָּה הָעִנְיָן בְּפַרְעֹה וְלֹא בַּאֲדוֹן הַמַּעֲשִׂים, כִּי הוּא הַמּוֹצִיא אוֹתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.
ויהי בשלח פרעה את העם, It happened when Pharaoh discharged the people, etc. Why does the Torah employ the word ויהי which always indicates some painful experience? The Torah should have described the Exodus in glowing terms! Besides, why does the Torah attribute the Exodus to Pharaoh rather than to G'd? After all, He took us out of Egypt, something the Torah does not tire of mentioning on numerous occasions!
2אָכֵן הַכָּתוּב יַגִּיד הַסִּבָּה שֶׁגָּרְמָה כָּל הַצַּעַר שֶׁנִּצְטַעֲרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְדִיפַת פַּרְעֹה, וְאָמַר: תֵּדַע סִבַּת הַדָּבָר, לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא הוֹצִיא ה׳ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא לִרְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה, כָּפָה אוֹתוֹ עַד שֶׁנִּתְרַצָּה וְשִׁלְּחָם וְאָמַר לָהֶם קוּמוּ צְאוּ מִזֶּה, חָשַׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם, וּבָזֶה גָּרַם צַעַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְגַם לְעַצְמוֹ גָּרַם אִבּוּד לוֹ וּלְאֻמָּתוֹ. וְצֵא וּלְמַד כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יַקְפִּיד עַל כִּלְיוֹן הַנִּבְרָאִים, כַּמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה י,ב): מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי טוֹבְעִים בַּיָּם וְאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה. וּכְנֶגֶד כָּל זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״וַיְהִי״ לְשׁוֹן צַעַר, וּמִי גָּרַם כָּל צַעַר זֶה – ״בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה״, שֶׁאִם הָיָה ה׳ מוֹצִיאָם שֶׁלֹּא לִרְצוֹנוֹ, הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה חָפֵץ לְשַׁלְּחָם, לֹא הָיָה לוֹ מָקוֹם לִרְדֹּף, אֶלָּא עֵינוֹ הִטְעַתּוּ שֶׁהָיָה הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בּוֹ וְלָזֶה חָשַׁב לָשׁוּב לְקַחְתָּם. וְאָמְרוֹ וְלֹא נָחָם בְּוָא״ו בִּתְחִלַּת הוֹדָעַת עִנְיָן, יְכַוֵּן תּוֹסֶפֶת עַל הַגָּדַת צַעַר הַקּוֹדֵם הָרָמוּז בְּתֵבַת ״וַיְהִי״ כַּנִּזְכָּר.
The word ויהי may be justified in view of the pursuit by Pharaoh and the resulting fear the Israelites were to experience shortly. The Torah hints that the reason such a pursuit occurred was because Pharaoh had a hand in the Exodus, i.e. G'd had waited till Pharaoh himself had been willing to liberate the Jews. If it had all been G'd's doing such a pursuit would not have occurred. As soon as the Jews departed Pharaoh schemed to find a justification to pursue them and to convince his people that the attempt to bring the Israelites back would be worthwhile. We will explain later Pharaoh's reasoning in greater detail. All Pharaoh's scheming constituted something negative for the Israelites. It was far from a foregone conclusion that G'd would simply kill the Egyptians. We know from Megillah 10 that G'd is greatly concerned when the necessity arises to destroy His creatures. We do not recite the whole of Hallel on the seventh day of Passover when G'd eliminated the last of our Egyptian enemies because "when G'd's creatures drown in the sea it is no cause for rejoicing." Pharaoh had deluded himself that it was up to him to decide whether or not to allow the Israelites to depart. If so, he could just as easily renege as he had done during the course of his protracted encounters with Moses and Aaron. Israel had ample reason to be concerned about such an eventuality. For all these reasons the introductory ויהי is more than justified. In fact the conjunctive letter ו at the beginning of the words ולא נחם, indicates that Israel had additional reasons to be concerned of negative developments on the horizon.
3עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זַ״ל (זהר ח״ב מה:) כִּי כָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיְּכַנֶּה יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֵׁם ״עָם״ יִרְמֹז עַל עֵרֶב רַב, וְלָזֶה תִּמְצָא בְּעִנְיָן זֶה לִפְעָמִים מַזְכִּיר שְׁמָם ״הָעָם״ וְלִפְעָמִים מַזְכִּירָם ״בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, דִּכְתִיב ״וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ וְגוֹ׳, הֲרֵי זֶה מַרְאֶה בְּאֶצְבַּע כִּי הָעָם לֹא מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה. וְאָמְרוּ זַ״ל (שמות רבה מב,ו) כִּי הַשְׁחָתַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר זֶה הוּא סִבָּתוֹ, הֵם אָמְרוּ ״נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ״ וְגוֹ׳, הֵם אָמְרוּ ״עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ״ וְגוֹ׳, וְזֶה הוּא אָמְרוֹ וַיְהִי – צַעַר גָּדוֹל לְשׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם – פֵּרוּשׁ, עֵרֶב רַב שֶׁשְּׁלָחָם פַּרְעֹה, לֹא ה׳ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוֹצִיאָם, כִּי לֹא בָּא אֱלֹהִים לָקַחַת לוֹ אֶלָּא גּוֹי גָּדוֹל נַחֲלָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֶלָּא פַּרְעֹה שְׁלָחָם, וְטַעְמוֹ הָיָה לָכוֹף אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָשׁוּב מִצְרַיִם, וְהֵם מָצְאוּ מָקוֹם לְהִדָּבֵק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְסוֹבֵב בְּתַכְלִיתָם צַעַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּנִּזְכָּר.
Another detail to watch in our verse is the word עם. The Zohar second part, page 45 states that whenever Israel is described as עם it is an allusion to the mixed multitude of converts that joined the Israelites at the Exodus. In our portion you will find the Israelites are variously described as בני ישראל and as העם. For instance, in the next verse already the departing Israelites are referred to as בני ישראל. Apparently G'd wanted to make certain that we realised that the people described as העם were not natural born Jews. Our sages in Shemot Rabbah 42,6 consider Israel's corruption in the desert as inspired by these converts. They were the ones who wanted to appoint a new leader to take them back to Egypt (Numbers 14,4). They were also the ones who said: "make a god for us who will walk before us, etc." (Exodus 32,1). All this is alluded to in the word ויהי at the beginning of our paragraph. מThe meaning of the words בשלח פרעה את העם is that whereas G'd liberated the Israelites, Pharaoh allowed the newly converted fellow travellers to depart. G'd had been interested only in acquiring for Himself a great nation as His inheritance. Pharaoh's reasoning in allowing these newly convertedd Jews to depart with the main body of the Jewish people was that they would somehow prevail on the natural born Israelites to return to Egypt. In view of this we can understand even better why G'd did not let the Israelites travel a route to Canaan which would have taken them through territory owned by the Philistines although it was the shortest route. We may understand the word קרוב as describing people who had only recently converted to Judaism and were not yet rooted firmly in sanctity. When people like that faced the Philistines they might turn back and return to Egypt as the lesser of two evils.
4וּלְדֶרֶךְ זֶה יְדוּיַּק עַל נָכוֹן אָמְרוֹ וְלֹא נָחָם אֱלֹהִים כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא, פֵּרוּשׁ, קָרוֹב הוּא לִרְמוֹז הָעָם מִקָּרוֹב בָּא וְאֵין לוֹ חוֹזֶק בִּקְדֻשָּׁה. אוֹ קָרוֹב הוּא לְהַרְשִׁיעַ וִיסוֹבֵב רָעָה גַּם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָרָעָה הִיא ״כִּי אָמַר וְגוֹ׳ פֶּן יִנָּחֵם בִּרְאוֹתָם״, וִידוּיַּק עַל נָכוֹן אָמְרוֹ וְלֹא נָחָם בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא״ו בִּתְחִלַּת עִנְיָן, לוֹמַר כִּי זֶה נוֹסָף עַל כַּמָּה צַעַר שֶׁגָּרְמוּ לָהֶם הָרָמוּז בְּתֵבַת ״וַיְהִי״ וְגוֹ׳, וְעוֹד לָהֶם ״וְלֹא נָחָם״.
The word קרוב may also suggest that these people came close to becoming sinful and as a corollary to also corrupt the (natural born) Israelites. They would indict themselves by their reaction when they would realise they were expected to battle the Philistines. As a result they would regret their recent conversion and would return to Egypt. The letter ו before ולא נחם would refer therefore to another potentially painful aspect of their departure courtesy of Pharaoh.
5עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה כ,ג) כִּי פַּרְעֹה עָשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְוָיָה, וּלְפִי זֶה יַגִּיד הַכָּתוּב צַעַר הַנִּמְשָׁךְ לָהֶם מִזֶּה, וְאָמַר וַיְהִי לְשׁוֹן צַעַר לְסִבַּת שַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה, כִּי יִצְטָרֵךְ הַדָּבָר לִהְיוֹת שֶׁיִּטּוֹל שְׂכַר פְּסִיעוֹתָיו. וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִשְּׂכַר פְּסִיעוֹת שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר (סנהדרין צו,א), וְכָל שָׂכָר שֶׁיִּקְצֹב לוֹ ה׳ יִהְיֶה גּוֹרֵם רָעָה לְשׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר עַל כֵּן נִתְחַכֵּם ה׳ וּבִטֵּל מִצְוָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וְנִתְחַכֵּם שֶׁלֹּא הוֹלִיכָם דֶּרֶךְ קָרוֹב שֶׁמִּן הַסְּתָם לְשָׁם יַעֲרִים פַּרְעֹה לְלַוּוֹתָם, וּבָזֶה בָּטְלָה מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא לִוָּה אוֹתָם. נִמְצָא מִי גָּרַם שֶׁלֹּא הָלְכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל דֶּרֶךְ קָרוֹב, לְוָיָתוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה.
We also have a tradition mentioned in Shemot Rabbah 20,3 that Pharaoh accompanied the Israelites begging them to pray for him. The merit Pharaoh acquired by seeing the Israelites off enabled him to survive longer and pose a threat for Israel. We can deduce what negative effect Pharaoh's accompanying Israel had for the people by comparing this with the story related in Sanhedrin 96 according to which Nebuchadnezzar was greatly rewarded for recalling a messenger bearing a letter to Chizkiyah king of Yehudah congratulating him on his recovery from his sickness. In the original draft of that letter Nebuchadnezzar's scribe had extended greetings to Chizkiyah and to G'd in that order. Upon reflection, Nebuchadnezzar realised he should have first extended greetings to G'd. He personally ran after the messenger to recall him and change the order of greetings. The angel Gabriel interfered with Nebuchadnezzar after he had travelled only four steps. Rabbi Yochanan said that if the angel Gabriel had not stopped Nebuchadnezzar there would have been no remedy for Israel. Nebuchadnezzar's gesture of running four steps in order to accord due respect to G'd resulted in his being allowed to destroy the Holy Temple and the Jewish state. Imagine what negative effects for the Jewish people Pharaoh's gesture in accompanying the Israelites must have had on their fate! G'd apparently changed the Israelites's route to one that would discourage Pharaoh from continuing to accompany them. Had the Israelites travelled in the direction of the land of the Philistines, Pharaoh might well have accompanied them all the way and acquired great merit in the eyes of G'd. Put differently: The reason G'd did not lead the Israelites through the land of the Philistines was in order to deny Pharaoh sufficient merit to entitle him to succeed in his quest for the Israelites to return to Egypt.
6וְטַעַם אָמְרוֹ וְלֹא נָחָם בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא״ו לְדֶרֶךְ זֶה, לִרְמוֹז כִּי צַעַר אַחֵר גָּרַם הַדָּבָר זוּלַת זֶה, שֶׁעַל כָּל פָּנִים הִגִּיעוֹ קְצָת זְכוּת בַּלְּוָיָה, וְזֶה סִבָּה שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּסַכָּנָה בִּרְדִיפָתוֹ, כָּאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה כא) בְּפָסוּק ״וְלֹא קָרַב זֶה״ וְגוֹ׳ וּבְפָסוּק ״מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי״ וְגוֹ׳, וְכַמָּה הַרְפַּתְּקֵי דַּעֲדוֹ עֲלַיְיהוּ.
According to this approach, the extra letter ו in ולא נחם is a hint that even the short distance Pharaoh accompanied the Israelites caused the Israelites sufficient discomfort so that they viewed themselves in real danger when Pharaoh pursued them a few days later. Shemot Rabbah 21 refers to this by saying that the words ולא קרב זה אל זה כל הלילה indicate that Pharaoh's merit had not yet been neutralised by the Israelites' repentance until the latter cried out to G'd, i.e. מה תצעק אלי in verse 15.
7וְאָמְרוֹ כִּי אָמַר וְגוֹ׳, הוּא טַעַם אַחֵר, וּכְאִלּוּ אָמַר ״וְכִי אָמַר״, וְתוֹלְדוֹת מֵחוּשׁוֹ הוּא לְצַד שְׁלִיחַת הָעָם שֶׁהֵם עֵרֶב רַב כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָשַׁמְנוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ שֵׁנִי.
When the Torah continues: כי אמר, "for G'd had said, etc." this is as if the Torah wrote "and because G'd said, etc." It refers to an additional reason that G'd did not let the people face the Philistines, i.e. the lack of faith in G'd of the newly converted ערב רב.