א֣וֹ ׀ הֲנִסָּ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים לָ֠בוֹא לָקַ֨חַת ל֣וֹ גוֹי֮ מִקֶּ֣רֶב גּוֹי֒ בְּמַסֹּת֩ בְּאֹתֹ֨ת וּבְמוֹפְתִ֜ים וּבְמִלְחָמָ֗ה וּבְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמוֹרָאִ֖ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כְּ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֛ם בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
Albo pokusiłże się który bóg przyjść, a wziąć sobie naród z pośród narodu próbami, znamionami, i cudami, i wojną, i ręką przemożną, i ramieniem wyciągniętém, i postrachami wielkimi, jak uczynił dla was Wiekuisty, Bóg wasz, w Micraim przed oczyma twemi?
Devarim Rabbah
Another matter, “the Lord your God has multiplied you” – this is what the verse said: “I will bow to Your holy Sanctuary in reverence to You” (Psalms 5:8). Rabbi Ilai ben Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham that he would redeem his children with two letters. From where is this derived? As it is written: “And also that nation that they will serve, I will judge” (Genesis 15:14).23The word judge [dan] is written with two letters – dalet nun. But when He came to redeem them, He redeemed them with seventy-two letters. Rabbi Yudan said: From [the words]: “To come and take for Himself a nation” (Deuteronomy 4:34) until the end of the verse there are seventy-two letters.24In Hebrew, this segment of the verse (from “to come and take for Himself a nation from the midst of a nation” until “with great awesome deeds”) totals seventy-two letters (see Bereshit Rabba 44:19). Several commentaries write that the text of the midrash here should be emended to match the version there, as this is not in fact the end of the verse (see Matnot Kehuna; Rashash). Rabbi Avin said: He redeemed them with His name and His name has seventy-two letters.25“God’s name of seventy-two letters actually consists of seventy-two group of letters, each group being three letters. The letters dalet nun appear in the fiftieth group. Israel would be redeemed through an incomplete name of God if they would not repent, but through repentance they would experience redemption through the full name of seventy-two.”
Another matter, Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Why did the Holy One blessed be He not reveal to Abraham our patriarch that He would provide his descendants with manna? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: So is the way of the righteous; they say little and do a lot. Another matter, why did He not reveal it to them? It is because had he revealed it to them, Israel would have said: ‘We have already eaten it at Pharaoh’s table.’26Had the Israelites known what the manna was, by tradition from their forefathers, they would not have been awestruck when it fell, and the wicked among them would have falsely claimed to have eaten it before. Know that they [the Egyptians] would not provide them with straw, but Israel would say: “We remember the fish [that we used to eat in Egypt…]” (Numbers 11:5); that is why He did not reveal it to them.
Another matter, Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham that He would increase his children like the stars. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “[He took him outside, and said: Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you can count them, and He said to him:] So your offspring will be” (Genesis 15:5). But when He came to bless them, He blessed them more than He had said to them. “What is “in abundance”? “And multiply [harba arbe] [your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand that is upon the seashore” (Genesis 22:17).27The double verb is expounded to mean that He will multiply them as both the stars of the heavens and as the sand upon the shore.
What is [the meaning of the verse] that states: “Deliver me from the strife of the people; place me [at the head of nations]”? (Psalms 18:44). David said: “Deliver me from the strife of my people” (II Samuel 22:44) – that I will not have to be judged by them; “Deliver me from the strife of the people” – that they will not have to be judged by me. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘David, why are you sitting with them? By your life, I have already appointed you king over them.’ He said to Him: ‘Since You appointed me over Your children, put into their hearts that they shall heed me,’ as so it is written: “As soon as they hear, they heed me” (Psalms 18:45). Moreover, David said: “Place me at the head of nations”28He pleaded to be the judge of other nations, not of Israel. –Rabbi Berekhya said: If you judge this nation [Israel], it will come and deliver you to God. Who is that? It is the God of gods, who sees but is not seen.29David did not want to judge Israel, because in the event of an error, they would present their complaints to God and David could be punished (Etz Yosef). Moses said to Israel: ‘As you live, I am capable of bearing ten like you and one hundred like you. Why, then, am I not capable of bearing you on my own? It is because the Lord your God has multiplied you beyond the capability of your judges.’
Another matter, Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Why did the Holy One blessed be He not reveal to Abraham our patriarch that He would provide his descendants with manna? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: So is the way of the righteous; they say little and do a lot. Another matter, why did He not reveal it to them? It is because had he revealed it to them, Israel would have said: ‘We have already eaten it at Pharaoh’s table.’26Had the Israelites known what the manna was, by tradition from their forefathers, they would not have been awestruck when it fell, and the wicked among them would have falsely claimed to have eaten it before. Know that they [the Egyptians] would not provide them with straw, but Israel would say: “We remember the fish [that we used to eat in Egypt…]” (Numbers 11:5); that is why He did not reveal it to them.
Another matter, Rabbi Ilai said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham that He would increase his children like the stars. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “[He took him outside, and said: Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you can count them, and He said to him:] So your offspring will be” (Genesis 15:5). But when He came to bless them, He blessed them more than He had said to them. “What is “in abundance”? “And multiply [harba arbe] [your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand that is upon the seashore” (Genesis 22:17).27The double verb is expounded to mean that He will multiply them as both the stars of the heavens and as the sand upon the shore.
What is [the meaning of the verse] that states: “Deliver me from the strife of the people; place me [at the head of nations]”? (Psalms 18:44). David said: “Deliver me from the strife of my people” (II Samuel 22:44) – that I will not have to be judged by them; “Deliver me from the strife of the people” – that they will not have to be judged by me. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘David, why are you sitting with them? By your life, I have already appointed you king over them.’ He said to Him: ‘Since You appointed me over Your children, put into their hearts that they shall heed me,’ as so it is written: “As soon as they hear, they heed me” (Psalms 18:45). Moreover, David said: “Place me at the head of nations”28He pleaded to be the judge of other nations, not of Israel. –Rabbi Berekhya said: If you judge this nation [Israel], it will come and deliver you to God. Who is that? It is the God of gods, who sees but is not seen.29David did not want to judge Israel, because in the event of an error, they would present their complaints to God and David could be punished (Etz Yosef). Moses said to Israel: ‘As you live, I am capable of bearing ten like you and one hundred like you. Why, then, am I not capable of bearing you on my own? It is because the Lord your God has multiplied you beyond the capability of your judges.’
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Abin b. R. Ada, in the name of R. Isaac, said: "Whence do we learn that the Holy One, praised be He! lays Tephilin? It is said (Is. 62, 8.) Sworn hath the Lord by His right hand and by the arm of His strength. By His right hand, is meant the Torah, for it is said (Deu. 33, 2.) From His right hand, He gave a fiery law unto them; and by His strength, is meant Tephilin; as it is said (Ps. 29, 11.) The Lord will give strength unto His people. How do we know that the Tephilin are a strength to Israel? It is said (Deu. 28, 10.) And all the nations of the earth shall see, that Thou art called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of Thee; and we are also taught that R. Eliezer, the Great, says 'This (the above verse) means the Tephilin of the head.'' R. Nachman b. Isaac said to R. Chiya b. Abin: "What is written in the Tephilin of the Sovereign of the universe?" "It is written," he answered, "Who is like thy people Israel, the only nation." (I Chr. 17, 21.) "And does the Holy One, praised be He! praise himself with the glory of Israel?" "Yea, for it is written (Deu. 26, 17.) Thou hast this day acknowledged the Lord, etc., and the Lord hath acknowledged thee, this day, i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Israel 'You have made me the only object of love in the world — as it is written (Deu. 6, 4.) Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, is one God; I will therefore make you the only object of love in the world — as it is written (I Chr. 17, 21.) And who is like thy people, Israel the only nation'" R. Acha, the son of Raba, said to R. Ashi: "You may be right concerning one section of the Tephilin, what about the remaining sections?" "In the remaining sections," [said R. Ashi] "are. For what great nation is there (Deu. 4, 7); And what great nation (Ib. ib.); Happy art thou, O Israel! (Ib. 33, 29); Or hath a God essayed, (Ib. 4, 34.) So that he may set thee, the highest (Ib. 26, 19)." "If so then there are more than four sections?" "But," [said he], "Or what great nation is there. And what great nation, both being practically [in meaning] alike, are one section; Happy art thou Israel, and For what part of a nation, are another section; Or hath a God essayed, is the third section; and So that He may set thee the highest, is the fourth section; and all these verses are written and [put together into one section which is] placed also in the Tephilin of the hand.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Rabbi Eliezer interpreted the verse regarding the redemption from Egypt. Just as this lily, when it is situated among the thorns, is difficult for its owner to pluck it, so too, the redemption of Israel was difficult for the Holy One blessed be He. That is what is written: “Or has a god sought to come and take for himself a nation from the midst of a nation…?” (Deuteronomy 4:34). Rabbi Yehoshua said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanan: It is not written here: “A nation from the midst of a people,” or “a people from the midst of a nation,” but rather, “a nation from the midst of a nation,” as these were uncircumcised and those were uncircumcised, these grew their hairlocks and those grew their hairlocks,16The reference is a to a hairstyle that was common among gentiles, known as belorit, in which they would grow a long lock of hair from the backs of their heads. these wore garments of diverse kinds and those wore garments of diverse kinds.17The Israelites and Egyptians appeared quite similar to each other in appearance and in lifestyle. If so, the attribute of justice would never have allowed Israel to be redeemed from Egypt. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Had the Holy One blessed be He not bound Himself with an oath, Israel would never have been redeemed from Egypt. That is what is written: “Therefore, say to the children of Israel: I am the Lord and I will take you out from under the burdens of Egypt” (Exodus 6:6). “Therefore” is nothing other than an oath, just as it says: “Therefore, I have taken an oath to the house of Eli” (I Samuel 3:14). Rabbi Berekhya said: “With Your arm, You redeemed Your people” (Psalms 77:16), by force.18You overcame the attribute of justice by force.
Rabbi Yudan said: From “to come and take for himself a nation” until “awesome deeds” (Deuteronomy 4:34) there are seventy-two letters.19In the Hebrew text. If a person will tell you seventy-five, say to him: Exclude from them the second [mention of the word] nation [goy], which is not included in the tally. Rabbi Avin said: He redeemed them with His name, as the name of the Holy One blessed be He consists of seventy-two letters. 20The second nation is Egypt, which is not included in the name of God.
Rabbi Yudan said: From “to come and take for himself a nation” until “awesome deeds” (Deuteronomy 4:34) there are seventy-two letters.19In the Hebrew text. If a person will tell you seventy-five, say to him: Exclude from them the second [mention of the word] nation [goy], which is not included in the tally. Rabbi Avin said: He redeemed them with His name, as the name of the Holy One blessed be He consists of seventy-two letters. 20The second nation is Egypt, which is not included in the name of God.