Commento su Esodo 2:25

וידע אלהים AND GOD KNEW — He directed His heart to them and did not hide His eyes from them.

AND G-D SAW THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained this as meaning that G-d saw the violence which the Egyptians overtly did to them, and G-d knew what was done to them secretly. And Rashi explained: “And G-d knew. He directed His heart to them and did not hide His eye from them.” This is correct in line with the plain meaning of Scripture. At first He hid His face from them and they were devoured,¹²⁹See Deuteronomy 31:17. but now G-d heard their groaning and He saw them, meaning that He no longer hid His face from them; He knew their pains and all that was done to them, as well as all that they required.
Now Scripture gives a lengthy account of the many reasons for their redemption: And G-d heard their groaning, and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;¹²⁷Verse 24. And G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew; For I know their pains.¹³⁰Further, 3:7. This is because even though the time [of bondage] decreed upon them was completed, they were not worthy of redemption, as was explained by the prophet Ezekiel;¹³¹Ezekiel 20:6-10. it was only on account of the cry¹³²And we cried unto the Eternal, the G-d of our fathers, and the Eternal heard our voice (Deuteronomy 26:7). See also Numbers 20:16. that He in His mercies accepted their prayer.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], there is in this verse one of the great mysteries of the Torah, suggesting that their afflictions came up to the light of His countenance, which brought them [their afflictions] near the Knowledge [of G-d], just as is implied in the verse, In midst of the ‘shanim’ (years) make it known; in wrath remember compassion.¹³³Habakkuk 3:2. Shem Tov ibn Gaon, (a Spanish Cabalist of the pupils of Rashba — printed in Ma’or V’shamesh, Livorno, 1839), explains that Ramban’s intent in mentioning this verse is that the word shanim (years) should be understood as sh’nayim (two), a reference to the two Divine attributes, justice and mercy. When they unite, Israel is remembered for help and redemption. This is explicitly referred to in the second half of the verse: in wrath remember compassion. It is for this reason that Scripture gives this lengthy account — [And G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew] — after already having mentioned, And G-d heard… and G-d remembered.¹²⁷Verse 24. This verse, [And G-d saw…,] has been explained in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah.¹³⁴Also called Sefer Habahir. Ramban’s reference is found there in paragraph 76 (Margoliot ed.). See Vol. I, p. 24, Note 42. Ramban was the first author to quote from this classic of Jewish mystic thought in an open and extensive manner. See the learned work of Israel Weinstock, B’maglei Haniglah V’hanistar (Mosad Harav Kook, Jerusalem) on various aspects of this book. From there you will understand the verse.

וירא אלוקים את בני ישראל, He now took a personal interest in their fate and no longer hid His countenance from them. This is perceived as similar to Samuel I 9,16: כי ראיתי את עמי, כי באה צעקתו אלי, “for I have seen My people, for its outcry has come to Me.” G’d Himself said this later in 3,7 ראה ראיתי את עני אשר במצרים, “for I have seen My people, the suffering they are in Egypt.”

וירא אלוקים…וידע אלוקים. G'd saw,….and G'd knew. After the children of Israel had raised their voices in groanings and prayers and G'd had heard those, He remembered His covenant with the patriarchs. This was the reason He turned His attention to the people. Whenever G'd is described as viewing someone's pain this is sufficient to result in the removal of such pain from the person so afflicted, for His mercy extends to all His creatures. It follows that when G'd is angry He must hide His face from the people otherwise He would have to act in accordance with the principle we have just described. This is why G'd said in Deut. 31,18: "As far as I am concerned, I will surely have to hide My face, etc." The word וידע may refer also to information that had thus far been hidden even from the Israelites concerning evil the Egyptians had perpetrated against that people.

וירא אלוקים...וידע אלוקים, “G’d saw and took notice of the condition of the Israelites.” Rashi explains these various verbs as meaning that G’d responded to their prayers by paying heed with His heart and by not ignoring their plight. Anyone who does not recognize the person who walks in front of him is considered as not seeing him, even if he knows that person well. If he recognizes him but does not love him, he is also considered as behaving as if he did not know him at all, did not “see” him. The Torah therefore describes G’d’s reaction as one of seeing the plight of His people, i.e. “loving” them, as in וידע אדם את חוה אשתו, “Adam had intimate relations with his wife.” G’d’s love manifested itself in His taking note of the Israelites’ plight. Ibn Ezra explains the words וירא אלוקים as G’d taking note of the violence committed against the Israelites in public, and the expression וידע אלוקים as referring to the violence committed against His people under cover of darkness. Nachmanides writes that the various statements of G’d’s reaction which appear in our verse mean that although the time intended for the enslavement of the Jewish people had expired, the people had not yet become worthy of being redeemed. However, G’d decided to intercede at this time already in light of their complaints, i.e. in response to their נאקתם, their moaning. He remembered His covenant, i.e. as promised in Ezekiel who describes G’d remembering the people and redeeming them in spite of their not being worthy of this.

וידע אלוקים. G’d took notice of them. The meaning of the words וירא אלוקים immediately before this is that G’d saw that the Israelites had done Teshuvah, and as a result He had mercy on them.

וירא אלהים את בני ישראל, “G-d saw the Children of Israel;” the words “He saw,” mean that “He paid attention to what He saw.” He paid attention to their suffering. Other examples of similar constructions in the Torah are: Exodus33,12, ראה, אתה אומר אלי, “See, You say to me;” or Exodus 12,13: וראיתי את הדם, “when I see the blood, etc.”

וידע אלוקים, and that the prayer and outcry were totally genuine. This is why He Himself speaks later of כי ידעתיו את מכאוביו “for I am aware of its pains.” This was in contrast with Psalms 78,36-37 where the Jewish people were described as paying only lip-service to their G’d and continued to be disloyal to heir covenant with G’d.

וידע א־להים, “G-d knew.” A construction similar to Proverbs 27,23: ידוע תדע פני צאנך, “make sure that you know the looks of your flocks;” G-d summoned His mercy in order to react to their problems. Another exegesis of the repeated name of G-d here: the expression וירא אלהים, refers to G-d seeing what the Egyptians were doing to the people publicly; the expression וידע אלהים, refers to G-d seeing what they were doing to the Israelites where no one saw it. This is also how our sages in the Haggadah shel Pessach understand this verse, i.e. the first expression refers to the Egyptians making it almost impossible for the Israelites to maintain marital relations. The second expression tells the reader that although due to the intimate and private nature of having marital relations there were no witnesses to these sufferings, G-d goes on record that He is a living witness. Nothing can be concealed from Him.