(ז) וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּר֧וּ וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ אֹתָֽם׃ (פ)
And the children of Israel were fruitful and swarmed and multiplied themselves in great numbers and the land was filled with them.
(א) פרו וישרצו ואחר שמתו כל שבעים נפש נטו לדרכי שרצים, שרצים לבאר שחת, ובכן (ח) ויקם מלך. חדש על מצרים וכו'.
They were fruitful and swarmed and after all the seventy [original forebearers including the twelve brothers] had died, [the Israelites] were disposed towards the ways of insects, because they ran (pun on 'she-ratzim') to their grave and thus a new king arose over Egypt.
אָמַר הַנָּבִיא: בַּיקוק בָּגָדוּ כִּי בָנִים זָרִים יָלָדוּ עַתָּה יֹאכְלֵם חֹדֶשׁ (הושע ה, ז), שֶׁהָיוּ מוֹלִידִין וְלֹא מָלִין. לְלַמֶּדְךָ, כְּשֶׁמֵּת יוֹסֵף, הֵפֵרוּ בְּרִית מִילָה, אָמְרוּ נִהְיֶה כַּמִּצְרִים. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה כֵּן, הֵפֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָאַהֲבָה שֶׁהָיָה אוֹהֵב אוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָפַךְ לִבָּם לִשְׂנֹא עַמּוֹ (תהלים קה, כה).
The prophet said: In Hashem they have dealt treacherously, for they have conceived strange children, now the new moon will devour [their portion] (Hoshea 5:7). Because they gave birth and did not circumcise. This teaches you that when Yosef died, they broke the covenant of circumcision, saying, "We will be like the Egyptians." Since the Holy One, Blessed be Ze, indeed saw, Ze severed the love that Ze had for them as it is said, Ze changed their heart to hate Hir people (Ps. 105:25).
(יד) וַ֠יֹּאמֶר מִ֣י שָֽׂמְךָ֞ לְאִ֨ישׁ שַׂ֤ר וְשֹׁפֵט֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ הַלְהָרְגֵ֙נִי֙ אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֖גְתָּ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֑י וַיִּירָ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָכֵ֖ן נוֹדַ֥ע הַדָּבָֽר׃ (טו) וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לַהֲרֹ֣ג אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבְרַ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עַֽל־הַבְּאֵֽר׃
(14) He said, "Who placed you as an official and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me like [it's being] said that you killed the Egyptian?" Moshe was afraid and he thought, "Truly the matter is known!" (15) And Paroah heard about this matter and he sought to kill Moshe. Moshe ran away from Paroah and he arrived to the land of Midian and sat down by a well.
וַיִּירָא מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמַר אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר. אָמַר לָהֶם: יֵשׁ בֵּינֵיכֶם לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְהֵיאַךְ אַתֶּם רְאוּיִין לִגְאֻלָּה? וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, שֶׁעָמְדוּ דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם וְהִלְשִׁינוּ עָלָיו. לְפִיכָךְ בָּרַח לְמִדְיָן וְעָשָׂה שָׁם עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, וְהָיוּ רְאוּיִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לִגְאֻלָּה.
And Moses was afraid and he thought: Truly the matter is known. He said to them:
There is evil gossip between you. How are you fit for redemption? And Paroah heard about this matter, because Datan and Aviram arose and told against him (Moshe). For this reason he fled to Midian and remained there twenty years until Israel became fit to be redeemed.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע כֵּן נִתְיָרֵא מִלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע, וַיֹּאמַר אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי שָׁלוֹם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא הַגָּדוֹל, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי אָמְרוּ, הָיָה משֶׁה מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר מֶה חָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ מִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע דְּבָרָיו אָמַר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע יֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶן הֵיאַךְ יִהְיוּ רְאוּיִין לַגְּאֻלָּה, לְכָךְ אָמַר: אָכֵן נוֹדַע הַדָּבָר, עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי בְּאֵיזֶה דָבָר הֵם מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִים.
When he indeed heard, he became afraid of evil gossip and he thought, "Surely the matter is known." Rabi Yehuda son of Rabi Shalom in the name of Rabi Khanina the Great and our Teachers in the name of Rabi Aleksandri said, "Moshe would ponder in his heart and say, 'What was Israel's sin that they became enslaved from all the other nations? When he (Moshe) heard his (the accuser's) words, he thought, "There is loshon hara between them, how will they be fit for redemption?" In this way, he said, "Surely the matter is known, now I know what is [the cause] of their enslavement."
(כה) וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֖דַע אֱלֹקִֽים׃ (ס)
(25) G-d looked upon the children of Israel and G-d knew.
וירא אלקים את בני ישראל השגיח עליהם ולא הסתיר עוד פניו מהם, כענין כי ראיתי את עמי, כי באה צעקתו אלי כמו שהעיד אחר כך באמרו ראה ראיתי את עני עמי אשר במצרים:
And G-d saw the children of Israel: Ze took notice about them and Ze no longer continued to hide Hir face from them; this is similar to the matter [raised in] "for I have seen the affliction of My people for their cries have come to me" (Sam 1 9:16); Just like G-d indicated later on [in the story] in saying, "I surely see the suffering of my people which are in Egypt."
And G-d knew: Ze gave to them heart and did not hide Hir eyes [from them].
ר' אלעזר ב"ר יוסי אומר משום אבא יוסי בן דורמסקית, הרי הוא אומר (שמות ב׳:כ״ה) וירא אלקים את בני ישראל, שהם עתידין להכעיס. וידע אלקים, שהם עתידין לנאץ. וכל כך למה, מכח התשובה בה הקשה.
Rabi Eliezer son of Rabi Yossi said in the name of Abba Yossi son of Dormaskit: Behold it is said, "G-d saw the Children of Israel" that they are destined to anger [Ze]. "And G-d knew" that they are destined to blaspheme. And why so much [blaspheming from the Israelites]? To make tshuva/repentence/return meaningful.
והאריך הכתוב להזכיר טענות רבות בגאולתם, וישמע אלקים את נאקתם, ויזכור אלקים את בריתו, וירא אלקים, וידע אלקים, כי ידעתי את מכאוביו (להלן ג ז), כי אע''פ שנשלם הזמן שנגזר עליהם לא היו ראויים להגאל, כמו שמפורש על ידי יחזקאל (יחזקאל כ ח), אלא מפני הצעקה קבל תפלתם ברחמיו:
The scripture listed to remember the claims in redemption: And G-d heard their cries and G-d remembered Hir covenant and G-d saw and G-d knew (Ex 2:24-25) for I know its pains (Ex 3:7). For even though the time that was decreed for them was completed, they were not fit to be redeemed. Just as Ezekiel explained [20:8: But they defied Me and refused to listen to Me. They did not cast away the detestable things they were drawn to, nor did they give up the fetishes of Egypt. Then I resolved to pour out My fury upon them, to vent all My anger upon them there, in the land of Egypt], but G-d accepted their prayers in Hir mercy because of their crying.
וירא אלקים את בני ישראל וידע אלקים (שמות ב, כג). כלומר שראה שיהיו בני ישראל שיקבלו התורה, הגם שבעת הללו עובדי עבודה זרה וידע הוא לשון התחברות. וזהו וידע אלקים, שהתחבר כביכול את עצמו במעשיהם הטובים שיעשו בני ישראל ובמעשיהם הרעים שיעשו לא יתחבר את עצמו חס ושלום:
And G-d saw the Children of Israel and G-d knew: Like it is said that G-d saw that the children of Israel would receive the Torah, but also at this time they were performing avodah zara/idol worship. The word "yodeah" is the language of connectedness (implies an intimacy). And this is Hashem knew- (aka Ze was connected) that Ze would connect Hirself, so to speak, in the good deeds that the children of Israel will do. And in the bad deeds that they will do, Ze would not connect Hirself, chas v'sholom/G-d forbid.
(יא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹקִ֔ים מִ֣י אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אֵלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְכִ֥י אוֹצִ֛יא אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
(11) And Moshe said to G-d, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and take the children of Israel out from Egypt?”
And take the children of Israel out from Egypt? And even if I am important, what merit does Israel possess to warrant a miracle that I will take them out of Egypt?
And take the children of Israel out from Egypt that I should merit to bring out the children of Israel who are now not worthy for such.
...וְשֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ מַה זְּכוּת יֵשׁ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם? דָּבָר גָּדוֹל יֵשׁ לִי עַל הוֹצָאָה זוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲתִידִים לְקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה לְסוֹף ג' חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם.
דָּ"אַ: כי אהיה עמך, וזה שֶׁתַּצְלִיחַ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתְךָ לך האות עַל הַבְטָחָה אַחֶרֶת, שֶׁאֲנִי מַבְטִיחֲךָ שֶׁכְּשֶׁתּוֹצִיאֵם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אוֹתִי עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה, שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה עָלָיו, וְהִיא הַזְּכוּת הָעוֹמֶדֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
(G-d in Rashi's imagination talking)...And that you asked what merit does Israel have that they should go out from Egypt? I have a great purpose regarding this bringing out, that behold they are destined to receive the Torah on this mountain three months after they are taken out of Egypt.
Another explanation: For I will be with you- and this (Ex 3:12)- that you will be successful in your mission is the sign for you (3:12) on a different promise that I am promising to you that when you bring them out from Egypt they will worship me on this mountain- for they will accept the Torah on it; this is the merit on behalf of Israel.
