Sipi para sa Exodo 1:10

Regarding the verse "Come, let us deal shrewdly [with them], etc., lest they multiply, etc." And also [the phrase] "and join, etc., and go up from the land." There are two interpretations in Rashi, but they are really one.For behold, the Sages have taught that the Egyptian exile and all the exiles are for the purpose of elevating the holy sparks [nitzotzei kedushah] that are in all places, as we find [Genesis 13:10] "like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt." If so, certainly there were hidden treasures there. And also regarding Joseph's words, the Sages hinted that he hid three treasures, etc. And certainly also the Egyptians—those wise men among them—understood this. Therefore they wanted to afflict the Children of Israel with hard labor so that they would not have the strength to extract "their prey" [these treasures] from their mouths. This is what is written: "lest they multiply"—for when good increases over evil, the good sparks are clarified from the mixture. "And when war befalls us"—meaning [war] with the side of holiness. "And join [nosaf] also"—this refers to that small light hidden that is found even among them [the Egyptians]. "And go up from the land"—that point [of light] through the ascent of the Children of Israel, as it says [Exodus 3:22] "and you shall despoil Egypt, etc."Regarding the two interpretations: There is a hint in the Masoretic tradition that the Ba'al HaTurim brings—"venosaf gam hu" [and also join] connects to [Proverbs 11:24] "yesh mefazer venosaf od" [there is one who scatters yet increases more]—that the scattering of Israel is only in order to add converts to them, as stated in the Gemara, and this is a hint to the holy sparks as mentioned above.[Exodus 1:12] "But the more they afflicted them [the more they multiplied]"—for according to the extent of the labor, Israel became stronger, as it says [Genesis 25:23] "and one nation shall be stronger than the other." And Rashi [explains]: Just as they set their heart to afflict, so did the Holy One Blessed be He set His heart to multiply, etc. The meaning is: it should have just said "increased and spread," but rather the Holy One repaid Israel according to the intention and thought of the wicked to afflict them, even though they did not succeed. With the wicked, thought is combined with deed [i.e., they are judged for their evil intentions]. And according to their evil thought, so did the Holy One calculate the good for Israel.

Regarding the verse "lest they multiply, etc., and join also, etc., and go up from the land"—Rashi explained it in two ways. And I have already written elsewhere that the two interpretations are really one: when the holy sparks [nitzotzei kedushah] ascend from these places, automatically all evildoers are scattered and [Israel] comes to redemption. This is the hint in the Masoretic tradition: [Proverbs 11:24] "there is one who scatters yet increases more" [yesh mefazer venosaf od]. But one can explain further: "venosaf od" [and increases more]—beyond the holy sparks ascending from the sitra achra [the Other Side] and being added to holiness, there is something even greater: through the ascent of the holy sparks, an additional light comes from above. This is like what they said [Berachot 34b]: "In the place where penitents [ba'alei teshuvah] stand, even the completely righteous cannot stand." And just as after the Exodus from Egypt there was the receiving of the Torah from Heaven—this is "venosaf od" [and increases more], for "od" [more] means above nature, as I wrote above in parashat Vayigash. This is what is said [Genesis 46:4]: "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up [a'elcha gam aloh]"—"gam" [also] refers to additions, as it says "venosaf gam hu" [and join also]. This alludes to "itkasya" [hiddenness] and includes both: the holy sparks that are hidden and submerged within the kelipot [husks/shells], and also the hidden and concealed light above. And through the ascent of the holy sparks, one merits to draw down the hidden and concealed light from above, as I wrote elsewhere.