OTHER WRITERS ON PARSHAS BO

A quick round-up:



Dov Bear, having fun with plagues
Egyptian magic: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2007/01/egyptian-magic.html
Water, blood, thirst: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2006/01/water-water-everywhere-nor-any-drop-to.html
Tzfardia: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2006/01/frogs-here-frogs-there.html
Darkness: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-many-died-during-darkness.html


Mevaseretzion
Rosh chodesh http://mevaseretzion.blogspot.com/2007/01/bo-renewal-of-spirit-and-morals.html



Moshe David Tokayer, giving us the Sfas Emes in English
First Ma'amar on Parshas Bo: http://sfasemes.blogspot.com/2007/01/bo-5631-first-maamar.html
Second Ma'amar on Parshas Bo: http://sfasemes.blogspot.com/2007/01/bo-5631-second-maamar.html



Rabbi Joshua Maroof / Vesom Sechel
About tefillin: http://vesomsechel.blogspot.com/2007/01/tefillin-of-rashi-and-rabbenu-tam.html
[Why is this relevant? Because of some verses in the last part of Parshas Bo that instruct us to wear them. I mentioned same in some detail in my notes (after psook 13:9), but you probably didn't read that far. Rabbi Maroof explains the basis of the machlokes between the two bawuste rishonim. His article is quite fascinating.]

----------------------------------------------------

Notes:

RABBEINU TAM = Our righteous rabbi; appellation of Rabbi Yakov Ben Meir (1100 - 1171), grandson of Rashi, and one of the greatest of exegetes. Yakov Avinu was also ‘tam’ (righteous; a straightforward man). Rabbeinu Tam, with his brothers and other kin, was among the great Talmud-Torah scholars of the middel-ages.

Yocheved, one of Rashi’s three daughters, married Meir Ben Shmuel. Together they had four sons: Samuel (Shmuel; the Rashbam), Jacob (Yakov; Rabbeinu Tam), Isaac (Yitzhok; the Ribbam), and Solomon (Shlomo, the grammarian). There were also daughters.


RASHI = Rabbi Shlomo ben Itzak, a mediaeval bible commentator (1040 - 1105) who lived in Troyes. His commentary and annotation of the Torah and Talmud is often included on the printed page, and is considered the basis from whence all study of the material must grow. Rashi did not labour in a vacuum; his children, grandchildren (see above), and students also contributed mightily to Rabbinic scholarship.


SFAS EMES: The Sfas Emes (The Lips of Truth, after his magnum opus, Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter, b. 1847, d. 1905, second Gerrer Rebbe, grandson of the Chidushei HaRim). One of the great Chassidic masters of Eastern Europe, whose lineage continued in Israel with the Emrei Emes. The Sfas Emes opined that if you have learned much Torah, the insights thus gained will teach you to not take overmuch credit for yourself.

He was a brilliant child, and when orphaned by the death of his father, was raised and taught by his grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim, first Rebbe of Ger), as is reflected in his commentaries, which often start with a thought from the Chiddushei HaRim.


Chiddushei HaRim = Rabbi Yitzhak "Feige" Meir Rothenburg Alter (1799 – 1866), the first Rebbe of Ger, who had become a disciple of the Seraf of Kotsk (Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotsk, 1787 – 1859) while still very young. A descendant of Rashi and King David.
Chiddush = Innovation.

NOTES ON PARSHAS BO

Please note: this is still work in progress. I will proof it and add a flourish or two tomorrow and Friday.
----------------------------------------------



Third Parsha of Sefer Shemos (Exodus) , Parshas BO, psukim 10:1 - 13:16.
ENTER!



GO IN TO PHARAOH

Psook 10:1
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe bo el-Paro ki-ani hichbadti et-libo veet-lev avadav lemaan shiti ototai ele bekirbo
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs in the midst of them;


Psook 10:2
Ulemaan tesaper beaznei vincha uven-bincha et asher hitalalti beMitzrayim veet-ototai ashero-samti vam vidatem ki-ani Yahweh
and that you may tell in the ears of your son, and of your son's son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am the Lord.'

That you may tell - meant for all the Benei Yisrael, in the same way that statements directed at Pharaoh are directed at all Egypt, as is made clear by the mention of his servants in psook 10:1, by which is meant all Egyptians as demonstrated by their relationship to Pharaoh as his servants.


Psook 10:3
Vayavo Moshe veAharon el-Paro vayomru elav ko-amar Yahweh Elohei haivrim ad-matai meanta leanot mipanai shalach ami veyaavduni
And Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him: 'So says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? let My people go, that they may serve Me.


Psook 10:4
Ki im-maen ata leshaleach et-ami hinni mevi machar arbe bigvulecha
Else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring locusts into your border;

Into your border - by mention of 'My people' in conjuction with 'your border' it is clear that this is not meant at Pharaoh alone but to his people also; you, all of you, who refuse to let the Benei Yisrael leave, who will not allow the Hebrew people to cross your border to freedom.


Psook 10:5
Vechisa et-ein haaretz velo yuchal lirot et-haaretz veachal et-yeter hapeleta hanisheret lachem min-habarad veachal et-kol-haetz hatzomeach lachem min-hasade
and they shall cover the face of the earth, that one shall not be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of that which is spared, which remained to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out in the field;


Psook 10:6
Umalu vateicha uvatei chol-avadeicha uvatei chol-Mitzrayim asher lo-rau avoteicha vaavot avoteicha miyom heyotam al-haadama ad hayom haze vayifen vayetze meim Paro
and your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth to this day.' And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

Moses delivers his message, in blunt terms, and not waiting for Pharaoh's reaction or leave, turns and walks out. An imposing and threatening performance, which impresses the servants, if not Pharaoh himself.


Psook 10:7
Vayomru avdei faro elav ad-matai yihye ze lanu lemokesh shalach et-haanashim veyaavdu et-Yahweh Eloheihem haterem teda ki avda Mitzrayim
And Pharaoh's servants said to him: 'How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God, do you not yet realize that Egypt is destroyed?'
Let the men go - for surely only the men are needed to perform whatever ritual is needed?


Psook 10:8
Vayushav et-Moshe veet-Aharon el-Paro vayomer alehem lechu ivdu et-Yahweh Eloheichem mi vami haholchim
And Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh; and he said to them: 'Go, serve the Lord your God; but who are they that shall go?'

Pharaoh asks a leading question, especially in consideration of his people having said "let the men go".


Psook 10:9
Vayomer Moshe binareinu uvizkeneinu nelech bevaneinu uvivnotenu betzonenu uvivkarenu nelech ki chag-Yahweh lanu
And Moses said: 'We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds, we will go - for we must hold a feast to the Lord.'

From this it is clear that the entirety of the Benei Yisrael are in a covenantal or priestly relation to Hashem - not just the men, not just the priestly class. And this is preambulatory to the clarification later that all of Egypt bears guilt in this matter of the Hebrews. As Pharaoh seeks to limit the ritual role of the Hebrews to adult men, so later it is made clear by the plague of the firstborn that such limitating endeavor has an entirely different effect, especially as Pharaoh is actually trying to create a hostage situation that would force the men to return. The repeated attempts by Pharaoh and his servants to select and differentiate among the Hebrews have their ghastly reward when the firstborn of Egypt are struck in retribution.


Psook 10:10
Vayomer alehem yehi chen Yahweh imachem kaasher ashalach etchem veet-tapchem reu ki raa neged peneichem
And he said to them: 'So be the Lord with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones; see you that evil is before your face.


Psook 10:11
Lo chen lechu-na hagevarim veivdu et-Yahweh ki ota atem mevakshim vayegaresh otam meet penei faro
Not so; go now you that are men, and serve the Lord; for that is what you desire.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

You that are men -- keeping the children and the kine as hostages for the return of the labourers. Pharaoh balks at the idea that he will loose control over this resource, and reacts indignantly, much as Jim Crow did when it was suggested that his behaviour should change.




LOCUSTS


Psook 10:12
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe nete yadcha al-eretz Mitzrayim baarbe veyaal al-eretz Mitzrayim veyochal et-kol-esev haaretz et kol-asher hishir habarad
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail left over.'

Stretch out your hand - meant in general terms, as in the next psook it says that Moses stretched forth his staff.


Psook 10:13
Vayet Moshe et-matehu al-eretz Mitzrayim vaYahweh nihag ruach-kadim baaretz kol-hayom hahu vechol-halaila haboker haya veruach hakadim nasa et-haarbe
And Moses stretched forth his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

A wind borne plague.


Psook 10:14
Vayaal haarbe al kol-eretz Mitzrayim vayanach bechol gevul Mitzrayim kaved meod lefanav lo-haya chen arbe kamohu veacharav lo yihye-ken
And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt; it was frightful - before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

Lefanav lo haya… ve acharav lo yihye… - before them there were not, and after them there shall be not.


Psook 10:15
Vayechas et-ein kol-haaretz vatechshach haaretz vayochal et-kol-esev haaretz veet kol-peri haetz asher hotir habarad velo-notar kol-yerek baetz uveesev hasade bechol-eretz Mitzrayim
For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left; and there remained not anything green, neither tree or herb of the field, throughout all the land of Egypt.

Earlier we saw that a famine such as had brought Yakov's family to Egypt was not to happen again, but here we see another creative approach to scarcity. But it can be assumed that since Yosef's time surplus had been stored for such eventualities.


Psook 10:16
Vayemaher Paro likro leMoshe uleAharon vayomer chatati laYahweh Eloheichem velachem
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said: 'I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.


Psook 10:17
Veata sa na chatati ach hapaam vehatiru laYahweh Eloheichem veyaser mealai rak et-hamavet haze
Now therefore forgive, I beg you, my sin just this once, and plead with the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death.'


Psook 10:18
Vayetze meim Paro vayetar el-Yahweh
And he went out from Pharaoh, and pleaded to the Lord.


Psook 10:19
Vayahafoch Yahweh ruach-yam chazak meod vayisa et-haarbe vayitkaehu yama suf lo nishar arbe echad bechol gevul Mitzrayim
And the Lord turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust within the borders of Egypt.


Psook 10:20
Vayechazek Yahweh et-lev Paro velo shilach et-Benei Yisrael
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.


Psook 10:21
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe nete yadcha al-hashamayim vihi choshech al-eretz Mitzrayim veyamesh choshech
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.'


DARKNESS


Psook 10:22
Vayet Moshe et-yado al-hashamayim vayehi choshech-afela bechol-eretz Mitzrayim sheloshet yamim
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was an oppressive darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days;


Psook 10:23
Lo-rau ish et-achiv velo-kamu ish mitachtav sheloshet yamim ulechol-Benei Yisrael haya or bemooshvotam
they saw not one another, none arose any from his place for three days; but all of the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

From which we know that attempts to create light in the dwellings of the Egyptians were fruitless. The dark weighed upon them, and snuffed out any spark or flame, so that, as it says above, they could not see anything at all, not even enough to find their way in the dark. That there was light in the dwellings of the Benei Yisrael was evident, but there was no glow from that light upon the surroundings that would have allowed the Egyptians to see their way.

It will be remembered from the first Parsha of Bereishis that the Lord of the Universe is also the master of light; what He gives the Egyptians with this all-encompassing dark is a foretaste of Sheol. But the metaphor is also of ignorance and mental incapability, as they cannot move around, and cannot see, they also cannot think, and cannot conceptualize their position regarding the Hebrews. Nor, more importantly, do they realize that the fact that none of the Egyptians is spared darkness, whereas the all-enveloping dark passed over the Benei Yisrael, shows them that the guilt applies to all of them, and any following plague will likewise strike equitably.


Psook 10:24
Vayikra faro el-Moshe vayomer lechu ivdu et-Yahweh rak tzonchem uvekarchem yutzag gam-tapchem yelech imachem
And Pharaoh called to Moses, and said: 'Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed; let your little ones also go with you.'

Even here, even now, Pharaoh still seeks to either hold a security for their return or impoverish the tribe by which his own people benefitted for the past two generations, so strong is their addiction to profitting from the labour of slaves, and so much have the Egyptians benefitted from the exploitation that their predecessors instituted. This too shows the reason why the heirs of this generation of Egyptians will be stricken.

In relation to which it should be noted that something similar happens to the Benei Yisrael, whose heirs will not enter up into the Holy Land for an entire generation but will be in the aridity of the desert for forty years. In a theme-echo of the prosperity that the rich wetness of Egypt combined with the travail of the Hebrews gave Egypt, the Hebrews travelling in the aridity of the waste-land will grow the fortitude and determination to inherit the land.


Psook 10:25
Vayomer Moshe gam-ata titen beyadenu zevachim veolot veasinu laYahweh Eloheinu
And Moses said: 'you must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.


Psook 10:26
Vegam-miknenu yelech imanu lo tishaer parsa ki mimenu nikach laavod et-Yahweh Eloheinu vaanachnu lo-neda ma-naavod et-Yahweh ad-boenu shama
Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.'


Psook 10:27
Vayechazek Yahweh et-lev Paro velo ava leshalcham
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh'sheart, and he would not let them go.


Psook 10:28
Vayomer-lo faro lech mealai hishamer lecha al-tosef reot panai ki beyom reotcha fanai tamut
And Pharaoh said to him: 'Get you from me, take heed to yourself, see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die.'


Psook 10:29
Vayomer Moshe ken dibarta lo-osif od reot paneicha
And Moses said: 'you have spoken well; I will see your face again no more.'



THE LAST PLAGUE


Psook 11:1
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe od nega echad avi al-Paro veal-Mitzrayim acharei-chen yeshalach etchem mize keshalcho kala garesh yegaresh etchem mize
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

Consider that this should come as a surprise to no one, least of all Pharaoh. The condition for the ending of the plague in each case was the release of the Hebrews, and every time that Pharaoh's heart hardenend and he did not let them go, a worse plague was laid upon Egypt. The pattern is so certain that he should expect something really horrific.


Psook 11:2
Daber-na beaznei haam veyishalu ish meet reehu veisha meet reuta kelei-chesef uchelei zahav
Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.'


Psook 11:3
Vayiten Yahweh et-chen haam beeinei Mitzrayim gam haish Moshe gadol meod beeretz Mitzrayim beeinei avdei-faro uveeinei haam
And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.



Psook 11:4
Vayomer Moshe ko amar Yahweh kachatzot halaila ani yotze betoch Mitzrayim
And Moses said: 'So says the Lord: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;


Psook 11:5
Umet kol-bechor beeretz Mitzrayim mibchor Paro hayoshev al-kiso ad bechor hashifcha asher achar harechayim vechol bechor behema
and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sits upon his throne, even to the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.


Psook 11:6
Vehaita tzeaka gedola bechol-eretz Mitzrayim asher kamohu lo nihyata vechamohu lo tosif
And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has been none like it, nor shall be like it any more.


Psook 11:7
Ulechol Benei Yisrael lo yecheratz-kelev leshono lemeish vead-behema lemaan tedun asher yafle Yahweh bein Mitzrayim uvein Yisrael
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue, against man or beast; that you may know how that the Lord differentiates between the Egyptians and Israel.


Psook 11:8
Veyardu chol-avadeicha ele elai vehishtachavu-li lemor tze ata vechol-haam asher-beragleicha veacharei-chen etze vayetze meim-Paro bachori-af
And all these your servants shall come down to me, and bow down to me, saying: Get you out, and all the people that follow thee; and after that I will go out.' And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.


Psook 11:9
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe lo-yishma aleichem Paro lemaan revot moftai beeretz Mitzrayim
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Pharaoh will not listen to you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.'


Psook 11:10
UMoshe veAharon asu et-kol-hamoftim haele lifnei faro vayechazek Yahweh et-lev Paro velo-shilach et-benei-Yisrael meartzo
And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh'sheart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.



PASSOVER


Psook 12:1
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe veel-Aharon beeretz Mitzrayim lemor
And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying:


Psook 12:2
Hachodesh haze lachem rosh chodashim rishon hu lachem lechadshei hashana
This month shall be to you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

The sentence broken apart: This the month (ha chodesh haze) to you (lachem) head (rosh) months (chodashim), the first (rishon - from the same shoresh as rosh) shall be (hu) lechadshei (of the months of) ha shana (the year).


Psook 12:3
Dabru el-kol-adat Yisrael lemor beasor lachodesh haze veyikchu lahem ish se leveit-avot se labayit
Speak you to all the congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household;


Psook 12:4
Veim-yimat habayit mihyot mise velakach hu ushecheno hakarov el-beito bemichsat nefashot ish lefi achlo tachosu al-hase
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour next to his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man'seating you shall make your count for the lamb.


Psook 12:5
Se tamim zachar ben-shana yihye lachem min-hakevasim umin-haizim tikachu
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; you shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats;



Psook 12:6
Vehaya lachem lemishmeret ad arbaa asar yom lachodesh haze veshachatu oto kol kehal adat-Yisrael bein haarbayim
and you shall keep it to the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk.


Psook 12:7
Velakchu min-hadam venatnu al-shetei hamezuzot veal-hamashkof al habatim asher-yochlu oto bahem
And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it.

A foreshadow of the use of blood in temple sacrifices.


Psook 12:8
Veachlu et-habasar balaila haze tzeli-esh umatzot al-merorim yochluhu
And they shall eat: the flesh in that night, roasted by fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it.


Psook 12:9
Al-tochlu mimenu na uvashel mevushal bamayim ki im-tzeli-esh rosho al-keraav veal-kirbo
Eat not of it raw, nor softened with liquids, but roast with fire; its head with its legs and with the inards thereof.


Psook 12:10
Velo-totiru mimenu ad-boker vehanotar mimenu ad-boker baesh tisrofu
And you shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning you incinerate.


Psook 12:11
Vechacha tochlu oto matneichem chagurim naaleichem beragleichem umakelchem beyedchem vaachaltem oto bechipazon pesach hu laYahweh
And thus shall you eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste--it is the Lord's passover.


Psook 12:12
Veavarti veeretz-Mitzrayim balaila haze vehikeiti chol-bechor beeretz Mitzrayim meadam vead-behema uvechol-elohei Mitzrayim eese shefatim ani Yahweh
For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.

Against all the gods of Egypt - meaning the idolatrous totems and baneful influences of heathen temples and holy places, it being remembered that the magicians of Egypt conjure with bones and are largely powerless besides.


Psook 12:13
Vehaya hadam lachem leot al habatim asher atem sham veraiti et-hadam ufasachti alechem velo-yihye vachem negef lemashchit behakoti beeretz Mitzrayim
And the blood shall be to you for a sign on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.


Psook 12:14
Vehaya hayom haze lachem lezikaron vechagotem oto chag laYahweh ledoroteichem chukat olam techaguhu
And this day shall be to you for a commemoration, and you shall keep it a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.


Psook 12:15
Shivat yamim matzot tochelu ach bayom harishon tashbitu seor mibateichem ki kol-ochel chametz venichreta hanefesh hahiv miYisrael miyom harishon ad-yom hashevii
Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; for by the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses; for whosoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

Because it is a communal feast that is commanded upon the nation, marking that they were distinguished from the nations. One who does not accept the conditions of the celebration is not differentiated from the nations. The best that can be said of such a person is that they are in a pre-liberated state, as if they were still enslaved in Egypt.


Psook 12:16
Uvayom harishon mikra-kodesh uvayom hashevii mikra-kodesh yihye lachem kol-melacha lo-yease vahem ach asher yeachel lechol-nefesh hu levado yease lachem
And in the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you.




THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD

Psook 12:17
Ushemartem et-hamatzot ki beetzem hayom haze hotzeti et-tzivoteichem meeretz Mitzrayim ushemartem et-hayom haze ledoroteichem chukat olam
And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this very day have I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore shall you observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance for ever.


Psook 12:18
Barishon bearbaa asar yom lachodesh baerev tochlu matzot ad yom haechad veesrim lachodesh baarev
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month nightfall.


Psook 12:19
Shivat yamim seor lo yimatze bevateichem ki kol-ochel machmetzet venichreta hanefesh hahiv meadat Yisrael bager uveezrach haaretz
Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses; for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a sojourner, or one that is born in the land.


Psook 12:20
Kol-machmetzet lo tochelu bechol mooshvoteichem tochlu matzot
you shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall you eat unleavened bread.'


Psook 12:21
Vayikra Moshe lechol-ziknei Yisrael vayomer alehem mishchu ukechu lachem tzon lemishpechoteichem veshachatu hapasach
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them: 'Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the passover lamb.


Psook 12:22
Ulekachtem agudat ezov utevaltem badam asher-basaf vehigatem el-hamashkof veel-shetei hamezuzot min-hadam asher basaf veatem lo tetzu ish mipetach-beito ad-boker
And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.

By psukim 12:21 and 12:22 we can construe that in sacrifices the Hebrews were accustomed to cut the throats of animals which were to be slaughtered, and caught the blood, considering it as a separate substance. Else the instructions would have required more detail.



Psook 12:23
Veavar Yahweh lingof et-Mitzrayim veraa et-hadam al-hamashkof veal shetei hamezuzot ufasach Yahweh al-hapetach velo yiten hamashchit lavo el-bateichem lingof
For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not let the destroyer come in to your houses to strike you.


Psook 12:24
Ushemartem et-hadavar haze lechak-lecha ulevaneicha ad-olam
And you shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons for ever.


Psook 12:25
Vehaya ki-tavou el-haaretz asher yiten Yahweh lachem kaasher diber ushemartem et-haavoda hazot
And it shall come to pass, when you be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as He has promised, that you shall keep this service.


Psook 12:26
Vehaya ki-yomru aleichem beneichem ma haavoda hazot lachem
And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say to you: What mean you by this service?


Psook 12:27
Vaamartem zevach-pesach hu laYahweh asher pasach al-batei venei-Yisrael beMitzrayim benagpo et-Mitzrayim veet-bateinu hitzil vayikod haam vayishtachavu
that you shall say: It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, for that He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.' And the people bowed the head and worshipped.


Psook 12:28
Vayelchu vayaasu Benei Yisrael kaasher tziva Yahweh et-Moshe veAharon ken asu
And the children of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.



THE DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT

Psook 12:29
Vayehi bachatzi halaila vaYahweh hika chol-bechor beeretz Mitzrayim mibchor Paro hayoshev al-kiso ad bechor hashevi asher beveit habor vechol bechor behema
And it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle.


Psook 12:30
Vayakam Paro laila hu vechol-avadav vechol-Mitzrayim vatehi tzeaka gedola beMitzrayim ki-ein bayit asher ein-sham met
And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.



Psook 12:31
Vayikra leMoshe uleAharon laila vayomer kumu tzeu mitoch ami gam-atem gam-Benei Yisrael ulechu ivdu et-Yahweh kedaberchem
And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said: 'Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said.


Psook 12:32
Gam-tzonchem gam-bekarchem kechu kaasher dibartem valechu uverachtem gam-oti
Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.'


Psook 12:33
Vatechezak Mitzrayim al-haam lemaher leshalcham min-haaretz ki amru kulanu metim
And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in haste; for they said: 'We are all dead men.'

Now the Egyptians speak up and urge the Israelites out. Why not earlier? Perhaps because now they fully realize how singularly unfortunate their restraining the Hebrews has been, and understand that should they continue to do so there will be quite the opposite of any benefit to Egypt. This may indicate how profitable the enslavement of the Hebrews had been to the Egyptians.


Psook 12:34
Vayisa haam et-betzeko terem yechmatz misharotam tzerurot besimlotam al-shichmam
And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.


Psook 12:35
Uvenei-Yisrael asu kidvar Moshe vayishalu miMitzrayim kelei-chesef uchelei zahav usemalot
And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment.

And by these transactions the Egyptians charged the Benei Israel in the matter of their exodus and the sacrifice to Hashem.



Psook 12:36
VaYahweh natan et-chen haam beeinei Mitzrayim vayashilum vayenatzlu et-Mitzrayim
And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And they despoiled the Egyptians.



UPPING AND LEAVING

Psook 12:37
Vayisu venei-Yisrael merameses sukota keshesh-meot elef ragli hagevarim levad mitaf
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children.


Psook 12:38
Vegam-erev rav ala itam vetzon uvakar mikne kaved meod
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

Erev rav - a mixed multitude, in which some commentators see Egyptian fellow travelers, others opportunists and idolaters whose influence may account for that disgracefull episode with the golden calf (egel hazahav). But if that latter case were so, it would be a simple matter to deal with them, because as we shall see a hardness of hands is applied to Midian and to Amelek further on in the narraitve, and even Hebrews of unassailable Hebrewity get disposed of in no uncertain terms (Korach and his kin, as just one example). It is instead as logical to assume that the erev rav were fellow Hebrews of uncertain tribal affiliation or indefinable lineage, along with converts and fellow God-fearers. A multitude that might include non-Hebrews for whom exile from Egypt was preferable to remaining in comfortable idolatry. Certainly at the end of forty years both lineage-Hebrews and Erev-rav would have been annealed into a potent and unified nation.



Psook 12:39
Vayofu et-habatzek asher hotziu miMitzrayim ugot matzot ki lo chametz ki-gorshu miMitzrayim velo yachlu lehitmahmeha vegam-tzeda lo-asu lahem
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

By which we know the utter haste of their departure, as dough takes only half a day or less to rise.



Psook 12:40
Umoshav Benei Yisrael asher yashvu beMitzrayim sheloshim shana vearba meot shana
Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.

Moshav & yashvu: the SETTLEMENT that the Children of Israel HAD SETTLED. Both words are from the same shoresh.

But note here that if we hold by Rashi and others the number of years does not add up - Jochebed became pregnant with Moses at age one hundred and thirty, Moses remonstrated with Pharaoh when he was himself eighty years old, and Moses will die after the nation has spent forty more years in the wilderness. This is a narrative disconnect. The time accounted for according to the mefarshim is only two hundred and fifty years even including the time spent in the midbar. But if we take the four hundred and thirty as it stands, Moses was born in the three hundred and fiftieth year of the Hebrews sojourn in Egypt, Jochebed (his mother) in the two hundred and tenth year.

The number of adult men who assemble in the desert is given as six-hundred thousand, and from recent history we see that a population can double in slightly over twenty years. It is not too much of a stretch to believe that there were more who had joined the Hebrews during their Egyptian sojourn than would be accounted for by merely the descendants of Abraham. The term erev-rav (psook 12:38) gains some significance.
The more so as slaves and servants, referenced in psook 12:44, are given a defined context regarding the celebration of Passover. One wonders how many of these who left with the Hebrews were circumcised while living among the Benei Yisrael, and had joined themselves to the Benei Yisrael before their departure.



Psook 12:41
Vayehi miketz sheloshim shana vearba meot shana vayehi beetzem hayom haze yatzu kol-tzivot Yahweh meeretz Mitzrayim
And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the host of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.
Precisely the same day as they had entered Egypt.

All the host of the Lord - all those who were included in the covenant. It does not say all of the Benei Yisrael. One could wonder how many more, or how many fewer.


Psook 12:42
Leil shimurim hu laYahweh lehotziam meeretz Mitzrayim hu-halaila haze laYahweh shimurim lechol-Benei Yisrael ledorotam
It was a night of watching to the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt; this same night is a night of watching to the Lord for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

Breaking apart the sentence: Leil shimurim hu (a night of guarding it was) la Yahweh (to Hashem) lehotziam (le - for; hotzi - bringing out; am - them) me-eretz Mitzrayim (me - from; eretz - land, land of; Mitzrayim - Egypt) hu (being) ha laila haze (the night which is this) la Yahweh (to Hashem) shimurim (guarding) le chol (to all) Benei Ysirael (children of Israel) le dorotam (le - to; dorot - generations: am - theirs, which are theirs; le dorotam - to all their generations).



Psook 12:43
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe veAharon zot chukat hapasach kol-ben-nechar lo-yochal bo
And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 'This is the ordinance of the passover: no alien shall eat thereof;

Ben-nechar - an alien. This term is somewhat interchangeable with 'arel' (an uncircumcised person), as can be noted from the statement 'kol ben nechar erel lev ve erel basar lo yavo el Mikdashi' (all aliens uncircumcised of heart and uncircumcised of flesh may not enter the sanctuary - Yechezkiel). Why is this? Because being neither marked NOR of controlled temper, their worship is forbidden service (mechalel avodah). Why is both uncircumcised of heart AND uncircumcised of flesh? Because if it were only arel basar, he would be excluded, but the arel lev would not be mechalel avodah. If it were only arel lev one might mistakenly consider that the arel basar is ritually fit.
Why, in this quoted statement, does it say ben nechar AND erel lev? Are these not the same? No, a ben nechar is a 'son of foreignness' or one who is outside the covenant, whereas the uncircumcised heart (arel lev) is one who has not internalized the covenant.


Psook 12:44
Vechol-eved ish miknat-kasef umalta oto az yochal bo
but every man's servant that is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.

As Abraham had circumcised all the men of his household. The implication is that the master, having authority over the bought servant, is also responsible for the inculcation of values of that servant, as in a covenantal relationship, and cannot exclude that person from spiritual benefits - the servant does not have the same freedom of choice in that matter as the master, and should not be unfairly suffer a disadvantage because of it.


Psook 12:45
Toshav vesachir lo-yochal bo
A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.

The sojourner and the hired help, however, do have all the freedoms of choice, and unless they actually demonstrate a commitment by converting it must be assumed that they are either not fellow believers, or in the case of fellow Hebrews that they have their own pesach arrangements.
Psook 12:44 - 45 are linked, and the meaning of the second psook cannot be seen loose from the implications of the first.


Psook 12:46
Bevayit echad yeachel lo-totzi min-habayit min-habasar chutza veetzem lo tishberu-vo
In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry forth any of the meat out of the house; neither shall you break a bone thereof.


Psook 12:47
Kol-adat Yisrael yaasu oto
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.


Psook 12:48
Vechi-yagur itcha ger veasa fesach laYahweh himol lo chol-zachar veaz yikrav laasoto vehaya keezrach haaretz vechol-arel lo-yochal bo
And when a stranger shall sojourn with you, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

Circumcised, that being a sign of the acceptance of the covenant and of membership. But implied therein is also a statement of acceptance of the covenant, and a knwoledge of what is implied. Hence one should think in terms of a convert who has had some instruction. As we know, not all circumcised people are circumcised.
Herein is a statement that the covenant applies not only to the descendants of Yakov, but is open to those who choose to join, provided they commit and adhere to the conditions which have been set.


Psook 12:49
Tora achat yihye laezrach velager hagar betochchem
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and to the stranger that sojourneth among you.'

In this we see that Halacha imposes equitability, stating that there should not be a distinction based solely on tribal affiliation.


Psook 12:50
Vayaasu kol-Benei Yisrael kaasher tziva Yahweh et-Moshe veet-Aharon ken asu
Thus did all the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.


Psook 12:51
Vayehi beetzem hayom haze hotzi Yahweh et-Benei Yisrael meeretz Mitzrayim al-tzivotam
And it came to pass the selfsame day that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.


SANCTIFICATION OF THE FIRSTBORN, REMEMBERING THE STRONG HAND

Psook 13:1
Vayedaber Yahweh el-Moshe lemor
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:


Psook 13:2
Kadesh-li chol-bechor peter kol-rechem bivnei Yisrael baadam uvabhema li hu
Sanctify to Me all the first-born, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast, it is Mine.'


Psook 13:3
Vayomer Moshe el-haam zachor et-hayom haze asher yetzatem miMitzrayim mibeit avadim ki bechozek yad hotzi Yahweh etchem mize velo yeachel chametz
And Moses said to the people: 'Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place; there shall no leavened bread be eaten.


Psook 13:4
Hayom atem yotzim bechodesh haaviv
This day you go forth in the month Abib.


Psook 13:5
Vehaya chi-yeviacha Yahweh el-eretz hakenaani vehachiti vehaemori vehachivi vehaivusi asher nishba laavoteicha latet lach eretz zavat chalav udevash veavadta et-haavoda hazot bachodesh haze
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.

This is not the same list as in psook 3:8, as the Perizzites seem to have fallen by the wayside.
[Psook 3:8 "Vaered lehatzilo miyad Mitzrayim ulehaaloto min haaretz hahiv el eretz tova urechava el eretz zavat chalav udevash el mekom haKenaani ve haChiti ve haEmori vehaPrizi ve haChivi vehaYevusi" (and I will come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a land both good and large, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite).]


Psook 13:6
Shivat yamim tochal matzot uvayom hashevii chag laYahweh
Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day it shall be a feast to the Lord.


Psook 13:7
Matzot yeachel et shivat hayamim velo-yerae lecha chametz velo-yerae lecha seor bechol-gevulecha
Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there no leavened bread shall be seen with you, nor shall leaven be seen with you, in all your borders.

This is the commandment to eat unleavened bread in commemoration, and also the imperative to rid get rid of all leaven and leavened foods before the beginning of Passover. Continuing to own leaven accidentally is not a valid excuse unless every possible effort had been made to eliminate it, and one furthermore declares whatever leaven remains that one has not found and does not know of ownerless and void.


Psook 13:8
Vehigadta levincha bayom hahu lemor baavur ze asa Yahweh li betzeti miMitzrayim
And you shall tell your son in that day, saying: It is because of that which the Lord did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.



Psook 13:9
Vehaya lecha leot al-yadcha ulezikaron bein eineicha lemaan tihye torat Yahweh beficha ki beyad chazaka hotziacha Yahweh miMitzrayim
And it shall be for a sign to you upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand has the Lord brought you out of Egypt.

Here is the commandment to wear tefillin (phylacteries); two boxes with four passages from the Torah – one is strapped to the forehead, the other to the left arm.
The Torah passages are Kadesh ( Kadesh li kol bechor - Shemos 13: 1 – 10; the obligation to always remember the redemption from bondage in Egypt), VeHayah (Vehaya ki yeviacha - Shemos 13: 11 – 16; the obligation to accordingly instruct one’s children), the Shma Yisrael (hear oh Israel - Devarim 6:4 – 9; speaking of the oneness of G_d), and Ve haya (Ve haya im shemoa - Devarim 11: 13 – 21; rewards for observance of the mitzvot, consequences of not observing).

Tefillin are worn during the morning prayers on weekdays. The wearing of Tefillin is a mitzva: Devarim 6:8 "u keshartam le’ot al-yadeicha ve-hayu letotafot bein eineicha" - and you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and as a frontpiece twixt your eyes.

Note that there are two types of tefillin: Rashi tefillin and Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin. The difference is the order in which the four parchments are placed inside the beis (housing) of the shel rosh (head tefillin). The tefillin shel yad is not divided inside the beis, there being only a single strip of parchment on which the verses are written in four columns. The tefillin shel rosh is divided into four compartments in which each verse is placed separately. According to Rashi the order of the four verses is Kadesh li kol bechor, Vehaya ki yeviacha, Shema Yisrael, Ve-haya im shamoa. The order according to Rabbeinu Tam is Kadesh li kol bechor, Vehaya ki yeviacha, Ve-haya im shamoa, Shema Yisrael."

Seemingly it would be impossible to know which is which without opening the beis of the shel rosh (which should only be done by an expert tefillin scribe or someone who knows what they are doing), but actually it is quite simple: the scrolls inside are tied with a cleaned calf's hair. The ends of the hair tying the passage 'and it shall come to pass' (Vehaya) protrude from the beis. Rashi holds that the Shema Yisrael precedes the Vehaya, so for Rashi tefillin the hairs will stick out of the side of the beis three quarters of the way across, while Rabbeinu Tam holds that Vehaya precedes Shema Yisrael, and in consequence the hairs protrude out at the center of the side.

Most people will be only familiar with Rashi tefillin, which are considered standard, but some people do wear Rabbeinu Tam tefillin in addition to Rashi tefillin (in order that the commandment be fulfilled irrespective of whichever type of tefillin is correct).
Note in relation thereto that tefillin do come in different sizes - people who wear both types tend towards tefillin which are smaller than the large Chabad styles you may have seen).

The blessings are only said when leyging Rashi tefillin.
[This is primarily because halacha sanctifies minhag, and as we have seen elsewhere the law is not in heaven but here on earth (and there's a charming Talmudic story in that regard about quarrelling sages, the point of which is that that which is properly decided upon as the law is the law.]

The blessing for the shel yad (arm) tefillin is : "Baruch Atta Adonai, Eloheinu, melech ha'olam, asher kidshanu be-mitzvotav ve tzivanu le-haniach tefillin" (Blessed are thou, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to put on tefillin).
The blessing for the shel rosh is the same, but Sefardim hold that the blessing on leyging the head-tefillin should be said only if there has been an interruption in the putting on of tefillin, the blessing of the shel yad being otherwise sufficient. Ashkenazim, however, say the blessing also when putting on the shel rosh, and add "Baruch Shem kevod malchuto l'olam vaed" (Blessed be the name of God's glorious kingdom for ever and ever) after the second blessing (and thus changing it), lest the blessing otherwise be repeated unnecessarily.



Psook 13:10
Veshamarta et-hachuka hazot lemoada miyamim yamima
you shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.


Psook 13:11
Vehaya ki-yeviacha Yahweh el-eretz hakenaani kaasher nishba lecha velaavoteicha unetana lach
And it shall be when the Lord shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it to you


Psook 13:12
Vehaavarta chol-peter-rechem laYahweh vechol-peter sheger behema asher yihye lecha hazecharim laYahweh
that you shall set apart to the Lord all that opens the womb; every firstling that is a male, which you have coming of a beast, shall be the Lord's.

All that opens the womb - the first born of people and kine. Behama (Yiddish 'beheime') here meaning specifically cattle and kine, rather than beasts and wild animals.



Psook 13:13
Vechol-peter chamor tifde vese veim-lo tifde vaarafto vechol bechor adam bevaneicha tifde
And every firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and all the first-born of man among your sons shall you redeem.

If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck - because it is forbidden to you. You shall neither profit from it nor benefit from it. This puts the burden on the owner to acquire or pay for a lamb with which to redeem the firstling, but it would be expected that the owner would not have allowed his asses to mate if that could not be done.
Why is the ass mentioned separately from the kine? Because the ass is a beast of burden solely, and not considered suitable for food. Which is also why it is redeemed by proxy with a lamb.


Psook 13:14
Vehaya ki-yishalcha vincha machar lemor ma-zot veamarta elav bechozek yad hotzianu Yahweh miMitzrayim mibeit avadim
And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying: What is this? that you shall say to him: By a strong hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;


Psook 13:15
Vayehi ki-hiksha faro leshalchenu vayaharog Yahweh kol-bechor beeretz Mitzrayim mibchor adam vead-bechor behema al-ken ani zoveach laYahweh kol-peter rechem hazecharim vechol-bechor banai efde
and it happened, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that opens the womb, that are males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.


Herein the basis for pidyon ha ben - the remption of the firstborn, that being when the first son is born the father redeems the son from a kohen for a nominal amount, in comemoration of the slaying of the first born and because the first born male is due the Lord. But because the Kohanim have that function in Judaism, this is not required of Kohanim or Leviim or of the daughters of Kohanim or Leviim - but Kohanim and Leviim cannot be redeemed in any case, being permanently due the Lord. If there was a miscarriage more than three months after conception that preceded this birth, redemption of the infant is not required. If a miscarriage occured more than forty days post-conception but before the third month had passed, redemption is required but the blessing is not said. A first son born by caesarian does not need to be redeemed, nor does a son born subsequently by natural means. The obligation is limited to those who are the opening of the mother's womb - kol peter rechem hazecharim (all who are the opening of the womb that are male). The standard referent is 'peter rechem imho' (the opener of his mother's womb).



Psook 13:16
Vehaya leot al-yadcha uletotafot bein eineicha ki bechozek yad hotzianu Yahweh miMitzrayim
And it shall be for a sign upon your hand, and for frontlets between your eyes; for by a strong hand the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt.'

And it shall be for a sign… hand… between the eyes - in reference to tefilin (phylacteries), which are tools for prayer, in regard to which these should be considered mnemonic devices by reason of the their usage and the texts inside, and aids to concentration by virtue of their specific use. Specific learning tools which help block extraeneous stimuli and loose thoughts if used properly, but made a specific way to accord with a ritual function.

Ki bechozek yad hotzianu... - for by the strength of the hand (that) brought us out. The agent is (Hashem) stated after the qualified act. Mi mitzrayim - From where were (we) by the strength of the hand brought out? From Egypt.

Why the difference in ending between psook 13:14 (mi Mitzrayim mi beit avadim) and psook 13:16 (mi Mitzrayim)? Because in psook 14 it is the bondage and the selection of the first born, like an army drafted, which is remembered, whereas in the later verse it is the exile of the entire nation which is referenced.

DOVBEAR ON THE PARSHA - THE CHARTUMEI MITZRAYIM IN PARSHAS VA'ERA

About Pharaoh's magicians mentioned in this week's parsha:
http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2007/01/egyptian-magic.html

Quote: "R' Hirsch points out that the Torah never actually says that the magicians were able to turn water to blood, or produce frogs, rather it says "And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments [v'yasu chen... b'latayhem]" According to Hirsch this doesn't mean that the magicians were successful, only that they imitated Aaron, ie: After Aaron hit the water or the dirt with his stick, the magicians copied his action with the powerless tools of their own trade."


You'll have to read the rest of it on his blog.

NOTES ON PARSHAS VA'ERA

PARSHAS VA'ERA
Sefer Shemos (Exodus), psukim 6:2-9:35
"And I appeared"


Psook 6:2
Vayedaber Elohim el-Moshe vayomer elav ani Yahweh
And God spoke to Moses, and said to him: 'I am the LORD;

Reminding Moses by this answer of what Moses had asked earlier, at the burning bush.

Psook 6:3
Vaera el-avraham el-Yitzchak veel-Yaakov beel shadai ushemi Yahweh lo nodati lahem
and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name YHVH I made Me not known to them.

And here reminding Moses that tied to the answer of the question about his name is a question about why He did not release the Hebrews, why He harmed them, why He sent Moses. A question which Moses framed accusatorily. Hence the revelation of the name of power in this answer.

It is not because of Moses that G-d speaks here, but because of his covenant with Avraham, Yitchak, and Yakov.

But by My name (I made me not known to them - they did not know of this aspect of Hashem.

Lo nodati lahem - I was not made known to them, being a passive past tense, for else it would say 'lo hodati' (I did not make known to them), a more active statement. More or less according to the Ramban (r. Moshe ben Nachman Gerondi, 1194 - 1270).
Which indicates that events were not yet ready for that stage, rather than that they were not worthy of knowing.


Psook 6:4
Vegam hakimoti et-beriti itam latet lahem et-eretz Kenaan et eretz megureihem asher-garu va
And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned.

The covenant with Avraham (who came into the land), Yitchak (who lived in the land), and Yakov (who left the land) is detailed here.


Psook 6:5
Vegam ani shamati et-naakat Benei Yisrael asher Mitzrayim maavidim otam vaezkor et-beriti
And moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered My covenant.

Psook 6:6
Lachen emor livnei-Yisrael ani Yahweh vehotzeti etchem mitachat sivlot Mitzrayim vehitzalti etchem meavodatam vegaalti etchem bizroa netuya uvishfatim gedolim
Wherefore say to the children of Israel: I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments;

Redeem you with an outstretched arm - by important acts, by manifested powers, which will be evident to the people of the world, as such is expressed in this phrase - it will be seen that G-d has taken the Hebrews from Pharaoh. Redemption implies also a paying of the Egyptians, as one redeems something which was entrusted for a price.

And tell them this name, that they may know that by the attributes that great wonders shall be done for them.


Psook 6:7
Velakachti etchem li leam vehayiti lachem lElohim vidatem ki ani Yahweh eloheichem hamotzi etchem mitachat sivlot Mitzrayim
and I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

And I will take you for a people - at the time when you have come to Sinai and accepted the commandments.


Psook 6:8
Veheveti etchem el-haaretz asher nasati et-yadi latet ota leavraham leYitzchak uleYaakov venatati ota lachem morasha ani Yahweh
And I will bring you in to the land, concerning which I lifted up My hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for a heritage: I am the LORD.'

Psook 6:9
Vayedaber Moshe ken el-Benei Yisrael velo shamu el-Moshe mikotzer ruach umeavoda kasha
And Moses spoke so to the children of Israel; but they listened not to Moses for impatience of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

Psook 6:10
Vayedaber Yahweh el-Moshe lemor
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Lemor often introduces a direct statement, a literal quote. So here also.


Psook 6:11
Bo daber el-paro melech Mitzrayim vishalach et-Benei-Yisrael meartzo
Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.'

Psook 6:12
Vayedaber Moshe lifnei Yahweh lemor hen Benei-Yisrael lo-shamu elai veech yishmaeni Faro vaani aral sefatayim
And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying: 'Behold, the children of Israel have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?'

Uncircimcised lips (aral sfatayim) - having a speech defect, as earlier stated. An excuse.

Paraphrasis: "They have not listened to me, despite the natural faith which should have made them receptive, how much more (kal ve chomer) so will Pharaoh not listen to me, as he has no inclination to believe, and knows even less of the god of the Hebrew, seeing as Yosef is no longer known to the Egyptians?

Moses here also says that he cannot phrase convincingly, as the Bnei Israel were not convinced, and as Pharaoh will likewise be not convinced, wherefore it is implied that it would be far better for Hashem to directly speak. But Moses is right: Hashem is not convinced by his talkingeither, and promptly tells Aharon also what is to be said to Pharaoh.


Psook 6:13
Vayedaber Yahweh el-Moshe veel-Aharon vayetzavem el-Benei Yisrael veel-paro melech Mitzrayim lehotzi et-Benei-Yisrael meeretz Mitzrayim
And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Now Hashem speaks as a command to both men. To both, so that the man with the speech defect will not be misunderstood or misconstrued.

The following genealogical excursus is part of what Hashem tells Moses and Aharon to say, as will be evident.

Psook 6:14
Ele rashei veit-avotam Benei Reuven bechor Yisrael Chanoch uFalu Chetzron veCharmi ele mishpechot Reuven
These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben.

Psook 6:15
UVenei Shimon YemueL veYamin veOhad veYachin veTzochar veShaul ben-haKenaanit ele mishpechot Shimon
And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. These are the families of Simeon.

Psook 6:16
Veele shemot Benei-Levi letoldotam Gershon uKehat uMerari ushenei chayei Levi sheva usheloshim umeat shana
And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and seven years.

Psook 6:17
Benei Gershon Livni veShimi lemishpechotam
The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.

Psook 6:18
UVenei Kehat Amram veYitzhar veChevron veUziel ushenei chayei Kehat shalosh usheloshim umeat shana
And the sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohas were a hundred thirty and three years.

Psook 6:19
UVenei Merari Machli uMushi ele mishpechot haLevi letoldotam
And the sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.

Psook 6:20
Vayikach amram et-Yocheved dodato lo leisha vateled lo et-Aharon veet-Moshe ushenei chayei amram sheva usheloshim umeat shana
And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years.

Psook 6:21
UVenei Yitzhar Korach vaNefeg veZichri
And the sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

Psook 6:22
UVenei Uziel Mishael veEltzafan veSitri
And the sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri.

Psook 6:23
Vayikach Aharon et-Elisheva bat-Aminadav achot Nachshon lo leisha vateled lo et-Nadav veet-Avihu et-Elazar veet-Itamar
And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, to wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Psook 6:24
UVenei Korach Asir veElkana vaAviasaf ele mishpechot haKarchi
And the sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.

Psook 6:25
VeElazar ben-Aharon lakach-lo mibnot Putiel lo leisha vateled lo et-Pinchas ele rashei avot haLeviyim lemishpechotam
And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites according to their families.

This is a partial definition of those to be taken out, reminiscent of the list at the end of Bereishis, but more importantly it is the genealogy of both of the men who shall face Pharaoh, and defines them as specifically Hebrews, specifically descendants of Yakov, specifically Levites. Priest to the Bnei Israel in the same way that the Bnei Israel are a priesthood to the nations. Thus the Levites are paradigmatic in that regard.

But it should also be noted that the three tribes listed here in order are the same three lambasted by Yakov before the blessing, mention of which in this context which shows that they still have equal place within the nation despite what Yakov said about them, as is shown by their being listed in order starting with the oldest from the same mother (Leah).


Psook 6:26
Hu Aharon uMoshe asher amar Yahweh lahem hotziu et-Benei Yisrael meeretz Mitzrayim al-tzivotam
These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the Lord said: 'Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts.'

This last sentence, taken with the next, show that there is a separation of statements. Psook 6:26 is the concluding part of what Moses and Aharon were told to tell Pharaoh, including as their legitimation their antecedents. Psook 6:27 is a recounting of what then happened.

It is because of the entrusting of Yakov's kin, by virtue of what Yosef did for Egypt, that Moses and Aharon now have status fit to speak to Pharaoh. Because Egypt was saved by Yakov's son, and because it was due to Yosef's father and brothers that he came to Egypt, Egypt owes it to leaders among the descendants of Yakov that they should speak in audience, and remind Pharaoh by their presence and their voice of what Egypt owes them.
But also, it reminds us why they could speak, and what had gone before. The entire listing of their bonafides shows the faults of Egypt which will soon be evident.


Psook 6:27
Hem hamedabrim el-paro melech-Mitzrayim lehotzi et-Benei-Yisrael miMitzrayim hu Moshe veAharon
These are they that spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.

Unlike the previous sentence, which was part of the charge to Moses and Aharon, this sentence is straightforward confirmation that indeed they spoke to Pharaoh as they had been instructed.
The paradigm of the speaking to Pharaoh has been set, the text now continues narratively.


Psook 6:28
Vayehi beyom diber Yahweh el-Moshe beeretz Mitzrayim
And then it happened that on the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,

Psook 6:29
Vayedaber Yahweh el-Moshe lemor ani Yahweh daber el-paro melech Mitzrayim et kol-asher ani dover eleicha
that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 'I am the LORD; speak you to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.'

Psook 6:30
Vayomer Moshe lifnei Yahweh hen ani aral sefatayim veech yishma elai paro
And Moses said before the LORD: 'Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?'

Moses uses the excuse which his lack of self-confidence forces upon him, but in the repetition of his claiming a defect we may read a note of truth - most likely he was slow of speech, and hard to understand, and he may even have had an accent or a voice which was unsuited to the task in his own estimation. It may be startling to think of Moses as a mumbler, given that a large part of the Torah has him speechifying. But irony is a quality not absent from the five books.


Psook 7:1
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe ree netaticha Elohim leFaro veAharon achicha yihyou neviecha
And the Lord said to Moses: 'See, I have set you in God's stead to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.

I have set you in God's stead to Pharaoh - Moses has been made superior to Pharaoh, as if he were Pharaoh's master, despite his lack of confidence and speech defect, by the authority of the Lord.

Psook 7:2
Ata tedaber et kol-asher atzaveka veAharon achicha yedaber el-paro veshilach et-Benei-Yisrael meartzo
you shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Psook 7:3
Vaani akshe et-lev paro vehirbeiti et-ototai veet-moftai beeretz Mitzrayim
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.

By that hardening , which is the hardening of ALL Egypt, both Pharaoh and his nation shall merit the plagues that will be visited upon them. Pharaoh speaks not for himself alone, for were it so he could recognize that each plague was exactly as Moses said and would act accordingly, but he speaks for all Egypt, who not having heard Moses, and in that they profit by reason of the labour of the Hebrews, have no reason to wish for the release of the Bnei Yisrael.
This explains why the tenth plague is so heavy, and (at first glance) seemingly unjust. The Egyptians, profiting from the labour of the slaves, pass on that benefit to their heirs, which are their first born (as the first born gets a greater portion of the inheritance than subsequent siblings). And by seeking to ensure that their heirs should benefit, they impose guilt upon their entire families, in the same way that a receiver of stolen goods is tainted. The plague on the first born proves by precisely whom it strikes that exploiting slaves tars all who benefit by it.

But also, as our rabbis have said, the striking of the first-born is a direct mirroring of the command to drown the first-born of the Benei Yisrael, which like Pharaoh's intransigence was not his act alone but an act of all Egypt, the result of council and discussion.
As it says in psook 1:9-10 "vayomer el amo hine am benei Yisrael rav veatzum mimenu " (And he said to his people 'Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us') "hava nitchakma lo pen yirbe vehaya ki tikrena milchama venosaf gam hu al soneinu venilcham banu veala min haaretz ('come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it should happen that, when we have war, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.').

We shall see in subsequent psukim that after every plague, Pharaoh grows weary and would let the Beni Yisrael leave, but that once the plague is lifted, he changes his mind, precisely as one who cannot make decisions without listening to others - advisors who will point out the great disadvantage in releasing the slaves.


Psook 7:4
Velo-yishma alechem paro venatati et-yadi beMitzrayim vehotzeti et-tzivotai et-ami Venei-Yisrael meeretz Mitzrayim bishfatim gedolim
But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay My hand on Egypt, and bring forth My hosts, My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, by great judgments.

Psook 7:5
Veyadu Mitzrayim ki-ani Yahweh bintoti et-yadi al-Mitzrayim vehotzeti et-Benei-Yisrael mitocham
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth My hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.'

Psook 7:6
Vayaas Moshe veAharon kaasher tziva Yahweh otam ken asu
And Moses and Aaron did, as the Lord commanded them, so they did.
This is affirmative testimony that Moses and Aharon did as they were commanded.

Psook 7:7
UMoshe ben-shemonim shana veAharon ben-shalosh ushemonim shana bedabram el-paro
And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Psook 7:8
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe veel-Aharon lemor
And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

Psook 7:9
Ki yedaber alechem paro lemor tenu lachem mofet veamarta el-Aharon kach et-matcha vehashlech lifnei-Faro yehi letanin
When Pharaoh shall speak to you, saying: Show a wonder for you; then you shalt say to Aaron: Take your rod, and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.'

Psook 7:10
Vayavo Moshe veAharon el-paro vayaasu-chen kaasher tziva Yahweh vayashlech Aharon et-matehu lifnei Faro velifnei avadav vayehi letanin
And Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as the Lord had commanded; and Aaron threw down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

Psook 7:11
Vayikra gam-paro lachachamim velamchashfim vayaasu gam-hem chartumei Mitzrayim belahateihem ken
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the sorcerers of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts.

Chartumei - Rashi says, and the Ramban agrees, that this word most likely is an Aramaic compound meaning necromancers, being magicians who use remnants of the dead in conjuring, much like voodoo.


Psook 7:12
Vayashlichu ish matehu vayihyu letaninim vayivla mate-Aharon et-matotam
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

The trickery of the necromancers is proven naught.


Psook 7:13
Vayechezak lev paro velo shama alehem kaasher diber Yahweh
And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he listened not to them; as the Lord had spoken.

Psook 7:14
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe kaved lev paro meen leshalach haam
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, he refuses to let the people go.

Psook 7:15
Lech el-paro baboker hine yotze hamaima venitzavta likrato al-sefat hayeor vehamate asher-nehpach lenachash tikach beyadecha
Go to Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river's brink to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shall you take in your hand.

Psook 7:16
Veamarta elav Yahweh elohei haIvrim shelachani eleicha lemor shalach et-ami veyaavduni bamidbar vehine lo-shamata ad-ko
And you shall say to him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying: Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness; and, behold, hitherto you have not hearkened;

Psook 7:17
Ko amar Yahweh bezot teda ki ani Yahweh hine anochi make bamate asher-beyadi al-hamayim asher baior venehefchu ledam
So says the LORD: In this you shalt know that I am the LORD--behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Psook 7:18
Vehadaga asher-baior tamut uvaash hayeor venilu Mitzrayim lishtot mayim min-hayeor
And the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.'

Psook 7:19
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe emor el-Aharon kach matcha unete-yadcha al-meimei Mitzrayim al-naharotam al-yeoreihem veal-agmeihem veal kol-mikve meimeihem veyihyu-dam vehaya dam bechol-eretz Mitzrayim uvaetzim uvaavanim
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Say to Aaron: Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.'

Psook 7:20
Vayaasu-chen Moshe veAharon kaasher tziva Yahweh vayarem bamate vayach et-hamayim asher baior leeinei Faro uleeinei avadav vayehafchu kol-hamayim asher-baior ledam
And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

Psook 7:21
Vehadaga asher-baior meta vayivash hayeor velo-yachlu Mitzrayim lishtot mayim min-hayeor vayehi hadam bechol-eretz Mitzrayim
And the fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.

Psook 7:22
Vayaasu-chen chartumei Mitzrayim belateihem vayechezak lev-paro velo-shama alehem kaasher diber Yahweh
And the sorcerers of Egypt did in like manner with their secret arts; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he listened not to them; as the Lord had spoken.

Psook 7:23
Vayifen paro vayavo el-beito velo-shat libo gam-lazot
And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he lay even this to heart.

Psook 7:24
Vayachperu chol-Mitzrayim sevivot hayeor mayim lishtot ki lo yachlu lishtot mimeimei hayeor
And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

Psook 7:25
Vayimale shivat yamim acharei hakot-Yahweh et-hayeor
And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river.

Psook 7:26
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe bo el-paro veamarta elav ko amar Yahweh shalach et-ami veyaavduni
And the Lord spoke to Moses: 'Go in to Pharaoh, and say to him: so says the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

Psook 7:27
Veim-maen ata leshaleach hine anochi nogef et-kol-gevulcha batzfardeim
And if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will strike all your borders with frogs.

Psook 7:28
Vesharatz hayeor tzefardeim vealu uvau beveitecha uvachadar mishkavcha veal-mitatecha uveveit avadeicha uveamecha uvetanureicha uvemisharoteicha
And the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bed-chamber, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into thine ovens, and into your kneading-troughs.

Psook 7:29
Uvecha uveamcha uvechol-avadeicha yaalu hatzefardeim
And the frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.'

Psook 8:1
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe emor el-Aharon nete et-yadcha bematecha al-haneharot al-hayeorim veal-haagamim vehaal et-hatzefardeim al-eretz Mitzrayim
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Say to Aaron: Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the canals, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.'

Psook 8:2
Vayet Aharon et-yado al meimei Mitzrayim vataal hatzefardea vatechas et-eretz Mitzrayim
And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

Psook 8:3
Vayaasu-chen hachartumim belateihem vayaalu et-hatzefardeim al-eretz Mitzrayim
And the sorcerers did in like manner with their secret arts, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

Psook 8:4
Vayikra Faro leMoshe uleAharon vayomer haetiru el-Yahweh veyaser hatzefardeim mimeni umeami vaashalcha et-haam veyizbechu laYahweh
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said: 'Entreat the LORD, that He take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.'

Psook 8:5
Vayomer Moshe leFaro hitpaer alai lematai atir lecha velaavadeicha uleamcha lehachrit hatzefardeim mimcha umibateicha rak baior tishaarna
And Moses said to Pharaoh: 'Have you this glory over me; against what time shall I entreat for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only?'

Psook 8:6
Vayomer lemachar vayomer kidvarcha lemaan teda ki-ein kaYahweh eloheinu
And he said: 'Against to-morrow.' And he said: 'Be it according to your word; that you mayest know that there is none like to the Lord our God.

Question: Why did Pharaoh tell Moses to pray for the removal of the frogs 'tomorrow' (le machar)?

Answer: Had it been immediately, it would have been evident that the lifting of the plague was due to Moses' intercession. But by requesting that it be done 'tomorrow', Pharaoh can still seek deniability, and ask his sorcerers to also expend their efforts, and thus plausibly claim that it was not through Moses that the plague ended.

Psook 8:7
Vesaru hatzefardeim mimcha umibateicha umeavadeicha umeamecha rak baior tishaarna
And the frogs shall depare from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people; they shall remain in the river only.'


Psook 8:8
Vayetze Moshe veAharon meim paro vayitzak Moshe el-Yahweh al-devar hatzefardeim ashero-sam leFaro
And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses cried to the Lord concerning the frogs, which He had brought on Pharaoh.

And Moses cried to the Lord - as one entreated to do so by Pharaoh, by reason of which we will see the poor-faith of Pharaoh, because once the plague is lifted he hardens his heart again.


Psook 8:9
Vayaas Yahweh kidvar Moshe vayamutu hatzefardeim min-habatim min-hachatzerot umin-hasadot
And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.

Psook 8:10
Vayitzberu otam chomarim chomarim vativash haaretz
And they gathered them together in heaps; and the land stank.

Psook 8:11
Vayar paro ki haita harvacha vehachbed et-libo velo shama alehem kaasher diber Yahweh
But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and listened not to them; as the Lord had spoken.

Psook 8:12
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe emor el-Aharon nete et-matcha vehach et-afar haaretz vehaya lechinim bechol-eretz Mitzrayim
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Say to Aaron: Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.'

Psook 8:13
Vayaasu-chen vayet Aharon et-yado vematehu vayach et-afar haaretz vatehi hakinam baadam uvabhema kol-afar haaretz haya chinim bechol-eretz Mitzrayim
And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man, and on beast; all the dust of the earth became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.

Note that the word here translated as 'gnats' has also been translated as 'lice'.


Psook 8:14
Vayaasu-chen hachartumim belateihem lehotzi et-hakinim velo yacholu vatehi hakinam baadam uvabhema
And the sorcerers did so with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; and there were gnats on man, and on beast.

The sorcerers can neither replicate nor end the plague. The first two plagues could be argued as deriving from the river, and representing an excess of life from that source, but here the plague springs from the lifeless dust, and therefore is entirely beyond their trickery, being a transformation rather than a derived or evolved phenomenon.


Psook 8:15
Vayomru hachartumim el-paro etzba Elohim hiv vayechezak lev-paro velo-shama alehem kaasher diber Yahweh
Then the sorcerers said to Pharaoh: 'This is the finger of God'; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he listened not to them; as the Lord had spoken.

This is the finger of - the sorcerers for the first time acknowledge that this matter is beyond them, and that the God of the Hebrews is in this more powerful than them.


Psook 8:16
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe hashekem baboker vehityatzev lifnei Faro hine yotze hamaima veamarta elav ko amar Yahweh shalach ami veyaavduni
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he comes forth to the water; and say to him: so says the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

Psook 8:17
Ki im-encha meshaleach et-ami hinni mashliach becha uvaavadeicha uveamcha uvevateicha et-hearov umalu batei Mitzrayim et-hearov vegam haadama asher-hem aleiha
Else, if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

Breaking apart the sentence: ki im-encha (else other) meshaleach et-ami (send forth my people) hinni (behold) mashliach becha (send to you) uvaavadeicha (and to your servants) uveamcha (and to your people) uvevateicha (and into your houses) et-hearov ( a multiplicity to) umalu (and then by / of) batei Mitzrayim (the houses of the Egyptians) et-hearov (a multiplicity to) vegam (and also) haadama (the earth) asher-hem aleiha (upon which they are).

Rashi and Artscroll read 'arov' as meaning animals, beasts of prey, following the lead of Rabbi Judah who explains 'arov' as different types of wild animals. Saadia Gaon says 'beast of prey', the Rashbam clarifies 'wolves', Ibn Ezra specifies broadly that the word must mean bears, leopards, lions, and wolves.
But why is this even a question?
Because other commentators have looked to the derivation of the word, wich can be taken to mean 'multiplicities', and like rabbi Nehamiah have read it to mean different kinds of insects, a multiplicity of insects. So also Philo of Alexandria, who reads it to mean 'flies' (which is how most Gentile translations render it).

It is possible that the Gentile preference for one explanation may have hardened subsequent rabbonim in favour of the other explanation.
In support of the interpretation of 'flies' is the description of what the 'arov' do: they swarm on people, they swarm into houses, and they swarm on the ground, like horse-flies and similar pests. Hardly the behaviour of a selection of beasts of prey, but also more dangerous than such carnivores by virtue of the diseases they bring and the eggs that they lay in the living flesh. And it is worthwhile to understand the pairs of plagues: two river-borne (dam ve tzefardia), two creepy-crawly (kinim ve arov), two afflictions (dever ve shechin), two from the air (barad ve arveh), and two dark and horrific (choshec ve bechoros).


Psook 8:18
Vehifleiti vayom hahu et-eretz goshen asher ami omed aleiha Levilti heyot-sham arov lemaan teda ki ani Yahweh bekerev haaretz
And I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.

Psook 8:19
Vesamti fedut bein ami uvein amecha lemachar yihyou haot haze
And I will put a division between My people and your people--by to-morrow shall this sign be.'

By the division mentioned showing divine intervention, as a clear sign, and note that there is also a delimitation of time. This is an echo of sacred time and sacred place, a pairing that occurs frequently in the Torah.


Psook 8:20
Vayaas Yahweh ken vayavo arov kaved beita Faro uveit avadav uvechol-eretz Mitzrayim tishachet haaretz mipnei hearov
And the Lord did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses; and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the swarms of flies.

Psook 8:21
Vayikra Faro el-Moshe uleAharon vayomer lechu zivchu leloheichem baaretz
And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said: 'Go you, sacrifice to your God in the land.'
Psook 8:22
Vayomer Moshe lo nachon laasot ken ki toavat Mitzrayim nizbach laYahweh eloheinu hen nizbach et-toavat Mitzrayim leeineihem velo yiskelunu
And Moses said: 'It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God; lo, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?

The abomination the Egyptians - being the slaughter of animals which the idolatrous Egyptians take for gods, as the implication that doing thus will cause them to be stoned makes clear.
But this is reminiscent also of the rule that if you take the young from a nest you do not do so in the sight of its mother - not as regards the efffect of hurting twice, but as regards discretion and tact.


Psook 8:23
Derech sheloshet yamim nelech bamidbar vezavachnu laYahweh eloheinu kaasher yomar eleinu
We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as He shall command us.'

Psook 8:24
Vayomer paro anochi ashalach etchem uzevachtem laYahweh eloheichem bamidbar rak harechek lo-tarchiku lalechet haetiru baadi
And Pharaoh said: 'I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away; entreat for me.'

Psook 8:25
Vayomer Moshe hine anochi yotze meimach vehatarti el-Yahweh vesar hearov miparo meavadav umeamo machar rak al-yosef paro hatel Levilti shalach et-haam lizboach laYahweh
And Moses said: 'Behold, I go out from you, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depare from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.'

Let Pharaoh not deal deceitfully any more - do not continue to mock. In that Pharaoh repeatedly reneges on his permission to let the Hebrews go, and repeatedly reimposes the burdens on the Bnei Israel, he mocks, though whether it is a mockery of the God of the Hebrews, or of Moses and Aharon, is somewhat moot - disrespecting the agent is disrespecting of the one who sent him.

But one other thing is worth noting here, and that is the revolutionary idea presented by the juxtaposition: Pharaoh in Egyptian terms is the one chosen by divinity and representing divinity, the Hebrews, in contrast, are ALL chosen, not a one more than another. Hashem does not favour the few, but treats equally all who abide by the deal that He has given them.


Psook 8:26
Vayetze Moshe meim paro vayetar el-Yahweh
And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD.

Psook 8:27
Vayaas Yahweh kidvar Moshe vayasar hearov miparo meavadav umeamo lo nishar echad
And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.

Psook 8:28
Vayachbed paro et-libo gam bapaam hazot velo shilach et-haam
And Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.

Psook 9:1
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe bo el-paro vedibarta elav ko-amar Yahweh elohei haIvrim shalach et-ami veyaavduni
Then the Lord said to Moses: 'Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him: so says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

Psook 9:2
Ki im-maen ata leshaleach veodcha machazik bam
For if you refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,

Psook 9:3
Hine yad-Yahweh hoya bemiknecha asher basade basusim bachamorim bagmalim babakar uvatzon dever kaved meod
behold, the hand of the Lord is on your cattle which are in the field, on the horses, on the asses, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks; there shall be a very grievous murrain.

The hand of the lord - because it is by an act of the lord, as expressed in this usage.

Murrain - a delightfully old-fashioned term for cattle plague.


Psook 9:4
Vehifla Yahweh bein mikne Yisrael uvein mikne Mitzrayim velo yamut mikol-livnei Yisrael davar
And the Lord shall make a division between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the children of Israel.'

And again a division between the Bnei Israel and Egypt, in which Egypt stands in for the nations.

Psook 9:5
Vayasem Yahweh moed lemor machar yaase Yahweh hadavar haze baaretz
And the Lord appointed a set time, saying: 'Tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.'

Contrast this with the occassions when Pharaoh, in answer to Moses' question, was the one to set the time, and thus seemed in control of events.


Psook 9:6
Vayaas Yahweh et-hadavar haze mimachorat vayamat kol mikne Mitzrayim umimikne Venei-Yisrael lo-met echad
And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died; but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

Psook 9:7
Vayishlach paro vehine lo-met mimikne Yisrael ad-echad vayichbad lev paro velo shilach et-haam
And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he did not let the people go.

Psook 9:8
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe veel-Aharon kechu lachem melo chafneichem piach kivshan uzerako Moshe hashamaima leeinei Faro
And the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron: 'Take to you handfuls of soot of the furnace, and let Moses throw it heavenward in the sight of Pharaoh.

Psook 9:9
Vehaya leavak al kol-eretz Mitzrayim vehaya al-haadam veal-habehema lishchin poreach avabuot bechol-eretz Mitzrayim
And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains on man and on beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.'

Psook 9:10
Vayikchu et-piach hakivshan vayaamdu lifnei Faro vayizrok oto Moshe hashamaima vayehi shechin avabuot poreach baadam uvabhema
And they took soot of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it up heavenward; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains on man and on beast.

Psook 9:11
Velo-yachlu hachartumim laamod lifnei Moshe mipnei hashechin ki-haya hashechin bachartumim uvechol-Mitzrayim:
And the sorcerers could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.

Psook 9:12
Vayechazek Yahweh et-lev paro velo shama alehem kaasher diber Yahweh el-moshe:
And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he listened not to them; as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

Psook 9:13
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe hashekem baboker vehityatzev lifnei Faro veamarta elav ko-amar Yahweh elohei haIvrim shalach et-ami veyaavduni
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him: so says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

Psook 9:14
Ki bapaam hazot ani sholeach et-kol-magefotai el-libcha uvaavadeicha uveamecha baavur teda ki ein kamoni bechol-haaretz
For I will this time send all My plagues on your person, and on your servants, and on your people; that you mayest know that there is none like Me in all the earth.

Psook 9:15
Ki ata shalachti et-yadi vaach otcha veet-amcha badaver vatikached min-haaretz
Surely now I had put forth My hand, and smitten you and your people with pestilence, and you hadst been cut off from the earth.

Psook 9:16
Veulam baavur zot heemadticha baavur hareotcha et-kochi ulemaan saper shemi bechol-haaretz
But in very deed for this cause have I made you to stand, to show you My power, and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Psook 9:17
Odcha mistolel beami Levilti shalcham
As yet do you exalt yourself against My people, that you will not let them go?

Psook 9:18
Hinni mamtir kaet machar barad kaved meod asher lo-haya chamohu beMitzrayim lemin-hayom hivasda vead-ata
Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.

Psook 9:19
Heata shelach haez et-miknecha veet kol-asher lecha basade kol-haadam vehabhema asher-yimatze vasade velo yeasef habaita veyarad alehem habarad vametu
Now therefore send, hasten in your cattle and all that you have in the field; for every man and beast that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die.'

Psook 9:20
Hayare et-devar Yahweh meavdei paro henis et-avadav veet-miknehu el-habatim
He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses;

Psook 9:21
Vaasher lo-sam libo el-devar Yahweh vayaazov et-avadav veet-miknehu basade
and he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.

Psook 9:22
Vayomer Yahweh el-Moshe nete et-yadcha al-hashamayim vihi varad bechol-eretz Mitzrayim al-haadam veal-habehema veal kol-esev hasade beeretz Mitzrayim
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Stretch forth your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.'

Psook 9:23
Vayet Moshe et-matehu al-hashamayim vaYahweh natan kolot uvarad vatihalach-esh artza vayamter Yahweh barad al-eretz Mitzrayim
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth; and the Lord caused to hail on the land of Egypt.

Psook 9:24
Vayehi varad veesh mitlakachat betoch habarad kaved meod asher lo-haya chamohu bechol-eretz Mitzrayim meaz haita legoi
So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail, very grievous, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

Psook 9:25
Vayach habarad bechol-eretz Mitzrayim et kol-asher basade meadam vead-behema veet kol-esev hasade hika habarad veet-kol-etz hasade shiber
And the hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.

Psook 9:26
Rak beeretz goshen ashero-sham Benei Yisrael lo haya barad
Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

Psook 9:27
Vayishlach paro vayikra leMoshe uleAharon vayomer alehem chatati hapaam Yahweh hatzadik vaani veami harshaim
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them: 'I have sinned this time; the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

I have sinned this time - the reader might wonder what took Pharaoh so long to come to this realization. But note that this time the sheer out-of-this-world quality of the plague proved a divine hand - hail and fire mixed - whereas in retrospect the other plagues might be explained away as natural phenomena (which is precisely what some commentators do - but that is NOT the drift of Torah, and while interesting is beside the point).


Psook 9:28
Haetiru el-Yahweh verav mihyot kolot Elohim uvarad vaashalcha etchem velo tosifun laamod
Entreat the LORD, and let there be enough of these mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.'

Psook 9:29
Vayomer elav Moshe ketzeti et-hair efros et-kapai el-Yahweh hakolot yechdalun vehabarad lo yihye-od lemaan teda ki laYahweh haaretz
And Moses said to him: 'As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread forth my hands to the LORD; the thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is the LORD'S.

Psook 9:30
Veata vaavadeicha yadati ki terem tirun mipnei Yahweh Elohim
But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the Lord God.'

Psook 9:31
Vehapishta vehasora nukata ki haseora aviv vehapishta givol
And the flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom.

Psook 9:32
Vehachita vehakusemet lo nuku ki afilot hena
But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten; for they ripen late.

Showing that there will not be another famine like the one which brought the Yakov to Egypt. Repition of certain elements takes away from their guided quality, and in perception lowers divine acts to the level of repetitive and predictable events.


Psook 9:33
Vayetze Moshe meim paro et-hair vayifros kapav el-Yahweh vayachdelu hakolot vehabarad umatar lo-nitach artza
And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread forth his hands to the LORD; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.

Psook 9:34
Vayar paro ki-chadal hamatar vehabarad vehakolot vayosef lachato vayachbed libo hu vaavadav
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Psook 9:35
Vayechezak lev paro velo shilach et-Benei Yisrael kaasher diber Yahweh beyad-moshe
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses.

Asher diber ( ) be yad Moshe - a marvelous turn of phrase, as it seems to say that it was spoken by Hashem by means of the hand of Moses. But be-yad can be translated as 'through the agency (of)'.