Saturday, April 16, 2022

Redemption from Egypt by G-d or angel?

 It is a clear message in the Haggada that the redemption was done by G-d and not an angel - but that seems to be contradicted by the Torah

Bamidbar (20:16) And when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and has brought us out of Egypt; and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the edge of your border;)

Rashi (Bamidbar 20:16) A MESSENGER (or an angel) — This was Moses; 

Rabeinu Bachye (Bamidbar 20:16), “He dispatched an angel, etc.” A supernatural being, not an emissary such as Moses (Ibn Ezra).
  It is also possible to see in the word מלאך a reference by Moses to himself (Rashi) as we find in Chagai 1,13: ויאמר חגי מלאך ה', “and Chagai, the Lord’s messenger said to the people.” In the eyes of the people Moses enjoyed the status of an angel in that he was so totally devoid of preoccupation with matters pertaining to the body. We have proof that this is how the people had viewed him as at the time when they thought he would not come back from Mount Sinai they said: “this man Moses who has taken us out of Egypt we do not know what happened to him.” Apparently, until Moses’ failure to return on time the thought that Moses could be an ordinary mortal had not occurred to them (compare Exodus 32,1)..

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