"Vayoogad l'Paroh ki Barach Ha'am." Exodus 14:5 "And Paroh was told that the nation fled."
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Our Sages taught in a Medrash that it was Amalek who came to
Paroh and told him that Israel was fleeing Mitzrayim. The question is
why would Amalek be the one to tell Paroh this news. Also, Paroh sent
special officers to accompany the Jews when they left Mitzrayim for three
days. When they failed to return within that time, the officers told
Paroh the news that Israel wasn't returning. So what knowledge did
Amalek have to tell Paroh what he did not already know? The Zohar HaKadosh teaches that Amalek was a product of the unholiness of both Bilam and Balak. Combining the "ayin and mem" from the name Bilam with the "lamed and kuf" from the name Balak forms the name Amalek. Bilam, a forbear of Amalek, was Paroh's advisor and gave him bad counsel regarding treatment of Israel. Their relationship forever connected each to another. The two sons of Bilam, Yonas and Yombros were among the masses who left Mitzrayim. When Israel fled Mitzrayim, they converted to Judaism. Both brothers were great magicians, inheriting this ability from their father, Bilam. It was they who created the golden calf thereby causing Israel to sin. Zohar Hakadosh at Parshas Ki Sisa pg. 191 and Balak at pg. 194. Amalek, who "came" from Bilam, painfully felt when the sons of Bilam transformed their unholiness to holiness by fully leaving Mitzrayim and becoming part of the nation of Israel. The sons of Bilam had previously been under the dominion of Paroh. And although Paroh himself did not perceive when the sons of Bilam converted, it was nonetheless a blow more difficult than death to Paroh when he lsot them from the hold of Mitzrayim. The verse tells us that the nation fled, "Ha'am" to teach us that it was the "am" part of Israel, namely the sons of Bilam, that left Paroh and Mitzrayim. When the sons of Bilam converted to Judaism Paroh felt this loss heavily because of the bond between Bilam and Paroh. Therefore the People of Mitzrayim said "what have we done by sending Israel away from slaving for us," slaving for us -- the term "may'avdeynu" should be rearranged and understood as the two words "am badnu." This means that "am" or that part of the sons of Bilam which are unholiness are "badnu" meaning our staffs or poles, ("badim") are no longer under the control of Mitzrayim. Allowing Israel to leave Mitzrayim caused Mitzrayim a significant loss because in so doing they lost the sons of Bilam from its ranks. Based on the above, a Zohar in Parshas Balak at pg. 194 on the verse at Exodus 32:28 "VaYipol min Ha'am BaYom HaHoo kishloshes alfei Ish," "And about three thousand of the nation fell," becomes clearer. The Zohar explains that the verse, which speaks of the "Am" falling, refers to the sons of Bilam, Yonas and Yombros. The verse says that "about" three thousand men fell; Yonas and Yombros were the equivalent of three thousand men. Mitzrayim and Paroh lost an irreplaceable element of unholiness when Bilam's sons spiritually left Mitzrayim. |