Commentaire de citation sur Le Deutéronome 26:8

AND THE ANGEL OF THE ETERNAL APPEARED UNTO HIM IN A FLAME OF FIRE. Because Scripture originally states, And the angel of the Eternal appeared, and then it goes on to say, And when the Eternal saw that he turned aside to see, G-d called unto him,¹³⁵Verse 4. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that elohim mentioned here [in the second verse] is the angel mentioned [in the first], as in the verse, For I have seen ‘elohim’ face to face.¹³⁶Genesis 32:31. The reference there is to an angel. See Ramban on Verses 26 and 30, there. The expression, I am the G-d of thy father,¹³⁷Verse 6. is a case of the deputy speaking in the name of Him Who sent him.¹³⁸See Vol. I, p. 260, for a similar instance. But this is not correct. Moses the greatest in prophecy, would not have hidden his face from an angel [as is related in Verse 6].
Our Rabbis have said in Bereshith Rabbah:¹³⁹Bereshith Rabbah 97:4. The complete quote mentioned here by Ramban is found in Shemoth Rabbah 2:8. “Angel. This refers to the angel Michael. Wherever Rabbi Yosei Ha’aruch¹⁴⁰Literally: “Rabbi Yosei the tall one.” He was an outstanding pupil of Rabbeinu Hakadosh, or Rabbi Judah the Prince, redactor of the Mishnah. was seen, people would say, ‘There is Rabbeinu Hakadosh.’ Similarly, wherever the angel Michael appears, there is also present the Glory of the Divine Presence.” The Rabbis intended to say that at first, the angel Michael appeared to Moses, and there was also the Glory of the Divine Presence, but Moses did not see the Glory, as he had not duly prepared his mind for prophecy. When he duly prepared his heart for it and he turned aside to see, then the vision of the Divine Presence revealed itself to him, and G-d called unto him out of the midst of the bush.¹³⁵Verse 4.

וראיתי את הדם, “as soon as I will see the blood, etc.” Even though the blood of the Paschal lamb was smeared on the doorposts inside their homes and as such not visible from the outside, everything is visible to G-d. The following is in response to the question of how the angel could see this even though G-d could see it. The text sounds as if G-d is speaking about Himself. The fact is that once G-d has appointed an angel as His executor, that angel assumes the role of the One Who has appointed him, and when the Torah Speaks of: “when I see,” the reference is to the emissary whom G-d appointed. He is entitled to use that description as applicable to himself while on that mission. The author’s point about the role of the messenger, i.e.angel, is proved when the Torah speaks of G-d not giving the destroyer permission to kill Jewish firstborn. The part of the Exodus story which was orchestrated by G-d personally, without the help of any angels, was that of taking the Jewish people out of Egypt. This is emphasised in the haggadah of Passover where the author writes, quoting Deuteronomy 26,8: ויוציאנו ה' ממצרים, “the Lord took us out of Egypt,” and the author of the haggadah adds; לא על ידי מלאך “not by means of an angel;” לא על ידי שרף, “not through a higher ranking angel called seraph; ולא על ידי שליח, “and not by means of any other agent at His disposal;. אלא הקדוש ברוך הוא בכבודו ובעצמו, “but only the Holy One blessed be He, in His glory, personally.

וַיּוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יְהֹוָה֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם בְּיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֹרָ֖א גָּדֹ֑ל וּבְאֹת֖וֹת וּבְמֹפְתִֽים׃ Adonai freed us from Egypt by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm and awesome power, and by signs and portents. (Deut. 26:8)
וַיּוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יְהֹוָה֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם Vayoteinu, “Adonai took us out from Egypt,” (Deut. 26:8) Since a verse states, “God sent a messenger (malakh) and took us out from Egypt,” (Num. 20:16) the commentators state that this verse is speaking of Moses, our teacher. Because the prophets are emissaries of God, they are considered, מַלְאָכִים֙ malakhim (angels). The Maggid comes to say that this is not that type of מַלְאָכִים֙, malakh, nor is it the type of malakh, our forefather, Jacob, was referring to when he said, “The angel who has redeemed me from all harm…” (Gen. 48:16) Jacob is not referring to an angel among the ministering angels for he would never have said that an angel should bless his grandchildren. Rather the termהַמַּלְאָךְ֩ hamalakh, “the Angel,” refers to the Shechinah, the Divine Presence and that God Himself took them out of Egypt.
One might say that these verses contradict one another! One says that God “Sent an angel to take us out…” (Num. 20:16) and the other verse says “ Adonai took us out…” (Deut. 26:8) and yet Maggid says, “Not by an angel…” However one should note that the verse does not say, “He sent an angel to take us out,” but rather, “He sent an angel and He took us out.” (Num. 20:16) He wishes to explain that God had already sent, “the angel of His presence,”¹³¹This is another term for the Shechinah. (Is. 63:9) to Egypt. This is what the sages meant when they stated, “The Divine Presence (Shechinah) was exiled to Egypt with them, as is stated, “I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I Myself will also bring you back.” (Gen. 46:4) This suggests that God will bring us out of Egypt through Shechinah itself and will perform miracles and wonders. This is what will happen in the future when God brings us out from this exile, as is written, “In that day, I will set up again the fallen booth of David,” (Amos 9:11) Therefore, it won’t be through a שָׂרָף Saraph, a fiery being, even though it is written, “I will bore you on the wings of eagles.” (Ex. 19:4) This refers to the face of the eagle in the divine chariot, (Ez. 1:1) It was not the Sarafim who took us out completely; rather it was God who took us out of Egypt and these eagles served to carry us to the land of Israel so we could eat the Passover offering, as the liturgist wrote, “They built and flew off to the bright and fairest of heritages… There they shall eat the Pesach offering with praise and songs, This is because outside of the land of Israel the Pesach offering was not allowed. On that night they shall return to the Valley of Kaftorim. I will perform miracles with all the gods of Egypt, I and not an emissary, The emissary is Moses who was sent on a mission by the Blessed One to Pharaoh and to the people of Israel, and not as the people who complained said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt?” It was not so - rather it was God who brought us out, and against all the Gods of Egypt did he bring judgment.