על כנפי נשרים UPON EAGLES’ WINGS — as an eagle which bears its fledglings upon its wings. Scripture uses this metaphor because all other birds place their young between their feet since they are afraid of another bird that flies above them, but the eagle fears none except humans— apprehending that perhaps they may cast an arrow at it — since no bird can fly above it; therefore he places it (its young) upon its wings, saying, “Better that the arrow should pierce me than my young!” (Mekhilta). — “I, too”, said G8d, “did thus”: (Exodus 14:19, 20) “And the angel of G8d … journeyed etc…. And he came between the camp of Egypt etc.” … and the Egyptians were casting arrows and stone missiles and the cloud caught these (cf. Rashi on these verses).

ואשא אתכם AND I BARE YOU [ON EAGLES’ WINGS] — This happened on that day when the Israelites came to Rameses (the place where they all assembled on the night when they left Egypt) (Mekhilta), because the Israelites were living dispersed throughout the whole district of Goshen and in one brief moment — when they came there to set out and to leave Egypt — they all gathered together at Rameses. Onkelos translates ואשא as though it were [וְאַסִּיעַ [אתכם — viz., ואטלית יתכון “and I made you travel” (cf. the Targum on וַיַּסַע Exodus 15:22); he adapted the expression in a manner that is consonant with the respect due to the Most High God.

AND I BROUGHT YOU UNTO MYSELF. I.e., “to the place of My Glory, namely, this mountain where My Presence abides there with you.” Now Onkelos translated: “and I brought you near to My service.” [To avoid a literal translation], Onkelos adapted an expression of respect towards G8d Who is on high.

It is this eagle-Nesher-נשר and all its camps that are called, “the eagles of the Chariot-Nishrei HaMerkavah-נשרי המרכבה,” who protected the Jewish people in Egypt, taking them out of bondage. This is the mystery of the verse, “You have seen what I did to Egypt; that I have borne you on the wings of eagles-Nesharim-נשרים and brought you to Me.” All these camps called “the eagles of the Chariot-Nishrei HaMerkavah-נשרי המרכבה,” become elevated and filled when the Jewish people ascend in the study of HaShem’s-יהו"ה Torah and the fulfillment of His commandments-mitzvot. However, they are caused to descend and become lacking when the Jewish people are distant from the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments-mitzvot.

This is the essence of Israel’s coming closer to its Father in heaven, i.e., through rectification of the brit. This is the primary means through which Israel comes closer to its Father in heaven, as in (Exodus 19:4), “I carried you on kanfei nesharim (the wings of eagles), and I brought you to Me.” “Nishra” is the General Remedy, as in, “And He announced to you His covenant”—namely, rectification of the brit, as explained. Specifically through this, “I brought you to Me.” They came closer to the Holy One, for the main way to come closer to the Holy One is through the rectification of the brit .

ראים את הקולת [THEY] SAW THE SOUNDS — they saw that which should be heard (Mekhilta) — something which is impossible to see on any other occasion.