The pasuk says in this week’s parsha: “Pharaoh said to Bnei Yisroel, they are confounded in the land, the Wilderness has closed in upon them.” (Shemos 14:3). Rashi is bothered by the expression “Vayomer Par’o l‘Bnei Yisroel,” which seems to imply that Pharaoh was speaking to Bnei Yisroel. The problem is that there were no Jews left in Mitzrayim at that time, so how could Pharaoh speak to Bnei Yisroel? Therefore, Rashi interprets the prefix lamed (which usually means ‘to’) as “al” (meaning about) Bnei Yisroel.
The Targum Yonosan ben Uziel was bothered by the same point, but he offers an incredible interpretation. He says that Pharaoh was speaking to Dasan and Aviram, two members of Bnei Yisroel who remained in Mitzrayim. However, Dasan and Aviram are present later among Bnei Yisroel in Parshas Korach. We know for a fact that they did leave Mitzrayim and traveled with Bnei Yisroel in the Midbar. We also know that there are interpretations of the expression “Bnei Yisroel went up Chamushim from the land of Mitzrayim” (Shemos 13:18) which claim that 80% of Bnei Yisroel died in Mitzrayim (during Makkas Choshech – the Plague of Darkness) and only one-fifth (‘Chamushim‘) of the Jewish population merited to leave with Moshe. If all the wicked members of the nation died during Makkas Choshech, how was it that Dasan and Avriam, who certainly qualify as reshaim [wicked people] managed to survive? Why were they still around in Sefer Bamidbar?
The Maharal Diskin explains that Dasan and Aviram survived despite the fact that they were wicked because they also had a tremendous source of merit. As shotrim [taskmasters] of Bnei Yisroel, they took it on their backs literally and figuratively during the years of Egyptian bondage. When the Jewish slaves did not meet their quota of bricks, the shotrim were whipped by the Egyptian supervisors. Suffering on behalf of another Jew, creates a certain immunity from the malach hamaves [Angel of Death] and hence they were able to survive the mass deaths that occurred among Bnei Yisroel during Makkas Choshech as a result of that great zechus.
The Medrash HaChafetz gives another explanation. The Medrash says that when Hashem told Moshe that he was going to kill out all the wicked Jews during the Makkas Choshech, Moshe Rabbeinu pleaded “Don’t kill them out. Let them come with us to the Promised Land.” Hashem told Moshe “I know better. You don’t want them.” Moshe still pleaded for mercy. Hashem finally ‘compromised’ with Moshe and left him these two individuals – Dasan and Aviram. The Ribbono Shel Olam proved his point because Moshe Rabbeinu suffered greatly in the midbar from Dasan and Aviram, culminating with the episode of Korach. This goes to show you – do not try to be holier than Hashem. He knows what is best. In fact, He told Moshe Rabbeinu “I told you so!” (R’ Frand)
