Daf 47a (דַּף מ״ז ע״א)

It is written: “To My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh I have likened you, My beloved” (Song of Songs 1) (כְּתִיב: לְסוּסָתִי בְּרִכְבֵי פַרְעֹה דִּמִּיתִיךְ רַעְיָתִי). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): just as a female horse appeared before the stallions of Pharaoh (כְּדוּגְמַת סוּסְיָא נוּקְבָּא אִתְחָזֵי לְהוֹן לְסוּסֵיהוֹן דְּפַרְעֹה), and this has already been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ) “To My mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.” Come and see (אֶלָּא: לְסוּסָתִי בְּרִכְבֵי פַרְעֹה, תָּא חֲזֵי): Pharaoh, when he pursued after the children of Yisrael (פַּרְעֹה בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּהֲוָה רָדִיף אֲבָתְרַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), what did he do? He took female horses and bound them in front of the chariots (מַה עָבֵד נָטַל סוּסְוָון נוּקְבָן, וְכָפַת לוֹן בִּרְתִּיכוֹי בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and male horses he bound behind them (וְסוּסִין דּוּכְרָאֵי כָּפַת לוֹן לַאֲחוֹרֵיהוֹן), and the males would strain toward the females (וַהֲווּ מְזַיְּינִין דּוּכְרֵי לָקוּבֵל נוּקְבֵי), but the females did not desire them and resisted going (וְנוּקְבֵי לָא בָּעָאן, וְאוֹחָן לְמֵיזָל). Once he drew near-some say: and when he caught up-with Yisrael (כֵּיוָן דְּקָרִיב, נ״א: וּכְדֵין אֲדַבִּיק לְגַבַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), he took the females and placed them in the rear (נָטַל נוּקְבֵי וְשַׁוֵּי לוֹן לַאֲחוֹרֵי), and his male horses at the front (וְסוּסְוָון דּוּכְרִין לְקַדְמִין), to anger Yisrael and engage them in battle (לְאַבְּאָשָׁא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְאַגָּחָא בְּהוּ קְרָבָא).

In this same manner (כְּגַוְנָא דָּא): “And Hashem went before them by day” (Exodus 13), and afterward the Shekhinta returned to the rear of Yisrael (וַייָ׳ הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם, וּבָתַר חָזְרָה שְׁכִינְתָּא לַאֲחוֹרֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written: “And the angel of Elohim moved…” (Exodus 14) (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים וְגו׳). For this reason it is said: “I have likened you, My beloved” (בְּגִינֵי כַךְ: דִּמִּיתִיךְ רַעְיָתִי). “And Pharaoh drew near” (וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב) (Exodus 14) and this verse has been established (וְהַאי קְרָא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that he brought near all his army and chariots to wage war (דְּאַקְרִיב לְכָל חֵילוֹי וּרְתִּיכוֹי לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא). And furthermore, “Pharaoh drew near” (וְתוּ: וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב). Rabbi Yosi said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): it has already been said that he drew near for repentance (הָא אִתְּמַר: דְּקָרִיב לוֹן לִתְשׁוּבָה). “And Pharaoh drew near” (וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב).

It is written: “Hashem, in distress they sought You; they poured out whispered prayer…” (Isaiah 26) (כְּתִיב: יְיָ׳ בַּצַּר פְּקָדוּךָ צָקוּן לַחַשׁ וְגו׳). “In distress they sought You”-Yisrael do not seek Kudsha Berikh Hu in times of comfort (בַּצַּר פְּקָדוּךָ: לָא פָּקְדִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּנַיְיחָא), but only in times of affliction (אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּעָקִין לְהוּ), and then they all seek Him (וּכְדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ פָּקְדִין לֵיהּ). “They poured out whispered prayer”-they all cry out in prayer and supplication (צָקוּן לַחַשׁ: וְכֻּלְּהוּ צַלָּאן בִּצְלוֹתִין וּבְבָעוּתִין), and pour out prayer before Him (וְאָרִיקוּ קָמֵיהּ צְלוֹתִין). When is this? (אֵימָתַי) “When Your chastening was upon them” (Isaiah 26) (מוּסָרְךָ לָמוֹ): when Kudsha Berikh Hu appoints affliction upon them through His lashes (בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּפָקִיד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּרְצוּעוֹי), then Kudsha Berikh Hu stands over them with mercy (כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאֵים עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּרַחֲמֵי), and that voice of theirs is pleasant before Him (וְנִיחָא קָמֵיהּ הַהוּא קָלָא דִּלְהוֹן), in order to exact retribution from their enemies (בְּגִין לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִן שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן), and He is filled toward them with mercy (וְאִתְמְלֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּרַחֲמֵי).

As we have established: the parable of the dove and the hawk, etc. (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא: מְתָל לְיוֹנָה עִם הַנִּץ וְכו׳) so too Yisrael were close to the sea (כַּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ קְרִיבִין לְיַמָּא), and they saw the sea before them (וַהֲווּ חָמָאן לְיַמָּא קָמַיְיהוּ), raging and storming, and its waves rising high (אָזִיל וְסָעִיר, וְגַלְגַּלּוֹהִי זַקְפִין לְעֵילָּא) they were terrified (הֲווֹ דְּחִילִין). They lifted their eyes and saw Pharaoh and his chariots, with stones of slings and weapons (זָקְפוּ עֵינַיְיהוּ וְחָמוּ לְפַרְעֹה וּלְמַשִּׁירְיָיתֵיהּ, וְאַבְנֵי גִּירִין וּבַלִּסְטְרָאִין). Then: “And they were very afraid” [Exodus 14] (כְּדֵין: וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד). What did they do? “And the children of Yisrael cried out” (מַה עָבְדוּ וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Who caused this-Yisrael to draw close to their Father above? Pharaoh (מַאן גָּרִים הַאי: דְּקָרִיבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי אֲבוּהוֹן דִּלְעֵילָּא פַּרְעֹה). This is what is written: “And Pharaoh drew near” (וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב), and this has already been explained (וְהָא אִתְּמַר).

Moses said to the people: Do not be afraid, stand and see the salvation of Hashem (וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם: אַל תִּירָאוּ, הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת יְשׁוּעַת יְיָ׳) (Exodus 14). Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Blessed is the portion of Yisrael (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), for their shepherd, Moshe, walked within them (דְּהָא רַעְיָא כְּמֹשֶׁה אָזִיל בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ). It is written (Isaiah 63): “He remembered the days of old, Moshe His people” (כְּתִיב: וַיִּזְכֹּר יְמֵי עוֹלָם מֹשֶׁה עַמּוֹ). “He remembered the days of old”-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (וַיִּזְכֹּר יְמֵי עוֹלָם: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). “Moshe His people”-from here we learn that Moshe carried all of Yisrael (מֹשֶׁה עַמּוֹ: מִכָּאן שֶׁלִּי הוּא, שָׁקִיל הֲוָה מֹשֶׁה כְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל).

And we learn from this (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵהָא): that the shepherd of the people truly is the people as a whole (כִּי רַעְיָא דְּעַמָּא הוּא מַמָּשׁ עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ). If he merits, the people all merit (אִי אִיהוּ זָכֵי, עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ זָכָאן), and if he does not merit, the people do not merit and are punished on his account (וְאִי אִיהוּ לָא זָכֵי, עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ לָא זָכָאן וְאִתְעֲנָשׁוּ בְּגִינֵיהּ). And this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). “Stand and see”-you have no need to wage war, for Kudsha Berikh Hu will wage war on your behalf (הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ: לֵית לְכוּ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַגִּיחַ קְרָבָא בְּגִינֵיכוֹן), as it is said: “Hashem will fight for you, and you shall be silent” (Exodus 14) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: יְיָ׳ יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם וְאַתֶּם תַּחֲרִישׁוּן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): that night, Kudsha Berikh Hu gathered His heavenly retinue (הַהוּא לֵילְיָא: כָּנַשׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְפָמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ), and judged the judgments of Yisrael (וְדָאִין דִּינַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And if not for the merit of the Patriarchs preceding them (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאַקְדִּימוּ אֲבָהָן עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), they would not have been saved from judgment (לָא אִשְׁתֵּזִיבוּ מִן דִּינָא). Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): the merit of Ya‘akov shielded Yisrael (זְכוּתָא דְּיַעֲקֹב אַגִּין עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written (Psalms 124): “If not for Hashem who was for us, let Yisrael now say”-this refers to Yisrael Saba (דְּכְתִיב: לוּלֵי יְיָ׳ שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ יֹאמַר נָא יִשְׂרָאֵל-יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא). “Hashem will fight for you…” [Exodus 14] (יְיָ׳ יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם וְאַתֶּם תַּחֲרִישׁוּן).

Rabbi Abba opened (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח): “If you turn away your foot from the Shabbat… not doing your own desires on My holy day” (Isaiah 58) (אִם תָּשִׁיב מִשַּׁבָּת רַגְלֶךָ עֲשׂוֹת חֲפָצֶיךָ בְּיוֹם קָדְשִׁי). Blessed are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), that Kudsha Berikh Hu was pleased with them (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוֹן), to cleave to them more than all the nations of the world (לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּהוּ מִכָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא). And from His love for them, He drew them near to Him (וּמִגּוֹ רְחִימוּתָא דִּילְהוֹן קָרִיב לוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ), and gave them the Orayta (וְיָהַב לוֹן אוֹרַיְּיתָא), and gave them the Shabbat (וְיָהַב לוֹן שַׁבָּת), which is more holy than all other days (דְּאִיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא מִכָּל שְׁאַר יוֹמִין), more restful than all (וְנַיְיחָא מִכֹּלָּא), and the joy of all (וְחֶדְוָה דְּכֹלָּא). And Shabbat is taken to correspond to the entire Orayta (וְשָׁקִיל שַׁבָּת לָקוּבֵל אוֹרַיְּיתָא כֻּלָּא), and one who guards Shabbat is as if he has guarded the entire Orayta (וּמַאן דְּנָטִיר שַׁבָּת כְּאִילּוּ נָטִיר אוֹרַיְּיתָא כֻּלָּא).