“The Lord said to Moses: Come to Pharaoh, as I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, in order to place these signs of Mine in their midst” (Exodus 10:1). “The Lord said to Moses: Come to Pharaoh” – that is what is written: “The heft of a stone and the weight of sand, but the anger of a fool is heavier than both” (Proverbs 27:3). Avnimos the weaver asked our Rabbis, of blessed memory; he said to them: ‘The earth, how was it created initially?’ They said to him: ‘No one is expert in these matters, but go to Abba Yosef the builder.’ He went and found him standing on scaffolding. He said to him: ‘I have a question to ask you.’ He said to him: ‘I cannot descend because I am a day laborer,1And my time is not my own. but ask what you want to ask.’ He asked: ‘How was the earth created initially?’ He said to him: ‘The Holy One blessed be He took dirt from beneath the Throne of Glory and cast it on the water, and it became earth. The small pebbles that were in the dirt became mountains and hills, as it is stated: “When the dirt turns into a mass, and the clods cleave together”’ (Job 38:38). This is clear in the ears of people,2It is readily understood. as it is stated: “The heft of a stone and the weight of sand.” What is “the heft of a stone”? One who sees the mountains and the hills, does he not say: How did the Holy One blessed be He create these? What is “the weight of sand”? The sand upon which the water stands from above, and it is under it and bears it. The Holy One blessed be He says: It appears heavy in the eyes of people, and they view it as though it is wearying for Me, but it is not wearying, as it is stated: “He does not tire and does not weary” (Isaiah 40:28). What wearies Me? One who angers me with idle chatter, as it is stated: “You wearied the Lord with your words” (Malachi 2:17). That is “but the anger of a fool is heavier than both.” Another interpretation: “The heft [koved] of a stone” – the Holy One blessed be He said: I honored [kibadti] Israel, who are called stone, as it is stated: “From the Shepherd of the stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24). “The weight [netel] of sand” – this is Israel, who were analogized to sand, as it is stated: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea” (Hosea 2:1), and I have elevated them in the world, and I said: One who touches them touches the pupil of his eye.3Based on the verse in Zechariah (2:12): “One who touches you touches the pupil of his eye.” Rabbi Yehoshua says: It is a textual emendation; “My eye” is written.4The verse means to say: “One who touches you touches the pupil of My eye,” but out of respect for God, the verse was phrased “his eye.” They arose and angered Me and I sought to eliminate them and to cast them from before Me, but I said [I will not destroy them,] so that Pharaoh the wicked will not say: He was unable to deliver them so he stood against them and killed them. That is “but the anger of a fool is heavier than both.” That is “as I have hardened his heart.”
Another interpretation: “As I have hardened his heart” – that is what is written: “I said I will eliminate them [afeihem]” (Deuteronomy 32:26). What is afeihem? I said in my wrath [be’api]: Where are they [ayeh hem]? Alternatively: Afeihem – I said in My wrath [be’af] that they angered Me: Where are they [ayeh hem]? They will be nothing other than: “I will cease their memory from man” (Deuteronomy 32:26). Who caused them to emerge from there? “Were it not that I dreaded the enemy's provocation” (Deuteronomy 32:27).
Another interpretation: “As I have hardened his heart” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here there is an opening for the heretics to say that he had no [opportunity] to repent, as it is stated: “As I have hardened his heart.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said to him: Let the mouths of the heretics be sealed; rather, “to the scorners He scorns” (Proverbs 3:34). The Holy One blessed be He forewarns a person the first time, the second, and the third, and if he does not relent, He locks his heart from repentance in order to exact retribution for his sins. The same is true regarding the wicked Pharaoh. Once the Holy One blessed be He sent [him warnings] five times, and he disregarded His words, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: You were stubborn and hardened your heart; behold. I will add impurity to your impurity. That is: “As I have hardened [hikhbadti] his heart.” What is hikhbadti? The Holy One blessed be He rendered his heart like this liver, which, when it is cooked twice, becomes hard. Thus, Pharaoh’s heart became like that liver, and he did not accept the words of the Holy One, blessed be He. That is: “As I have hardened his heart.”
“And so that you will relate in the ears of your son, and of your son's son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs that I have performed among them; and you will know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 10:2). “And so that you will relate in the ears of your son” – the Holy One blessed be He revealed to Moses what plague He would bring upon them, and Moses wrote it in an allusion: “And so that you will relate in the ears of your son” – this is the plague of locusts, as it is stated: “Relate to your children about it” (Joel 1:3).5What is to be related appears in the following verse – locusts. “Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and said to him: So said the Lord, God of the Hebrews: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, and they will serve Me. For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your border” (Exodus 10:3–4). “Moses and Aaron came.… For if you refuse to let My people go…” – what is “behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your border”? But not in the borders of the descendants of Ḥam. In this regard it is stated: “For when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants [of the world] learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9). Through the plague of locusts, they recognized until where the border of Egypt is. “And your houses will be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; that neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, from the day that they were on the earth until this day. He turned, and exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:6). “They will cover the face of the earth.… And your houses will be filled…He turned, and exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:5–6) – what is this?6Why does the Torah state that “he turned, and exited”? That does not appear in the account of any other plague. It is because he saw that they were looking at each other and believing his words, and he left there so they would take counsel and repent.
“He said to them: So let the Lord be with you, when I will let you and your children go; see that evil is facing you” (Exodus 10:10). “Pharaoh's servants said.… Moses and Aaron were returned.… Moses said: We will go with our young and with our old.… He said to them: So let the Lord be with you…” (Exodus 10:7–10) – what is “evil facing you”? He said to them: ‘It is the way of youths and elders to sacrifice, but the young and the children? One who says this, his intention is only to flee, not as you are saying: “A three-day journey” (Exodus 5:3, 8:23). Therefore, see that what you are thinking, that you intend to flee, will return against you, so you will not depart from here.’ “Not so; let the men go now and serve the Lord; for that is what you seek. He drove them out from Pharaoh's presence” (Exodus 10:11). That is what is written: “Let the men go now” – he said to him: ‘If you say: Our intent is not to flee, prove your assertion: “Let the men go now.” Since the children are not fit to serve, why do you need them? Rather, “for that is what you seek” – you are seeking to perform evil, you wish to flee. Therefore, I will not listen to you at all.’ Immediately, he issued a command and drove them from there; that is what is written: “He drove them out from Pharaoh's presence.”
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, and they will ascend on the land of Egypt, and eat every grass of the land, everything that the hail left” (Exodus 10:12). “The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand” – why did He bring locusts upon them? It is because they tasked Israel to be sowers of wheat and barley; therefore, he brought locusts upon them, and they ate everything that the Israelites had sown. “Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; it was morning, and the east wind brought the locusts” (Exodus 10:13). “Moses extended his staff” – why would the Holy One blessed be He give a time for the plagues, “tomorrow” (Exodus 10:4), and not bring them upon them immediately? It was so they would relent and repent. Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron, and he said: I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you (Exodus 10:16). “The locusts ascended…they covered the surface of the entire land… Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron…” (Exodus 10:14–16) – what is “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you”? “I have sinned against the Lord your God,” in that I did not let Israel go, “and against you,” in that I drove you out from before me and I thought to curse you, as I said: “So let the Lord be with you” (Exodus 10:10). “Now, please, forgive my sin [just this once, and entreat the Lord your God, and He will remove this death only from me].… He exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:17–18).
“The Lord turned an exceedingly strong west wind, and it carried the locusts, and deposited them into the Red Sea; there did not remain even one locust within the entire border of Egypt. The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go” (Exodus 10:19–20). “The Lord turned…a west wind…there did not remain even one locust” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the locusts came, the Egyptians rejoiced. They said: Let us fill barrels with them. The Holy One blessed be He said: Wicked ones, are you rejoicing over the plague that I brought upon you? Immediately, “the Lord turned an exceedingly strong west [yam] wind”; this is the west [maaravit] wind. “It carried the locusts…” – what is “there did not remain even one locust”? Even what was salted in the pots and in the barrels flew and went away. “The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.”7It is possible that this last line expresses that once Pharaoh saw that even the locusts in the barrels disappeared, he concluded that the plague had been the result of sorcery, as this would not have happened with real locusts. Consequently, he hardened his heart (Etz Yosef).
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כז, ג): כֹּבֶד אֶבֶן וְנֵטֶל הַחוֹל וְכַעַס אֱוִיל כָּבֵד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם, שָׁאַל אַבְנִימוֹס הַגַּרְדִי אֶת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמַר לָהֶם הָאָרֶץ הֵיאַךְ נִבְרֵאת תְּחִלָּה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ אֵין אָדָם בָּקִי בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ, אֶלָּא לֵךְ אֵצֶל אַבָּא יוֹסֵף הַבַּנָּאי, הָלַךְ וּמְצָאוֹ שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד עַל הַקְּרוּיָא, אָמַר לוֹ שְׁאֵלָה יֵשׁ לִי לִשְׁאֹל אוֹתְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי יָכוֹל לֵירֵד מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׂכִיר יוֹם אֶלָּא שְׁאַל מַה תְּבַקֵּשׁ, אָמַר לֵיהּ הֵיאַךְ נִבְרֵאת הָאָרֶץ תְּחִלָּה, אָמַר לֵיהּ נָטַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָפָר מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד וְזָרַק עַל הַמַּיִם וְנַעֲשָׂה אֶרֶץ, וּצְרוֹרוֹת קְטַנִּים שֶׁהָיוּ בֶּעָפָר נַעֲשׂוּ הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב לח, לח): בְּצֶקֶת עָפָר לַמּוּצָק וּרְגָבִים יְדֻבָּקוּ, וּבָרוּר הוּא הַדָּבָר בְּאָזְנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כֹּבֶד אֶבֶן וְנֵטֶל הַחוֹל, מַהוּ כֹּבֶד אֶבֶן, מִי שֶׁהוּא רוֹאֶה אֶת הֶהָרִים וְאֶת הַגְּבָעוֹת אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר הֵיאַךְ בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אֵלּוּ. מַהוּ וְנֵטֶל הַחוֹל, אֶלָּא הַחוֹל שֶׁהַמַּיִם עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו לְמַעְלָה, וְהוּא נָתוּן מִלְּמַטָּה וְהוּא נוֹשֵׂא אוֹתָם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְקָרָה הִיא בְּעֵינֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם וְרוֹאִין כְּאִלּוּ יְגִיעָה הִיא לְפָנַי, וְאֵינָהּ יְגִיעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מ, כח): לֹא יִיעַף וְלֹא יִיגָע, בַּמֶּה אֲנִי יָגֵעַ בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא מַכְעִיס לְפָנַי בִּדְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (מלאכי ג, יז): הוֹגַעְתֶּם ה' בְּדִבְרֵיכֶם, הֱוֵי וְכַעַס אֱוִיל כָּבֵד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם, דָּבָר אַחֵר, כֹּבֶד אֶבֶן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּבַּדְתִּי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ אֶבֶן, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (בראשית מט, כד): מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְנֵטֶל הַחוֹל, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לְחוֹל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ב, א): וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּחוֹל הַיָּם, שֶׁנָּטַלְתִּי אוֹתָם בָּעוֹלָם וְאָמַרְתִּי (זכריה ב, יב): כָּל הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶם כְּנוֹגֵעַ בְּבָבַת עֵינוֹ. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר תִּקּוּן סוֹפְרִים הוּא, עֵינִי כְּתִיב, וְעָמְדוּ וְהִכְעִיסוּ לְפָנַי וּבִקַּשְׁתִּי לְכַלּוֹתָן וּלְהַשְּׁלִיכָן מֵעַל פָּנָי, וְאָמַרְתִּי בִּשְׁבִיל פַּרְעֹה הָרָשָׁע שֶׁלֹא יֹאמַר לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַצִּילָן וְעָמַד עֲלֵיהֶן וַהֲרָגָן, הֱוֵי וְכַעַס אֱוִיל כָּבֵד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם, הֱוֵי כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ.
“The Lord said to Moses: Come to Pharaoh, as I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, in order to place these signs of Mine in their midst” (Exodus 10:1).
“The Lord said to Moses: Come to Pharaoh” – that is what is written: “The heft of a stone and the weight of sand, but the anger of a fool is heavier than both” (Proverbs 27:3). Avnimos the weaver asked our Rabbis, of blessed memory; he said to them: ‘The earth, how was it created initially?’ They said to him: ‘No one is expert in these matters, but go to Abba Yosef the builder.’ He went and found him standing on scaffolding. He said to him: ‘I have a question to ask you.’ He said to him: ‘I cannot descend because I am a day laborer,1And my time is not my own. but ask what you want to ask.’ He asked: ‘How was the earth created initially?’ He said to him: ‘The Holy One blessed be He took dirt from beneath the Throne of Glory and cast it on the water, and it became earth. The small pebbles that were in the dirt became mountains and hills, as it is stated: “When the dirt turns into a mass, and the clods cleave together”’ (Job 38:38).
This is clear in the ears of people,2It is readily understood. as it is stated: “The heft of a stone and the weight of sand.” What is “the heft of a stone”? One who sees the mountains and the hills, does he not say: How did the Holy One blessed be He create these? What is “the weight of sand”? The sand upon which the water stands from above, and it is under it and bears it. The Holy One blessed be He says: It appears heavy in the eyes of people, and they view it as though it is wearying for Me, but it is not wearying, as it is stated: “He does not tire and does not weary” (Isaiah 40:28). What wearies Me? One who angers me with idle chatter, as it is stated: “You wearied the Lord with your words” (Malachi 2:17). That is “but the anger of a fool is heavier than both.”
Another interpretation: “The heft [koved] of a stone” – the Holy One blessed be He said: I honored [kibadti] Israel, who are called stone, as it is stated: “From the Shepherd of the stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24). “The weight [netel] of sand” – this is Israel, who were analogized to sand, as it is stated: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea” (Hosea 2:1), and I have elevated them in the world, and I said: One who touches them touches the pupil of his eye.3Based on the verse in Zechariah (2:12): “One who touches you touches the pupil of his eye.” Rabbi Yehoshua says: It is a textual emendation; “My eye” is written.4The verse means to say: “One who touches you touches the pupil of My eye,” but out of respect for God, the verse was phrased “his eye.” They arose and angered Me and I sought to eliminate them and to cast them from before Me, but I said [I will not destroy them,] so that Pharaoh the wicked will not say: He was unable to deliver them so he stood against them and killed them. That is “but the anger of a fool is heavier than both.” That is “as I have hardened his heart.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים לב, כו): אָמַרְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם, מַהוּ אַפְאֵיהֶם, אָמַרְתִּי בְאַפִּי אַיֵּה הֵם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַפְאֵיהֶם, אָמַרְתִּי בְּאַף שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לְפָנַי אַיֵּה הֵם לֹא יִהְיוּ אֶלָּא (דברים לב, כו): אַשְׁבִּיתָה מֵאֱנוֹשׁ זִכְרָם, וּמִי גָרַם לָהֶם שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִשָּׁם, (דברים לב, כז): לוּלֵי כַּעַס אוֹיֵב.
Another interpretation: “As I have hardened his heart” – that is what is written: “I said I will eliminate them [afeihem]” (Deuteronomy 32:26). What is afeihem? I said in my wrath [be’api]: Where are they [ayeh hem]? Alternatively: Afeihem – I said in My wrath [be’af] that they angered Me: Where are they [ayeh hem]? They will be nothing other than: “I will cease their memory from man” (Deuteronomy 32:26). Who caused them to emerge from there? “Were it not that I dreaded the enemy's provocation” (Deuteronomy 32:27).
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִכָּאן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לַמִּינִין לוֹמַר לֹא הָיְתָה מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ יִסָּתֵם פִּיהֶם שֶׁל מִינִים, אֶלָּא (משלי ג, לד): אִם לַלֵּצִים הוּא יָלִיץ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַתְרֶה בּוֹ בָּאָדָם פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה שְׁנִיָּה וּשְׁלִישִׁית וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר בּוֹ, וְהוּא נוֹעֵל לִבּוֹ מִן הַתְּשׁוּבָה כְּדֵי לִפְרֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ מַה שֶּׁחָטָא. אַף כָּךְ פַּרְעֹה הָרָשָׁע, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשִּׁגֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָמֵשׁ פְּעָמִים וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ עַל דְּבָרָיו, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה הִקְשֵׁיתָ עָרְפְּךָ וְהִכְבַּדְתָּ אֶת לִבְּךָ, הֲרֵינִי מוֹסִיף לְךָ טֻמְאָה עַל טֻמְאָתְךָ, הֱוֵי: כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ. מַהוּ הִכְבַּדְתִּי, שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת לִבּוֹ כַּכָּבֵד הַזֶּה שֶׁהִיא מִתְבַּשֶׁלֶת שְׁנִיָּה וְאַרְטָסִיס נִכְנָס בְּתוֹכָהּ, כָּךְ נַעֲשָׂה לִבּוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה כַּכָּבֵד הַזֶּה וְלֹא הָיָה מְקַבֵּל דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הֱוֵי: כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ וגו':
Another interpretation: “As I have hardened his heart” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here there is an opening for the heretics to say that he had no [opportunity] to repent, as it is stated: “As I have hardened his heart.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said to him: Let the mouths of the heretics be sealed; rather, “to the scorners He scorns” (Proverbs 3:34). The Holy One blessed be He forewarns a person the first time, the second, and the third, and if he does not relent, He locks his heart from repentance in order to exact retribution for his sins. The same is true regarding the wicked Pharaoh. Once the Holy One blessed be He sent [him warnings] five times, and he disregarded His words, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: You were stubborn and hardened your heart; behold. I will add impurity to your impurity. That is: “As I have hardened [hikhbadti] his heart.” What is hikhbadti? The Holy One blessed be He rendered his heart like this liver, which, when it is cooked twice, becomes hard. Thus, Pharaoh’s heart became like that liver, and he did not accept the words of the Holy One, blessed be He. That is: “As I have hardened his heart.”
וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ, גִּלָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה מַה מַּכָּה יָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן וְכָתַב משֶׁה בְּרֶמֶז, וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ, זוֹ מַכַּת אַרְבֶּה, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (יואל א, ג): עָלֶיהָ לִבְנֵיכֶם סַפֵּרוּ, וַיָּבֹא משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, כִּי אִם מָאֵן אַתָּה לְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת עַמִּי וגו', מַהוּ הִנְנִי מֵבִיא מָחָר אַרְבֶּה בִּגְבֻלֶךָ, וְלֹא בִּגְבוּל בְּנֵי חָם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (ישעיה כו, ט): כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לָאָרֶץ צֶדֶק לָמְדוּ וגו', שֶׁבְּמַכַּת הָאַרְבֶּה הִכִּירוּ עַד הֵיכָן גְּבוּל מִצְרָיִם. וְכִסָּה אֶת עֵין הָאָרֶץ, וּמָלְאוּ בָתֶּיךָ, וַיִּפֶן וַיֵּצֵא מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה, מַהוּ כֵן, שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָם שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹנִים זֶה בָּזֶה וְהָיוּ מַאֲמִינִים לִדְבָרָיו, וְיָצָא מִשָּׁם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּטְלוּ עֵצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה.
“And so that you will relate in the ears of your son, and of your son's son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs that I have performed among them; and you will know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 10:2).
“And so that you will relate in the ears of your son” – the Holy One blessed be He revealed to Moses what plague He would bring upon them, and Moses wrote it in an allusion: “And so that you will relate in the ears of your son” – this is the plague of locusts, as it is stated: “Relate to your children about it” (Joel 1:3).5What is to be related appears in the following verse – locusts.
“Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and said to him: So said the Lord, God of the Hebrews: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, and they will serve Me. For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your border” (Exodus 10:3–4).
“Moses and Aaron came.… For if you refuse to let My people go…” – what is “behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your border”? But not in the borders of the descendants of Ḥam. In this regard it is stated: “For when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants [of the world] learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9). Through the plague of locusts, they recognized until where the border of Egypt is.
“And your houses will be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; that neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, from the day that they were on the earth until this day. He turned, and exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:6).
“They will cover the face of the earth.… And your houses will be filled…He turned, and exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:5–6) – what is this?6Why does the Torah state that “he turned, and exited”? That does not appear in the account of any other plague. It is because he saw that they were looking at each other and believing his words, and he left there so they would take counsel and repent.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַבְדֵי פַרְעֹה וגו' וַיּוּשַׁב אֶת משֶׁה וְאֶת אַהֲרֹן וגו' וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה בִּנְעָרֵינוּ וּבִזְקֵנֵינוּ וגו' וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם יְהִי כֵן ה' עִמָּכֶם וגו'. מַהוּ רָעָה נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶם, אָמַר לָהֶם דֶּרֶךְ הַבַּחוּרִים וְהַזְּקֵנִים לִזְבֹּחַ, שֶׁמָּא הַקְּטַנִּים וְהַטַּף, וּמִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר דָּבָר זֶה אֵין דַּעְתּוֹ אֶלָּא לִבְרֹחַ, לֹא כְּמָה שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים (שמות ה, ג, ח, כג): דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים, לְפִיכָךְ רְאוּ שֶׁאוֹתָהּ שֶׁאַתֶּם מְחַשְׁבִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּדַעְתְּכֶם לִבְרֹחַ הִיא תָּשׁוּב נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶם שֶׁלֹא תֵצְאוּ מִכָּאן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: לְכוּ נָא הַגְּבָרִים, אָמַר לוֹ אִם תֹּאמַר: לֹא כֵן מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ לִבְרוֹחַ, אִם כֵּן יֵאָמְנוּ דִבְרֵיכֶם, לְכוּ נָא הַגְּבָרִים, כִּי הַטַּף אֵינָן בְּנֵי עֲבוֹדָה לָמָּה אַתֶּם צְרִיכִין לָהֶם, אֶלָּא כִּי אֹתָהּ אַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים, רָעָה אַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים לַעֲשׂוֹת, לִבְרֹחַ אַתֶּם חֲפֵצִים, לְפִיכָךְ אֵינִי שׁוֹמֵעַ לָכֶם לִכְלוּם. מִיָּד צִוָּה וְגֵרַשׁ אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיְּגָרֶשׁ אֹתָם מֵאֵת פְּנֵי פַרְעֹה.
“He said to them: So let the Lord be with you, when I will let you and your children go; see that evil is facing you” (Exodus 10:10).
“Pharaoh's servants said.… Moses and Aaron were returned.… Moses said: We will go with our young and with our old.… He said to them: So let the Lord be with you…” (Exodus 10:7–10) – what is “evil facing you”? He said to them: ‘It is the way of youths and elders to sacrifice, but the young and the children? One who says this, his intention is only to flee, not as you are saying: “A three-day journey” (Exodus 5:3, 8:23). Therefore, see that what you are thinking, that you intend to flee, will return against you, so you will not depart from here.’
“Not so; let the men go now and serve the Lord; for that is what you seek. He drove them out from Pharaoh's presence” (Exodus 10:11).
That is what is written: “Let the men go now” – he said to him: ‘If you say: Our intent is not to flee, prove your assertion: “Let the men go now.” Since the children are not fit to serve, why do you need them? Rather, “for that is what you seek” – you are seeking to perform evil, you wish to flee. Therefore, I will not listen to you at all.’ Immediately, he issued a command and drove them from there; that is what is written: “He drove them out from Pharaoh's presence.”
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה נְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ, אַרְבֶּה לָמָּה הֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָֹּׂמוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל זוֹרְעֵי חִטִּים וּשְׂעוֹרִים, לְפִיכָךְ הֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן אַרְבֶּה וְאָכְלוּ כָּל מַה שֶּׁזָּרְעוּ לָהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת מַטֵּהוּ, לָמָה הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן זְמַן לַמַּכּוֹת, מָחָר, וְלֹא הָיָה מֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן מִיָּד, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ בָּהֶן וְיַעֲשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה. וַיַּעַל הָאַרְבֶּה וגו' וַיְכַס אֶת עֵין כָּל הָאָרֶץ וגו' וַיְמַהֵר פַּרְעֹה לִקְרֹא לְמשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן וגו', מַהוּ חָטָאתִי לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְלָכֶם, חָטָאתִי לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם שֶׁלֹא שִׁלַּחְתִּי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָכֶם, שֶׁגֵּרַשְׁתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִפָּנַי, וְשֶׁהָיִיתִי חוֹשֵׁב לְקַלֵּל אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי: יְהִי כֵן ה' עִמָּכֶם. וְעַתָּה שָׂא נָא חַטָּאתִי, וַיֵּצֵא מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה.
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, and they will ascend on the land of Egypt, and eat every grass of the land, everything that the hail left” (Exodus 10:12).
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand” – why did He bring locusts upon them? It is because they tasked Israel to be sowers of wheat and barley; therefore, he brought locusts upon them, and they ate everything that the Israelites had sown.
“Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; it was morning, and the east wind brought the locusts” (Exodus 10:13).
“Moses extended his staff” – why would the Holy One blessed be He give a time for the plagues, “tomorrow” (Exodus 10:4), and not bring them upon them immediately? It was so they would relent and repent.
Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron, and he said: I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you (Exodus 10:16).
“The locusts ascended…they covered the surface of the entire land… Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron…” (Exodus 10:14–16) – what is “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you”? “I have sinned against the Lord your God,” in that I did not let Israel go, “and against you,” in that I drove you out from before me and I thought to curse you, as I said: “So let the Lord be with you” (Exodus 10:10). “Now, please, forgive my sin [just this once, and entreat the Lord your God, and He will remove this death only from me].… He exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:17–18).
וַיּהֲפֹךְ ה' רוּחַ יָם, מַהוּ לֹא נִשְׁאַר אַרְבֶּה אֶחָד, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא אַרְבֶּה שָׂמְחוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים, אָמְרוּ נִקְבֹּץ וּנְמַלֵּא מֵהֶם חָבִיּוֹת. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רְשָׁעִים בַּמַּכָּה שֶׁהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיכֶם בָּהּ אַתֶּם שְׂמֵחִים, מִיָּד וַיַּהֲפֹךְ ה' רוּחַ יָם חָזָק מְאֹד, זֶה רוּחַ מַעֲרָבִית. וַיִּשָֹּׂא אֶת הָאַרְבֶּה וגו', מַהוּ לֹא נִשְׁאַר אַרְבֶּה אֶחָד, אֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ בַּקְּדֵירוֹת וּבֶחָבִיּוֹת מְלוּחוֹת פָּרְחוּ וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶם, וַיְחַזֵּק ה' אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה.
“The Lord turned an exceedingly strong west wind, and it carried the locusts, and deposited them into the Red Sea; there did not remain even one locust within the entire border of Egypt. The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go” (Exodus 10:19–20).
“The Lord turned…a west wind…there did not remain even one locust” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the locusts came, the Egyptians rejoiced. They said: Let us fill barrels with them. The Holy One blessed be He said: Wicked ones, are you rejoicing over the plague that I brought upon you? Immediately, “the Lord turned an exceedingly strong west [yam] wind”; this is the west [maaravit] wind. “It carried the locusts…” – what is “there did not remain even one locust”? Even what was salted in the pots and in the barrels flew and went away. “The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.”7It is possible that this last line expresses that once Pharaoh saw that even the locusts in the barrels disappeared, he concluded that the plague had been the result of sorcery, as this would not have happened with real locusts. Consequently, he hardened his heart (Etz Yosef).