וַיְהִי֩ בַיָּמִ֨ים הָֽרַבִּ֜ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיָּ֙מָת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה וַיִּזְעָ֑קוּ וַתַּ֧עַל שַׁוְעָתָ֛ם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הָעֲבֹדָֽה׃
At nangyari, sa paglipas ng maraming araw na iyon, namatay ang hari ng Egipto. Dumaing ang mga anak ng Israel dahil sa pagkaalipin, at sumigaw sila, at umakyat sa Diyos ang kanilang pagtangis dahil sa pagkaalipin.
Shemot Rabbah
“It was during those many days that the king of Egypt died and the children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out. Their plea rose to God due to the work” (Exodus 2:23).
“It was during those many days.” They were days of suffering; therefore, it calls them many. Similarly, “and a woman, if her flow of blood shall flow many days” (Leviticus 15:25); because they are days of suffering, it calls them many.
“The king of Egypt died.” He was afflicted with leprosy, and a leper is considered as dead, as it is stated: “Let her not be like a corpse” (Numbers 12:12),73Aaron said this when Miriam was afflicted with leprosy. and it says: “It was during the year of the death of King Uzziahu” (Isaiah 6:1).74King Uziahu was afflicted with leprosy.
“The children of Israel sighed [due to the work, and they cried out [vayizaku]].” Why did they sigh? It is because the magicians of Egypt said [to Pharaoh]: ‘Your only cure is to slaughter from among the Israelite young, one hundred and fifty in the evening and one hundred and fifty in the morning, and bathe in their blood twice a day.’ When Israel heard the harsh decree, they began groaning and lamenting. Vayizaku is nothing other than a term denoting lamentation, as it is written: “Cry out [ze’ak] and lament, son of man” (Ezekiel 21:17).
“Their plea [shavatam] rose to God.” It does not say “their outcry [tza’akatam],” but rather, their plea [shavatam], as it is stated: “And the souls of the dead plead [teshave’a]” (Job 24:12).
“God heard their moaning and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24).
“God heard their moaning [na’akatam],” the moaning of the slain, as it is said: “He will moan [vena’ak] the moans of the slain” (Ezekiel 30:24), and as it is said: “They moan [yinaku] from a populated [metim]75The term metim is expounded as though it were vocalized with a tzerei, meaning “the dead,” instead of a sheva, which is how it is vocalized in the verse. When vocalized with a sheva, it means “populated.” city” (Job 24:12).
“God remembered His covenant.” Israel was not worthy of being saved, because they were wicked, but they were redeemed because of the merit of the patriarchs. That is what is written: “God remembered His covenant.” Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: A miracle was performed on their behalf and [Pharaoh] was cured from his leprosy.
“It was during those many days.” They were days of suffering; therefore, it calls them many. Similarly, “and a woman, if her flow of blood shall flow many days” (Leviticus 15:25); because they are days of suffering, it calls them many.
“The king of Egypt died.” He was afflicted with leprosy, and a leper is considered as dead, as it is stated: “Let her not be like a corpse” (Numbers 12:12),73Aaron said this when Miriam was afflicted with leprosy. and it says: “It was during the year of the death of King Uzziahu” (Isaiah 6:1).74King Uziahu was afflicted with leprosy.
“The children of Israel sighed [due to the work, and they cried out [vayizaku]].” Why did they sigh? It is because the magicians of Egypt said [to Pharaoh]: ‘Your only cure is to slaughter from among the Israelite young, one hundred and fifty in the evening and one hundred and fifty in the morning, and bathe in their blood twice a day.’ When Israel heard the harsh decree, they began groaning and lamenting. Vayizaku is nothing other than a term denoting lamentation, as it is written: “Cry out [ze’ak] and lament, son of man” (Ezekiel 21:17).
“Their plea [shavatam] rose to God.” It does not say “their outcry [tza’akatam],” but rather, their plea [shavatam], as it is stated: “And the souls of the dead plead [teshave’a]” (Job 24:12).
“God heard their moaning and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24).
“God heard their moaning [na’akatam],” the moaning of the slain, as it is said: “He will moan [vena’ak] the moans of the slain” (Ezekiel 30:24), and as it is said: “They moan [yinaku] from a populated [metim]75The term metim is expounded as though it were vocalized with a tzerei, meaning “the dead,” instead of a sheva, which is how it is vocalized in the verse. When vocalized with a sheva, it means “populated.” city” (Job 24:12).
“God remembered His covenant.” Israel was not worthy of being saved, because they were wicked, but they were redeemed because of the merit of the patriarchs. That is what is written: “God remembered His covenant.” Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: A miracle was performed on their behalf and [Pharaoh] was cured from his leprosy.
Devarim Rabbah
“I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying” (Deuteronomy 3:23).
“I pleaded with the Lord” – halakha: If a person of Israel is standing and praying, is it permitted for him to pray in a loud voice? So taught our Sages: If one was standing and praying, may he, perhaps, make his voice heard? Hannah already articulated this: “Hannah, she was speaking in her heart” (I Samuel 1:13). May he, perhaps, recite all three1All three daily prayers. as one? This was already articulated in Daniel: “And three times a day he knelt on his knees, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God” (Daniel 6:11). May he, perhaps, pray at any time that he wishes? David already articulated: “Evening and morning and noon, I speak and cry aloud, and He hears my voice” (Psalms 55:18). May he, perhaps, demand [that God provide for] his needs and leave? Solomon already articulated: “To hear the cry and the prayer” (I Kings 8:28); “cry” – this is praise of the Holy One blessed be He; “and prayer” – for a person’s needs.
Abba Shaul says: This is an indicator regarding prayer – if a person focused his heart for prayer, he may be certain that his prayer is heard, as it is stated: “You will focus their heart; You will incline Your ear” (Psalms 10:17).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Prayer is called by ten expressions, and these are: Shava, tze’aka, ne’aka, rina, pegia, bitzur, keria, nipul, pilul, and taḥanunim. Shava and tze’aka, as it is stated: “The children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out [vayizaku] [and their plea [shavatam] rose to God]” (Exodus 2:23). Ne’aka, as it is written: “God heard their groan [naakatam]” (Exodus 2:24). Rina and pegia, as it is written: “Do not pray on behalf of this people, and do not lift up a cry [rina] or a prayer on their behalf, and do not plead [tifga] with Me, [for I am not listening to you]” (Jeremiah 7:16). Bitzur and keria, as it is written: “In my distress [batzar] I called [ekra] to the Lord” (Psalms 18:7). Nipul, as it is written: “I threw myself down [va’etnapal] before the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:18). Pilul, as it is written: “Pinḥas stood and prayed [vayfalel]” (Psalms 106:30). Taḥanunim, as it is written: “I pleaded [va’etḥanan] with the Lord.” Of all of them Moses prayed only with the expression of plea [taḥanunim].
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here you learn that no creature has any claim on its Creator, as Moses, the master of all the prophets, came only with an expression of plea. Rabbi Levi said: Why did Moses come only with an expression of plea [taḥanunim]?2Why did he pray to enter the Land of Israel with the expression va’etḥanan, I pleaded, and not with one of the other terms of prayer? The parable says: Be careful not to be caught in a contradiction. How so? So said the Holy One blessed be He to Moses: “I will favor [veḥanoti] whom I favor” (Exodus 33:19). [God] said to him: ‘Upon one who has [credit] with Me, “I will have mercy” (Exodus 33:19); I will act with him with the attribute of mercy. One who does not have [credit] with Me, “veḥanoti” – I will act [mercifully] with him as a free [ḥinam] gift.’ When Moses sought to enter the Land of Israel, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “It is enough for you; [do not continue speaking to Me about this matter]” (Deuteronomy 3:26). [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, did You not say this to me: One who does not have [credit] with Me, “veḥanoti” – I will act [mercifully] with him as a free [ḥinam] gift? Now I am not saying that anything is due to me from You, but act with me with grace [ḥinam].’ From where is this derived? From what we read regarding the matter: “I pleaded [va’etḥanan] with the Lord.”
“I pleaded with the Lord” – halakha: If a person of Israel is standing and praying, is it permitted for him to pray in a loud voice? So taught our Sages: If one was standing and praying, may he, perhaps, make his voice heard? Hannah already articulated this: “Hannah, she was speaking in her heart” (I Samuel 1:13). May he, perhaps, recite all three1All three daily prayers. as one? This was already articulated in Daniel: “And three times a day he knelt on his knees, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God” (Daniel 6:11). May he, perhaps, pray at any time that he wishes? David already articulated: “Evening and morning and noon, I speak and cry aloud, and He hears my voice” (Psalms 55:18). May he, perhaps, demand [that God provide for] his needs and leave? Solomon already articulated: “To hear the cry and the prayer” (I Kings 8:28); “cry” – this is praise of the Holy One blessed be He; “and prayer” – for a person’s needs.
Abba Shaul says: This is an indicator regarding prayer – if a person focused his heart for prayer, he may be certain that his prayer is heard, as it is stated: “You will focus their heart; You will incline Your ear” (Psalms 10:17).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Prayer is called by ten expressions, and these are: Shava, tze’aka, ne’aka, rina, pegia, bitzur, keria, nipul, pilul, and taḥanunim. Shava and tze’aka, as it is stated: “The children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out [vayizaku] [and their plea [shavatam] rose to God]” (Exodus 2:23). Ne’aka, as it is written: “God heard their groan [naakatam]” (Exodus 2:24). Rina and pegia, as it is written: “Do not pray on behalf of this people, and do not lift up a cry [rina] or a prayer on their behalf, and do not plead [tifga] with Me, [for I am not listening to you]” (Jeremiah 7:16). Bitzur and keria, as it is written: “In my distress [batzar] I called [ekra] to the Lord” (Psalms 18:7). Nipul, as it is written: “I threw myself down [va’etnapal] before the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:18). Pilul, as it is written: “Pinḥas stood and prayed [vayfalel]” (Psalms 106:30). Taḥanunim, as it is written: “I pleaded [va’etḥanan] with the Lord.” Of all of them Moses prayed only with the expression of plea [taḥanunim].
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here you learn that no creature has any claim on its Creator, as Moses, the master of all the prophets, came only with an expression of plea. Rabbi Levi said: Why did Moses come only with an expression of plea [taḥanunim]?2Why did he pray to enter the Land of Israel with the expression va’etḥanan, I pleaded, and not with one of the other terms of prayer? The parable says: Be careful not to be caught in a contradiction. How so? So said the Holy One blessed be He to Moses: “I will favor [veḥanoti] whom I favor” (Exodus 33:19). [God] said to him: ‘Upon one who has [credit] with Me, “I will have mercy” (Exodus 33:19); I will act with him with the attribute of mercy. One who does not have [credit] with Me, “veḥanoti” – I will act [mercifully] with him as a free [ḥinam] gift.’ When Moses sought to enter the Land of Israel, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “It is enough for you; [do not continue speaking to Me about this matter]” (Deuteronomy 3:26). [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, did You not say this to me: One who does not have [credit] with Me, “veḥanoti” – I will act [mercifully] with him as a free [ḥinam] gift? Now I am not saying that anything is due to me from You, but act with me with grace [ḥinam].’ From where is this derived? From what we read regarding the matter: “I pleaded [va’etḥanan] with the Lord.”
Esther Rabbah
“Many days” – days of suffering, and similarly: “It was during those many days…the children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God from the work” (Exodus 2:23). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture related to them as though they were many days.
Similarly: “Many days passed, and the word of the Lord was with Elijah in the third year...”2The third year of a drought decreed by Elijah. (I Kings 18:1). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days. How many were they? Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One month in the first year, one month in the last year, and twelve months in the middle, for a total of fourteen months.
And similarly: “[And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow] many days” (Leviticus 15:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Days – two, many – three. Are they, in fact, many? Rather, because they are days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days.
Similarly: “Many days passed, and the word of the Lord was with Elijah in the third year...”2The third year of a drought decreed by Elijah. (I Kings 18:1). Were they, in fact, many days? Rather, because they were days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days. How many were they? Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One month in the first year, one month in the last year, and twelve months in the middle, for a total of fourteen months.
And similarly: “[And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow] many days” (Leviticus 15:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Days – two, many – three. Are they, in fact, many? Rather, because they are days of suffering, Scripture calls them many days.