Tanach · Acharonim on Tanach · Or HaChaim · Torah
Or HaChaim on Exodus 19:4/אור החיים על שמות י״ט:ד׳
אאַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם וְגוֹ׳. צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת כַּוָּנַת אֵל עֶלְיוֹן בְּמַה שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרָיִם, שֶׁיּוֹתֵר הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם״, שֶׁהוּא עִקַּר הַדָּבָר לְהִתְחַיֵּב לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד וּלְחַבֵּק אֲמָרָיו עַל כֹּל אֲשֶׁר גְּמָלָם ה׳. וְאִם לְהַזְכִּיר נִפְלְאוֹתָיו, הֲרֵי הֵם רְשׁוּמִים בְּאָמְרוֹ ״אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם״, וְיָדוּעַ הוּא כִּי לֹא הוֹצִיאָם אֶלָּא בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַמַּסּוֹת הַגְּדוֹלוֹת.
1 אתם ראיתם אשר עשיתי למצרים "You have seen what I have done to Egypt, etc." Why did G'd stress what He had done to Egypt rather than what He had done for the Israelites, i.e. that He had taken them out of bondage in Egypt? After all, it was the latter which obligated the Israelites to accept the Torah and to accept G'd's words gladly as a gesture of gratitude. If G'd only intended to stress the miracles He had performed this would have been included in a statement such as: "I took Israel out of Egypt."
בוְהִנֵּה לְפִי מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ כִּי יְכַוֵּן ה׳ לִשְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הָאַהֲבָה וּבְחִינַת הַיִּרְאָה, לָזֶה רָשַׁם ה׳ שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּמַאֲמָר זֶה. הַיִּרְאָה בְּאָמְרוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרָיִם, פֵּרוּשׁ, אֲשֶׁר יִסַּרְתִּי יִסּוּרֵי נְקָמָה לַמְּמָאֵן עֲשׂוֹת מַאֲמָרִי, כַּמָּה מַכּוֹת רָעוֹת בְּאֵין מִסְפָּר עַל אֲשֶׁר מֵאֵן עֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָתִי לְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶתְכֶם, וְהָיָה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לָכֶם לְאוֹת לָעוֹבֵר עַל מִצְוָתִי כִּי אֶתְנַקֵּם מִמֶּנּוּ בְּיִסּוּרֵי נְקָמָה וְצָרוֹת רַבּוֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם וּקְחוּ מוּסָר. וְנִתְכַּוֵּן ה׳ לִרְמֹז לָהֶם שֶׁהֵם בְּגֶדֶר זֶה עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל הַמִּצְרִים אִם יְמָאֲנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה וְאֶל הַמִּצְווֹת, וְזוֹ בְּחִינַת הַיִּרְאָה יִרְאַת הָעֹנֶשׁ. גַּם יֵשׁ בְּנִשְׁמָע מַאֲמַר אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת בְּכָל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְהָאוֹתוֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִים אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְמִצְרַיִם. גַּם בָּזֶה הֶרְאָה בְּחִינַת הָאַהֲבָה וְהַחִבָּה שֶׁכָּל זֶה עָשָׂה בִּשְׁבִילֵנוּ, הִרְעִישׁ כָּל הַבְּרִיאָה וְאִבֵּד אוּמָּה אַחַת בִּשְׁבִילֵנוּ, וּלְצַד זֶה יִתְלַהֵב אָדָם בְּחִבַּת הַבּוֹרֵא אֲשֶׁר הִפְלִיא חַסְדּוֹ לָהֶם, וְהִנֵּה הִיא בְּחִינַת הָאַהֲבָה לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ. וְהֵם שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים הָרְמוּזִים בְּאָמְרוֹ תֹּאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב שֶׁלֹּא תַּסְפִּיק הַיִּרְאָה וְצָרִיךְ גַּם הָאַהֲבָה, וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא תַּסְפִּיק בְּחִינַת הָאַהֲבָה וְצָרִיךְ גַּם הַיִּרְאָה, וְהַטַּעַם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ.
2According to our explanation that G'd operated on two levels when He informed the Israelites of His commandments, we find that He did so also in our verse. When G'd spoke about what He had done to Egypt, He reminded the people of what would happen to anyone who does not observe His commandments. By reminding the people of how He had carried them on the wings of eagles, G'd reminded the people of the loving kindness they could expect in return for observing the Torah's laws meticulously. G'd hinted that should the Jews refuse to observe the commandments He would consider them as in the same class as the Egyptians who had refused to listen to Him and who had paid the price. The words אשר עשיתי also have an additional connotation, namely that having witnessed the great miracles G'd had performed, surely the people would stand in awe of such a G'd. The plagues G'd brought upon the Egyptians by changing the laws of nature were a simultaneous demonstration of G'd's love for the Israelites for whose sake He had gone to such lengths as to re-enact מעשה בראשית. How could someone who reminded himself of having observed G'd manifest Himself in such a manner not develop a love for G'd? The above considerations were both incorporated in the introduction כה תאמר לבית יעקב ותגיד לבני ישראל.
גוָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם. הִנֵּה הֶאֱרִיךְ הָאָדוֹן בִּבְחִינַת הָאַהֲבָה, כִּי הוּא הָעִקָּר בַּמִּצְוָה לְהַרְוִיחַ כֶּפֶל הַשָּׂכָר, וְצָרִיךְ הִתְעַצְּמוּת גָּדוֹל לְהַשִּׂיגָהּ. לָזֶה אָמַר: רְאוּ חִבָּתִי בָּכֶם כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים חֲבִיבִין, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ מִדֶּרֶךְ כַּף רַגְלֵיכֶם חַסְתִּי עָלָיו וְנָשָׂאתִי אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים, פֵּרוּשׁ, עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד הָיוּ מְמֻצָּעִים תַּחְתָּם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים ח:ד): ״וְרַגְלְךָ לֹא בָצֵקָה״. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לֶאֱלוֹהַּ מִלִּין לְעוֹרֵר הָאַהֲבָה, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן הַיִּרְאָה שֶׁבְּנָקֵל תִּכָּנֵס בְּלֵב הָאָדָם, לָזֶה הִסְפִּיק לוֹ בִּרְמִיזָתוֹ בְּמַאֲמַר ״אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרָיִם״ כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי.
3ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים, "I carried you on eagles' wings." G'd went on at length about the feats of love He had performed for the Jewish people. He wanted to show how great was the reward when one performs His commandments because of a feeling of love for G'd. Of course, it requires a great deal of emotional fortitude to always relate to G'd from feelings of love. G'd wanted to encourage such feelings in the Jewish people by reminding them that He had already demonstrated that He treated them as a father treats his son. The "wings of eagles" are a reference to the ענני הכבוד, the clouds of G'd's glory, which were spread beneath the feet of the people so that they did not have to step on obstacles. Moses reminded the people of that in Deut. 8,4: "your feet never swelled during these forty years." Whereas a mere hint such as אשר עשיתי is sufficient to awaken fear of retribution, more words of endearment are required in order to induce love in people. Hence G'd had to be more eloquent about the acts of love He had performed.
דוָאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי. יִרְצֶה כִּי לֹא קָדַם הַקְרָבָתָם אֶל ה׳ כְּמִשְׁפַּט כָּל הַקָּרֵב הַקָּרֵב לְמִשְׁכַּן ה׳, שֶׁיַּקְדִּים הוּא לְעוֹרֵר חִבָּתוֹ, כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁאֵין אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם מַקְדִּים לְקָרֵב עַד שֶׁיְּעוֹרֵר הַמִּתְקָרֵב אֶת הָאַהֲבָה, וְכֵן הוּא מֵהַמּוּסָר כִּי הַהֶדְיוֹטוֹת וְהַקַּלִּים הֵם הַמִּשְׁתַּדְּלִים לְהִתְקָרֵב לִגְדוֹלִים וְנִכְבָּדִים מֵהֶם, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן עִם עֶבֶד מוֹשְׁלִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אָמַר ה׳ כִּי לֹא כֵן עָשָׂה, אֶלָּא הֲגַם שֶׁהָיוּ גּוֹי מִקֶּרֶב גּוֹי עֵרוֹם וְעֶרְיָה בְּלֹא שׁוּם הִתְעוֹרְרוּת, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֲנִי הֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֵלַי וְלֹא אַתֶּם הִתְקָרַבְתֶּם אֵלַי.
4ואבא אתכם אלי, "and I brought you close to Me." In this verse G'd reminded the Jewish people that He had taken the first step to bring them close to Him. This was very remarkable since we have explained repeatedly that the normal procedure of making progress of a spiritual nature is for man to take the first step. In taking the first step to elevate Israel to a higher spiritual level G'd had demonstrated His love for the people in an extraordinary manner. In our mundane life we also always observe that the lower classes make attempts to establish some contact with the higher classes, not vice versa.
העוֹד יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁהוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים מֵאַחֲרֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ לָהֶם שֶׁהִמְרוּ אִמְרֵי אֵל בְּיַם סוּף, בַּמָּן וּבַשְּׂלָו וְכַדּוֹמֶה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הָיָה ה׳ מוֹשְׁכָם אֵלָיו בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹזְרִים לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם, וּמְבִיאָן וּמְקָרְבָן אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ.
5G'd also wanted to remind the people that even after He had taken them out of Egypt they had not shown Him the obedience due but had rebelled, such as at the Sea of Reeds, before they received the manna and the quail, etc. Nonetheless G'd had made every effort to bring them close to Him.
ועוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (הגדה של פסח) אִלּוּ לֹא הוֹצִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם מִיָּד כוּ׳, וְהַטַּעַם כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ בִּבְחִינַת הָרַע בְּטֻמְאַת מִצְרַיִם וְלֹא תִהְיֶה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם עוֹד תְּקוּמָה לְשׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָזֶה מִהֵר לְהוֹצִיאָם כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ וָאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי, דִּיֵּק תֵּיבַת אֵלָי לִשְׁלוֹל הִשְׁתַּקְּעוּת בַּחֵלֶק הָרַע רַחְמָנָא לִצְלָן, וְהָבֵן:
6G'd also hinted at what is spelled out in greater detail by the author of the Haggadah shel Pessach who says: "if G'd had not taken our forefathers out of Egypt when He did, both we and our forefathers would have remained there enslaved to Pharaoh, etc." The reason that G'd brought us out at the time was in order not to let us sink still deeper into the moral morass that was Egypt, a depth that we could not have rehabilitated ourselves from, ever. G'd therefore rescued us and brought us to a holy place. We have to understand the word אלי as the contrast to the deep moral abyss that was Egypt.
זעוֹד יִרְצֶה לִשְׁלוֹל טַעֲנַת הַטּוֹעֵן, כִּי הֲלֹא מָצִינוּ לוֹ (ספרי ברכה) שֶׁהָלַךְ לְשֵׂעִיר וּפָארָן לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל וְעֵשָׂו וְהִזְמִינָם לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה וְלֹא קִבְּלוּ לְטַעַם שֶׁאָמְרוּ, וְאִם כֵּן מַה מַעֲלָה זוֹ שֶׁמְּרוֹמֵם לְעַם יִשְׂרָאֵל? לָזֶה אָמַר וָאָבִא וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ילקוט הראובני ר״פ בלק) בְּפָסוּק (במדבר כג:ד) ״וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם״ וְגוֹ׳, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁבָּא אוֹהֲבוֹ לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ וְכוּ׳ עַד כָּאן. פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי אַתֶּם הֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֵלַי, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן הֵם שֶׁשָּׁלַחְתִּי לָהֶם לִמְקוֹמָם לְשֵׂעִיר וּלְפָארָן, וְאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא לִדְחוֹתָם לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא וּלְחַיְּבָם בַּדִּין, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן אַתֶּם כִּי דַּעְתִּי וּרְצוֹנִי לְקָרֶבְכֶם אֵלַי, וְאֵין לְדַמּוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעֲשֵׂה אֱדוֹם וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל.
7G'd also wanted to answer the argument that seeing He had offered the Torah first to the Ishmaelites, to the Edomites, etc., and these people had declined to accept it (compare Yalkut Reuveni on Numbers 23,4), how did G'd demonstrate any special love for Israel by offering us the Torah? The answer is that G'd had merely sent messengers to these other nations asking them if per chance they wanted to accept His laws. In Israel's case, He had made it so much easier for this nation to accept the Torah by raising us first to be closer to His spiritual level. When G'd had offered the Torah to the other nations He did so in order to be able at some stage in the future to deny them certain privileges as a penalty for having spurned the Torah. Not so in the case of Israel. G'd had done everything possible to pave the way for acceptance of Torah by the Jewish people. There was no comparsion between the way G'd related to both Ishmael and Esau and the way He related to Israel.