שמות רבה כ״אShemot Rabbah 21

Section 4ד׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים סה, ג): שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה עָדֶיךָ כָּל בָּשָׂר יָבֹאוּ, מַהוּ שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִתְפַּלְּלִין אֵין אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁכֻּלָּן מִתְפַּלְּלִין כְּאֶחָד, אֶלָּא כָּל כְּנֵסִיָּה וּכְנֵסִיָּה מִתְפַּלֶּלֶת בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, הַכְּנֶסֶת הַזּוֹ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַכְּנֶסֶת הָאַחֶרֶת, וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁכָּל הַכְּנֵסִיּוֹת גּוֹמְרוֹת כָּל הַתְּפִלּוֹת הַמַּלְאָךְ הַמְמֻנֶּה עַל הַתְּפִלּוֹת נוֹטֵל כָּל הַתְּפִלּוֹת שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ בְּכָל הַכְּנֵסִיּוֹת כֻּלָּן וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן עֲטָרוֹת וְנוֹתְנָן בְּרֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עָדֶיךָ כָּל בָּשָׂר יָבֹאוּ, וְאֵין עָדֶיךָ אֶלָּא עֲטָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מט, יח): כִּי כֻלָּם כַּעֲדִי תִלְבָּשִׁי. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה מט, ג): יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְעַטֵּר בִּתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, יב): וַעֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּרֹאשֵׁךְ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה וגו', אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בָּשָׂר וָדָם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִשְׁמֹעַ שִׂיחַת שְׁנַיִם כְּאֶחָד, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן אֶלָּא הַכֹּל מִתְפַּלְּלִין לְפָנָיו וְהוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמְקַבֵּל תְּפִלָּתָן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, בָּשָׂר וָדָם אִם בָּא עָנִי לוֹמַר דָּבָר לְפָנָיו אֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵימֶנּוּ, אִם בָּא עָשִׁיר לוֹמַר דָּבָר, מִיָּד הוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמְקַבְּלוֹ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן אֶלָּא הַכֹּל שָׁוִין לְפָנָיו, הַנָּשִׁים, וְהָעֲבָדִים, וְהָעֲנִיִּים, וְהָעֲשִׁירִים. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהֲרֵי משֶׁה רַבָּן שֶׁל כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים כָּתוּב בּוֹ מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּעָנִי, בְּמשֶׁה כְּתִיב (תהלים צ, א): תְּפִלָּה לְמשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, וּבְעָנִי כְתִיב (תהלים קב, א): תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי ה' יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ. זוֹ תְּפִלָּה וְזוֹ תְּפִלָּה, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁהַכֹּל שָׁוִין בַּתְּפִלָּה לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם. תֵּדַע לְךָ כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם רָדַף אַחֲרֵיהֶם פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב, וּכְתִיב (שמות יד, י): וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה', הִתְחִיל משֶׁה אַף הוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, מָה אַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, כְּבָר הִתְפַּלְּלוּ בָּנַי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי תְפִלָּתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי.

Another interpretation: “Why are you crying out to Me?” – that is what is written: “Hearer of prayer, to You all flesh will come” (Psalms 65:3). What is “Hearer of prayer?” Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Meir, and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: When Israel prays, you do not find that they all pray as one, but rather, each congregation prays on its own. This congregation begins, and then the other congregation. After all the congregations have finished their prayers, the angel appointed over prayers takes all the prayers that they prayed in all the congregations and crafts them into crowns and places them on the head of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “To you [adekha] all flesh will come,” and adekha means nothing other than crown, as it is stated: “You shall clothe yourself with them all, as with an ornament [ke’adi]” (Isaiah 49:18). So, it says: “Israel, in whom I will be glorified'” (Isaiah 49:3), as the Holy One blessed be He adorns Himself with the prayers of Israel, as it is stated: “And a beautiful crown upon your head” (Ezekiel 16:12). Another interpretation: “Hearer of prayer…” (Psalms 65:3) – you find that flesh and blood is unable to hear the speech of two [different people] simultaneously, but the Holy One blessed be He is not like that; everyone prays before Him and He hears and accepts their prayers. Another interpretation: “Hearer of prayer” (Psalms 65:3) – Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: [A person of] flesh and blood, if a poor person comes to say something before him, he does heed him; if a wealthy person comes to say something, he immediately hears it and accepts it. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so; rather, everyone is equal before Him: Women, slaves, the poor, and the wealthy. Know that, about Moses, master of all the prophets, is written what is written about the poor. About Moses, it is written: “A prayer of Moses the man of God” (Psalms 90:1). Regarding the poor it is written: “A prayer of the poor man when he suffers, and pours forth his words before the Lord” (Psalms 102:1). This is prayer and that is prayer, to inform you that everyone is equal in prayer before the Omnipresent. Know that when Israel departed from Egypt, Pharaoh pursued them, as it is stated: “And Pharaoh drew near” (Exodus 14:10), and it is written: “[The children of Israel] cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Moses also began praying before the Omnipresent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Why are you standing and praying? My children have already prayed and I have heard their prayer,’ as it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”

Section 5ה׳

הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ב, יד): יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע, הָיָה לוֹמַר יוֹנָה בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע וּמַהוּ שֶׁאָמַר יוֹנָתִי, אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹנָתִי, רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב (הושע ז, יא): וַיְהִי אֶפְרַיִם כְּיוֹנָה פוֹתָה אֵין לֵב, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶצְלִי הֵם כְּיוֹנָה פוֹתָה, כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי גוֹזֵר עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹשִׂים וְשׁוֹמְעִים לִי, אֲבָל אֵצֶל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים קָשִׁים הֵם כַּחַיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מט, ט): גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה, (בראשית מט, כז): בִּנְיָמִין זְאֵב יִטְרָף, (בראשית מט, יז): יְהִי דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ, לְפִיכָךְ הֵם קָשִׁים כְּנֶגֶד עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, לָמָּה שֶׁעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים אוֹמְרִין לָהֶם מָה אַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁין מִן הַשַּׁבָּת הַזּוֹ שֶׁאַתֶּם שׁוֹמְרִים, מִן הַמִּילָה הַזּוֹ שֶׁאַתֶּם מוּלִים, וְהֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים לְבַטֵּל לָהֶם אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת וְהֵם נַעֲשִׂים כְּנֶגְדָם קָשִׁין כַּחַיּוֹת, אֲבָל אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּיוֹנָה תַמָּה, וְשׁוֹמְעִים לוֹ כָּל מַה שֶּׁהוּא גוֹזֵר עֲלֵיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, לא): וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, יד): יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פְּדָת כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיוּ נוֹשְׂאִין עֵינֵיהֶן וְהָיוּ הַמִּצְרִים רוֹדְפִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב [וגו'], נוֹסְעִים אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא נֹסֵעַ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא פַרְעֹה וְהַמִּצְרִיִּים לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם תָּלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לַשָּׁמַיִם וְרָאוּ שָׂרָן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם פּוֹרֵחַ בָּאֲוִיר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתוֹ נִתְיָרְאוּ הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד, וּמַהוּ וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שָׂרָן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם הָיָה שְׁמוֹ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַפִּיל אֻמָּה עַד שֶׁהוּא מַפִּיל שָׂרָן תְּחִלָּה. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בִּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שֶׁהִפִּיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְשָׂרוֹ תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ד, כח): עוֹד מִלְּתָא בְּפֻם מַלְכָּא קָל מִן שְׁמַיָא נְפַל, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן אָבִין שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר קָל שְׁמוֹ, וְהִפִּילוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אַף שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה מִצְרַיִם שְׁמוֹ וְהָיָה פּוֹרֵחַ לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִשְׁקִיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַמִּצְרִים בַּיָּם לֹא שִׁקַּע תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא שָׂרָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כז): וַיְנַעֵר ה' אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם, זֶה שָׂרָן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (תהלים קלו, טו): וְנִעֵר פַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹ, וְכֵן סוּסֵיהֶם וְרוֹכְבֵיהֶם רָמָה בַיָּם אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא (שמות טו, א): סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ, זֶה הַשַֹּׂר שֶׁלָּהֶן, הֱוֵי: וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם. וּמַהוּ וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב, אֶלָּא שֶׁהִקְרִיב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, יָפָה הָיְתָה הַקְרָבַת פַּרְעֹה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִמֵּאָה צוֹמוֹת וּתְפִלּוֹת, לָמָּה, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁרָדְפוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְרָאוּ אוֹתָן, נִתְיָרְאוּ מְאֹד וְתָלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לַמָּרוֹם וְעָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה וְהִתְפַּלְּלוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, י): וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה', אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמשֶׁה, מֶה עָשִׂיתָ לָנוּ, עַכְשָׁו הֵם בָּאִים וְעוֹשִׂים לָנוּ כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָשִׂינוּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁהָרַגְנוּ בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם וְנָטַלְנוּ מָמוֹנָם וּבָרַחְנוּ, לֹא אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ לָנוּ (שמות ה ג, כב): וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיוּ עוֹמְדִים וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת, וְהָיָה הַיָּם סוֹגֵר, וְהַשֹּׂוֹנֵא רוֹדֵף, וְהַחַיּוֹת מִן הַמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ה יד, ג): סָגַר עֲלֵיהֶם הַמִּדְבָּר, אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אֵין סָגַר אֶלָּא חַיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ו, כג): אֱלָהִי שְׁלַח מַלְאֲכֵהּ וּסֲגַר פֻם אַרְיָוָתָא. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מֻקָּפִין מִשָּׁלשׁ רוּחוֹת, הַיָּם סוֹגֵר, וְהַשֹּׂוֹנֵא רוֹדֵף וְהַחַיּוֹת מִן הַמִּדְבָּר, תָּלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וְצָעֲקוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה', וְלָמָּה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָהֶם כָּךְ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה בָּא בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהָיְתָה בַּת מְלָכִים צוֹעֶקֶת לוֹ בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְךָ הַצִּילֵנִי מִיַּד הַלִּסְטִים, שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהִצִּילָהּ, לְאַחַר יָמִים בִּקֵּשׁ לִשָֹּׂא אוֹתָהּ לְאִשָּׁה, הָיָה מִתְאַוֶּה שֶׁתְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ וְלֹא הָיְתָה רוֹצָה, מֶה עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ גֵּרָה בָהּ הַלִּסְטִים כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּצְעַק וְיִשְׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ עָלֶיהָ הַלִּסְטִים הִתְחִילָה צוֹעֶקֶת לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ לְכָךְ הָיִיתִי מִתְאַוֶּה לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹלֵךְ. כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְהָיוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדִים בָּהֶם הִתְחִילוּ צוֹעֲקִים וְתוֹלִין עֵינֵיהֶם לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, כג): וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָרַבִּים הָהֵם וגו' וַיִּזְעָקוּ, מִיָּד (שמות ב, כה): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹצִיאָן מִשָּׁם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה, וְהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת קוֹלָם פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת וְלֹא הָיוּ רוֹצִין, מֶה עָשָׂה, גֵּרָה לְפַרְעֹה לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב, מִיָּד וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה', בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְכָךְ הָיִיתִי מְבַקֵּשׁ, לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹלְכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, יד): יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע, הַשְׁמִיעִנִּי קוֹל אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא (שיר השירים ב, יד): הַשְּׁמִיעִנִּי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ אוֹתוֹ הַקּוֹל שֶׁכְּבָר שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: הַשְּׁמִיעִנִּי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה מָה אַתָּה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, כְּבָר קָדְמָה תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל בָּנַי לִתְפִלָּתֶךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי.

That is what is written: “My dove in the cleft of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). It should have said “a dove in the cleft of the rock.” Why did it say “my dove?” It is as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “My dove.” See what is written: “Ephraim is like a foolish dove, with no understanding” (Hosea 7:11). The Holy One blessed be He said: To Me they are like a foolish dove; everything that I decree for them, they do and obey Me. However, towards idolaters, they are as tough as beasts, as it is stated: “Judah is a lion’s whelp” (Genesis 49:9); “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27); “Dan will be a serpent on the road” (Genesis 49:17); that is why they are as tough against idolaters. Why? It is because idolaters say to them: ‘What do you seek from this Shabbat that you observe, from this circumcision that you are circumcised?’ They [idolaters] seek to cancel the mitzvot for them and they [Israel] become as tough as beasts against them. However, to the Holy One blessed be He they are like an innocent dove, and they obey everything that He decrees for them, as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31). And likewise it says: “Everything the Lord has spoken we will do and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). That is why it says: “My dove in the cleft of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). “Pharaoh drew near and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and, behold, Egypt was traveling after them, and they were very frightened; the children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: When Israel departed from Egypt, they lifted up their eyes and the Egyptians were pursuing them, as it is stated: “Pharaoh drew near [and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and, behold, Egypt was traveling after them].” It does not say “were traveling,” but rather “was traveling.” When Pharaoh and the Egyptians came out in pursuit of them, they raised their eyes heavenward and saw the angel of Egypt floating in the air. When they saw him, they were very frightened, as it is stated: “They were very frightened.” What is “behold, Egypt was traveling after them”? The name of the angel of Egypt was Egypt, as the Holy One blessed be He does not bring about the downfall of a nation until He brings about the downfall of its angel first. Likewise, you find with Nebuchadnezzar that the Holy One blessed be He brought down his angel first, as it is stated: “While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice [kal] fell from heaven” (Daniel 4:28). Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin said: Nebuchadnezzar’s angel was named Kal, and the Holy One blessed be He brought him down. Likewise, the name of the angel of Pharaoh was Egypt, and it was flying to pursue them. When the Holy One blessed be He sank Egypt into the sea, He first sank their angel, as it is stated: “And the Lord tossed Egypt in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27); that is the angel of Egypt, and then: “He tossed Pharaoh and his host” (Psalms 136:15). Likewise, it does not say: Their horses and their riders He cast into the sea, but rather, “horse and its rider” (Exodus 15:1), this is their angel; that is: “behold, Egypt was traveling after them.” What is: “Pharaoh drew near [hikriv]”? It is that he drew Israel nearer to repentence. Rabbi Berekhya said: Pharaoh’s drawing near was more effective for Israel than one hundred fasts and prayers. Why? Because when they [the Egyptians] pursued them and they [Israel] saw them, they were greatly afraid and they raised their eyes to Heaven, and repented and prayed, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord” (Exodus 14:10). Israel said to Moses: ‘What have you done to us? Now they are coming and doing to us everything we did to them; we killed their firstborn, took their property, and fled. Did you not say to us: “Each woman will borrow [silver vessels and gold vessels and garments from her neighbor and from the resident of her house and you shall place them upon your sons and upon your daughters, and you will despoil Egypt]”?’ (Exodus 3:22). At that moment they were standing and they did not know what to do; the sea was closing in, the enemy was pursuing, and the beasts from the wilderness, as it is stated: “The wilderness has closed in [sagar] on them” (Exodus 14:3). Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: Sagar means nothing other than beasts, as it is stated: “My God has sent His angel, and shut [usagar] the lions' mouths” (Daniel 6:23). When Israel saw that they were surrounded on three sides – the sea blocking them, the enemy in pursuit, and the beasts in the wilderness – they raised their eyes to their Father in heaven and cried out to the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” Why did the Holy One blessed be He do this to them? It was because the Holy One blessed be He desires their prayers. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: To what is this matter comparable? It is to a king who was travelling on the way and a princess was screaming to him: ‘Please, save me from the highwaymen.’ The king heard and rescued her. Some time later, he sought to take her as a wife. He desired that she speak to him, but she did not want to do so. What did the king do? He incited the highwaymen against her so that she would scream and the king would hear. When the highwaymen beset her, she began screaming to the king. The king said to her: ‘This is what I desired, to hear your voice.’ So Israel, when they were in Egypt and they [the Egyptians] were forcing them to work, they began screaming and raising their eyes to the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “It was during those many days…they cried out” (Exodus 2:23). Immediately, “God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:25). The Holy One blessed be He began taking them out from there with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm. The Holy One blessed be He sought to hear their voice another time, but they did not wish to do so [to cry out]. What did He do? He incited Pharaoh to pursue them, as it is stated: “Pharaoh drew near.” Immediately, “the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘That is what I wanted – to hear your voice.’ As it is stated: “My dove in the cleft of the rock […sound me your voice]” (Song of Songs 2:14). It does not say sound me a voice, but rather, “sound me your voice,” – the voice that I already heard in Egypt. That is why it is written: “Sound me your voice.” When they had prayed, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Why are you standing and praying? The prayer of My children preceded your prayer, as it is stated: “Why are you crying out to Me?”’