Komentarz do Wyjścia 5:14

ויכו שטרי בני ישראל AND THE BAILIFFS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL … WERE SMITTEN — These bailiffs were Israelites and they spared their fellow-Israelites, not urging them on to their work. When they handed over the bricks to the taskmasters who were Egyptians and something was deficient in the total they used to beat them because they had not urged on the Israelitish workmen. On this account these bailiffs were privileged to become members of the Sanhedrin later on, and there was taken some of the prophetical spirit that was upon Moses and it was placed upon them, as it is said, (Numbers 11:16) “Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel [whom thou knowest]” — of those about whom thou knowest the kindly acts which they did in Egypt, “for they are the real elders of the people having been their bailiffs” (Exodus Rabbah 5:20).

גם תמול גם היום, “as (much as) yesterday also today?” According to Ibn Ezra the day referred to here as “yesterday,” was the day on which Moses had performed the miracles before the people, and “today” was the day on which Moses and Aaron had their first audience with Pharaoh. On both of these days the Israelites did not deliver their quota of bricks.

Those officers that Pharaoh’s taskmasters appointed. Rashi is answering the question: אשר שמו עליהם נוגשי פרעה seems to imply that the officers of B’nei Yisrael appointed Pharaoh’s taskmasters over themselves. Therefore Rashi explains: “Those officers that Pharaoh’s taskmasters appointed.”