Musar zu Schemot 14:25

Another peculiarity is the wording of 14,25, where G–d is described as removing the wheels from the chariots of the Egyptians. The Torah writes: ויסר את אופן מרכבותיו, "He removed or locked the wheel (sing.) of their chariots." If the Torah refers to the chariot of Pharaoh it should have said the "wheel of his chariot." If the chariots of the army are meant, the Torah should have spoken about the 'wheels' of their chariots." Why this peculiar phrasing? We must say that the שר של מצרים who is an extremely powerful שר had assembled many other chariots of חצוניים, "external" forces as explained by the Zohar we have quoted earlier. The word אופן which is often used for angels, is used here as a description of Pharaoh's שר. When G–d detached this שר, all of the chariots of the Egyptians came apart, which in turn caused the confusion of the Egyptians described in the Torah. When this happened all the אלופי אדום, and the אילי מואב as well as the inhabitants of Canaan were seized with fright, as described in 15,15.