“When Pharaoh will speak to you, saying: Provide a wonder for you; then you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff, and cast it before Pharaoh, it will become a serpent” (Exodus 7:9). “When Pharaoh will speak to you” – Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama began: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times matters that have not been done; saying: My counsel will stand, and all My desire I will do” (Isaiah 46:10) – the Holy One blessed be He declares at the beginning what will be at the end, as He says to Moses: “This people will rise, and go astray after the foreign gods of the land” (Deuteronomy 31:16), which they were destined to do after the death of Joshua: “And they will forsake Me, and breach My covenant” (Deuteronomy 31:16); “they forsook the Lord and did not worship Him” (Judges 10:6). That is “declaring the end from the beginning.” Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama said: Anyone who reads this verse thinks that perhaps there is a dispute on High, as He says: “My counsel will stand [and all My desire I will do].” What is “and all My desire I will do”? It is that He desires to vindicate His creations, as it is stated: “The Lord desires for the sake of His righteousness, to make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21), and does not seek to condemn any creature, as it is stated: “I have no desire in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked repent from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). Therefore, it is stated: “And all My desire I will do.” Likewise you find that the Holy One blessed be He told Moses the end from the beginning; it is not written: If Pharaoh will speak to you, but rather, “when [Pharaoh] will speak”; he is destined to say this to you. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: He is speaking appropriately: “Provide a wonder for you.” Likewise, you find with Noah, after all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed for him in the ark, and He took him out of it, He said to him: “And the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Genesis 9:15). [Noah] began asking for a sign,1That there would never again be a flood. until the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “I have set My rainbow in the cloud” (Genesis 9:13); if the righteous Noah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would]. Likewise, you find with Hezekiah, when Isaiah came and said to him: “So says the Lord…I will heal you; on the third day you will go up to the house of the Lord” (II Kings 20:5), he began asking for a sign, as it is stated: “Hezekiah said…what is the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” (II Kings 20:8). If the righteous Hezekiah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would]. Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, when they descended into the fiery furnace, they descended only with a sign. How so? “Not to us, Lord, not to us” (Psalms 115:1), said Ḥananya. “To Your name give glory” (Psalms 115:1), said Mishael. “For Your kindness and for Your truth” (Psalms 115:1), said Azarya. Gabriel was answering after them: “Why should the nations say: Where [now is their God?]” (Psalms 115:2). Once this became fluent in their mouths all night, they took that as a sign and descended.2They took as a sign the fact that their prayer was fluent in their mouths. See Berakhot 34b. If you cannot learn it from here, learn it from another source, as it is written: “Hear now, Yehoshua the High Priest, you and your counterparts who sit before you; as they are men of a sign” (Zechariah 3:8). Who were they? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: They were Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, for whom this sign was performed.3The reference is to the sign that they received before descending into the furnace. If the righteous seek a sign, all the more so, the wicked [Pharaoh would].
“Then you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff” – that is what is written: “The staff of Your strength the Lord will send from Zion” (Psalms 110:2). The Holy One blessed be He subjugates the wicked only with a staff. Why? It is because they are likened to dogs, as it is stated: “They return in the evening, they howl like a dog” (Psalms 59:15); just as it is the way of a dog to be beaten with a staff, so too, they are beaten. That is why it is stated: “The staff of Your strength” – the Holy One blessed be He said: Pharaoh is wicked. If he says to you: “Provide a wonder for you,” beat him with a staff, as it is stated: “Say to Aaron: Take your staff” (Exodus 7:19).
“Cast it before Pharaoh, it will become a serpent” – we learned [regarding] one who stands in prayer: Even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him; and even if a serpent is wrapped around his heel, he should not interrupt [his prayer] (Mishna Berakhot 5:1). What did the Sages see that led them to liken the wrapping of a serpent to the kingdom of Egypt? Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said: It is as it is written: “Its sound will go like a serpent” (Jeremiah 46:22);4The prophecy in Jeremiah, chap. 46 is stated regarding Egypt. just as a serpent hisses and kills, so too, the Egyptian kingdom hisses and kills, as it places one in prison, falsely accuses him, and kills him. Alternatively, what did the Holy One blessed be He see that led Him to liken the kingdom of Egypt to a serpent? Just as a serpent is curved [me’ukam], so too, the kingdom of Egypt acts deceitfully. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: Just as a serpent is curved, so too Pharaoh is deceitful [me’ukam]. When he comes to be deceitful, tell Aaron, and he shall raise the staff before him, as though to say: With this you will be struck.
Another interpretation: Why did He say to them the miracle of the serpent? It is because Pharaoh was likened to a serpent, as it is stated: “[Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt,] the great serpent that lies in the midst of his rivers” (Ezekiel 29:3). When Moses would exit from Pharaoh, [Pharaoh] would say: If the son of Amram will come to me, I will behead him, I will hang him, I will burn him. When Moses would enter, immediately, Pharaoh became a staff.5Like a dry piece of wood, he did nothing.
“Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and they did so, as the Lord commanded; Aaron cast his staff before Pharaoh and before his servants and it became a serpent” (Exodus 7:10). “Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh” – should not Aaron have entered first, as he was greater in years than him? Why Moses? It is because he was greater than him in Egypt, as it is stated: “The man, Moses, too, was very great [in the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 11:3). Alternatively, because the Holy One blessed be He rendered Moses as god over Aaron, as it is stated: “And you will be to him as god” (Exodus 4:16), and it is appropriate for the master to enter first. “And they did so, as the Lord commanded” – in that they did not do so until Pharaoh requested a wonder, just as the Holy One blessed be He said. At that moment, “Aaron cast his staff.”
“Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they too, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their spells” (Exodus 7:11). “Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers.” At that moment, Pharaoh began laughing at them and clucking at them like a hen, saying to them: ‘Are these the signs of your God? The way of the world is that people bring merchandise to a place that needs it. Do they bring fish brine to Spain, fish to Akko? Do you not know that all sorcery is in my control?’ Immediately, he sent and brought children from their schools, and they too performed this [wonder]. Moreover, he called his wife and she did so, as it is stated: “Pharaoh also [gam] called.” What is gam? It is that he called even his wife and she did so. “They too [gam], the magicians of Egypt, did so.” What is gam? It is that he called even four- and five-year-old children, and they did so.
“Each man cast his staff, and they became serpents, and Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs” (Exodus 7:12). “Each man cast his staff” – Yoḥani and Mamre6These were two of the head sorcerers. said to Moses: ‘Are you taking straw to Ofriyim?’7This is the agricultural equivalent of taking coals to Newcastle. He said to them: ‘To a city of vegetables take vegetables.’8It is because people go there to purchase vegetables. “Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs” – that is what is written: “A fool expends all his spirit; but a wise man stills it within him” (Proverbs 29:11). The fool expresses his claims all at once when he comes to quarrel with another, while the wise man ultimately marginalizes him. Alternatively: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this wicked one, after he finishes expressing his entire counsel, the Wise One of the world “stills it within him.” As you find with Aḥashverosh, who stood and abrogated work on the Temple; that is why he ruled over only half the world. What is written in his regard? “With his display of the wealth of his glorious kingdom [and the honor of his splendid majesty, for many days; one hundred and eighty days]” (Esther 1:4). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: He would show them six hidden treasures9This is based on six Hebrew expressions in the verse: The wealth [osher] of his glorious [kevod] kingdom [malkhuto] and the honor [yekar] of his splendid [tiferet] majesty [gedulato]. on each and every day, one unlike the other, and then he would send them to all the prominent members of the kingdom. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: He showed the various expenditures. Rabbi Levi says: He showed then the priestly vestments; here it is stated: “His splendid majesty” (Esther 1:4), and there it is stated: “You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother [for glory and for splendor]” (Exodus 28:2). Just as splendor stated there refers to the vestments of the High Priest, so too, splendor stated here refers to the vestments of the High Priest. “But a wise man stills it within him” – the Holy One blessed be He subverted his counsel, and he killed Vashti. Another interpretation: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh, who was mocking the Holy One blessed be He, as he believed that what Moses and Aaron had done was [achieved by] sorcery, and he called all the members of his household to do what they had done. That is “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh. “But a wise man stills it within him” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Wise of heart and mighty in strength” (Job 9:4). At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said: If the serpent will swallow the serpents of the Egyptians, it is the way of the world, a serpent swallowing a serpent. Rather, let it return to its original state and swallow the serpents. What is “And Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs”? Rabbi Elazar said: It was a miracle within a miracle; it teaches that the staff returned to its original form of a staff and swallowed them. When Pharaoh saw this, he was astonished and said: What if he were to say to the staff: Swallow Pharaoh and his throne; would it then swallow him? Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: A great miracle was performed to the staff, as even though it swallowed all the staffs that they had cast, which were numerous enough to fill ten omer, it did not thicken. Anyone who saw it would say: This is Aaron’s staff.10This is derived from the language of the verse: “And Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.” From here on, Aaron’s staff was a positive sign with which to perform miracles and wonders throughout the generations.
“Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken. The Lord said to Moses: Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning; behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the Nile bank to meet him; and the staff that was transformed into a serpent you shall take in your hand (Exodus 7:13–15). “Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.… The Lord said to Moses: Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn [kaved]” – he is angry. Just as the liver [kaved] becomes angry,11The liver was regarded as the seat of anger; see Berakhot 61b. so, too, this one’s heart became like a liver; he does not understand, he is a fool: “As anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9). With what do you chastise the fool? With a staff, as it is stated: “A rod to the back of fools” (Proverbs 26:3). Moses, too, chastised Pharaoh with a staff, as it is stated: “and the staff that was transformed into a serpent [you shall take in your hand].” Another interpretation: “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn [kaved]” – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: Wicked one, with the expression with which you honored yourself,12Pharaoh honored himself by refusing to humble himself before God. The midrash here is interpreting the word kaved in the sense of kavod, honor. with the same expression I will be honored at your expense, as it is stated: “When I have gained honor [behikavedi] through Pharaoh” (Exodus 14:18). “Go to Pharaoh in the morning; behold, he goes out to the water” – he would go out to the water only in the morning, because that wicked one would boast and assert that he was a deity and did not need to relieve himself; therefore, he would go out in the morning. Catch him in the morning when he needs to relieve himself. “And the staff that was transformed into a serpent you shall take in your hand” so that he will be afraid of it.
“You shall say to him: The Lord, God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying: Let My people go, and they will serve Me in the wilderness; and, behold, you have not heeded until now. So said the Lord: With this you will know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike with the staff that is in my hand on the water that is in the Nile, and it will be turned into blood” (Exodus 7:16–17). “You shall say to him: The Lord, God of the Hebrews.… So said the Lord: With this you will know” – this is what is written: “Behold, God is exalted in His power, who is a teacher like Him?” (Job 36:22). It is the way of the world that when a human being seeks to bring harm to his enemy, he brings it upon him suddenly so he will not sense it [is coming]; but the Holy One blessed be He forewarned Pharaoh for each and every plague so he would repent; this is what is written: “With this you will know that I am the Lord”; “Behold, I will strike all your borders with frogs (Exodus 7:27); “send and gather” (Exodus 9:19).13This is the forewarning that preceded the plague of hail. “On the water that is in the Nile, and it will be turned into blood” – why was the water afflicted first with blood? It is because Pharaoh and the Egyptians worshipped the Nile. The Holy One blessed be He said: I will smite the god first and then his people. This is a folk parable: Smite the gods and the priests will be afraid. Likewise it says: “The Lord will reckon with the host of the high heavens on high,” and after that, [“the kings of the earth upon the earth”] (Isaiah 24:21).
“The fish that are in the Nile will die and the Nile will become foul; and the Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the Nile. The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron: Take your staff, and stretch your hand over the water of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, and they will become blood; and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt, and in the wood and in the stone vessels” (Exodus 7:18–19). “The fish that are in the Nile will die.… The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron.” Rabbi Tanḥum said: Why was the water not afflicted by Moses? The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The water that protected you when you were cast into the Nile, it is not appropriate for it to be afflicted by you. By your life, it will be afflicted only by Aaron.’ “Stretch your hand over the water of Egypt” – everything that was in the Nile, in the ponds, and in the rivers; “and over all their pools of water, and they will become blood” – [including water] that was in a jug; “and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt” – even what an Egyptian spit was blood. Why did the Holy One blessed be He bring blood upon them? It was measure for measure,14A punishment that fit the crime. as He said to Abraham: “The nation that they will serve I will judge…” (Genesis 15:14). It is because they did not allow Israelite women to immerse from their impurity, so they would not procreate; therefore, the water was afflicted with blood.15It is because they prevented the Israelite women from immersing to purify themselves from their menstrual blood. Consequently, it was prohibited for them to cohabit with their husbands. “Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted the rod, and struck the water that was in the Nile, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and before the eyes of his servants; and all the water that was in the Nile turned into blood. The fish that were in the Nile died; and the Nile became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile; and the blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:20–21). “Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded.… The fish that were in the Nile died” – Rabbi Avin HaLevi, son of Rabbi, said: Israel became wealthy from the plague of blood. How so? If an Egyptian and an Israelite were in one house and the tub was full of water, and the Egyptian went to fill the jug from it, he would remove it filled with blood, but the Israelite would drink water from the tub. The Egyptian would say: ‘Give me a little water with your hand.’ He would give it to him, and it would become blood. He would say to him: ‘Let you and I drink water from one bowl,’ and the Israelite would drink water and the Egyptian blood. But when he would purchase it from the Israelite with money, he would drink water. From this, Israel became wealthy.
“The magicians of Egypt did so with their spells; and Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken” (Exodus 7:22). “The magicians of Egypt did so” – this teaches that they believed it was an act of sorcery. “With their spells [belateihem]” – Rabbi Aivo bar Nagrei said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Belateihem is an act of demons; belahateihem (Exodus 7:11) is an act of sorcery. Likewise it says: “And the flame [lahat] of the ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24), as all acts of sorcery are performed by angels of destruction. “Pharaoh turned and came to his house, and he did not take this to heart either” (Exodus 7:23). “Pharaoh turned” – he was not concerned, and did not take heed of God’s plague. “All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, as they could not drink from the water of the Nile” (Exodus 7:24). “All the Egyptians dug around the Nile” – Rabbi Yehuda says: Only [the water] in the Nile was afflicted. Rabbi Neḥemya says: [The water] above and below [the ground] was afflicted; the water of all of Egypt was afflicted with blood. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: ‘How do I interpret “All the Egyptians dug around the Nile.”’ He said to him: ‘Because the Egyptians were saying that all the water that Moses and Aaron saw were turned into blood, and they would dig to obtain water that their eyes had not seen.’16However, they did not actually find water, as even the water underground had turned to blood. Rabbi Berekhya said: What is that which is written: “All the water that was in the Nile turned into [vayehafekhu] [blood]” (Exodus 7:20)? This is analogous to a servant who was being beaten by his master on his stomach, and he would turn himself around and receive the beatings on his back. So, too, the Nile would reverse [mehapekh] itself so that the plague would not affect it, but it was to no avail, as all of its water turned into blood. Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: A generalization, a detail, and a generalization, you may infer only matters similar to the detail. “Over the water of Egypt” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a generalization; “over their rivers, over their streams, and over their ponds” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a detail; “and over all their pools of water” (Exodus 7:19) – this is another generalization. What do you include [in the inference]? Everything that is similar to them.17That is, the water in the vessels did not turn to blood. What is “and in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19)? Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: Even their idols were afflicted with blood, as it is stated: “They say to wood: You are my father” (Jeremiah 2:27). Another interpretation: “And in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19) – the water that they would drink with a Jew in one vessel, in a wooden vessel or in a stone vessel, would be transformed into blood in his mouth. Some say that even their pedestals and their lavatories were afflicted with blood. When one of them would go and sit on a bed, on a stone, or on a boulder, they would ruin their garments with blood. Likewise, it says: “The blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:21.
“Seven days were completed, after the Lord had struck the Nile” (Exodus 7:25). “Seven days were completed, after the Lord had struck the Nile” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: One says: For twenty-four days he would forewarn them before the plague began, and for seven days the plague would affect them. And one says: For seven days he would forewarn them, and for twenty-four days the plague would affect them. According to the one who says that for twenty-four days he would forewarn them, “seven days were completed” for the plague. According to the one who says that for seven days he would forewarn them, “seven days were completed after the Lord had struck,” during which he would forewarn them regarding another plague.
Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: Just as the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians, so He is destined to bring upon Tzor,18This is the kingdom of Edom, the wicked Roman Empire, which is called Tzor because it oppressed [tzar] the Jews. as it is stated: “When the report reaches Egypt, they will tremble at the report of Tzor” (Isaiah 23:5).19It is interpreted homiletically: Just as when they heard the report of Egypt, so too they will tremble when they hear the report of Tzor. Rabbi Elazar said: Every mention of Tzor in the Bible that is deficient20It is missing the vav. is referring to the wicked kingdom. Every Tzor that is plene21It is written with the vav. is referring to the city of Tyre. Egypt was afflicted with blood; here too, “its streams will be turned into pitch” (Isaiah 34:9).22The prophecy is regarding Edom. “It will not be extinguished night and day” (Isaiah 34:10), because they caused Israel to be idle from the Torah, of which it is written: “You shall contemplate it day and night” (Joshua 1:8); therefore, the Holy One blessed be He will exact retribution against it with a fire that will never be extinguished, day or night. And because they burned the house of the Holy One blessed be He, about which it is written: “The house was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6:4); therefore, “its smoke will rise [forever]” (Isaiah 34:10). Likewise it says: “An uproar from the city, a sound from the Sanctuary, the sound of the Lord paying retribution to His enemies” (Isaiah 66:6). Because of the “uproar from the city, a sound from the Sanctuary,” as it is stated: “They have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as a day of solemn assembly” (Lamentations 2:7); therefore, [they will be subject to] “the sound of the Lord paying retribution to His enemies.”
כִּי יְדַבֵּר אֲלֵכֶם פַּרְעֹה, רַבִּי פִּנְחָס הַכֹּהֵן בַּר חָמָא פָּתַח (ישעיה מו, י): מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית וּמִקֶּדֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא נַעֲשׂוּ אֹמֵר עֲצָתִי תָקוּם וְכָל חֶפְצִי אֶעֱשֶׂה. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית מַה יְּהֵא בַסּוֹף, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר לְמשֶׁה (דברים לא, טז): וְקָם הָעָם הַזֶּה וְזָנָה אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵי נֵכַר הָאָרֶץ, מַה שֶּׁעֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת אַחַר מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, (דברים לא, טז): וַעֲזָבַנִי וְהֵפֵר אֶת בְּרִיתִי, (שופטים י, ו): וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת ה' וְלֹא עֲבָדוּהוּ, הֱוֵי: מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס הַכֹּהֵן בַּר חָמָא כָּל הַקּוֹרֵא פָּסוּק זֶה סָבוּר שֶׁמָּא פְלִינְקָרָא יֵשׁ לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: עֲצָתִי תָקוּם, מַהוּ וְכָל חֶפְצִי אֶעֱשֶׂה, שֶׁהוּא חָפֵץ לְהַצְדִּיק בְּרִיּוֹתָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מב, כא): ה' חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר, וְאֵינוֹ חָפֵץ לְחַיֵּב בְּרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לג, יא): אִם אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הָרָשָׁע כִּי אִם בְּשׁוּב רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכּוֹ וְחָיָה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וְכָל חֶפְצִי אֶעֱשֶׂה. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁהִגִּיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית, אִם יְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה אֵין כָּתוּב כָּאן, אֶלָּא כִּי יְדַבֵּר, עָתִיד הוּא לוֹמַר לָכֶם כֵּן. וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי שָׁלוֹם אָמַר כַּהֹגֶן הוּא מְדַבֵּר, תְּנוּ לָכֶם מוֹפֵת. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּנֹחַ אַחַר כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּתֵּבָה וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִמֶּנָּהּ אָמַר לוֹ (בראשית ט, טו): וְלֹא יִהְיֶה עוֹד הַמַּיִם לְמַבּוּל לְשַׁחֵת כָּל בָּשָׂר, הִתְחִיל מְבַקֵּשׁ סִימָן עַד שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (בראשית ט, יג): אֶת קַשְׁתִּי נָתַתִּי בֶּעָנָן, וּמַה נֹּחַ הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ סִימָן, פַּרְעֹה הָרָשָׁע עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּחִזְקִיָּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא יְשַׁעְיָה וְאָמַר לוֹ (מלכים ב כ, ה): כֹּה אָמַר ה' הִנְנִי רֹפֵא לָךְ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי תַּעֲלֶה בֵּית ה', הִתְחִיל לְבַקֵּשׁ סִימָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב כ, ח): וַיֹּאמֶר חִזְקִיָּה מָה אוֹת [כי אעלה] כִּי יִרְפָּא ה' לִי וְעָלִיתִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בֵּית ה', וּמָה חִזְקִיָּהוּ הַצַּדִּיק בִּקֵּשׁ אוֹת, פַּרְעֹה הָרָשָׁע לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן. חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה כְּשֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְכִבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ לֹא יָרְדוּ אֶלָּא בְּסִימָן, כֵּיצַד (תהלים קטו, א): לֹא לָנוּ ה' לֹא לָנוּ, אָמַר חֲנַנְיָה. (תהלים קטו, א): לְשִׁמְךָ תֵּן כָּבוֹד, אָמַר מִישָׁאֵל. (תהלים קטו, א): עַל חַסְדְּךָ וְעַל אֲמִתֶּךָ, אָמַר עֲזַרְיָה. וְגַבְרִיאֵל הָיָה עוֹנֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶן, (תהלים קטו, ב): לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אַיֵּה וגו'. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשִּׁגְּרוּ כָּל הַלַּיְלָה בְּפִיהֶם, נָטְלוּ אוֹתוֹ סִימָן וְיָרְדוּ, וְאִם אֵין לְךָ לִלְמֹד מִכָּן לְמֹד מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, דִּכְתִיב (זכריה ג, ח): שְׁמַע נָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל אַתָּה וְרֵעֶיךָ הַיּשְׁבִים לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי אַנְשֵׁי מוֹפֵת הֵמָּה, וּמִי הָיוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי שָׁלוֹם אֵלּוּ חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לָהֶם הַסִּימָן הַזֶּה, וּמָה אִם הַצַּדִּיקִים מְבַקְּשִׁים סִימָן הָרְשָׁעִים עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
“When Pharaoh will speak to you, saying: Provide a wonder for you; then you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff, and cast it before Pharaoh, it will become a serpent” (Exodus 7:9).
“When Pharaoh will speak to you” – Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama began: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times matters that have not been done; saying: My counsel will stand, and all My desire I will do” (Isaiah 46:10) – the Holy One blessed be He declares at the beginning what will be at the end, as He says to Moses: “This people will rise, and go astray after the foreign gods of the land” (Deuteronomy 31:16), which they were destined to do after the death of Joshua: “And they will forsake Me, and breach My covenant” (Deuteronomy 31:16); “they forsook the Lord and did not worship Him” (Judges 10:6). That is “declaring the end from the beginning.”
Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama said: Anyone who reads this verse thinks that perhaps there is a dispute on High, as He says: “My counsel will stand [and all My desire I will do].” What is “and all My desire I will do”? It is that He desires to vindicate His creations, as it is stated: “The Lord desires for the sake of His righteousness, to make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21), and does not seek to condemn any creature, as it is stated: “I have no desire in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked repent from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). Therefore, it is stated: “And all My desire I will do.” Likewise you find that the Holy One blessed be He told Moses the end from the beginning; it is not written: If Pharaoh will speak to you, but rather, “when [Pharaoh] will speak”; he is destined to say this to you.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: He is speaking appropriately: “Provide a wonder for you.” Likewise, you find with Noah, after all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed for him in the ark, and He took him out of it, He said to him: “And the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Genesis 9:15). [Noah] began asking for a sign,1That there would never again be a flood. until the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “I have set My rainbow in the cloud” (Genesis 9:13); if the righteous Noah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would].
Likewise, you find with Hezekiah, when Isaiah came and said to him: “So says the Lord…I will heal you; on the third day you will go up to the house of the Lord” (II Kings 20:5), he began asking for a sign, as it is stated: “Hezekiah said…what is the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” (II Kings 20:8). If the righteous Hezekiah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would].
Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, when they descended into the fiery furnace, they descended only with a sign. How so? “Not to us, Lord, not to us” (Psalms 115:1), said Ḥananya. “To Your name give glory” (Psalms 115:1), said Mishael. “For Your kindness and for Your truth” (Psalms 115:1), said Azarya. Gabriel was answering after them: “Why should the nations say: Where [now is their God?]” (Psalms 115:2). Once this became fluent in their mouths all night, they took that as a sign and descended.2They took as a sign the fact that their prayer was fluent in their mouths. See Berakhot 34b.
If you cannot learn it from here, learn it from another source, as it is written: “Hear now, Yehoshua the High Priest, you and your counterparts who sit before you; as they are men of a sign” (Zechariah 3:8). Who were they? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: They were Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, for whom this sign was performed.3The reference is to the sign that they received before descending into the furnace. If the righteous seek a sign, all the more so, the wicked [Pharaoh would].
וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת מַטְךָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קי, ב): מַטֵּה עֻזְּךָ יִשְׁלַח ה' מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוֹדֶה אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים אֶלָּא בְּמַטֶּה, וְלָמָּה, לְפִי שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לַכְּלָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים נט, טו): וְיָשֻׁבוּ לָעֶרֶב יֶהֱמוּ כַכָּלֶב, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל כֶּלֶב לִלְקוֹת בְּמַקֵּל, כָּךְ הֵם לוֹקִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: מַטֵּה עֻזְּךָ, אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, פַּרְעֹה רָשָׁע הוּא אִם אוֹמֵר לָכֶם תְּנוּ מוֹפֵת, הַכֵּה אוֹתוֹ בַּמַּקֵּל, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר: אֱמֹר אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת מַטְךָ.
“Then you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff” – that is what is written: “The staff of Your strength the Lord will send from Zion” (Psalms 110:2). The Holy One blessed be He subjugates the wicked only with a staff. Why? It is because they are likened to dogs, as it is stated: “They return in the evening, they howl like a dog” (Psalms 59:15); just as it is the way of a dog to be beaten with a staff, so too, they are beaten. That is why it is stated: “The staff of Your strength” – the Holy One blessed be He said: Pharaoh is wicked. If he says to you: “Provide a wonder for you,” beat him with a staff, as it is stated: “Say to Aaron: Take your staff” (Exodus 7:19).
וְהַשְּׁלֵךְ לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה יְהִי לְתַנִּין, תְּנַן הָעוֹמֵד לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֲפִלּוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ לֹא יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ וַאֲפִלּוּ נָחָשׁ כָּרוּךְ עַל עֲקֵבוֹ לֹא יַפְסִיק, מָה רָאוּ חֲכָמִים לְהַקִּישׁ כְּרִיכַת נָחָשׁ לְמַלְכוּת מִצְרַיִם, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן פַּזִי דִּכְתִיב (ירמיה מו, כב): קוֹלָהּ כַּנָּחָשׁ יֵלֵךְ, מָה הַנָּחָשׁ מְלַחֵשׁ וְהוֹרֵג אַף מַלְכוּת מִצְרַיִם מְלַחֶשֶׁת וְהוֹרֶגֶת, כִּי הוּא נוֹתֵן בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים וּמְלַחֵשׁ עָלָיו לְהָרְגוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מָה רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַקִּישׁ מַלְכוּת מִצְרַיִם לְנָחָשׁ, מַה הַנָּחָשׁ מְעֻקָּם אַף מַלְכוּת מִצְרַיִם מְעַקֶּמֶת דְּרָכֶיהָ. לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַנָּחָשׁ מְעֻקָּם אַף פַּרְעֹה מְעֻקָּם, כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא לְהִתְעַקֵּם אֱמֹר לְאַהֲרֹן וְיִתְלֶה אֶת הַמַּטֶּה כְּנֶגְדוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר מִזֶּה אַתָּה לוֹקֶה.
“Cast it before Pharaoh, it will become a serpent” – we learned [regarding] one who stands in prayer: Even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him; and even if a serpent is wrapped around his heel, he should not interrupt [his prayer] (Mishna Berakhot 5:1). What did the Sages see that led them to liken the wrapping of a serpent to the kingdom of Egypt? Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said: It is as it is written: “Its sound will go like a serpent” (Jeremiah 46:22);4The prophecy in Jeremiah, chap. 46 is stated regarding Egypt. just as a serpent hisses and kills, so too, the Egyptian kingdom hisses and kills, as it places one in prison, falsely accuses him, and kills him. Alternatively, what did the Holy One blessed be He see that led Him to liken the kingdom of Egypt to a serpent? Just as a serpent is curved [me’ukam], so too, the kingdom of Egypt acts deceitfully. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: Just as a serpent is curved, so too Pharaoh is deceitful [me’ukam]. When he comes to be deceitful, tell Aaron, and he shall raise the staff before him, as though to say: With this you will be struck.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה אָמַר לָהֶם נֵס שֶׁל תַּנִּין, לְפִי שֶׁפַּרְעֹה נִדְמָה לְתַנִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כט, ג): הַתַּנִּים הַגָּדוֹל הָרֹבֵץ בְּתוֹךְ יְאֹרָיו, כְּשֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה יוֹצֵא מֵאֵצֶל פַּרְעֹה הָיָה אוֹמֵר אִם יָבוֹא אֶצְלִי בֶּן עַמְרָם אֲנִי הוֹרְגוֹ אֲנִי צוֹלְבוֹ וַאֲנִי שׂוֹרְפוֹ, וּכְשֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה נִכְנָס מִיַּד נַעֲשָׂה פַּרְעֹה מַטֶּה.
Another interpretation: Why did He say to them the miracle of the serpent? It is because Pharaoh was likened to a serpent, as it is stated: “[Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt,] the great serpent that lies in the midst of his rivers” (Ezekiel 29:3). When Moses would exit from Pharaoh, [Pharaoh] would say: If the son of Amram will come to me, I will behead him, I will hang him, I will burn him. When Moses would enter, immediately, Pharaoh became a staff.5Like a dry piece of wood, he did nothing.
וַיָּבֹא משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֶל פַּרְעֹה, וַהֲלוֹא אַהֲרֹן הָיָה לוֹ לִכָּנֵס תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי גָּדוֹל הָיָה מִמֶּנּוּ בְּשָׁנִים וְלָמָּה משֶׁה, שֶׁהָיָה גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יא, ג): גַּם הָאִישׁ משֶׁה גָּדוֹל מְאֹד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לְפִי שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֱלֹהִים לְמשֶׁה עַל אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, טז): וְאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה לוֹ לֵאלֹהִים, וְדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ הָרַב נִכְנַס תְּחִלָּה. וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אוֹתָם, שֶׁלֹא עָשׂוּ עַד שֶׁשָּׁאַל פַּרְעֹה מֵהֶן מוֹפֵת, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אַהֲרֹן אֶת מַטֵּהוּ.
“Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and they did so, as the Lord commanded; Aaron cast his staff before Pharaoh and before his servants and it became a serpent” (Exodus 7:10).
“Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh” – should not Aaron have entered first, as he was greater in years than him? Why Moses? It is because he was greater than him in Egypt, as it is stated: “The man, Moses, too, was very great [in the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 11:3). Alternatively, because the Holy One blessed be He rendered Moses as god over Aaron, as it is stated: “And you will be to him as god” (Exodus 4:16), and it is appropriate for the master to enter first.
“And they did so, as the Lord commanded” – in that they did not do so until Pharaoh requested a wonder, just as the Holy One blessed be He said. At that moment, “Aaron cast his staff.”
וַיִּקְרָא גַּם פַּרְעֹה לַחֲכָמִים וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הִתְחִיל פַּרְעֹה מְשַׂחֵק עֲלֵיהֶם וּמְקַרְקֵר אַחֲרֵיהֶם כְּתַרְנְגֹלֶת, וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם, כָּךְ אוֹתוֹתָיו שֶׁל אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם בְּנֵי אָדָם מוֹלִיכִין פְּרַקְמַטְיָא לְמָקוֹם שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לָהֶם, כְּלוּם מְבִיאִין מוּרְיָיס לְאַסְפַּמְיָא, דָּגִים לְעַכּוֹ, אֵין אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִין שֶׁכָּל הַכְּשָׁפִים בִּרְשׁוּתִי הֵן, מִיָּד שָׁלַח וְהֵבִיא תִּינוֹקוֹת מִן אִסְכּוֹלִי שֶׁלָּהֶם, וְעָשׂוּ אַף הֵם כָּךְ, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא קָרָא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְעָשְׂתָה כָךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּקְרָא גַּם פַּרְעֹה, מַהוּ גַּם, שֶׁאַף לְאִשְׁתּוֹ קָרָא וְעָשְׂתָה כֵן. וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַּם הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, מַהוּ גַּם, אֲפִלּוּ הַתִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁל אַרְבַּע וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים קָרָא וְעָשׂוּ כֵן.
“Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they too, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their spells” (Exodus 7:11).
“Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers.” At that moment, Pharaoh began laughing at them and clucking at them like a hen, saying to them: ‘Are these the signs of your God? The way of the world is that people bring merchandise to a place that needs it. Do they bring fish brine to Spain, fish to Akko? Do you not know that all sorcery is in my control?’ Immediately, he sent and brought children from their schools, and they too performed this [wonder]. Moreover, he called his wife and she did so, as it is stated: “Pharaoh also [gam] called.” What is gam? It is that he called even his wife and she did so. “They too [gam], the magicians of Egypt, did so.” What is gam? It is that he called even four- and five-year-old children, and they did so.
וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ אִישׁ מַטֵּהוּ, אָמְרוּ יוֹחָנִי וּמַמְרֵא לְמשֶׁה, תֶּבֶן אַתָּה מַכְנִיס לָעָפְרִיִּים. אָמַר לָהֶם לְמָתָא יַרְקָא יַרְקָא שְׁקוֹל. וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן אֶת מַטֹּתָם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כט, יא): כָּל רוּחוֹ יוֹצִיא כְסִיל וְחָכָם בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה, הַכְּסִיל מוֹצִיא כָּל דְּבָרָיו בְּפַעַם אַחַת כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא לָרִיב עִם חֲבֵרוֹ, וְחָכָם בְּאָחוֹר הוּא מְסַלְּקוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל רוּחוֹ יוֹצִיא כְסִיל, הָרָשָׁע הַזֶּה מִשֶּׁהוֹצִיא כָּל עֲצָתוֹ, אַחַר כֵּן חֲכָמוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה, שֶׁכֵּן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בַּאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ שֶׁעָמַד וּבִטֵּל מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא מָלַךְ אֶלָּא עַל חֶצְיוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַה כְּתִיב בּוֹ (אסתר א, ד): בְּהַרְאֹתוֹ אֶת עשֶׁר כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ וגו', אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שִׁשָּׁה גִיסִין הָיָה מַרְאֶה לָהֶם בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן דּוֹמֶה לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוּא מְשַׁלֵּחַ לְכָל גְּדוֹלֵי הַמַּלְכוּת. וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר מִינֵי יְצִיאוֹת הֶרְאָה לָהֶם. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה הֶרְאָה לָהֶם, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן (אסתר א, ד): תִּפְאֶרֶת גְּדוּלָּתוֹ, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (שמות כח, ב): וְעָשִׂיתָ בִגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת, מַה תִּפְאֶרֶת הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, אַף תִּפְאֶרֶת הָאָמוּר כָּאן בִּגְדֵי כְּהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה. וְחָכָם בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה, שֶׁהִפִּיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲצָתוֹ וְהָרַג אֶת וַשְׁתִּי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל רוּחוֹ יוֹצִיא כְסִיל, זֶה פַּרְעֹה שֶׁהָיָה מַלְעִיג עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁהָיָה סָבוּר שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂה כְשָׁפִים הֵן מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, וְקָרָא לְכָל בְּנֵי בֵיתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּמוֹתָם, הֱוֵי: כָּל רוּחוֹ יוֹצִיא כְסִיל, זֶה פַּרְעֹה. וְחָכָם בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב ט, ד): חֲכַם לֵבָב וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם יִבְלַע תַּנִּין אֶת תַּנִּינֵיהֶם שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הוּא, נָחָשׁ בּוֹלֵעַ נָחָשׁ, אֶלָּא יַחְזֹר לִבְרִיָּיתוֹ וְיִבְלַע אֶת תַּנִּינֵיהֶם, מַהוּ וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן אֶת מַטֹּתָם, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, נֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחָזַר הַמַּטֶּה מַטֶּה כִּבְרִיָּתוֹ, וּבָלַע אוֹתָן. כְּשֶׁרָאָה פַּרְעֹה כֵּן תָּמַהּ וְאָמַר: וּמַה אִם יֹאמַר לַמַּטֶּה בְּלַע לְפַרְעֹה וּלְכִסְאוֹ, עַכְשָׁו הוּא בּוֹלֵעַ אוֹתוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, נֵס גָּדוֹל נַעֲשָׂה בַּמַּטֶּה, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבָּלַע כָּל אוֹתָן הַמַּטּוֹת שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכוּ, שֶׁהָיוּ רַבִּים לֵעָשׂוֹת מֵהֶן עֲשָׂרָה עֳמָרִים, וְלֹא הָעֳבָה, וְכָל מִי שֶׁרוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ אוֹמֵר זֶה מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן, מִכָּאן שֶׁהָיָה מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן סִימָן טוֹב לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת לְדוֹרוֹת.
“Each man cast his staff, and they became serpents, and Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs” (Exodus 7:12).
“Each man cast his staff” – Yoḥani and Mamre6These were two of the head sorcerers. said to Moses: ‘Are you taking straw to Ofriyim?’7This is the agricultural equivalent of taking coals to Newcastle. He said to them: ‘To a city of vegetables take vegetables.’8It is because people go there to purchase vegetables.
“Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs” – that is what is written: “A fool expends all his spirit; but a wise man stills it within him” (Proverbs 29:11). The fool expresses his claims all at once when he comes to quarrel with another, while the wise man ultimately marginalizes him. Alternatively: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this wicked one, after he finishes expressing his entire counsel, the Wise One of the world “stills it within him.”
As you find with Aḥashverosh, who stood and abrogated work on the Temple; that is why he ruled over only half the world. What is written in his regard? “With his display of the wealth of his glorious kingdom [and the honor of his splendid majesty, for many days; one hundred and eighty days]” (Esther 1:4). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: He would show them six hidden treasures9This is based on six Hebrew expressions in the verse: The wealth [osher] of his glorious [kevod] kingdom [malkhuto] and the honor [yekar] of his splendid [tiferet] majesty [gedulato]. on each and every day, one unlike the other, and then he would send them to all the prominent members of the kingdom. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: He showed the various expenditures. Rabbi Levi says: He showed then the priestly vestments; here it is stated: “His splendid majesty” (Esther 1:4), and there it is stated: “You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother [for glory and for splendor]” (Exodus 28:2). Just as splendor stated there refers to the vestments of the High Priest, so too, splendor stated here refers to the vestments of the High Priest. “But a wise man stills it within him” – the Holy One blessed be He subverted his counsel, and he killed Vashti.
Another interpretation: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh, who was mocking the Holy One blessed be He, as he believed that what Moses and Aaron had done was [achieved by] sorcery, and he called all the members of his household to do what they had done. That is “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh. “But a wise man stills it within him” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Wise of heart and mighty in strength” (Job 9:4). At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said: If the serpent will swallow the serpents of the Egyptians, it is the way of the world, a serpent swallowing a serpent. Rather, let it return to its original state and swallow the serpents. What is “And Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs”? Rabbi Elazar said: It was a miracle within a miracle; it teaches that the staff returned to its original form of a staff and swallowed them. When Pharaoh saw this, he was astonished and said: What if he were to say to the staff: Swallow Pharaoh and his throne; would it then swallow him?
Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: A great miracle was performed to the staff, as even though it swallowed all the staffs that they had cast, which were numerous enough to fill ten omer, it did not thicken. Anyone who saw it would say: This is Aaron’s staff.10This is derived from the language of the verse: “And Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.” From here on, Aaron’s staff was a positive sign with which to perform miracles and wonders throughout the generations.
וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה כָּבֵד לֵב פַּרְעֹה, כּוֹעֵס הוּא, מָה הַכָּבֵד כּוֹעֵס אַף לִבּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה נַעֲשָׂה כָּבֵד, אֵינוֹ מֵבִין כְּסִיל הוּא (קהלת ז, ט): כִּי כַעַס בְּחֵיק כְּסִילִים יָנוּחַ. בַּמֶּה מְיַסְּרִים אֶת הַכְּסִיל בַּמַּטֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כו, ג): וְשֵׁבֶט לְגֵו כְּסִילִים, אַף משֶׁה יְיַסֵּר פַּרְעֹה בַּמַּטֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר נֶהְפַּךְ לְנָחָשׁ וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּבֵד לֵב פַּרְעֹה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רָשָׁע, בַּלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁהִכְבַּדְתָּ, בּוֹ בַּלָּשׁוֹן אֲנִי מִתְכַּבֵּד עָלֶיךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, יח): בְּהִכָּבְדִי בְּפַרְעֹה. לֵךְ אֶל פַּרְעֹה בַּבֹּקֶר הִנֵּה יוֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה, לֹא הָיָה יוֹצֵא אֶלָּא הַמַּיְמָה בַּבֹּקֶר, לְפִי שֶׁאוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע הָיָה מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁהוּא אֱלוֹהַּ וְאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא לִנְקָבָיו, לְפִיכָךְ הָיָה יוֹצֵא בַּבֹּקֶר, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא נִצְרַךְ תְּפֹשׂ אוֹתוֹ. וְהַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר נֶהְפַּךְ לְנָחָשׁ תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְיָרֵא מִמֶּנּוּ.
“Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken. The Lord said to Moses: Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning; behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the Nile bank to meet him; and the staff that was transformed into a serpent you shall take in your hand (Exodus 7:13–15).
“Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.… The Lord said to Moses: Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn [kaved]” – he is angry. Just as the liver [kaved] becomes angry,11The liver was regarded as the seat of anger; see Berakhot 61b. so, too, this one’s heart became like a liver; he does not understand, he is a fool: “As anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9). With what do you chastise the fool? With a staff, as it is stated: “A rod to the back of fools” (Proverbs 26:3). Moses, too, chastised Pharaoh with a staff, as it is stated: “and the staff that was transformed into a serpent [you shall take in your hand].”
Another interpretation: “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn [kaved]” – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: Wicked one, with the expression with which you honored yourself,12Pharaoh honored himself by refusing to humble himself before God. The midrash here is interpreting the word kaved in the sense of kavod, honor. with the same expression I will be honored at your expense, as it is stated: “When I have gained honor [behikavedi] through Pharaoh” (Exodus 14:18).
“Go to Pharaoh in the morning; behold, he goes out to the water” – he would go out to the water only in the morning, because that wicked one would boast and assert that he was a deity and did not need to relieve himself; therefore, he would go out in the morning. Catch him in the morning when he needs to relieve himself. “And the staff that was transformed into a serpent you shall take in your hand” so that he will be afraid of it.
וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו ה' אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים וגו' כֹּה אָמַר ה' בָּזֹאת תֵּדַע, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב לו, כב): הֶן אֵל יַשְׂגִּיב בְּכֹחוֹ מִי כָמֹהוּ מוֹרֶה, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁהוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהָבִיא רָעָה עַל שׂוֹנְאוֹ פִּתְאוֹם מֵבִיא עָלָיו עַד שֶׁלֹא יַרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הוּא מַתְרֶה לְפַרְעֹה עַל כָּל מַכָּה וּמַכָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּשׁוּב בּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי ה'. (שמות ז, כז): הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נֹגֵף אֶת כָּל גְּבוּלְךָ בַּצְפַרְדְּעִים. (שמות ט, יט): שְׁלַח הָעֵז, עַל הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר וְנֶהֶפְכוּ לְדָם, לָמָּה לָקוּ הַמַּיִם תְּחִלָּה בְּדָם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁפַּרְעֹה וְהַמִּצְרִיִּים עוֹבְדִים לַיְאוֹר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַכֶּה אֱלוֹהַּ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ עַמּוֹ, מָשָׁל הֶדְיוֹט אוֹמֵר מְחֵי אֱלָהַיָא וְיִבָּעֲתוּן כֻּמְרַיָא, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה כד, כא): יִפְקֹד ה' עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ וגו'. וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר תָּמוּת.
“You shall say to him: The Lord, God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying: Let My people go, and they will serve Me in the wilderness; and, behold, you have not heeded until now. So said the Lord: With this you will know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike with the staff that is in my hand on the water that is in the Nile, and it will be turned into blood” (Exodus 7:16–17).
“You shall say to him: The Lord, God of the Hebrews.… So said the Lord: With this you will know” – this is what is written: “Behold, God is exalted in His power, who is a teacher like Him?” (Job 36:22). It is the way of the world that when a human being seeks to bring harm to his enemy, he brings it upon him suddenly so he will not sense it [is coming]; but the Holy One blessed be He forewarned Pharaoh for each and every plague so he would repent; this is what is written: “With this you will know that I am the Lord”; “Behold, I will strike all your borders with frogs (Exodus 7:27); “send and gather” (Exodus 9:19).13This is the forewarning that preceded the plague of hail.
“On the water that is in the Nile, and it will be turned into blood” – why was the water afflicted first with blood? It is because Pharaoh and the Egyptians worshipped the Nile. The Holy One blessed be He said: I will smite the god first and then his people. This is a folk parable: Smite the gods and the priests will be afraid. Likewise it says: “The Lord will reckon with the host of the high heavens on high,” and after that, [“the kings of the earth upon the earth”] (Isaiah 24:21).
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה אֱמֹר אֶל אַהֲרֹן, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם לָמָּה לֹא לָקוּ הַמַּיִם עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַמַּיִם שֶׁשְּׁמָרוּךָ כְּשֶׁהֻשְׁלַכְתָּ לַיְאוֹר אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁיִּלְקוּ עַל יָדֶךָ, חַיֶּיךָ לֹא יִלְקוּ אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן. וּנְטֵה יָדְךָ עַל מֵימֵי מִצְרַיִם, הַכֹּל מַה שֶּׁבַּיְאוֹר וּבָאֲגַמִּים וּבַנְּהָרוֹת. וְעַל כָּל מִקְוֵה מֵימֵיהֶם וְיִהְיוּ דָּם, מַה שֶּׁבַּקִּיתוֹן. וְהָיָה דָם בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וגו', אֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶּׁמִּצְרִי רוֹקֵק דָּם הָיָה. מִפְּנֵי מָה הֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶן דָּם, מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה. שֶׁכָּךְ אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית טו, יד): וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁלֹא הָיוּ מַנִּיחִין בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִטְבֹּל מִטֻּמְאָתָן, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ פָּרִין וְרָבִין, לְפִיכָךְ לָקוּ הַמַּיִם בְּדָם. וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה'. וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר מֵתָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין הַלֵּוִי בְּרַבִּי, מִמַּכַּת דָּם הֶעֱשִׁירוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֵּיצַד, הַמִּצְרִי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבַיִת אֶחָד וְהַגִּיגִית מְלֵאָה מַיִם, וּמִצְרִי הָלַךְ לְמַלְאוֹת הַקִּיתוֹן מִתּוֹכָהּ מוֹצִיאָהּ מְלֵאָה דָּם, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹתֶה מַיִם מִתּוֹךְ הַגִּיגִית, וְהַמִּצְרִי אוֹמֵר תֵּן לִי בְּיָדְךָ מְעַט מַיִם וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ וְנַעֲשׂוּ דָּם, וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ נִשְׁתֶּה אֲנִי וְאַתָּה מִן קְעָרָה אַחַת, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹתֶה מַיִם וְהַמִּצְרִי דָּם, וּכְשֶׁהָיָה לוֹקֵחַ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּדָמִים, הָיָה שׁוֹתֶה מַיִם, מִכָּאן הֶעֱשִׁירוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
“The fish that are in the Nile will die and the Nile will become foul; and the Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the Nile. The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron: Take your staff, and stretch your hand over the water of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, and they will become blood; and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt, and in the wood and in the stone vessels” (Exodus 7:18–19).
“The fish that are in the Nile will die.… The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron.” Rabbi Tanḥum said: Why was the water not afflicted by Moses? The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The water that protected you when you were cast into the Nile, it is not appropriate for it to be afflicted by you. By your life, it will be afflicted only by Aaron.’
“Stretch your hand over the water of Egypt” – everything that was in the Nile, in the ponds, and in the rivers; “and over all their pools of water, and they will become blood” – [including water] that was in a jug; “and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt” – even what an Egyptian spit was blood.
Why did the Holy One blessed be He bring blood upon them? It was measure for measure,14A punishment that fit the crime. as He said to Abraham: “The nation that they will serve I will judge…” (Genesis 15:14). It is because they did not allow Israelite women to immerse from their impurity, so they would not procreate; therefore, the water was afflicted with blood.15It is because they prevented the Israelite women from immersing to purify themselves from their menstrual blood. Consequently, it was prohibited for them to cohabit with their husbands.
“Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted the rod, and struck the water that was in the Nile, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and before the eyes of his servants; and all the water that was in the Nile turned into blood. The fish that were in the Nile died; and the Nile became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile; and the blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:20–21).
“Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded.… The fish that were in the Nile died” – Rabbi Avin HaLevi, son of Rabbi, said: Israel became wealthy from the plague of blood. How so? If an Egyptian and an Israelite were in one house and the tub was full of water, and the Egyptian went to fill the jug from it, he would remove it filled with blood, but the Israelite would drink water from the tub. The Egyptian would say: ‘Give me a little water with your hand.’ He would give it to him, and it would become blood. He would say to him: ‘Let you and I drink water from one bowl,’ and the Israelite would drink water and the Egyptian blood. But when he would purchase it from the Israelite with money, he would drink water. From this, Israel became wealthy.
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ סְבוּרִין שֶׁהָיוּ מַעֲשֵׂה כְשָׁפִים. בְּלָטֵיהֶם, אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְבוֹ בַּר נַגְרֵי אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא: בְּלָטֵיהֶם, אֵלּוּ מַעֲשֵׂה שֵׁדִים. (שמות ז, יא): בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם, אֵלּוּ מַעֲשֵׂה כְשָׁפִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית ג, כד): אֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לִשְׁמֹר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים, לְפִי שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂה כְשָׁפִים עַל יְדֵי מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה נַעֲשִׂים. וַיִּפֶן פַּרְעֹה, לֹא חָשַׁשׁ וְלֹא הִרְגִּישׁ בְּמַכַּת הָאֱלֹהִים. וַיַּחְפְּרוּ כָל מִצְרַיִם סְבִיבֹת הַיְאֹר, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר שֶׁבַּיְאוֹר לָקוּ, וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר מִלְּמַעְלָה וּמִלְּמַטָּה לָקָה, וְכָל מִצְרַיִם לָקוּ מֵימֶיהָ בְּדָם, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם וַיַּחְפְּרוּ כָל מִצְרַיִם סְבִיבֹת הַיְאֹר, אָמַר לוֹ לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים כָּל הַמַּיִם שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹאִין משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נַעֲשִׂין דָּם, וְהָיוּ חוֹפְרִין לְהוֹצִיא מַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת מִמַּה שֶּׁאֵין עֵינֵיהֶן רוֹאִין. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה מַאי דִכְתִיב (שמות ז, כ): וַיֵּהָפְכוּ כָּל הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר וגו', מָשָׁל לְעֶבֶד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹקֶה לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ מַה שֶּׁהָיָה לוֹקֶה עַל מֵעָיו הָיָה הוֹפֵךְ עַל עַצְמוֹ וְלוֹקֶה עַל גּוּפוֹ, כָּךְ הָיָה הַיְאוֹר מְהַפֵּךְ עַצְמוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא תִשְׁלֹט בּוֹ הַמַּכָּה וְלֹא הָיָה מוֹעִיל שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ נֶהְפַּךְ לְדָם. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר אָבִין כְּלָל וּפְרָט וּכְלָל אִי אַתָּה דָן אֶלָּא כְּעֵין הַפְּרָט. (שמות ז, יט): עַל מֵימֵי מִצְרַיִם, הֲרֵי זֶה כְּלָל, עַל נַהֲרֹתָם וְעַל יְאֹרֵיהֶם וְעַל אַגְמֵיהֶם, פְּרָט, (שמות ז, יט): וְעַל כָּל מִקְוֵה מֵימֵיהֶם, הֲרֵי כְּלַל אַחֵר, מָה אַתָּה מַרְבֶּה כָּל הַדּוֹמִין לָהֶן. מַהוּ (שמות ז, יט): וּבָעֵצִים וּבָאֲבָנִים, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אוֹמְרִים אַף עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁלָּהֶם לָקָה בְּדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ב, כז): אוֹמְרִים לָעֵץ אָבִי אַתָּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וּבָעֵצִים וּבָאֲבָנִים, שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁשּׁוֹתִין עִם יְהוּדִי בִּכְלִי אֶחָד אוֹ בִּכְלִי עֵץ אוֹ בִּכְלִי אֶבֶן נֶהְפָּכִין בְּפִיו לְדָם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף בִּימְסָאוֹת וּבָתֵּי כִסְּאוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם לָקוּ בְּדָם, וּכְשֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם הוֹלֵךְ וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּטָּה אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי הָאֶבֶן אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי סֶלַע הָיוּ מַפְסִידִין אֶת בִּגְדֵיהֶם בְּדָם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות ז, כא): וַיְהִי הַדָּם בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
“The magicians of Egypt did so with their spells; and Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken” (Exodus 7:22).
“The magicians of Egypt did so” – this teaches that they believed it was an act of sorcery. “With their spells [belateihem]” – Rabbi Aivo bar Nagrei said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Belateihem is an act of demons; belahateihem (Exodus 7:11) is an act of sorcery. Likewise it says: “And the flame [lahat] of the ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24), as all acts of sorcery are performed by angels of destruction.
“Pharaoh turned and came to his house, and he did not take this to heart either” (Exodus 7:23).
“Pharaoh turned” – he was not concerned, and did not take heed of God’s plague.
“All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, as they could not drink from the water of the Nile” (Exodus 7:24).
“All the Egyptians dug around the Nile” – Rabbi Yehuda says: Only [the water] in the Nile was afflicted. Rabbi Neḥemya says: [The water] above and below [the ground] was afflicted; the water of all of Egypt was afflicted with blood. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: ‘How do I interpret “All the Egyptians dug around the Nile.”’ He said to him: ‘Because the Egyptians were saying that all the water that Moses and Aaron saw were turned into blood, and they would dig to obtain water that their eyes had not seen.’16However, they did not actually find water, as even the water underground had turned to blood.
Rabbi Berekhya said: What is that which is written: “All the water that was in the Nile turned into [vayehafekhu] [blood]” (Exodus 7:20)? This is analogous to a servant who was being beaten by his master on his stomach, and he would turn himself around and receive the beatings on his back. So, too, the Nile would reverse [mehapekh] itself so that the plague would not affect it, but it was to no avail, as all of its water turned into blood.
Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: A generalization, a detail, and a generalization, you may infer only matters similar to the detail. “Over the water of Egypt” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a generalization; “over their rivers, over their streams, and over their ponds” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a detail; “and over all their pools of water” (Exodus 7:19) – this is another generalization. What do you include [in the inference]? Everything that is similar to them.17That is, the water in the vessels did not turn to blood. What is “and in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19)? Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: Even their idols were afflicted with blood, as it is stated: “They say to wood: You are my father” (Jeremiah 2:27).
Another interpretation: “And in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19) – the water that they would drink with a Jew in one vessel, in a wooden vessel or in a stone vessel, would be transformed into blood in his mouth. Some say that even their pedestals and their lavatories were afflicted with blood. When one of them would go and sit on a bed, on a stone, or on a boulder, they would ruin their garments with blood. Likewise, it says: “The blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:21.
וַיִּמָּלֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אַחֲרֵי הַכּוֹת ה' אֶת הַיְאֹר, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, אֶחָד מֵהֶם אוֹמֵר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה יָמִים הָיָה מַתְרֶה בָהֶם עַד שֶׁלֹא בָאָה הַמַּכָּה, וְשִׁבְעָה יָמִים הַמַּכָּה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בָּהֶם, וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם אוֹמֵר שִׁבְעָה יָמִים מַתְרֶה בָּהֶם וְעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה יָמִים הָיְתָה הַמַּכָּה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בָּהֶם. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּהָאֵיךְ דְּאָמַר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה יָמִים הָיָה מַתְרֶה בָּהֶם וַיִּמָּלֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לָהַכָּאָה, וְעַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר שִׁבְעָה יָמִים הָיָה מַתְרֶה בָּהֶם, וַיִּמָּלֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אַחֲרֵי הַכּוֹת וגו', שֶׁהָיָה מַתְרֶה בָּהֶן עַל מַכָּה אַחֶרֶת:
“Seven days were completed, after the Lord had struck the Nile” (Exodus 7:25).
“Seven days were completed, after the Lord had struck the Nile” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: One says: For twenty-four days he would forewarn them before the plague began, and for seven days the plague would affect them. And one says: For seven days he would forewarn them, and for twenty-four days the plague would affect them. According to the one who says that for twenty-four days he would forewarn them, “seven days were completed” for the plague. According to the one who says that for seven days he would forewarn them, “seven days were completed after the Lord had struck,” during which he would forewarn them regarding another plague.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פְּדָת כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים, כָּךְ הוּא עָתִיד לְהָבִיא עַל צֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כג, ה): כַּאֲשֶׁר שֵׁמַע לְמִצְרָיִם יָחִילוּ כְּשֵׁמַע צֹר. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר כָּל צֹר שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא חָסֵר, בְּמַלְכוּת הָרְשָׁעָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְכָל צוֹר מָלֵא, בְּצוֹר הַמְדִינָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. מִצְרַיִם לָקוּ בְּדָם, אַף כָּאן (ישעיה לד, ט): וְנֶהֶפְכוּ נְחָלֶיהָ לְזֶפֶת, (ישעיה לד, י): לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם לֹא תִכְבֶּה, לְפִי שֶׁבִּטְלָה יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (יהושע א, ח): וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, לְפִיכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פּוֹרֵעַ מִמֶּנָּה בָּאֵשׁ שֶׁלֹא תִכְבֶּה לְעוֹלָם בַּיּוֹם וּבַלָּיְלָה. וּלְפִי שֶׁשָֹּׂרְפָה בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (ישעיה ו, ד): וְהַבַּיִת יִמָּלֵא עָשָׁן, לְפִיכָךְ (ישעיה לד, ט): יַעֲלֶה עֲשָׁנָהּ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה סו, ו): קוֹל שָׁאוֹן מֵעִיר קוֹל מֵהֵיכָל קוֹל ה' מְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְאֹיְבָיו, בִּשְׁבִיל קוֹל שָׁאוֹן מֵעִיר קוֹל מֵהֵיכָל, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר (איכה ב, ז): קוֹל נָתְנוּ בְּבֵית ה' כְּיוֹם מוֹעֵד, לְפִיכָךְ קוֹל ה' מְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְאֹיְבָיו.
Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: Just as the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians, so He is destined to bring upon Tzor,18This is the kingdom of Edom, the wicked Roman Empire, which is called Tzor because it oppressed [tzar] the Jews. as it is stated: “When the report reaches Egypt, they will tremble at the report of Tzor” (Isaiah 23:5).19It is interpreted homiletically: Just as when they heard the report of Egypt, so too they will tremble when they hear the report of Tzor. Rabbi Elazar said: Every mention of Tzor in the Bible that is deficient20It is missing the vav. is referring to the wicked kingdom. Every Tzor that is plene21It is written with the vav. is referring to the city of Tyre.
Egypt was afflicted with blood; here too, “its streams will be turned into pitch” (Isaiah 34:9).22The prophecy is regarding Edom. “It will not be extinguished night and day” (Isaiah 34:10), because they caused Israel to be idle from the Torah, of which it is written: “You shall contemplate it day and night” (Joshua 1:8); therefore, the Holy One blessed be He will exact retribution against it with a fire that will never be extinguished, day or night. And because they burned the house of the Holy One blessed be He, about which it is written: “The house was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6:4); therefore, “its smoke will rise [forever]” (Isaiah 34:10). Likewise it says: “An uproar from the city, a sound from the Sanctuary, the sound of the Lord paying retribution to His enemies” (Isaiah 66:6). Because of the “uproar from the city, a sound from the Sanctuary,” as it is stated: “They have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as a day of solemn assembly” (Lamentations 2:7); therefore, [they will be subject to] “the sound of the Lord paying retribution to His enemies.”