Kommentar zu Schemot 14:31
וַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּֽאֲמִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וּבְמֹשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ (פ)
Da sah Israel die gewaltige Hand, welche der Herr betätigte an Ägypten, und das Volk fürchtete den Herrn und glaubte an den Herrn und seinen Diener
Rashi on Exodus
את היד הגדלה denotes THE GREAT power which the HAND of the Holy One, blessed be He, had exercised. There are many meanings that are appropriate to the expression יד, hand, but all of them really signify the actual hand, and he who is explaining it must adapt the language according to the meaning of the passage.
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Ramban on Exodus
AND ISRAEL SAW THE GREAT HAND. “I.e., the great power which the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, had exercised. There are many meanings that are appropriate for the word yad (hand), but all of them signify the actual hand, and the interpreter must adapt the meaning according to the theme of the subject discussed.” Thus the language of Rashi. But Onkelos did not explain the great hand as referring to power, for he translated: “the might of the great hand.” And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that it means “the great blow.” And so it also says, Behold, the hand of the Eternal is upon the cattle,85Above, 9:3. [which means that a great plague will overtake them]; The hand of G-d was very heavy there,86I Samuel 5:11. [which means that a great calamity befell the Philistines].
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the verse is stating that the great hand, which is the attribute of justice that G-d exercised upon the Egyptians, became revealed to them, since it was there inflicting punishment upon the Egyptians. This is like the verse, And upon earth He made thee to see His great fire.87Deuteronomy 4:36. This is the right hand which dashes in pieces the enemy,88See further, 15:6. and it is the arm of the Eternal, concerning which Scripture says, Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Eternal;89Isaiah 51:9. Art thou not it that dried up the sea?90Ibid., Verse 10.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the verse is stating that the great hand, which is the attribute of justice that G-d exercised upon the Egyptians, became revealed to them, since it was there inflicting punishment upon the Egyptians. This is like the verse, And upon earth He made thee to see His great fire.87Deuteronomy 4:36. This is the right hand which dashes in pieces the enemy,88See further, 15:6. and it is the arm of the Eternal, concerning which Scripture says, Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Eternal;89Isaiah 51:9. Art thou not it that dried up the sea?90Ibid., Verse 10.
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Sforno on Exodus
היד הגדולה אשר עשה ה' במצרים; a reference to the מדוי מצרים in Deuteronomy 7,15 which described afflictions suffered by the Egyptians while at the Sea of Reeds.
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