Шмот 14:20 Комментарий: Rashi, Chizkuni, Kli Yakar & Sforno

ויבא בין מחנה מצרים AND IT CAME BETWEEN THE CAMP OF EGYPT — A parable: it may be compared to one who is proceeding on a journey, his son walking in front of him. If, now, brigands come to capture him (the son), he takes him away from in front of him and places him behind himself. If a wolf then comes behind him he places him again in front. If brigands come in front of him and wolves behind him, he places him on his arm and fights against them. Thus did God do for Israel, as it says, (Hosea 11:3) “I led Ephraim — He took them upon His arms” (Mekhilta).

ויבא בין מחנה, “he positioned himself between the camp, etc.” the Torah refers to the cloud that was controlled by the angel taking up position between the two camps. We encounter something similar in Joshua 24,7: וישם מאפל ביניכם ובין במצרים ויבא עליהם את הים, “He placed darkness between you and the Egyptians and He brought the sea upon them.” (Joshua’s parting speech to the people before they dispersed to their respective portions of the Holy Land.)

“And one did not come near to the other.” Rashi explained it as “camp to camp,” and on the allegorical level, this can be interpreted regarding Israel, for our Sages said (Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 2:5) that our ancestors formed four groups at the sea, etc., and they were not in one agreement — this one saying one thing and that one saying another. Therefore, one did not come near to the other“ all night in their thoughts. And our Sages said (Shemot Rabbah 23:7) that the angels did not sing songs of praise all night, as it is said about them And one called to another (Isaiah 6:3), and in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer: Do not read lo karav [did not come near] but rather ”lo kara“ [did not call]. There is no need to amend the text because the angels do not approach each other for any worldly matter except when they say songs and praises before the Blessed One — one calls and the second responds to him. And when it says one did not come near to the other, it certainly means they did not sing praise, because the way of song is that one calls and his companion responds.