What is "v'Chatas Amecha"?
Rashi: If "Chatas" was connected to "Amecha" (sin of your nation), the last vowel of Chatas would be a 'Patach.' Rather, the Tes has a Kamatz, and it means 'it brings sin to your nation.' 1
Hadar Zekenim (to 5:9): Chatas is lack. The lack of bricks is [due] to your nation, for you do not give to us straw.
Ibn Ezra, Rosh: Your nation will sin. V'Chatas is a verb; the word "Am" is sometimes feminine. 2
Oznayim la'Torah: With reference to the Egyptian task-masters, they meant that they (Pharaoh's people) were guilty of sinning by beating the Ivrim for not producing their quota of bricks, when they were not supplied with straw - because Pharaoh would certainly not approve such a thing.
Gur Aryeh: What is the difference? Had this expression been descriptive, 'the sin of your nation,' it would refer specifically to the pressure exerted on them by the Nogesim, in verse 5:13 above. But as a noun, it means, 'this conduct will result in (unspecified) harm upon your nation' in the future. (The root "Cheit" can mean any sort of deficiency or harm.)
Ibn Ezra: Really, Pharaoh sinned, but b'Derech ha'Musar they attributed it to his nation.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "... And bricks, they tell us to make! - in the previous quantity." Why does Rashi add this?
Gur Aryeh: The complaint of the Shoterim was not, 'How can they tell us to make bricks at all [without straw]?' Their workers were in fact producing bricks; they were asking only for a relaxation of the quota. Indeed, that was why they had been beaten.
