Daf 45b (דַּף מ״ה ע״ב)

And it was when Pharaoh sent the people (וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם), what is written above? (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא), “And Pharaoh rose at night, he and all his servants” (וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה לַיְלָה הוּא וְכָל עֲבָדָיו) (Exodus 12). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the supernal vengeance that Kudsha Berikh Hu performed in Egypt (נוּקְמָא עִלָּאָה דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם).

There were three acts of vengeance (תְּלַת מוֹתָנִי הֲווֹ): one, that the firstborn in Egypt acted (חַד, דְּעָבְדוּ בּוּכְרִין בְּמִצְרַיִם), killing all those they found (דְּקָטִילוּ כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַשְׁכָּחוּ); and one, that Kudsha Berikh Hu killed in the middle of the night (וְחַד, דְּקָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא); and one, when Pharaoh saw the vengeance in his house (וְחַד, כַּד חָמָא פַּרְעֹה מוֹתָנָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ), in his sons and his servants (בִּבְנוֹי וּבְעַבְדוֹי), he rose and quickly strengthened himself (קָם וְזָרִיז גַּרְמֵיהּ), and killed governors and officers (וְקָטִיל אֲפַרְכִין וְסַרְכִין), and all who had enthroned him in rebellion against the people (וְכָל דְּאַמְלִיכוּ לֵיהּ לְסָרְבָּא בְּעַמָּא), until the Orayta testified about him that he truly rose at night (עַד דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אַסְהִידַת עָלֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ קָם בְּלֵילְיָא מַמָּשׁ).

Just as Kudsha Berikh Hu in the middle of the night killed the firstborn and exacted vengeance (כְּמָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא קָטַל בּוּכְרִין וְעָבִיד נוּקְמִין), so too Pharaoh rose in the land of Egypt (הָכִי קָם פַּרְעֹה בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), and killed and exacted vengeance on his officers (וְקָטַל וְעָבִיד נוּקְמִין בְּסַרְכוֹי), governors (וְאָפַרְכוֹי), captains (וַאֲמַרְכְּלוֹי), and all the nobles (וּבְכָל אִינּוּן רַבְרְבִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “And Pharaoh rose” — truly at night (וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה — לַיְלָה מַמָּשׁ) (Exodus 12), for killing and driving out (דְּקָם לְקַטָלָא וּלְשֵׁיצָאָה).

The way of a dog is that when struck with a stone, it goes and bites another (אוֹרְחוֹי דְּכַלְבָּא, כַּד מַחְיָין לֵיהּ בְּאַבְנָא, אִיהוּ אָתֵי וְנָשִׁיךְ לְחַבְרֵיהּ); so Pharaoh (כַּךְ פַּרְעֹה): afterward he went through the markets (לְבָתַר אִיהוּ הֲוָה אָזִיל בַּשְּׁוָקֵי), and he proclaimed and said (וַהֲוָה מַכְרִיז וְאָמַר): “Arise, go out from among my people! (קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי), you have killed all the sons of the city! (אַתּוּן קָטַלְתּוּן לְכָל בְּנֵי מָתָא), you have killed the officers and governors and all the sons of my house!” (אַתּוּן קָטַלְתּוּן סַרְכֵי וְאָפַרְכֵי וְכָל בְּנֵי בֵיתִי).

This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “And he called to Moshe and to Aharon at night” (וַיִּקְרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן לַיְלָה) (Exodus 12). Since all was in fear (כֵּיוָן דְּבִידְכוֹן הֲוָה כֹּלָּא), he said: “And you shall bless me also — that you not kill me” (וּבֵרַכְתֶּם גַּם אוֹתִי, דְּלָא תִּקְטְלוּן לִי). Afterward, he by his own hands expelled them (לְבָתַר אִיהוּ בְּגַרְמֵיהּ אוֹזִיף לוֹן), and sent them out from the land (וְאַפִּיק לוֹן מֵאַרְעָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “And it was when Pharaoh sent the people…” (וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם וגו׳) (Exodus 13). “And Elohim led the people by way of the wilderness of the Sea of Reeds” (וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָעָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר יַם־סוּף), to prepare the path to its place (לְתַקְּנָא אָרְחָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): What is different when Yisrael were in Egypt (מַאי שְׁנָא כַּד הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם), that it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Send My people” (שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי) (Exodus 5), “For if you refuse to let My people go” (כִּי אִם מָאֵן אַתָּה לְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת עַמִּי) (Exodus 9), and “My firstborn son is Yisrael” (בְּנִי בְכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 4) — and at that time they had not been decreed (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָא הֲווֹ גְּזִירִין), nor were they properly bound to Him (וְלָא אִתְקַשָּׁרוּ בֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). But here they were decreed (וְהָכָא דַּהֲווֹ גְּזִירִין), and they performed the Pesach (וְעָבְדוּ פִּסְחָא), and were bound to Him (וְאִתְקַשָּׁרוּ בֵּיהּ) — therefore He called them “the people” (קָרֵי לוֹן אֶת הָעָם). Rather, because of Erev rav that cleaved to them (אֶלָּא בְּגִין הַהוּא עֵרֶב רַב, דְּאִתְדְּבָקוּ בְּהוּ), and became intermingled among them (וְאִתְעָרְבוּ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ), He called them “the people” in general (קָרֵי לוֹן אֶת הָעָם סְתָם). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Exodus 32): “And Hashem struck the people because they had made the calf” (וַיִּגּוֹף יְיָ אֶת הָעָם עַל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל). “And the people gathered against Aharon” (וַיִּקָּהֵל הָעָם עַל אַהֲרֹן). “And the people saw that Moshe delayed” (וַיַּרְא הָעָם כִּי בֹשֵׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה). And likewise all of them (וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ).

Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehudah were walking from Usha to Lod (ר׳ יִצְחָק וְר׳ יְהוּדָה הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי מֵאוּשָׁא לְלוּד),p5-79 and with them was Yosei the traveler (וַהֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן יוֹסֵי טַיָּיעָא), carrying the ropes of loaded camels on his shoulders (בִּקְטִירָא דְּגַמָּלֵי עֲטוּפִירָא בְּכַתְפַיְיהוּ). As they were going (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי), that Yosei the traveler encountered a certain woman from the nations (אַשְׁכַּח הַהוּא יוֹסֵי טַיָּיעָא אִנְתּוּ חֲדָא דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין), who was tying herbs of the field (דְּקָטִיר בִּירוֹקֵי חַקְלָא). He slipped away from them (אִשְׁתְּמִיט מִנַּיְיהוּ), overcame her (וְאַתְקִיף בָּהּ), and approached her (וְאָתָא עָלָּה).p5-80

Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehudah turned away (תַּוְוהוּ ר׳ יִצְחָק וְר׳ יְהוּדָה), and said (אָמְרוּ): “Let us turn from this path (נֵיתוּב מֵאָרְחָא דָּא), for behold, Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to show us (דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא לְאַחְזָאָה לָן), so that we do not be joined with him” (דְּלָא נִתְחַבַּר בַּהֲדֵיהּ). They turned from the path (תָּבוּ מֵאָרְחָא), investigated afterward (בָּדְקוּ בַּתְרֵיהּ), and found that her words were the words of a daughter of a foreign god (וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּבַת אֵל נִכָר הֲוָה), and her father was of a disqualified seed (וַאֲבוּהָ פָּסִיל זַרְעָא הֲוָה). They said: “Blessed is the Merciful One who saved us” (אָמְרוּ: בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּשֵׁזִיב לָן).

Rabbi Yitzchak opened and said (פָּתַח ר׳ יִצְחָק וְאָמַר), (Psalms 37): “Do not be angered by evildoers” (אַל תִּתְחַר בַּמְּרֵעִים). Who are these evildoers? (מַאן אִינּוּן מְרֵעִים) Not that it says “sinners” or “wicked” (דְּלָא כְּתִיב חַטָּאִים אוֹ רְשָׁעִים), but “evildoers” (אֶלָּא מְרֵעִים) — those who corrupt themselves (דְּאַבְאִישִׁין לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ), and those who join with them (וּלְהָנִי דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (ר׳ יְהוּדָה אָמַר): “Evildoers” — distance yourself from evildoers (מְרֵעִים: אַרְחֵיק גַּרְמָךְ מִמְּרֵעִים), that you not become friends with them (דְּלָא תֶּהווֹן רֵעִים וַחֲבֵרִים כַּחֲדָא), so that they not corrupt your deeds (דְּלָא יַבְאִישׁוּ לָךְ עוֹבָדוֹי), and you be caught in their sin (וְתִתְפַּס בְּחֶטְאוֹי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): If not for that Erev rav that had joined with Yisrael p5-81(אִי לָא הֲווֹ אִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב דְּאִתְחַבְּרוּ בְּהוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל), that act would not have occurred (לָא אִתְעָבִיד הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא), and those of Yisrael who died would not have died (וְלָא מִיתוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כָּל אִינּוּן דְּמִיתוּ), and they would not have caused to Yisrael all that they caused (וְלָא גָּרִים לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל מַה דְּגָרִים). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): That deed and that guilt truly caused the exile of Yisrael (הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא וְהַהוּא חוֹבָה מַמָּשׁ, גָּרִים גָּלוּתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).

As we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן), Kudsha Berikh Hu desired (בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), that Yisrael would be found at that time like supernal angels (דְּיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא כְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי), and to make them free from all (וּלְמֶעְבַּד לוֹן חֵירִין מִכֹּלָּא), free from death (חֵירִין מִמּוֹתָא), and to be free from the subjugation of the other nations (וּלְמֶהֱוֵי חֵירִין מִן שִׁעְבּוּדָא דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Exodus 32): “Engraved on the tablets” — do not read engraved (חָרוּת עַל הַלּוּחוֹת), but freedom (אַל תִּקְרֵי חָרוּת אֶלָּא חֵירוּת). Once that act was done (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבִיד הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא), they caused all (גָּרִימוּ כֹּלָּא). They caused death (גָּרִימוּ מוֹתָא), they caused subjugation to kingdoms (גָּרִימוּ שִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכְּוָון), they caused the breaking of the first tablets (גָּרִימוּ דְּאִתְּבָּרוּ אִינּוּן לוּחֵי קַדְמָאֵי), they caused many thousands of Yisrael to die (גָּרִימוּ דְּמֵיתוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כַּמָּה אַלְפִּין מִנַּיְיהוּ). And all this (וְכָל דָּא), because of the attachment of the Erev rav (בְּגִין אִתְחַבְּרוּתָא דְּאִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב), that joined with them (דְּאִתְחַבְּרוּ בְּהוּ). Even here (אוּף הָכָא), because of them (בְּגִינֵיהוֹן), they were not called “Bnei Yisrael” (לָא אִתְקְרוּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), nor “Yisrael” (וְלָא יִשְׂרָאֵל), nor “My people” (וְלָא עַמִּי), but simply “the people” (אֶלָּא הָעָם סְתָם). And if you say: “And the Bnei Yisrael went up armed” (וְאִי תֵּימָא: וַחֲמוּשִׁים עָלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) — when they went up from Egypt (כַּד הֲווֹ סַלְּקִין מִמִּצְרַיִם), and the Erev rav had not yet joined them (וְלָא אִתְחַבְּרוּ בַהֲדַיְיהוּ אִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב), He called them “Bnei Yisrael” (קָרֵי לוֹן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). But once they joined them (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְחַבְּרוּ בַהֲדַיְיהוּ), as it is written: “And also a mixed multitude went up with them” (דִּכְתִּיב: וְגַם עֵרֶב רַב עָלָה אִתָּם) (Exodus 12), He called them “the people” (קָרֵי לוֹן: הָעָם).

Rabbi Yose raised an objection and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אַקְשֵׁי וְאָמַר): it is written (כְּתִיב): “For as you have seen Egypt today, you shall no longer see them again forever” (כִּי אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת מִצְרַיִם הַיּוֹם לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאוֹתָם עוֹד עַד עוֹלָם) (Exodus 14). If so (אִי הָכִי), why do we continue to see the Erev rav? (כָּל יוֹמָא הֲווֹ חָמָאן לְהַהוּא עֵרֶב רַב). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): it is written “a mixed multitude,” not “Egypt” (עֵרֶב רַב כְּתִיב, וְלֹא מִצְרַיִם), for many other nations dwelled in Egypt (דְּהָא כַּמָּה שְׁאָר עַמִּין הֲווֹ דַּיְּירֵי בְּמִצְרַיִם). And furthermore (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא), since all of them were decreed (דְּכֻלְּהוּ אִתְגְּזָרוּ), and once decreed, they were no longer called “Egyptians” (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ, לָא אִקְרוּן מִצְרָאֵי).