Root of Idolatry Uprooted

עוד בענין קי"ס אחר יצ"מ.

Further on the matter of the splitting of the Sea after the Exodus.

The Sefat Emet introduces an additional teaching about why the Sea had to split after Israel already left Egypt.

דאיתא אבד תאבדון העוקר עבודה זרה צריך לשרש אחרי'.

It is taught: “You shall surely destroy”—one who uproots idolatry must uproot it to its root.

He cites a teaching that true destruction of idolatry requires removing its deepest roots, not only its external form.

והנה במצרים הי' שורש כל ע"ז שבעולם.

And in Egypt lay the root of all idolatry in the world.

Egypt is described as the spiritual source of all forms of idolatry.

ולכן הוצרך להיות קי"ס פעם שנית שגאולה הראשונה הי' בגוף ואח"כ בשורש.

Therefore the Sea needed to split a second time, for the first redemption was of the body, and afterwards came the redemption of the root.

The Exodus freed Israel physically, but a second stage—at the Sea—was required to uproot the spiritual roots of bondage.

וזה שנשאר הבעל צפון מקודם.

This is why Baal Tzefon remained earlier.

One idolatrous force remained intact at the Exodus, hinting that its root had not yet been removed.

שהשורש הי' עוד נטמן.

For the root was still hidden.

The idolatrous power still existed in a concealed way.

ולכן אמר הכ' פן ינחם העם.

Therefore Scripture says: “Lest the people reconsider.”

Because the root of Egypt’s power was not yet destroyed, Israel remained vulnerable to being drawn back.

ורצה הקב"ה לעקור כל השורש.

And the Holy One wished to uproot the entire root.

God desired total spiritual liberation, not only physical escape.

ולכן ירד גם השר שלהם כדי שיהי' גם לו מפלה.

Therefore their ministering angel descended so that he too would fall.

The heavenly representative of Egypt also had to be defeated to eliminate the root of idolatry.

וזה שאמרו אשירה כו' כי גאה גאה ותרגומו אתגאי על גותניא וגאותי' דילי' הוא.

This is what is meant by “I will sing… for He has triumphed greatly,” which the Targum renders: He rose above those who rise, and the exaltation is His.

The verse emphasizes that God’s victory occurred on both earthly and spiritual levels.

פי' שאינו כמו בו"ד המתגאה על חבירו ומורידו מגדולתו.

Meaning: It is not like a person who exalts himself over another and brings him down.

Human pride diminishes others; divine exaltation lifts the enemy first in order to make the fall absolute.

אבל הקב"ה וב"ש העלה אותם עד כל השורש והגאות שיוכל להיות להם ואח"כ הפילם.

But the Holy One, blessed be He, raised them to the fullest root and pride they could attain, and afterwards cast them down.

Egypt was elevated temporarily so that its subsequent downfall would uproot its power completely.

וזה סוס ורוכבו המצרים שלמטה עם השורש שלהם למעלה.

This is “horse and rider”—the Egyptians below along with their root above.

The destruction encompassed both the physical forces and their spiritual source.

וז"ש רמה בים ירה בים ואחז"ל שעלו וירדו כו'.

And this is what is meant by “He cast them into the sea,” and our Sages said they rose and fell.

The tradition that Egypt rose and then sank reflects their temporary elevation before their final fall.

הרמז כנ"ל שהי' להם עלי'.

The hint, as above, is that they were given an ascent.

The rise was part of the divine plan to uproot the root of idolatry.

וירדו כמו שהם בהתרוממות שלהם.

And they descended from within that very elevation.

The fall was precisely from the height to which God had raised them.

וע"ז נאמר משפיל גאים כו'.

And regarding this it is said: “He lowers the proud…”

God humbles those who exalt themselves, completing the cycle of rise and fall.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that the splitting of the Sea completed a second stage of redemption—uprooting Egypt’s spiritual root of idolatry. God elevated Egypt and its heavenly minister only to bring about a total, root-level downfall, ensuring complete liberation for Israel.