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)'.
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)'.
posted by The back of the hill @ 7:19 PM
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