The Roundabout Route and The Road Not Traveled/3

The Roundabout Route and The Road Not Traveled

Points of Dispute

These are some of the central points of dispute (נקודות המחלוקת) between the various exegetes:

• Purpose of Yam Suf
  • To free the Israelites permanently – SfornoShemot 13:17-18Shemot 14:5Shemot 14:30About R. Ovadyah Sforno
  • To destroy the Egyptian army –
• Avoiding war with whom?
  • Egyptians and Philistines – R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 13:17-18Shemot 14:2-4About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor
  • Egyptians – SfornoShemot 13:17-18Shemot 14:5Shemot 14:30About R. Ovadyah Sforno
  • Philistines
    
    • Previous War – opinion in Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelBeshalach VayehiAbout Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)Shemot 13:17-18About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan), first opinion in Shemot Rabbah20:11-16About Shemot Rabbah
    • Future War – Akeidat Yitzchak39About R. Yitzchak Arama, AbarbanelShemot 13About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel
  • Canaanites – perhaps Rashi, Rashbam
• Meaning of "כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא" – close to what?
  • Close to Egypt (too easy to return to Egypt) – SfornoShemot 13:17-18Shemot 14:5Shemot 14:30About R. Ovadyah Sforno, AbarbanelShemot 13 Questions 1-3Shemot 13About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel
  • Close to Canaan
    
    • Reason for not taking the Philistine Route (one would arrive too quickly) – U. CassutoShemot 13:17-18About Umberto Cassuto
    • Reason for considering taking the Philistine Route (quicker to arrive in Canaan) – R. Chananel(cited by R. Bachya Shemot 13:17)About R. Chananel b. Chushiel, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 13:17-18Shemot 14:2-4About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Akeidat Yitzchak39 Question 139About R. Yitzchak Arama, R. S"R HirschShemot 13:17-18About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch
• Problem with Philistine Route
  • Too easy to return to Egypt – Rashi, Sforno
  • Danger from Philistines – Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelBeshalach VayehiAbout Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, R"Y Bekhor Shor, Ramban
  • Too close to Canaan and no time in the wilderness – Rambam, Shadal, Malbim, Netziv