Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Awit 91:15

Baruch HaMakom:
Four Blessings, Four Children
Translator's Introduction:
The opening poem-prayer to the next section of the Haggadah, "Baruch Hamakom, " repeats the word Baruch (praised or blessed) four times. We associate this word with the beginning of every blessing: before we eat, when we light the Sabbath candles, when we sit in a sukkah etc. Rabbi Bondi understands these four expressions beginning Baruch as four blessings for four parts of the Seder - and the four cups of wine.
Praised is the Omnipresent: The author of the Haggadah recited the word baruch four times for the four parts of the Haggadah which are hinted at above in the introduction regarding the four cups of wine.
1. Blessed is the Omnipresent ( literally, "the Place"): This is a blessing for the subjugation of Israel. Just as we are commanded to recite a blessing for good tidings, so we must recite a blessing for bad tidings as well. He chose the expression baruch hamakom, "Praised is the Omnipresent" because God's glory fills the who world - even when we are in exile, as it is written, "I will be with them in distress." (Psalms 91:15)
2. Blessed is He: This is a blessing for freedom.
3. Blessed is the one who gave Torah to Israel: This blessing is for the performance of the commandments on Seder night: matzah, maror and the Afikomen.
4. Blessed is He: for the recitation of Hallel.
(The wise son asks: "What is the meaning of these testimonies, statutes and judgments which the Lord has commanded you." I learned the following from my grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Naphtali Sheier: Even though the wise child uses the word YOU (etchem) he is not like the wicked child who denies the faith when he says, "What is this service to you" (lachem) This is interpreted to mean, "to you but not to him." Even though the wise child uses the word "you," he still includes himself in the community of Israel when he says, "Which the Lord OUR God has commanded…" the wise child implies that God did not say Commanded him because he was not present at the time of the command; therefore he says who commanded you.)

3) The words את בני ישראל, "the children of Israel," are an indication that all the Israelites were a vessel deserving to be blessed at that time, a condition that had not existed previously. We have explained on several occasions that the presence of G'd does not come to rest on fewer than 600,000 Jews as only this number is able to comprise the combined degree of sanctity which assures Israel of being suitable carriers of the שכינה. The reason that the Torah added the word את and did not content itself with writing בני ישראל, may have been in order to allude to a hidden dimension, something which does not manifest itself openly. It may be a veiled reference to the fact that even when the Israelites are in exile, some part of G'd's presence never completely deserts them. This concept is based on Psalms 91,15: "I will be with him in distress." [Moses was the author of this Psalm. Ed.] Moses, who may be viewed as "Israel's best Man" in the mystical relationship between G'd and Israel, bestows this additional aspect of blessing on his people.

ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלוקים, “and angels of G’d met him.” These were the same angels who had been mentioned at the beginning of the portion who had been ascending and descending the ladder Yaakov had seen in his dream. This is what the Torah added כאשר ראם, “as he had seen them.” In other words, he was already familiar with these angels. We have a similar construction in Ezekiel 10,20 היא החיה אשר ראיתי , “this is the angel whom I had seen, etc.” Actually, the Torah could have written ויפגע במלאכי אלוקים, “he encountered angels of G’d.” The reason the Torah wrote that the angels met Yaakov instead of vice versa is a compliment to Yaakov. The purpose of the encounter was in order to protect Yaakov. It is similar to Psalms 91,15 כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכיך, “for He will command His angels to guard you (the righteous) on all your paths.”
There is a discussion in the Midrash Bereshit Rabbah 78,2 as to who is greater, the guardian or the person whom he guards? The Midrash concludes that the person being guarded is greater than the guardian. The Midrash came to this conclusion based on the verse (Psalms 91,12) “to guard you on all your paths to carry you in their hands lest you hurt your foot on a stone.” The Midrash also asks: “who is greater the carrier or the one being carried?” It concludes that the person being carried is the more important of the two. Finally, the Midrash asks: “who is more important the one being met or the one who goes out to meet someone?” The Midrash concludes that the person being met is the more important of the two. We find some support for this in connection with the prophet Elisha. We read in Kings II 6,15: “when the attendant of the man of G’d rose early and went outside, he saw a force, with horses and chariots, surrounding the town and he said to his master: ‘what shall we do?’” The verse goes on to say: “do not be afraid there are more on our side than on theirs.” A little later the verse continues: “G’d opened the eyes of the servant and he saw and here the mountain all around Elisha was covered with horses and chariots of fire.” [The paragraph started with the one who meets, only to conclude with the ones being met, the latter becoming the victors in the ensuing battle. Ed.]

מתוך הסנה OUT OF THE MIDST OF A BUSH (a thornbush) — and not from any other tree, in accordance with the idea (Psalms 91:15) “I will be with him in trouble” (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 14).