"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, though it was near."

Pharaoh passed through six stages before he finally agreed to release Israel. At the very start, when Moshe and Aharon came to ask him to free the people, he answered with arrogance: "Who is Hashem, that I should listen to His voice?"

The defining trait of the wicked is a mouth wide open and a heart swollen with pride. The sages of Israel, by contrast, were exemplary in their humility.

David HaMelech was a great conqueror upon whom the Shechinah rested, and he is destined to be Mashiach. Yet what did he say of himself?

"And I am a worm and not a man, the scorn of men and despised by the people." He would sit at the feet of his teachers to receive Torah. He, the King of Israel, lowered himself for the words of Torah!

But here it was not one tzaddik departing — it was all of Israel: every tzaddik, the tribe of Levi who studied, Moshe Rabbeinu who walked the streets of Alexandria. All of Egypt's radiance left with them.

The Egyptians cried out: "What have we done, sending Israel away from serving us?" Egypt without the people of Israel was worth nothing.

This is exactly what unfolded in 1492 with Queen Isabella of Spain. A priest warned her she would be cursed if she left Jews in her kingdom. She gave them an ultimatum: convert, or leave and abandon all their possessions.

Don Isaac Abravanel, the finance minister, a man of total integrity who never touched a coin that was not his, was offered the chance to stay as a Jew in the kingdom. He answered: "I will go into exile with all my brothers. You are expelling everyone? I too am a Jew, and I will not remain here!"

The Chartumim, the magicians of Egypt, were absolute masters of black magic. Seeing Moshe bring the plagues, they did not think it divine — they thought he wielded sorcery mightier than their own. So they followed Israel to learn his "techniques": this is the Erev Rav.

"We will make you circlets of gold with points of silver." The Sages read: "circlets of gold" = the spoils of the sea; "points of silver" = the spoils of Egypt. The spoils of the Red Sea were greater than those of Egypt.

In ancient times kings brought all their treasure to war to spur their soldiers: the brave man was rewarded with gold. So Pharaoh brought Yosef's untouched treasury to the Red Sea. When the sea closed, all the gold and silver floated to the Hebrew side.

Two nations disputed a territory and agreed to settle it by single combat: the winning champion would win the land for his people. After four hours of fierce struggle, one lifted his opponent and ran toward the pit to hurl him in.

But at the last instant the one being carried made a roll and flung the other into the pit instead.