Midrasch zu Ijow 12:23

"that they return and encamp before Pi Hachiroth": What were these "chiroth"? (Two rocks, which were) not slanting, but straight; not open (between them), but surrounded (by stones, not affording passage between them); not round, but square; not man-made, but Heaven-made; with (the figure of) open eyes; one (in the figure of) a male, and (the other in the figure of) a female. These are the words of R. Eliezer. R. Yehoshua says: Hachiroth on one side, Migdol on the other side; the sea before them and Egypt behind them. Variantly: "Chiroth" connotes the place of their (Israel's) freedom ("cheruthan"), a choice place for them (the Egyptians), the place of their idolatry. In the past it was called Pithom, viz. (Exodus 1:11) "And it (Israel) built treasure cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Ramses." They (the Egyptians) stopped (calling it Pithom) and called it Pi Chachiroth because it disappointed ("me'achereth" [lit., "delayed"]) its worshippers (by not stopping Israel from escaping). And the children of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth, and from Succoth to Eitam, and from Eitam to Pi Hachiroth. On the fifth day (of the week) they journeyed from Egypt, and they came to Ramses. On the sixth day and on the Sabbath they rested there, and on the first day of the week, the fourth day of their journeying, Israel began to prepare their vessels and preparing their beasts to leave, at which their (Egyptian) emissaries said to them: Your time has arrived to return to Egypt (viz. [5:3] "Let us go a three days' distance, etc."), whereupon Israel said to them: When we left, was it by leave of Pharaoh? (viz. Numbers 33:3) "On the morrow of the Pesach the children of Israel went out with a high hand") — to which the emissaries retorted: Whether you like it or not, you must fulfill the royal decree! At this, Israel rose up against them. Some they killed, some they wounded, some fled and reported to Pharaoh. At this, Moses said to them: Turn back, so that Pharaoh not say that you are fleeing. When he blew the shofar for return the faint-hearted among them began to tear their hair and rend their garments — until Moses said to them: The L rd has said to me that you are free. Thus, "Let them return and encamp before Pi Hachiroth." "between Migdol and the sea": There, was their greatness ("gedulathan," as in "Migdol"). There, was their glory and their splendor. There, Joseph had gathered their silver and their gold, viz. (Genesis 47:14) "And Joseph collected, etc." "before Ba'al Tzefon": Only Ba'al Tzefon remained of all their idolatries. "Over against it shall you encamp by the sea": to deceive the Egyptians into believing that it had rescued itself, viz. (Iyyov 12:23) "He deceives (homiletically, "mashgi") the nations to destroy them."

(Numb. 22:7:) “So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with [the tools for] divination in their hand,” for they brought in their hands all kinds of divining instruments through which one divines, so as not to give him an excuse [for not coming].¹⁸Numb. R. 20:8. So the divining instruments were in the hands of the elders of Midian, for they said, “If he comes with us, he will succeed; but if he delays [even] for an hour, he will be of no use.” As soon as they saw that he said (in vs. 8), “Lodge here tonight,” the elders of Midian went away, because they knew through their divinations that he would be of no use. (Numb. 22:9:) “Then God came unto Balaam and said, ‘Who are these people with you?’” This text is related (to Prov. 28:10), “One who leads the upright astray on an evil course will fall into his own pit.” Thus at first mortals [behaved] with propriety, but because of his (Balaam's) words, they became [unbridled] in sexual matters.¹⁹Numb. R. 20:9; also Sanh. 106a. Thus, of former [generations] it is stated (in Gen. 29:9), “Rachel came with the sheep.” And so (in Exod. 2:16), “Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters.” Women would go out with the sheep.²⁰I.e., although these seven daughters and Rachel were shepherdesses, they had no fear of being alone among males. [But] Balaam the wicked arose and led mortals astray into unchastity. But as he led [others] astray, he [himself] was led astray. By the [very] counsel he gave, he [himself] fell. This is what is written (in Prov. 28:10), “[One who leads the upright astray on an evil course] will fall into his own pit.” So the Holy One, blessed be He, led him astray with it, as stated (in Job 12:23), “He exalts the nations and destroys them.” When [the Holy One, blessed be He,] asked him (in Numb. 22:9), “Who are these people with you,” that wicked one said, “I know nothing about them.” [He said to himself,] “It appears to me [that] there are times when [God] does not know. And so I can do all that I want to His children.” That is why [God] said to him, “Who are these people with you?” In order to lead him astray. (Numb. 22:10:), “And Balaam said to God, ‘Balak ben Zippor, [the king of Moab] sent [this message] unto me.” He began to boast and say, “Even though You do not honor me, and You do not put out a good name for me in the world, kings seek me. (Numb. 22:11:) “Behold the people has come out of Egypt […], come now, curse (qavah) them for me.” [This is] to make known that he (Balaam) hated Israel more than Balak, because (in Numb. 22:6) Balak did not say qavah (as Balaam claimed he had said in Numb. 22:11) but arah.²¹Both words mean “curse,” but the former is worse than the latter, because qavah involves the use of the Divine Name. This one (Balaam), however, said (in vs. 11), “curse explicitly (qavah),” [meaning] to take [God’s] name explicitly. Moreover, while the former (Balak) said (in Numb. 22:6) “And drive them away from the land,” the latter (Balaam) said [simply] (in vs. 11), “and drive them out” [i.e.,] from this world and from the world to come.

And it came to pass in the middle of the night, that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:29). The Creator of the night divided the night precisely. The Lord smote all the first born. It was the Lord Himself who smote the firstborn and not His emissary (Moses). In fact, even though a man was elsewhere, and his firstborn was in Egypt, he died. How do we know that the firstborn of the Cuthites, Puthites, and Ludites were also slain? It is said: And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham (Ps. 78:51).⁸Ham was the ancestor of Cush, Put, and Lud (Gen. 10:15). Only the firstborn of the Pharaoh remained alive in fulfillment of the verse However, it was for this that I raised you up (Exod. 9:16). And Ba’al Saphon was the only idol remaining, to mislead them, in fulfillment of the verse He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them (Job 12:23). Unto the firstborn of the captives (Exod. 12:29). Why were the firstborn of the captives punished? Because they had rejoiced in the decrees promulgated against Israel. Hence it is written: He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished (Prov. 17:5). You must not be of the opinion that only the captives reacted in that manner, for the slaves and handmaidens did likewise, as is said: Even unto the firstborn of the maidservants that is behind the mill (Exod. 11:5); that is, even those who were legally bound to the millers. Even their firstborn cattle were destroyed lest the people assert: “Our deities are powerful, and that is why punishment was imposed upon them (and not upon us).”