Agudath Israel of the Five Towns
They said to Moshe, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? Why have you done this to us, to bring us out of Egypt?”
—Sh’mos 14:11
The Ohr HaChaim is puzzled by the people’s response. True, they were being pursued by Pharaoh. But why did they go into such a tirade? Why were they so upset? The situation was no surprise, because Hashem had already said that the Egyptians were going to come after them and this would end up affording honor to Hashem (see 14:4). Furthermore, the very route they took out of Egypt was designed to entice Pharaoh to pursue them. At first they traveled south toward the Yam Suf, and then they turned around and went north. What was the purpose of that U-turn? So the Egyptians would say, “They are confused in the land; the wilderness has closed them in” (Sh’mos 14:3).
The question of the Ohr HaChaim is very convincing: Since they in fact wanted the Egyptians to chase after them, they should have been clapping their hands in applause rather than being so frightened and going into a panic. What is the answer? The Ohr HaChaim says there was an unexpected twist to events. They knew the Egyptians were coming, but, “The Egyptians pursued them . . . Pharaoh drew close. The Israelites lifted their eyes and behold, Egypt was traveling after them. They feared greatly, and the Israelites called out to Hashem” (14:9–10).
What does it mean, “Behold, Egypt was traveling after them”? Why is Egypt mentioned in the singular form? It should be in the plural form, “the Egyptians were traveling.”
The Sh’mos Rabbah explains: “It does not say that Pharaoh was traveling after them, but ‘Egypt.’ This refers to their guardian angel. As soon as Israel saw that, ‘They feared greatly’” (Sh’mos Rabbah, ch. 15).
Based on this Midrash, the Ohr HaChaim explains that they saw the malach of Mitzrayim pursuing them, and that is why they were so scared. This also explains Pharaoh’s unusual behavior: “‘Pharaoh hikriv (caused [his soldiers] to come close).’ It should have said, ‘Pharaoh karav (drew close).’ What is the meaning of ‘hikriv’? He sacrificed himself, and pushed himself to go ahead of them, as he stipulated with them” (Mechilta).
Pharaoh pushed to the front lines because he promised the Egyptians that he would lead them in the battle against the Jews. The reason for this promise, the Ohr HaChaim explains, is that the guardian angel of a nation accompanies the nation’s king. And so it was with the wars fought later in history by Alexander the Great of Macedonia. Before Alexander would go out to wage a war, he would have a certain recurring dream of an angel who would travel with him and bring about his success. However, the angel that Alexander envisioned had the likeness of Rabbi Shimon HaTzaddik (Yoma 69a).
Here, Israel saw angelic forces accompanying the Egyptian army. They thought these forces were sent from Heaven to destroy Israel, chas v’shalom! That is what it appeared like to them, and that is why they were terrified, says the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh. What they didn’t know is that the malach of Mitzrayim would be the first to be cast into the sea. He needed to be there in order that he, too, would be drowned.
“The guardian angel of Pharaoh was named ‘Egypt.’ It was flying in pursuit of the Israelites. When Hashem sank the Egyptians in the sea, their guardian angel sank first, as it says (14:27), ‘Hashem churned Egypt within the water.’ This was the guardian angel of Egypt. And afterward, He churned Pharaoh and his army. Also regarding their horses and chariots, it says only, ‘The horse and its rider’ (15:1). This refers to their guardian angel. This is the meaning of: ‘Behold, Egypt is traveling after them’” (Sh’mos Rabbah, ch. 21).
According to the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, when it says “Pharaoh hikriv,” it is hinting that Pharaoh caused Israel to come close! It does not mean that Pharaoh drew close himself, or that he brought his own people close, but that he brought Israel close to Hashem. He caused them to do teshuvah.
This is indeed the course of events as recorded by Scripture: “Pharaoh hikriv,” and then, “They feared greatly,” and then, “The Israelites called out to Hashem.”
With this explanation we can understand the following verse when, at the sea, B’nei Yisrael said: “Behold, this is the thing that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone and we will serve Egypt’” (Sh’mos 14:12).
Why did Israel say, “zeh ha’davar”? Because the term zeh, “this,” refers to something that one can point to. We know this from the following comments of Rashi and Maskil LeDavid:
“‘This is my G‑d’—He revealed Himself to them in His glory, and they were pointing to Him with a finger” (Rashi, Sh’mos 15:2).
“If you will ask how Rashi knows this, it is because it is written zeh, which denotes showing with one’s finger . . .” (Maskil LeDavid, ad loc.).
The Jews were pointing to the malach when they uttered “zeh ha’davar.” K’lal Yisrael said: “Look at this—the heavenly forces associated with Egypt are pursuing us. We would not be afraid if it was just the Egyptians, whom we knew would come after us. But now it seems as if Hashem has changed His mind!” They pointed to the malach and said, “Zeh ha’davar asher dibarnu—This is the thing that is causing us to be afraid. If only you had listened when we said, ‘Let us alone and we will serve Egypt.’ If Hashem is sending out spiritual armies against us, it means we are no longer worthy of being saved and we should have stayed in Mitzrayim.” That was their great concern.

Rabbi Frankel can be reached at rav@agudah5t.org. Soon to be released: Machat shel Yad Vayikra.