Commento su Esodo 14:19
וַיִּסַּ֞ע מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַהֹלֵךְ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּסַּ֞ע עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
Indi partì l’angelo di Dio, che andava innanzi al campo d’Israel, e andò dietro di loro; e partì la colonna di nube d’innanzi ad essi, e si pose dietro di loro.
Rashi on Exodus
וילך מאחריהם AND WENT BEHIND THEM to divide the camp of Egypt from the camp of Israel and to receive the arrows and the missiles of the Egyptians. Everywhere it says “The Angel of the Lord (ה׳)” whilst here we have The Angel of God (אלהים).”! The name אלהים really denotes, wherever it occurs, “Judge” (lit., “judgment”). Therefore the use of this term here teaches us that Israel was, at that moment, arraigned in judgment, whether to be saved or to be destroyed together with Egypt (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:19).
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Ramban on Exodus
AND THE ANGEL OF G-D JOURNEYED. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that the angel of G-d is the great prince [Michael],54See Daniel 12:1. who went in the cloud. It is to him that Scripture refers when it said, And the Eternal went before them.55Above, 13:21. See there towards the end, where Ramban mentions this explanation of Ibn Ezra, i.e., that the meaning thereof is that the angel of the Eternal went before them. When this angel, who went before the camp of Israel, journeyed and went behind them, the pillar of cloud journeyed with him. And there was the cloud and the darkness56Verse 20. between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, but it gave light by night56Verse 20. through the pillar of fire to Israel, as it did on other nights, in order to enable them to traverse the sea, for it was at night that they traversed it.
In my opinion, that which Scripture says, And the angel of G-d journeyed, occurred at the beginning of the night. The angel of G-d, who went before the camp of Israel alludes to the Celestial Court of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is known as the attribute of justice, [which is called]57So clearly rendered by Rabbeinu Bachya (Vol. II, p. 115, in my edition). “angel” in certain places of Scripture. It was he who dwelled in the pillar of fire and went before them by night to give them light. Therefore Scripture here mentions [not the Tetragrammaton, which indicates the attribute of mercy, but] ha’Elokim (G-d), [the name which denotes the attribute of justice]. It is possible that [the word malach (angel)] is not in a construct state [meaning “the angel of”] but instead is in apposition.
Now I have seen in the Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai:58The standard Mechilta, a Tannaitic commentary of the Book of Exodus, is that of Rabbi Ishmael. There is another Mechilta, that of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, to which Ramban refers here. To distinguish it from the other, standard, work, Ramban therefore specifies it by name. For another example, see Vol. I, p. 603. The quotation mentioned here appears in Hoffman’s edition of that work on p. 49. The essence of this particular Midrash is also found here in Rashi. “Rabbi Yonathan the son of Yochai asked Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai, ‘Why is it that in all places it is written, the angel of the Eternal,59E.g., Genesis 16:7 and above, 3:2. and here it is written, the angel of ‘Elokim’ (G-d)?’ Rabbi Shimon answered him, ‘Elokim everywhere denotes “Judge” [literally: judgment], etc.’”60“The verse thus teaches us that Israel at that moment was arraigned in judgment, i.e., whether to be saved or to be destroyed with the Egyptians” (Mechilta quoted, and also mentioned in Rashi here). The Rabbis thus alluded to that which we have said.
Thus [the angel] now journeyed in the pillar of fire from before the camp of Israel and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud from before them also journeyed and stood behind them. Thus the two pillars were behind the camp of Israel. Scripture then reverts [in Verse 20] to explain that the pillar of cloud came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, that is to say, the pillar of cloud did not intervene between the pillar of fire and the camp of Israel, but rather it interposed between the camp of Egypt and the pillar of fire.61Thus the order was as follows: First came the camp of Israel, followed by the pillar of fire. After that was the pillar of cloud, followed by the camp of Egypt. The two pillars thus intervened between the two camps (Bachya). And there was the cloud and the darkness between the two camps, with the pillar of fire giving light to Israel, even though it was behind them, because it was high, [thus illuminating the way for them to pass through the sea, as explained above.] The pillar of cloud did not obstruct the illumination from reaching them as it did to the Egyptians. This is the meaning of the verse, and it gave light by night, since the pillar of fire illuminated the night for them.
This was not as on all other nights, when its function was to lead them the way,62Above, 13:21. for on that night it did not go before them, [but instead the pillar of fire remained stationary]. This was so because if the pillar of fire would have gone before Israel as on other nights [when they journeyed], and the pillar of cloud was between the two camps, then the Israelites would have passed through the sea quickly. Consequently, the Egyptians would not have seen them, and they would not have come after them. However, now [that the pillar of fire was stationary] the Israelites walked slowly, and since there was no great distance between the camps, the Egyptians saw the camp of Israel from the midst of the cloud, and they followed them. They saw the fire out of the midst of the cloud,63“For he who sits in darkness can see light in the distance. But the Israelites did not see the Egyptians, for he who sits in an illuminated place cannot see one who sits in darkness” (Bachya). but they were not able to approach them because of the two pillars which interposed.
This is the sense of the verse, And the one [camp] came not near the other all the night.64Verse 20. And it came to pass in the morning-watch, that the Eternal looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud,65Verse 24. meaning: He removed the pillar of fire from the camp of Israel, as was customary on all days, and today He put it [in a position] overlooking the camp of Egypt. It was thus between the Egyptians and the pillar of cloud which served Israel by day.66In other words, although the pillar of fire was between Israel and the pillar of cloud during the night, in the morning watch G-d took the pillar of fire and placed it between the camp of Egypt and the pillar of cloud. With the pillar of fire heating the Egyptians, they fell into confusion. And He confounded the camp of Egypt65Verse 24. by causing the pillar of fire to bear down upon them with its great heat reaching them, and the flame burned up the wicked.67Psalms 106:18. Now I have already explained in the story of Creation68Genesis 1:1. See Vol. I, p. 26. There the reason is given why the element of fire is designated as choshech (darkness). that the element of fire is called “darkness,” and the cloud and the darkness [mentioned in Verse 20] accordingly mean the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. To all Israel, the pillar of fire had given light because of its high position [as explained above], but now it darkened for the Egyptians, because it came together with the pillar of cloud, which caused it to darken just as the sun when covered by a cloud. Thus He did everything by means of these two pillars. This is the correct interpretation of these verses.
In my opinion, that which Scripture says, And the angel of G-d journeyed, occurred at the beginning of the night. The angel of G-d, who went before the camp of Israel alludes to the Celestial Court of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is known as the attribute of justice, [which is called]57So clearly rendered by Rabbeinu Bachya (Vol. II, p. 115, in my edition). “angel” in certain places of Scripture. It was he who dwelled in the pillar of fire and went before them by night to give them light. Therefore Scripture here mentions [not the Tetragrammaton, which indicates the attribute of mercy, but] ha’Elokim (G-d), [the name which denotes the attribute of justice]. It is possible that [the word malach (angel)] is not in a construct state [meaning “the angel of”] but instead is in apposition.
Now I have seen in the Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai:58The standard Mechilta, a Tannaitic commentary of the Book of Exodus, is that of Rabbi Ishmael. There is another Mechilta, that of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, to which Ramban refers here. To distinguish it from the other, standard, work, Ramban therefore specifies it by name. For another example, see Vol. I, p. 603. The quotation mentioned here appears in Hoffman’s edition of that work on p. 49. The essence of this particular Midrash is also found here in Rashi. “Rabbi Yonathan the son of Yochai asked Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai, ‘Why is it that in all places it is written, the angel of the Eternal,59E.g., Genesis 16:7 and above, 3:2. and here it is written, the angel of ‘Elokim’ (G-d)?’ Rabbi Shimon answered him, ‘Elokim everywhere denotes “Judge” [literally: judgment], etc.’”60“The verse thus teaches us that Israel at that moment was arraigned in judgment, i.e., whether to be saved or to be destroyed with the Egyptians” (Mechilta quoted, and also mentioned in Rashi here). The Rabbis thus alluded to that which we have said.
Thus [the angel] now journeyed in the pillar of fire from before the camp of Israel and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud from before them also journeyed and stood behind them. Thus the two pillars were behind the camp of Israel. Scripture then reverts [in Verse 20] to explain that the pillar of cloud came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, that is to say, the pillar of cloud did not intervene between the pillar of fire and the camp of Israel, but rather it interposed between the camp of Egypt and the pillar of fire.61Thus the order was as follows: First came the camp of Israel, followed by the pillar of fire. After that was the pillar of cloud, followed by the camp of Egypt. The two pillars thus intervened between the two camps (Bachya). And there was the cloud and the darkness between the two camps, with the pillar of fire giving light to Israel, even though it was behind them, because it was high, [thus illuminating the way for them to pass through the sea, as explained above.] The pillar of cloud did not obstruct the illumination from reaching them as it did to the Egyptians. This is the meaning of the verse, and it gave light by night, since the pillar of fire illuminated the night for them.
This was not as on all other nights, when its function was to lead them the way,62Above, 13:21. for on that night it did not go before them, [but instead the pillar of fire remained stationary]. This was so because if the pillar of fire would have gone before Israel as on other nights [when they journeyed], and the pillar of cloud was between the two camps, then the Israelites would have passed through the sea quickly. Consequently, the Egyptians would not have seen them, and they would not have come after them. However, now [that the pillar of fire was stationary] the Israelites walked slowly, and since there was no great distance between the camps, the Egyptians saw the camp of Israel from the midst of the cloud, and they followed them. They saw the fire out of the midst of the cloud,63“For he who sits in darkness can see light in the distance. But the Israelites did not see the Egyptians, for he who sits in an illuminated place cannot see one who sits in darkness” (Bachya). but they were not able to approach them because of the two pillars which interposed.
This is the sense of the verse, And the one [camp] came not near the other all the night.64Verse 20. And it came to pass in the morning-watch, that the Eternal looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud,65Verse 24. meaning: He removed the pillar of fire from the camp of Israel, as was customary on all days, and today He put it [in a position] overlooking the camp of Egypt. It was thus between the Egyptians and the pillar of cloud which served Israel by day.66In other words, although the pillar of fire was between Israel and the pillar of cloud during the night, in the morning watch G-d took the pillar of fire and placed it between the camp of Egypt and the pillar of cloud. With the pillar of fire heating the Egyptians, they fell into confusion. And He confounded the camp of Egypt65Verse 24. by causing the pillar of fire to bear down upon them with its great heat reaching them, and the flame burned up the wicked.67Psalms 106:18. Now I have already explained in the story of Creation68Genesis 1:1. See Vol. I, p. 26. There the reason is given why the element of fire is designated as choshech (darkness). that the element of fire is called “darkness,” and the cloud and the darkness [mentioned in Verse 20] accordingly mean the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. To all Israel, the pillar of fire had given light because of its high position [as explained above], but now it darkened for the Egyptians, because it came together with the pillar of cloud, which caused it to darken just as the sun when covered by a cloud. Thus He did everything by means of these two pillars. This is the correct interpretation of these verses.
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Sforno on Exodus
ההולך לפני מחנה, in the column of fire.
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