Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Isaias 19:11

A Rabbinic Retelling of the Exodus
Rabban Gamliel used to say: Whoever has not mentioned these three things on Pesah has not fulfilled his obligation. One is obligated to tell the members of one's household all the events and miracles that happened in those days. I will now present before you the story of the Exodus as it is told in Midrash Rabbah.
When Pharaoh heard that Moses had killed an Egyptian taskmaster, he sought to kill Moses. He took a knife the likes of which has never been seen before (to chop off his head). But God made Moses' neck a pillar of marble and he was uninjured even though they tried seven times! And angel of God came and grabbed Moses so he could escape. At that moment, all of Pharaoh's ministers became deaf, mute and blind. When they asked the mute ministers, "Where is Moses?" they could not answer. They deaf ones could not hear the question, and the blind ones could not see where he went. Later, when Moses refused to be God's messenger because he said that he was 'slow of tongue,' that is why God said to him, "Who gives man speech, who makes him dumb or deaf, seeing or blind?" Then God said to him, "Isn't Aaron your brother? He will go with you back to Egypt."
Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. That day all of the diplomats came to have an audience with Pharaoh. Each came to honor Pharaoh, bringing him gifts and each crowning him the supreme king of kings, bringing their idol with them. As they were crowning him, Moses and Aaron were standing in the doorway of the palace. Pharaoh's servants came in and said, "There are two old guys standing by the door. Pharaoh said, "Come forward!" Pharaoh looked at them, expecting them to crown him as well, or at least give him a document or ask about his welfare. When they did nothing, he asked, "Who are you?" They said, "We are the messengers of the Holy One. "Thus said the Lord, God of Israel: Let my people go…." Pharaoh became furious and answered: "Who is Adonai that I should listen to obey Him and let the Israelites go out of Egypt? Doesn’t He even know that he is supposed to send a crown for me? From your words I have never heard of Him and I will not send Israel. " Pharaoh then said , Give me a minute while I check my book about your God. He looked in his directory at each nation and its gods and began to read the names of the gods of Moab, Amon and Sidon." Pharaoh said, "I checked in my directory and did not find your God."
Rabbi Levi said: This can be compared to the parable of a foolish slave of a kohen who sought his master in a cemetery. When people asked him, "Who are you looking for," he said, he was looking for his master. They said to the servant: "Does a kohen to spend time in a cemetery?" Thus did Moses answer Pharaoh: "Fool! It is not the way of the dead to seek the living. So why should the living be found among the dead? Those gods among whom you seek our God are all dead. Our God is a living and eternal God. Pharaoh said, "Is your God young or old? How old is He and how many cities has He conquered? How many Kingdoms has he taken? How long has he been the King?
They said: Our God, His power and might fill the universe. He existed before the world was created and He will exist when the world is no more. His is the foundation of the earth, his voice can shape thunder, break apart mountains, smash boulders, His bow is fire, His arrows lightening, His spear is streaks of lightening, clouds are His shield…" Pharaoh responded to them: "First of all you are lying! I am the master of the universe; I created it by myself along with the Nile River."
At that moment the wise men of Egypt gathered around. Pharaoh asked, "Have you ever heard of their God? They answered we have heard that He the son of a wise man and the son of a king from the East. God answered: "You call yourself wise men and Me you call the son of a wise man? Look what is written: Utter fools are the nobles of Tanis; the sages of Pharaoh's advisors have made absurd predictions" (Isaiah 19:11) He responded to them: "Your gods does not know who God is." Through the numerical value of the word mi, "who," I am going to strike you with Mem - 40 and Yud - 10 forty plus ten plagues - fifty plagues. Evil one, you said, "Who (mi) is Adonai;" By switching around the letters mem and yud. When we switch them around we have yam, sea. At the sea you will come to know who Adonai is. You said, 'Who is Adonai?' During the plague of hail you will say, 'God is righteous.' "You said, 'I do not know Adonai.’ During the plague of locust you will say, 'I have sinned against the Lord your God.' You said, 'And Israel I will not send forth.' In the future during the tenth plague you will say, 'Get up and go forth from my people, both you and the people of Israel.'"
The Holy One said to Moses: "I will harden the heart of Pharaoh with fifty plagues. Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness. And through this you will know that I am the Lord; I will smite you with a number of plagues." The first will be that with your staff you will turn the river into blood. You will see it with your own eyes that the punishment is solely for the Egyptians." As proof of this, when the Egyptians and the Israelites drew water out of the river, the Egyptians drank blood and the Israelites drank water. Because of this, the Israelites were enriched because the Egyptians had to buy water from them. Even so, Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he refused to allow the Israelites to go free. Then He brought the other plagues upon them: frogs, lice, wild animals, and all the others.
During the ninth plague Pharaoh continued to harden his own heart. He said to Moses, "Leave me; you won't see my face again." Moses answered, "So you have said; you have spoken properly in a timely fashion. I shall no longer come to you after I leave your house but, know, that there is one more plague which God will bring upon you. Then all your servants will come to me and bow down to me saying, you and your nation leave. Only then will I leave." Moses then left Pharaoh in a fury.
It was then that God commanded Moses to tell the Israelites to prepare the Passover offering. Moses told the Israelites, it is the Commandment of God for all Israel, that they take a lamb on the tenth day of the month, one for each household in front of all the Egyptians. They should then tie it to their bedpost. On the fourteenth day of the month, they shall slaughter it before all the Egyptians. You shall take hyssop branches and sprinkle the blood on the doorposts and on the lintel as a sign to protect their lives. At midnight, God will pass through Egypt in a single moment and smite the firstborn of Egypt. Even the first born of other nations living in Egypt shall die as well the firstborn of Egyptians who are in other lands. It will affect every firstborn, human and beast. All the idols of Egypt shall be destroyed: the wooden will burn up and the metal shall melt. But once God gives the Destroyer permission to kill the firstborn, it will not differentiate between the good and the bad. Therefore, you must put the blood on the doorposts of your houses so that the destroyer can differentiate between the households. No one should leave his house until morning. At night, you shall eat the Passover offering, roasted. Throw the bones in the market place for the dogs so that the Egyptians see the dogs eating the bones of their gods. This is how you should eat it: With a belt on, shoes on your feet and your bag in your hands. You shall eat it in haste, for it is a Passover offering to Adonai.
The word pesah means, ‘hopping.’ The Holy One hopped from house to house, from one Egyptian household to another, and the Israelite household that was in between them escaped harm. Rashi, on the other hand, implies that the Egyptians and the Israelites were both in the same home, and the Destroyer jumped from one Egyptians to the next, leaving the Israelite unharmed. Yet, how do we explain the statement that the Israelites should not go out of their homes? When the Egyptians began dying, they fled to the homes of the Israelite. They could see that the Israelites were not affected by the plague. Only then did the Holy One come down and jump from Egyptian to Egyptian in the Israelite homes. Scripture says: "So that there is not a plague among you." This implies that there won't be a plague among you but among the Egyptians there will be a plague. From this explanation we can understand their reason for the pesah offering. For God hopped over the houses of the Israelites when he smote the Egyptians but not our families.

AND THOU SHALT MAKE HOLY GARMENTS FOR AARON THY BROTHER FOR SPLENDOR AND BEAUTY — this means that he be distinguished and glorified with garments of distinction and beauty, just as Scripture says, as a bridegroom putteth on a priestly diadem.²⁷Isaiah 61:10. For these garments [of the High Priest] correspond in their forms to garments of royalty, which monarchs wore at the time when the Torah was given. Thus we find with reference to the tunic, and he made him a tunic of ‘pasim’²⁸Genesis 37:3. — meaning, a cloth woven of variegated colors, this being the tunic of chequer work [mentioned here], just as [Ibn Ezra] explained, which clothed him as a son of ancient kings.²⁹Isaiah 19:11. The same applies to the robe and the tunic, as it is written, Now she [Tamar] had a garment of many colors upon her; for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled,³⁰II Samuel 13:18. which means that a garment of many colors was seen clearly upon her, for such was the custom that the virgin daughters of the king wore robes with which they wrapped themselves; thus the coat of many colors was upon her as an upper garment. It is for this reason that it says there, and she rent her garment of many colors that was on her.³¹Ibid., Verse 19. The mitre [mentioned here] is to this day known among kings and distinguished lords. Therefore Scripture says with reference to the fall of the kingdom [of Judah], The mitre shall be removed, and the crown taken off.³²Ezekiel 21:31. Similarly it is written, and a royal diadem.³³Isaiah 62:3. Scripture also calls them the ornamented high caps,³⁴Further, 39:28. and it is further written, They shall have linen ornamented [caps] upon their heads,³⁵Ezekiel 44:18. which are for the beauty and glory of those that are adorned with them. The ephod and the breastplate are also royal garments, just as it is written, and thou shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck.³⁶Daniel 5:16. The plate [around the forehead, which the High Priest wore], is like a king’s crown. Thus it is written, ‘yatzitz nizro’ (his crown will shine).³⁷Psalms 132:18. — Ramban thus associates the word tzitz (plate) with the expression yatzitz nizro (his crown will shine), thus suggesting that the tzitz of the High Priest is a sort of royal crown. Furthermore, [the High Priest’s garments] are made of gold, blue-purple, and red-purple³⁸Further, Verse 5. [which are all symbolic of royalty]. Thus it is written, All glorious is the king’s daughter within the palace; her raiment is of chequer work inwrought with gold,³⁹Psalms 45:14. and it is further written, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck.³⁶Daniel 5:16. As for the blue-purple, even to this day no man will lift up his hand⁴⁰Genesis 41:44. to wear it except a king of nations,⁴¹See Isaiah 14:9. and it is written, And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a ‘tachrich’ (robe) of fine linen and purple⁴²Esther 8:15. — the tachrich being a robe in which the wearer wraps himself.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala,] majesty is to kavod (glory) and to tiphereth (splendor),⁴³Cabalistic terms for certain Emanations. the verse thus stating that they should make holy garments for Aaron to minister in them to the Glory of G-d Who dwells in their midst, and to the Splendor of their strength, as it is written, For Thou art the Glory of their strength,⁴⁴Psalms 89:18. and it is further stated, Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised Thee,⁴⁵Isaiah 64:10. meaning [“the house of] our Holy One” which is the Glory, and “of our Splendor” which is the Splendor of Israel. And it is further stated, Strength and beauty are in His Sanctuary,⁴⁶Psalms 96:6. and similarly, To beautify the place of My Sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet glorious⁴⁷Isaiah 60:13. — meaning, that the place of the Sanctuary will be glorified by the Splendor, and the place of His feet, which is the place of the Sanctuary, will be honored by the presence of the Glory of G-d. And in Israel will He glorify Himself⁴⁸Ibid., 44:23. also means that in Israel He will show and designate His Splendor. Likewise He says further with respect to the garments of all of Aaron’s sons, that they are for splendor and for beauty.⁴⁹Further, Verse 40. Of the sacrifices He also says, they will come up with ‘ratzon’ (‘will’ — acceptance) on Mine altar, and I will glorify My glorious house.⁵⁰Isaiah 60:7. Thus the altar is His Will and the house of His Glory is the Splendor.
The [priestly] garments had to be made with the intention to be used for that purpose. It is possible that in making them, intent of heart [for what they symbolize] was also needed on the part of their makers. It is for this reason that He said, And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom⁵¹Verse 3. — who will understand what they will do. And the Rabbis have already said [of Alexander the Great, that when asked by his generals why he descended from his chariot to bow before the High Priest Simon the Just, he answered]:⁵²Yoma 69a. The story told there is that when Alexander the Great conquered the Land of Israel the Samaritans petitioned him to destroy the Temple in Jerusalem. Thereupon a procession of notables went out from Jerusalem headed by Simon the Just, the High Priest, who was attired in the high priestly garments. They walked a whole night with torches in their hand until dawn. In the morning as soon as Alexander saw Simon the Just, he descended from his chariot and bowed down to him. When the Samaritans said to him, “Such a great king as thou art dost thou bow thyself to that Jew?” He replied, “His image etc.” “His image glistened before me whenever I had a victory.”

ואין פותר אותם לפרעה, “there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.” According to a Midrash, Pharaoh had dreamt both the dream and the interpretation but had forgotten the interpretation. The professional dream interpreters in his kingdom suggested that the seven cows and seven ears of corn referred to seven daughters Pharaoh would sire and subsequently bury. We have reason to wonder why these great wise men of Egypt were unable to come up with a better or even the true interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. An unprejudiced layman would be able to see at a glance that the subject matter of the dream(s) was seven years of abundance followed by seven years of starvation. Clearly, the cows symbolised the ploughing, seeing that the Egyptians used the cows to pull the ploughs, whereas the ears of corn clearly symbolised the harvest that would materialise as a result of the ploughing. We have a verse in Proverbs 14,4 that “a bountiful harvest is due to the strength of the ox.” The failure of Pharaoh’s advisors was all part of G’d’s plan to arrange for Joseph to be elevated to high status. This is why G’d used this opportunity to “turn sages back and make nonsense of their wisdom” (Isaiah 44,25). In Isaiah 19,11 the same prophet recalled this event when he said: “utter fools are the nobles of Tanis; the sagest of Pharaoh’s advisers have made absurd predictions.” The prophet made the point that only through G’d’s intervention could these normally sagacious individuals fail so utterly in recognising what was before their eyes. Our sages in Bereshit Rabbah 89,6 used this incident to explain the meaning of Proverbs 14,6: “a scoffer seeks wisdom in vain; but knowledge comes easily to him who is understanding.” The scoffer referred to by Solomon is Pharaoh, whereas the easily acquired knowledge is a reference to Joseph.