As the Jewish people were leaving Egypt, they noticed Pharaoh pursuing them with his army, and they cried out to G-d. This Sicha gives a deeper understanding into what this prayer to G-d was all about, based on Rashi’s commentary on the verse.
After the Israelites leave the land of Egypt, Pharaoh has a change of heart and chases after them. When Pharaoh finally reached the Israelites, they cried to G-d.
Text 1
Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold! The Egyptians were advancing after them. They were very frightened, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
Shemos 14:10
Rashi explains the action that the Israelites took when faced with the Egyptians as follows:
Text 2
They seized the profession of their ancestors [i.e., they prayed]. Concerning Avraham, it [Scripture] says: “to the place where he had stood before the Lord.” Concerning Yitzchak, [it is stated] “to converse in the field.” Concerning Yaakov, “And he encountered the place.”
Rashi, ibid
This commentary requires clarification:
- What is the difficulty in this verse that warranted an explanation? The verse seems clear; when the Jewish people faced the Egyptians, they prayed to G-d.
- The term “crying” can be an expression of crying out in accusation. While it may seem possible to explain that Rashi’s intent is to say that in this case their crying meant prayer as opposed to accusing G-d of treating them unjustly, this is not the case. Were that to have been what Rashi’s intent, he would have explained that clearly in his commentary. Instead of Rashi saying, “They seized the profession of their ancestors,” he would have said, “they prayed, and seized the profession of their ancestors.” Being that Rashi did not add the word “pray,” it is clear that he was not focusing on this point.
- If it is indeed important to define the word “crying” to mean prayer, Rashi should have done so the first time this word is mentioned, in the Torah, and not have waited until this verse. Already in the Torah portion of Shemos, this language is used in the following expression:
Text 3
Now it came to pass in those many days that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed from the labor, and they cried out, and their cry ascended to G-d from the labor.
Shemos 2:23
In this case, it would seem appropriate for Rashi to clarify that the word crying here would refer to prayer, for it does not refer to crying out of suffering. This could be seen from the fact that an expression of pain was already expressed earlier in the same verse, in the words, “the children of Israel sighed from the labor.” It is obvious then, that the meaning of “and they cried out” was that they prayed. If this is so, why does Rashi not explain the crying to mean prayer until the verse “and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord” which is situated later in the Torah?
- Rashi says that the children of Israel “seized the profession of their ancestors.” How is it appropriate to give prayer the term “profession?” The profession of the Patriarchs was shepherding sheep, not prayer.
Hinted expressions
Rashi continues his commentary in proving that prayer was “the profession of their ancestors” by citing three examples in the Torah, which mention the prayer of each of the Patriarchs: Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. It is puzzling however, why Rashi would choose these specific proof texts to support his statement of prayer being the profession of each of the Patriarchs, since these verses express their prayer only in a hinted manner. The expression of prayer in all three of these verses is rather vague.
There are far more relevant verses found in the Torah, which articulate that the Patriarchs prayed, in a more direct manner than expressed in the verses brought by Rashi.
Avraham’s prayer
Regarding Avraham, Rashi brings the verse:
Text 4
And Avraham arose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord.
Bereishis 19:27
This verse speaks of Avraham’s return to the place where he had prayed for the salvation of Sedom and Amorah. “To the place where he had stood before the Lord,” is expressive of the concept of prayer.
There are numerous questions though on Rashi’s choice of this specific verse:
- He could have cited a more explicit expression of Avraham’s prayer, which appears even earlier in the Torah:
Text 5
And he moved from there to the mountain, east of Beis-El, and he pitched his tent; Beis-El was to the west and Ai was to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and he called in the name of the Lord.
Bereishis 12:8
The words “and he called in the name of the Lord” explicitly express the concept of prayer, whereas the words, “to the place where he had stood before the Lord,” merely hint to it.
- Even if Rashi wished to quote the instance of prayer by the story of Sedom and Amorah, it would appear more logical to cite the verses which actually speak of Avraham’s excessive beseeching to the Almighty to save the inhabitants of those cities. These verses demonstrate that Avraham prayed when faced with adversity. Instead, however, Rashi brings the verse in which Avraham returned to the place at which he had prayed, rather than the verses that deal with his prayer at length.
- The source that is brought for Rashi’s entire commentary is the Mechilta. Rashi, however, veers away from the proof texts that the Mechilta uses, and instead brings a variant text. There, it does indeed bring the verse found earlier in the Torah as the support for Avraham’s habit of praying: “And he built a mizbeach (altar) for G-d there, and he called in the name of the Lord.” For what reason does Rashi feel compelled to choose a different verse, which expresses Avraham’s prayer in a more obscure manner?
Yitzchak’s prayer
Concerning Yitzchak, Rashi employs the supportive verse:
Text 6
And Yitzchak went forth to converse (לשוח) in the field towards evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were approaching.
Bereishis 24:63
The meaning of “to converse (לשוח) in the field,” means to pray, as Rashi notes there.
Text 7
(לשוח) Converse is an expression of prayer, as in: “He pours out his prayer (שיחו).”
Rashi, ibid
In this instance, we need additional explanation in order to understand that Yitzchak’s conversing here was actually referring to prayer, as opposed to its standard meaning of conversation. Why then, did Rashi relate to Yitchak’s prayer in an obscure manner, instead of using a verse that clearly articulates his praying to G-d?
Rashi should have rather included the direct instance of prayer, in which the Torah expresses the Yitzchak’s supplications to the Almighty.
Text 8
And Yitzchak entreated to the Lord opposite his wife because she was barren, and the Lord accepted his prayer, and Rivka his wife conceived.
Bereishis 25:21
The words “and Yitzchak entreated” articulate Yitzchak’s prayer in a direct manner, whereas the text that Rashi brought is more obscure. The latter refers to the time when Yitzchak prayed at great length for his wife Rivka to bear children. Why indeed does Rashi use the text, “And Yitzchak went forth to converse,” instead of the verse that expresses his prayers directly?
Yaakov’s prayer
The same question can be asked regarding Yaakov as well. Rashi brings his support of Yaakov’s prayer from the words which speak of his arrival to Charan, after fleeing from his brother Lavan.
Text 9
And he encountered the place and lodged there because the sun had set, and he took some of the stones of the place and placed [them] at his head, and he lay down in that place.
Bereishis 28:11
Rashi explains that the meaning of the words “and he encountered the place” refer to prayer, as opposed to their literal meaning. He explains, how in addition to the simple meaning that Yaakov reached his destination, this phrase also refers to his prayer to the Almighty.
Text 10
Heb. עויפג, as in: “and it reached (עופג) Yericho”; “and it reached (עופג) Dabbeshes.” Our Rabbis interpreted it [the word ויפגע] as an expression of prayer, as in: “And do not entreat (עתפג) me,” and this teaches us that he [Yaakov] instituted the evening prayer.
Rashi, Bereishis 28:11
While the literal meaning of the verse is that Yaakov “encountered the place,” Rashi explains that it actually refers to Yaakov’s prayer. It would seem more logical to bring the expression in regards to Yaakov’s clear prayer to the Almighty when he heard of his brother Esav’s impending arrival, after their long period of separation. There, the Torah states Yaakov’s plea to the G-d as such:
Text 11
Now deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esav, for I am afraid of him, lest he come and strike me, [and strike] a mother with children.
Bereishis 32:13
In the above verse, the prayer of Yaakov is explicitly stated, instead of being merely hinted to in the word “encountered,” in the former verse that Rashi brings. Hence, in all three supportive verses that Rashi brings here, the citation only describes the prayer of the Patriarchs in a hinted manner. Why would Rashi choose to bring these verses specifically, rather than the more obvious ones?
The real question
From all of the above questions on his commentary, it is clear that Rashi had a different...
