וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
I stało się, gdy uwolnił Faraon lud, że prowadził ich Bóg drogą ziemi Pelisztów, chociaż bliższą była; bo mówił Bóg: "By nie pożałował lud, gdy zobaczy wojnę, a nie powrócił do Micraim!"
Noam Elimelekh
And it came to pass when Pharaoh sent out the people" (Exodus 13:17). It seems one can explain this as follows: "Pharaoh" (Par'oh) is a name for the yetzer hara (evil inclination), as it is the same letters as "ha-oref" (הערף) — that which stiffens a person's neck. Sometimes a person stirs himself toward repentance, regrets what he has done, confesses, and abandons his sins. "When Pharaoh sent out" — meaning: when [the yetzer hara] released him from his sins. "The people" — this alludes to simple, ordinary folk. "And God did not lead them" — meaning: even so, there is no rest before the Blessed Holy One, and no consolation before Him over the person's having abandoned his sins — because this person is holding the rope at both ends: even though he holds onto good qualities, he does not do so completely. "The way of the land of the Philistines" — this alludes to what we find regarding the Philistines: they had somewhat more derech eretz (civil decency) than other nations, for they drew Isaac close, as Avimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you" — and yet it is also written "and the Philistines envied him": their goodness was not complete. So too this person who abandons his sins — but not entirely. "For he was close" — meaning: this person is close to returning to his old ways. "For God said: lest the people repent when they see war" — meaning, when the war of the yetzer hara rises against them — "And they return to Egypt" — meaning, they will return to "the narrow sea" (ha-meitzar yam) — that is, to their original constriction entirely.