Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you now, and let them know what Hashem of Hosts has planned against Egypt. "Where then are your wise men?" He asks the wise men: where are they? Why did they fail to grasp Hashem's plan? Now the Malbim explains that there is a difference between "ayeh" and "eifo." "Eifo" means "where," and "ayeh" also means "where," so seemingly these are the same word. Says the Malbim: know that in the Holy Tongue there is a difference between them. The difference is that "ayeh" means the object is right here, I am only asking exactly where it is, precisely where it is located. "Ayeh Sarah your wife? And he said, behold, in the tent." That is, she is in the vicinity, I am only asking where, where exactly, at which point. Where is the exact place she is? "Where (ayeh) is the harlot?" She is supposed to be here in the vicinity, we met her here last time, she should be here, I am only asking at which exact spot you can point and say that here she is. In contrast, "where (ayeh) is the place of His glory." As opposed to that, "eifo" is used to ask about something located in a distant place, and one asks "eifo," as if to say "i" (where) is the place that you would say is here? Where is the place you say is here? Is it "i po" (where here)? That is, it is not something in the vicinity about which I ask "ayeh," but rather where at all? Where is it at all? Like "Tell me now, where (eifo) do they pasture?" Which is the place that you would say is here? As opposed to "ayeh," where I know it is here and I am only asking at which precise point. With "eifo" the intent is that it could be in many places, wherever you might say it is. "Where (eifo) is she gleaning today?" He asks about a distant place, where there are in fact many possibilities, and he asks where here. According to this, says the Malbim, there are two questions here. There is "ayeh" and there is "eifo." Now we have "your wise men," and we also have those who are supposed to, pardon me, "let them tell you," and we also have "let them know what Hashem has planned." And he explains it thus: "where (ayeh) are your wise men, let them tell you," he divides the verse. And "where (eifo) are your wise men, let them know what Hashem has planned." And then he essentially says to them: where (ayeh) are your wise men? If the wise men are indeed with you, so to speak in the vicinity, you only need to search to see exactly where the spot is. Where are your wise men? Let them tell you what Hashem has planned. Let them tell you what the Holy One, blessed be He, is planning against you, what decrees are about to fall upon you, Pharaoh king of Egypt. And he adds and says: where (eifo) are your wise men? And if your wise men are not here, but rather your wise men wander about in some place in the land or in the world, are there any wise men anywhere who can know what Hashem has planned? Are there any wise men who can know what Hashem has planned?
What Hashem is decreeing upon Egypt, so you have no people here who know, which is why he says "ayeh," and you also have none in another place about which you would say "ayeh here," meaning where would you say the wise man is located anywhere in the world who knows what Hashem has planned. "The princes of Tzoan have become fools, the princes of Nof are deceived; they have led Egypt astray, the cornerstone of her tribes." Now he turns to the princes of Tzoan. They, the princes of Tzoan, were supposed to guide the people, but they themselves "have become fools," meaning they were fools. And through them the others were seduced, that is the meaning of "the princes of Nof are deceived," for they, who are lesser than the important princes, were seduced to trust that nothing would happen, there is nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. And through this "they have led Egypt astray" - who led them astray? "The cornerstone of her tribes." "The cornerstone of her tribes" refers to her princes. The princes are called "pinah" (corner), as it is written "and all the corners of the people stationed themselves," "corners of the hosts, exalted of Shaddai," meaning the important ones, that is the meaning of "corners," corners of the people. Or the important towers are called corners. Because of the important towers, for example "the stone the builders despised became the cornerstone," it is the stone standing at the top of the important tower. Corners always symbolize importance. The important towers, if they built a walled city, then at the corners of the wall they would build the important towers. So corners symbolize the important ones. So he says: who led Egypt astray? "The cornerstone of her tribes." The important ones among them, they are the ones who led Egypt astray, telling them you have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear, there will be no trouble, no disaster, no need to fear Hashem.
Now let us note, it is written here "the princes of Nof are deceived (nashu)." Says the Malbim, there is a difference between "lehashi" (to lull), "lefatot" (to entice), and "lehasit" (to incite). These are three expressions that seem similar. "Hashi" or "hishi," as in "the serpent lulled me (hishiani), and I ate." "Lehashi" means to remove fear from a person. You are afraid to do something, and I lull you regarding this matter, telling you do not fear, nothing will happen to you. "The serpent lulled me, you shall not surely die." "The arrogance of your heart has lulled you (hishiecha), who shall bring me down to the ground?" What is "the arrogance of your heart has lulled you"? You have nothing to fear, "who shall bring me down to the ground?" Or "they have utterly lulled this people, saying peace shall be upon you," do not fear. That is "lehashi," meaning you have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear. In contrast, the inciter is not someone who comes to remove a person's fear, but rather someone who comes to entice a person and tell him it is worthwhile for you, there is profit here for you. That is to incite. To incite means I say it is worthwhile for you, you will gain from this, I incite you toward something you will profit from. "And she incited him to ask of her father the field." She incited him to request the field because through the field you will have profit, an estate, right. "And they incited him to go up to Ramot Gilad." Why? Conquer the place. "Ramot Gilad is ours, and we sit idle." Why are we silent? It belongs to us. To incite means go, do it, you will receive, you will profit. "For your brother, the son of your mother, will incite you in secret, saying let us go and serve other gods." Why? It is worthwhile for you, this is a god who bestows good, this is a god who provides. That is always the expression of incitement. So we have lulling, we have incitement, and we have enticement. What is enticement? Enticement is a person who leads you around with words to come do something. Why are you persuaded? Because you are a fool (peti). Enticement is from the language of enticing with words. Not because it is worthwhile for you, not because he frightens you, telling you do not fear evil, no evil will happen, but rather through words he wins you over. Like "as a silly dove without a heart." So the verse says, meaning like a dove enticed without a heart, one leads the dove around until it comes and is enticed to enter the net. "If a man entices a virgin girl." Here too, it is not the removal of fear, it is not the worthwhileness of profit, but rather what? It is through words, that is the meaning of enticement. So "the princes of Tzoan have become fools, the princes of Nof are deceived, they have led Egypt astray, the cornerstone of her tribes." The princes of Tzoan lulled - what is the meaning of "lulled"? They calmed the princes of Nof and enticed them to commit a transgression, namely to rebel against Hashem. How? By calming them, telling them you have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear. That is "the princes of Nof are deceived." They calmed the princes of Nof and told them that they have nothing to fear from the evil that is supposedly, as it were, destined for them, you have nothing to fear from this.
But know, says the prophet, in truth this is from Hashem. "Hashem has mingled within her a spirit of confusion, and they have led Egypt astray in all her deeds, as a drunkard staggers in his vomit." Know that this was from Hashem, for Hashem "mingled within her a spirit of confusion." What does "masach" (mingled) mean? "Masach" means mixed. As wine is mingled (mosechin) with water. Or there is another expression in the Holy Tongue for this, "mazag." And the Malbim says that the letters samech, zayin, kaf, and gimel interchange. What is the meaning of mingling wine with water? "Limzog" is not what we call today "pouring," "pour me a glass of juice here." That should be called "pour me (te'areh) a glass of juice" in the Holy Tongue. Rather, "limzog" means, the juice is sweet, add a bit of water to it, that is called mingling. "Limzog" means "lemahzeg," meaning to mix, as we say about a person who wants to drink a cup of instant coffee, he asks that they mix milk into it. "They will mix" means they will blend. The meaning of mingling in the Holy Tongue is always mixing. So "Hashem mingled within her," here too it is from the language of mixing. The Holy One, blessed be He, mixed within her a spirit of confusion. Like wine into which water is mingled so that it will be fit to drink, so too the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were mingled within her things that caused them to accept the calming, what they were told: you have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear. The Holy One, blessed be He, as it were made the matters palatable to them so that they would be persuaded by them. "Hashem mingled within her a spirit of confusion." What is "a spirit of confusion (avim)"? The Malbim explains, "avim" is a unique expression in all of Tanach. This expression "avim" does not appear anywhere else in Tanach. And in my opinion, says the Malbim, its root is from the language of distortion (ivut). Confusion, madness of the mind, "distorted, distorted (avah avah) I shall make it," as it is written in Yechezkel. And when I always have an expression that is unique, if I double it, it means that the same thing comes with additional force. As I say "avah" is from the language of distortion, from the language of confusion and madness, "avim" means twice. It means that this thing happens again and again. Like for example "patz," which is a shattering. And "potzetz," meaning shattering after shattering. Breaking after breaking. And so always, like "sho'ah" or "sho'ah sho'ah," meaning disaster upon disaster, pleasure upon pleasure, and the like. So always when there is a doubling it shows that the thing doubles itself. So they will have a spirit of confusion, a spirit of bewilderment and madness of the mind. And from this deceiving wine Egypt wandered, and from this she became drunk to follow what the princes of Tzoan foolishly did, to follow how the cornerstone of her tribes led Egypt astray. They accepted their persuasions, were convinced by them that they truly have nothing to fear from the hand of Hashem. Like the drunkard who errs, says the Malbim, what is "they have led Egypt astray in all her deeds, as a drunkard staggers in his vomit"? Just as the drunkard errs, that after he vomits, pardon the expression, but he sometimes drinks his own vomit. It seems to him like wine. And this expression is more familiar to us, "as a dog returns to its vomit." Like a dog that vomits and then goes to lick up its vomit. And then I merited to understand what "as a dog returns to its vomit" means. It is a reality, perhaps today dogs are more refined. But in any case it is a reality. So he says "as a drunkard staggers in his vomit." Just as the drunkard errs after his vomit and goes and as it were eats something he already loathed, which by nature he cannot eat, but in his imagination there is something tasty here, in his imagination, since he is drunk, he imagines there is wine here. So he says, likewise they succeeded in deceiving Egypt into something that is against nature, against logic. Why would you err in a matter that could cause you harm, that could cause you evil? There is a prophecy against you, why do you listen to the princes of Tzoan? Why do you listen to the cornerstone of her tribes that there will be nothing, that no evil will happen? There is no explanation except that it is like a drunkard, whose mind is nullified and who is capable of doing things against his nature and even drinking his own vomit as wine, so too the Egyptians, their deeds became such deeds where logic no longer rules over them and they are capable of harming themselves by their own choice.
"And there shall be no work for Egypt which head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do." Through this there will remain for Egypt no deed that could save Egypt. No deed that would be of benefit. Neither one of the great powerful ones nor one of the lowly ones. The meaning is, even if some "kipah" arises, "kipah" refers to a person among the mighty, among the wealthy, who wishes to do some general benefit for the salvation of the nation. Even if some "agmon" arises, "agmon" is a local ruler from among the common people who are weaker, all of them will grow slack, they will not be able to save Egypt. And why? Because Hashem mingled within her a spirit of confusion and they have led Egypt astray. So if Hashem mingles within her a spirit of madness and confusion and leads Egypt astray, then neither head nor tail, neither palm branch nor reed, neither important nor great can help Egypt. Rashi explains "head or tail, palm branch or reed": the magicians and astrologers who gaze at the stars. Says Rashi that there are constellations and stars in the sky called this, head and tail. There are constellations called head and tail, palm branch and reed. And they are shaped like a head and a tail, and they are placed in "Teli," and some read it as "Taleh," the constellation Aries. And the additional explanation, Rashi says as we explained, that the intent is rulership, heads of governments and "atronim," meaning the important ones. "Atron" is Aramaic, meaning an important person.
"On that day Egypt shall be like women, trembling and fearing before the waving of the hand of Hashem of Hosts, which He waves over it." "On that day Egypt shall be like women," says the Malbim, who tremble and fear from everything. Like women. A woman becomes frightened in an instant, it is not too complicated. "Trembling and fearing." What is "trembling and fearing"? Is this not a doubling? Says the Malbim, there is a difference between trembling (charadah) and fear (pachad). Says the Malbim, trembling is a sudden fright. In an instant I frighten you, a person trembles. That is called trembling. As it is written "and Yitzchak trembled a very great trembling." "And the man trembled and turned about." That is fear, a fright in an instant. And in contrast there is fear (pachad), where fear is an expression of a continual fear. Something that continues for a long time. Trembling means I frightened you in an instant. If, for example, dynamite exploded next to you, you trembled, you did not fear. But if you have some concern about some enemy whom you have long feared, I would say you fear. Fear, says the Malbim, means continual fear. "And you shall fear night and day." "Happy is the man who always fears." Fear is an expression of something ongoing, continual fear. "And you shall fear continually all the day." Trembling is usually that I tremble from an evil I see before me. A person sees something frightening, he trembles. Some evil he sees before him. "And all the people who were in the camp trembled, a great trembling." But fear, many times it is something not before me, not in front of me, I fear some future evil, I fear something I do not currently see before my eyes. Like "I feared a fear and it came upon me." I feared something, it is not here, it is not present, but ultimately "it came upon me," ultimately it arrived. But when I feared it was not yet here. "Happy is the man who always fears," I always fear something that is not yet here. Trembling, as we explained, is not ongoing, it is in an instant, and trembling is usually from something you see, from something that is present here. As opposed to fear, which is something I do not see, and something that can also last a long time. The Malbim adds another point: fear is only from something I am concerned will harm me. What do I fear? Something I am concerned will harm me. In contrast, trembling, many times it does not come as an expression of something harmful, but rather as I explained, trembling is like a fright, so sometimes there is an expression like "and the elders of the city trembled to meet him." What is the meaning of this? They trembled, as in were startled, they heard someone was coming, so immediately everyone hurried to go out to meet him. That is not fear. Fear always comes from something I am afraid of. Trembling is not necessarily something I am afraid of. Trembling is like a fright, some immediate momentary alarm, they heard someone was coming, immediately a flurry entered them to go greet him. They trembled, he arrived. "And Achimelech trembled to meet David." Now let us explain what is written here. "Trembling and fearing before the waving of the hand of Hashem of Hosts." Says the Malbim, sometimes it happens that a person is startled by some sudden fright, and sometimes it can even be over some small thing that in an instant surprised and startled him. But after he has already seen, ah, it is only this, he calms down. He thought who knows what, he heard a rustling, in an instant he was startled, suddenly he sees some little cat. Ah, he calms down, that is all, I thought something frightening had happened here. And then after he saw it, he no longer trembles. That is, he already knows, he already saw what it is, he no longer trembles. And the same with fear. Sometimes it happens that a person has fear, as I said fear can be an ongoing thing, from something dreadful. But that is really because he does not know what this thing is. It seems to him to be something enormous capable of harming him, for a long time he feared. But after he sees the thing before his eyes, he says ah, this is what I feared? This is what startled me? From then on he calms down. Both trembling and fear, it can be that after the encounter with the thing we tremble and fear, afterward we will calm down and no longer worry about them. But in contrast he says, come and see, with Egypt it will not be so. Egypt will be faint of heart like women. Such that merely because of the waving of the hand of Hashem of Hosts. What is "the waving of the hand of Hashem"? Says the Malbim, there is a difference between raising (leharim) and waving (lehanif). Raising is a high lifting. But waving means even a slight wave. A slight wave is called waving. He says even because of the waving of the hand of Hashem of Hosts which He waves over it, Hashem merely waved His hand, a slight wave, He did not even bring it down to strike, and did not even raise the hand, but only waved it, which shows the lightness of the wave, he says with all this, through this small hint, it will instill in them fear and trembling. This small sign that they will see will cause them to fear continually. The immediate trembling, that you should not say ah, we saw it is only the hand of Hashem, it is small, no, it will cause them continual trembling and continual fear. The trembling will be ongoing, like women who tremble and fear and have faintness of heart. What is "on that day Egypt shall be like women"? The Radak explains, since at that time the king of Ashur destroyed Egypt and Kush. As we remember that he went to destroy Egypt and Kush and afterward returned to fight against Chizkiyahu. And then there Hashem struck him down. So he says "on that day Egypt shall be like women." At that time, at that very time when you think he will destroy Egypt and Kush, you will see might, you will see power, He tells him no no no, on that day they will be like women. On that very day he will succeed, he will come here and on that very day he will fall. Do not think I am speaking of later periods, of other times. No, at the very time you see the might and are startled by his power, you have nothing to fear. He will be, the Egyptians will be like women, so that you have nothing to fear, at that time Hashem will wave His hand over him.
"And the land of Yehudah shall become a terror to Egypt; everyone who mentions it to him shall fear because of the plan of Hashem of Hosts which He plans against him." "And the land of Yehudah shall become a terror to Egypt." The land of Yehudah too will become a terror for them, for Egypt. What is "chaga" (terror)? Rashi explains, and the Malbim and Radak follow this line, that it is from the language of breaking, dread, fear. "They shall reel and stagger like a drunkard, and all their wisdom shall be swallowed up," their wisdom is swallowed. Yes, "the clefts (chagvei) of the rock." Egypt will be, pardon me, Yehudah will become a terror to Egypt. They will be instillers of fear and trembling. The meaning is, a person who remembers himself in the land of Yehudah will think to himself this is an omen of evil. Surely Hashem is planning against me some negative thing. What, what is the meaning of this? The Malbim explains, the Egyptians were known as magicians, as soothsayers. Soothsayers, what are these? People who determine seasons. This period is good to go out, this period is not good. This period is dangerous, this period is not. On this day begin, on this day do not begin. And so on in this manner, here do business, at this time it is not good. This is called soothsayers. And the Torah forbade, "you shall not divine and you shall not practice soothsaying." The meaning is, a person may not say this season is good, this season is not good, but rather "you shall be wholehearted with Hashem your God." Trust in the Holy One, blessed be He, and walk with Him in wholeheartedness and the Holy One, blessed be He, will bestow upon you good abundance. The Egyptians were soothsayers. So thus he also describes their fear along this line. He says there will be a sign among the nations, that they had an example that if a person would mention some bad thing, why now did he mention this matter? Apparently it symbolizes that evil will happen to me. Why now did he mention some enemy of mine? As if unrelated, we did not speak of it, suddenly he mentioned it. Ah, that is a sign that evil will befall you. There are all sorts of people who unfortunately follow these vanities. He saw some black cat, and already he has all sorts of translations and interpretations and Rashi and Rambam and all kinds of explanations. Do not go after vanities in the manner of the Egyptians. They would see something not good, his enemy passed before him, today I will fail. Just as I came to go out, right then he came and passed before me. Today I will have bad luck. Do you know the people who have such foolish beliefs? One may not do such a thing, one may not say this. It is written, one shall not say, the Gemara says it is among the ways of the Amorite, one shall not say do not come to demand your debt from me on Saturday night. You are making my week unlucky. Just as you came at nightfall, the week has not even begun, and right away, come on, where is the money? Yes, among merchants there is the expression of the first sale opening. That too is among the ways of the Amorite. So says the Gemara. A person may not make signs, that if I do this it will succeed and if not, a person may not do so. So the Egyptians were soothsayers. And so Egypt, the land of Yehudah shall become a terror to Egypt. The meaning is, if among the Egyptians Yehudah is mentioned, or the people of Yehudah are mentioned, for Egypt this will be a sign of breaking. Ah, why now did they mention Yehudah? Who knows what disaster will befall me today, who knows what trouble I will have. They mentioned Yehudah. Such dread and fear of Yehudah will they have, that merely if they hear the name Yehudah, it will be for them an omen of evil. "Everyone who mentions it to him shall fear because of the plan of Hashem of Hosts which He plans against him." He will already begin to think, who knows now what Hashem is planning against me? Who knows what plan the Holy One, blessed be He, is planning for me, what evil plan the Holy One, blessed be He, is planning for me? Just now they mentioned Yehudah near me? To such an extent will the name Yehudah instill faintness in their hearts, instill in them fear and dread.
"On that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing to Hashem of Hosts; one shall be called the City of Destruction." "On that day there shall be five cities." Rashi explains, we learned in Seder Olam, after the downfall of Sancheriv, that is 180,000 army commanders died around Jerusalem, an angel of Hashem came and struck them in a single night. Chizkiyahu arose and released the populace he had brought with him from Egypt and Kush. He had indeed brought captives with him. What was Chizkiyahu to do with all this labor force? What would he do with all these people? He released them. He sent them away. And they accepted upon themselves the kingdom of Heaven and returned to their place. All these saw the abundance of Chizkiyahu's kindness, accepted the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven and returned to their place, to where? To Egypt and Kush. As it says "on that day there shall be five cities." What did they do there in Egypt? They went and built an altar to Hashem in the land of Egypt, and offered sacrifices upon it to Heaven. To fulfill what it says "on that day there shall be an altar to Hashem in Egypt, in the land of Egypt." From where will there be an altar to Hashem? From those whom Chizkiyahu released, those very ones will build an altar to Hashem in the land of Egypt to serve Hashem. This is one explanation. Rashi brings an additional explanation, there are among our Sages who expounded in Tractate Menachot regarding the altar of Beit Chonyo. The son of Shimon HaTzaddik, who as is known quarreled with his brother and fled following Aristobulus, and fled because of this to Egypt, and there he offered, he would offer sacrifices, he made an altar there. "One shall be called the City of Destruction." What is "City of Destruction"? Yonatan translates, the city of Beit Shemesh which is destined to be destroyed shall be said to be one of them. One of the cities is a city called Beit Shemesh in Egypt, not our Beit Shemesh, and that city is destined to be destroyed. So it shall be said of one of them. Rashi explains that Onkelos actually translated the word "heres" in two ways. The Hungarians, you know, interchange "heh" with "chet." Right? It is not only the Hungarians, know that in the Holy Tongue "heh" and "chet" often interchange. Yes? So there are many. So "City of Heres" can be read "heres" and can be read "cheres." What is "cheres" in the Holy Tongue? So, who knows? Sun. As it says, good, "Timnat Cheres." Yehoshua was buried in Timnat Cheres. Why? He was the one who made the sun stand still in the sky, therefore they buried him in Timnat Cheres. Or there is another expression, "before the sun (charsah) comes." Who said it? Shimshon said to his companions, solve the riddle for me "before the sun comes," before the sun sets. Yes, "cheres" is the sun. So they will call the city "City of Cheres," and he explains this as Beit Shemesh. That is the City of Cheres. And why would they call it Beit Shemesh? The Malbim explains that they worshipped the sun, there in that place in Egypt they worshipped the sun, therefore they called it the City of Cheres. And also, he explains "City of Heres," a city destined to be destroyed. And therefore it is from the language of destruction. So he expounded both "cheres" and "heres." A city destined to be destroyed. Yes, also "who commands the sun (cheres) and it does not shine," from the language of cheres, and also from the language of sun, and also from the language of destruction and ruin. The Malbim explains, these people, they will swear to Hashem that one city among them that turns back from Him shall be called the City of Destruction. The meaning is, if one of these five cities that we explained speak the language of Canaan - how do they know the language of Canaan? Because they were indeed here, we explained, he sent them from here to the land of Egypt. They swear to Hashem of Hosts. What is "swearing to Hashem of Hosts"? They will believe in Hashem, and one who believes in something always swears by it. One who believes in an idol swears by his god. One who believes in Hashem, may He be blessed, swears by Hashem. They will swear to Hashem of Hosts, and they will also make among themselves an oath and agreement, that the City of Destruction shall be the name given to any one that deviates from the oath. A city that will not be willing to serve Hashem among these five cities that all accepted upon themselves to serve Hashem, one shall be called the City of Destruction. It will be the destroyed city, we will destroy that city. Such an absolute acceptance did they have to serve Hashem, five cities that are in the land of Egypt.
"On that day there shall be an altar to Hashem in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a monument at its border to Hashem." "On that day there shall be an altar to Hashem in the midst of the land of Egypt," as we explained they will be servants of Hashem there, there will be an altar where they will offer sacrifices, five cities, we said, will swear to serve Hashem. And where will the monument be? "At its border to Hashem." The monument will be at the border. Why? What does it symbolize there at the border? That Hashem is God, and whoever comes through the border to distress and harm us, the Holy One, blessed be He, will fight our battle. As it was their way, we know the Egyptians would place their idolatry all around, so that the idolatry around, as it was with the people of Israel when they left Egypt, it is written that they arrived there at Pi HaChirot. What is Pi HaChirot? A name of idolatry that appears in all sorts of ancient texts too, not even those in the Torah, called Pi Chiroti. So it appears on all sorts of ancient stones on which it is found, or ancient papyri on which this expression is found. That is, they had idolatry that they would place at the entrance to the city or at the entrance to the country, so that they would guard against enemies entering and penetrating. So likewise, by contrast, they will place an altar to Hashem in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a monument, the monument will be at the border. The monument, as is known, was something by which Hashem was served, it is written of Yaakov Avinu that he set up a monument, but since in a later period the gentiles appropriated this for themselves, it became something despised in the eyes of the Omnipresent, and therefore Hashem is no longer served upon a monument but only upon an altar. But it is the way of the gentiles to make or to offer upon a monument or to anoint with oil upon a monument. So there will be a monument at its border to Hashem. At the border, as a sign that Hashem is God, and whoever wishes to enter here, as it were Hashem will contend our contention. "And it shall be a sign and a witness to Hashem of Hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry out to Hashem because of oppressors, and He shall send them a savior, and a great one, and deliver them." The altar and the monument, they will be a sign and a witness to Hashem of Hosts. The monument will be a sign to Hashem. As it were, they will thereby recall that Hashem is the one who contends our contention, Hashem is the one who saves us from our enemies. The altar will be in the category of a witness, it will testify concerning us. Says the Malbim, there is a difference between a witness (ed) and a sign (ot). It is written here "and it shall be a sign and a witness to Hashem." Says the Malbim, what is the difference between them? A sign comes to mark something that was. "And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand." This sign reminds you of something that was, make yourself some sign so that we will have a reminder. In contrast, a witness comes to indicate the future. Like "let this mound be a witness and let the monument be a witness." This mound will testify concerning you in the future if you wish to come to me or if I approach you. A witness is always something that comes to remind in a future manner. A sign comes to remind you of something that once was. And therefore he says, the monument will be a sign, as it were, to Hashem. Hashem will see this monument and thereby, as it were, He will remember us, that we serve only Him. And the altar will be in the category of a witness, it will testify concerning us, it will testify concerning us that we will walk in the upright way, that we will not deviate from the way, for this a witness is needed, for as we said a witness is for the future. And then "for they shall cry out to Hashem because of oppressors," when there is, God forbid, trouble, we will cry out to Hashem and Hashem will send us a savior and a great one and will deliver us. For behold we have as a sign the monument that we accepted upon ourselves the service of Hashem.
"And Hashem shall be known to Egypt, and Egypt shall know Hashem on that day; and they shall serve with sacrifice and offering, and vow a vow to Hashem and fulfill it." Now he says what will be the witness in the land of Egypt? Through Hashem helping Egypt, it will become known to them. As is known, the Malbim says that knowledge is always clear knowledge. It is something absolute, it is not something with doubts in it. And afterward they will begin to contemplate Hashem, may He be blessed, and see and contemplate and take note of Hashem's providence over every single detail. "And Egypt shall know Hashem." At first it will be "known," that is the opening of the matter. When the matter begins to become known, you begin to investigate, begin to take note, you arrive at complete knowledge. That is "and Egypt shall know Hashem." At first it will be only in the category of "known," the beginning of the matter, afterward there will be complete knowledge, and they will know Him of their own accord, from the intellect within them, and consequently when you know Hashem, "they shall serve with sacrifice and offering." They will offer sacrifices only to Hashem, may He be blessed. The altar that will be in the land of Egypt, they will serve Hashem upon it. And not only that, "and vow a vow to Hashem." A vow is for the future, they will also vow vows. Usually when a person was in trouble he would vow a vow. "If God will be with me and will guard me on this way that I go," and so forth. Yiftach vowed a vow, the first that comes out of the door of my house, if the Holy One, blessed be He, will assist me and give Zevach and Tzalmunna, and so forth. It was their way in a time of trouble to vow vows. We also saw with Yonah, the men who were on the ship vowed vows to Hashem that He save them. So likewise it will be here, "and vow a vow to Hashem," and not only will they vow a vow to Hashem, but ultimately the salvation will come, and consequently "and fulfill it." Consequently they will also fulfill the vow when the salvation comes. "And Hashem shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing; and they shall return to Hashem, and He shall be entreated by them and heal them." He tells you that from now on Hashem will not behave with Egypt as He behaved with the other nations that were hated in His eyes. There the Holy One, blessed be He, when He smites them, it is to destroy them. He smites them by way of vengeance, that is, to leave nothing of them. In contrast, with Egypt it will not be so. "And Hashem shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing." It will be a smiting that is by way of healing. When the Holy One, blessed be He, smites, there is a situation where it is a smiting that comes to destroy and annihilate, and there is a situation where it is a smiting that comes to draw near and bring to repentance. When it is a smiting that comes to draw near and bring to repentance, then it is a smiting after which there is healing. Therefore it is written "all the disease that I placed on Egypt I will not place upon you, for I am Hashem your healer." What is the meaning of this? If I did not place disease, why need it say I am Hashem your healer? Rather they explain, all the disease that I placed on Egypt, what kind of disease was it? A disease not for the sake of healing, but rather a disease for the sake of taking vengeance. And then it is a disease that has no healing. But upon you, the people of Israel, surely, I will not place upon you, I will not place upon you. I will not give upon you such a kind of diseases. Rather what kind of diseases? A disease in which there is also healing. And such a disease is in fact a kindness, as opposed to a disease that has only harm and only death. Says the Holy One, blessed be He, surely there will be disease, for if there is no disease how will there be drawing near? How will there be repentance? How will there be awakening? For we see that Chizkiyahu awakened only following his illness, and thus the reality is known to all of us. Says Hashem, the disease of the kind that I placed on Egypt, which is a disease of annihilation, I will not place upon you. For I am Hashem your healer, so consequently you will have only a disease in which there is also healing, and through your returning in repentance there will be healing. And this is what he also says here. "And Hashem shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing." It will not be a plague that is annihilation. And the Malbim says, healing is not found alongside a plague anywhere in Tanach, only here. For always "nagof" (smiting) is complete death. It is something after which there is no survival. Only here does the Holy One, blessed be He, say regarding Egypt, it will be a smiting that is by way of healing. If they turn from the upright way, Hashem will smite them, but when they return to Him, then the Holy One, blessed be He, "shall be entreated by them and heal them." What is "entreated" (ne'etar)? A person who entreats (ma'atir), the meaning is he multiplies. "Leha'atir" is to multiply. One who multiplies prayer or multiplies supplications is called "ma'atir." And one who accepts the prayer and supplications is called "ne'etar" (entreated). And Hashem, through the abundance of their request and prayer, will be entreated by them.