The Ten Plagues

Shemot (7:3), “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. (7:4) And Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will place My hand on Egypt, and I will take out My legions, My nation the children of Israel from the land of Egypt with great judgments.” Shemot (7:4) has three interpretations. In the first interpretation, Shemot (7:4) stands alone and applies to before HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Shemot (7:13, 7:22, 8:11, and 8:15) therefore state (by the staff/snake, blood, frogs, and lice), “…and he did not listen to them, as HaShem had spoken.” In the second interpretation, Shemot (7:4) continues Shemot (7:3) and refers to when HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart by boils. Shemot (9:12) therefore states (by boils), “And HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, as HaShem had spoken to Moses.” The addition of “to Moses” shows that it is another interpretation. In the third interpretation, Shemot (7:4) applies after HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart and multiplied His (two) signs and (two) wonders. The two signs (after boils) are hail and locust, and the two wonders are darkness and the slaying of the first-born. Only the warning of the first-born is intended. He would not listen to them, and that plague would release them.

Shemot (4:21), “And HaShem said to Moses …, observe all the wonders that I have placed in your hand, and you shall do them before Pharaoh, and I will harden his heart and he will not send out the nation. (4:22) And you shall say to Pharaoh, so says HaShem, Israel is my first-born son. (4:23) And I have said to you, send my son to serve me, and you have refused to send him; behold, I will slay your first-born son.” Pharaoh would not send out the nation after the culmination of the wonders, and this would be his final refusal. Shemot (4:21) has two interpretations. In the first interpretation, Shemot (4:21) stands alone and refers to the culminating wonder of hail, as Shemot (9:35) states (by hail), “And Pharaoh’s heart hardened and he did not send out the children of Israel, as HaShem had spoken (when He placed the wonders) in the hand of Moses.” The signs (hail and locust) were also wonders, but hail was half a sign  and half a non-sign wonder, while locust was a complete sign. So hail was the last consecutive non-sign wonder. Moreover, Shemot (9:14) calls hail “all of My plagues.” Hail was Pharaoh’s final full refusal. After the warning for locust, he agreed to let the men go.

In the second interpretation, Shemot (4:21) refers to the culminating wonder of the first-born. Here, too, only the warning for the plague is intended, and Shemot (4:22-23) relates this. So whereas Pharaoh would either not listen to them or (just) not send them, after the warning of the first-born, Pharaoh would do both. Shemot (11:9) (after the warning), “And HaShem said to Moses, Pharaoh will not listen to you in order to multiply my wonders in the land of Egypt. (11:10) And Moses and Aharon did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not send out the children of Israel from his land.” The word “these” includes the signs of hail and locust, as Shemot (10:1) states (between them), “And HaShem said to Moses, go to Pharaoh, for I have made heavy his heart and the hearts of his servants, in order to place these signs of mine in their midst.”

Shemot (7:17) (by blood), “…with this you shall know that I am HaShem.” This was Pharaoh’s first lesson. He did not accept it until lice, because his magicians copied the previous wonders. By lice, however, Shemot (8:14) states, “And the magicians did the same with their incantations to draw forth the lice, but they could not. (8:15) And the magicians said to Pharaoh, it is a finger of Elokim.” Pharaoh accepted this lesson, as the magicians are not mentioned again until boils (where he regressed to again not listen to them). Pharaoh still did not listen to them. He did not see in I am HaShem an affinity for Israel. The second lesson would dispel this.

Shemot (8:18) (by arov), “And I will set apart on that day the land of Goshen upon which My nation stands that there shall not be the arov there, so that you will know that I am HaShem bikerev (within) the land.” HaShem is involved in this world and chose a nation from all others. Bikerev correlates to Devarim (4:34), “Or was it tried that Elokim should take for Himself a nation mikerev (from within) another nation… like all that HaShem your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes.” HaShem set His nation apart because he did have an affinity for them.

Because of this lesson, Pharaoh did not, not listen to them; he just did not send them. Because HaShem favored Israel, Pharaoh was inclined to send them, as Shemot (8:21) states (by arov), “And Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aharon and said, go bring offerings to your God in the land.” But after achieving relief, he was not so sure. The idea of separation is therefore repeated by pestilence, as Shemot (9:4) states, “And HaShem will separate between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, and not a thing that belongs to the Children of Israel will die.” And Shemot (9:7) states, “And Pharaoh sent out, and there did not die of the flocks of Israel even one.” Pharaoh was not convinced of this ability from before. Although he was convinced by pestilence, he still did not send them. Why did HaShem need his permission? If HaShem was asking his permission, he was not giving it.

Pharaoh did not waver during pestilence (as by arov) because the plague was already over. But why did Pharaoh waver by frogs (and not by lice)? And why did he try to keep them in the land by arov and not by frogs? And why did he say to pray to HaShem to remove the frogs if he did not yet believe in HaShem (until lice)? Pharaoh, by frogs, was playing a trick on them to stop the plague. Shemot (8:25) therefore states (by arov), “And Moses said, behold… the arov shall depart… tomorrow. Only let Pharaoh not continue to mock (as he did by frogs) to not send out the nation to sacrifice to HaShem.” And Shemot (8:11) states (by frogs), “And Pharaoh saw that there was relief, and he made heavy his heart…”—he was anticipating this. Shemot (8:11) also explains why it sufficed him to heavy his heart and not harden it—because he achieved relief. When he denied them during a plague, he needed to harden his heart. This will begin to change by hail.

Although the children of  Israel were also separate before arov, it could be argued that Moses and Aharon were channeling the power of HaShem through the staff. By arov, pestilence, and boils, on the other hand, the staff is not mentioned. Shemot (4:21), however, states, “And HaShem said to Moses…, observe all the wonders that I have placed in your hand, and you shall do them before Pharaoh.” Since the staff was not used, Moses needed a different involvement. He predicted when arov and pestilence would come. Since boils did not have a warning, Moses needed a different involvement. Shemot (9:8) therefore states, “And HaShem said to Moses and Aharon, take for yourselves handfuls of furnace ashes, and Moses shall throw them heavenward before Pharaoh’s eyes.” That he should do so before Pharaoh’s eyes was a trick; this regressed on the lack of a medium. This is how HaShem hardened his heart. The use of a medium caused Pharaoh to abandon the second lesson, so he again did not listen to them (as HaShem had spoken to Moses). Pharaoh also wanted to reevaluate the first lesson, so the magicians are mentioned again, but they could not stand before Moses because of the boils (Shemot 9:11).

Shemot (9:14) (by hail), “For this time I shall send all of My plagues against your heart and upon your servants and upon your nation, so that you shall know that there is none like Me in all the earth.” Pharaoh should not try to predict how the plagues should continue nor question why HaShem needed his permission. Shemot (9:15) continues, “For now I could have sent My hand and stricken you and your nation with pestilence, and you would have been obliterated from the earth. (9:16) But for this I have let you endure, in order to show you My strength and so that My Name be declared throughout the earth.”

If something was a sign, its meaning was for Israel, as the proofs that Moses showed Israel are called signs. In one proof, Moses’s staff turned into a snake, and it’s called a sign, but when Aharon did this before Pharaoh, it’s called a wonder. Similarly, Shemot (8:18) states, “And I will set apart on that day the land of Goshen upon which My nation stands that there shall not be the arov there, so that you will know that I am HaShem within the land. (8:19) And I will place a redemption between my nation and your nation; tomorrow will be this sign.” They were given a second level of protection (Ramban). The first level of protection was part of the lesson to Pharaoh and was not a sign. The second level of protection was for Israel and was a sign. By pestilence, Shemot (9:4) states, “And HaShem will separate between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, and not a thing that belongs to the children of Israel will die. (9:5) And HaShem has set an appointed time, saying, tomorrow HaShem shall carry out this thing in the land.” There was only one separation, so it was not a sign.

The signs of hail and locust, too, were specifically meant for Israel, as Shemot (10:1) states (between hail and locust), “And HaShem said to Moses, go to Pharaoh, for I have made heavy his heart and the hearts of his servants in order to place these signs of Mine in their midst. (10:2) And so you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son that I made a mockery of Egypt and My signs that I placed among them, and you will know that I am HaShem.”

The signs of hail and locust had a specific pattern. Egypt would be warned and would do what was expected of them, but not more, and the will of HaShem (to send the children of Israel) would remain undone. The plague would come anyway and without further warning. A further warning would require them to do more, within the letter of the law. The plague (without further warning) showed the need to go beyond the letter of the law. This lesson was not for Egypt, as Mishlei (14:34) states, “The chesed of the nations is a fault.” A plague that looked like a punishment—but was not—was brought upon Egypt to teach the children of Israel this lesson. The plague imitation is the mockery of Egypt of the signs. This would teach the children of Israel “that I am HaShem”—that the essence of His relationship with us is that we go beyond the letter of the law. Once the children of Israel attained this lesson by hail, they change from being “the nation” to “the children of Israel.”

Moses warned them by hail. He also advised them to protect their movables. Shemot (9:20) relates that Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of HaShem did so. The plague affected them, too, but less. This looked like a punishment, but was not. What they alone retained would make them wealthy. Had they just protected themselves, they would deserve punishment, because they would not have changed their minds to send Israel. But Shemot (9:20) states that they feared the word of HaShem. This means that they regretted their sins (Ba’al Haturim). Perhaps the plague would not come upon them, but it did anyway and without further warning. They did what was expected of them, but not more. They did not try to convince Pharaoh to send Israel, as they did after the warning for locust. At that point, it was no longer beyond the letter of the law to do so; that is why they did it. Hail and the warning for locust showed them the need to do more. Hail was half a sign and half a (non-sign) wonder. It was a sign regarding those who feared the word of HaShem, but did not do more. It was a non-sign wonder regarding the others.

After hail, Pharaoh would have sent the men of Israel, and his servants would have convinced him to do so, but Shemot (9:34) states, “And Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder ceased, and he continued to sin, and he made heavy his heart, he and his servants. (9:35) And Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he did not send out the children of Israel, as HaShem had spoken in the hand of Moses.” Shemot (9:29) states, “And Moses said to him, when I leave the city… the thunder will cease, and the hail will be no more.” Pharaoh, however, specifically saw that the hail stopped before the thunder (Shemot 9:34). Actually, Shemot (9:33) states, “And the thunder ceased, and the hail and rain did not reach the ground”—they remained suspended in the air (Rashi). The thunder stopped before the hail, but that hail never reached the ground. Pharaoh thought that the hail stopped first. To Pharaoh, HaShem was not so perfect after all. He wasn’t that much different.

Shemot (10:1) and (4:21) state (by hail) that HaShem made heavy and hardened Pharaoh’s heart. But Shemot (9:34) states that Pharaoh continued to sin to heavy his heart and that it hardened. Both are true. The trick was self-eliminating. He already accepted that HaShem is beyond understanding and prediction. The mistake, then, had to be his perception. Pharaoh, however, thought that HaShem was unpredictable as long as he understood it. Here Pharaoh needed a heavy and then hardened heart after achieving relief. For the next plagues, he directly needed a hardened heart (after achieving relief) because the issue then changed from if he would send to whom he would send.

After the warning for locust, Pharaoh’s servants convinced him to send Israel, but Pharaoh only allowed the men to go, because this is what they sought. Moses, however, did not accept this. Pharaoh claimed that they had evil intent. They claimed to be going on a three-day journey. Pharaoh concluded that they wanted to flee. After the warning for locust, Pharaoh and the servants did what was expected of them (to send the men), and they were not further warned. Perhaps the plague would not come, but the will of HaShem went unfulfilled. The plague came without further warning to show the children of Israel the need to go beyond the letter of the law. Locust was not a punishment—it only looked like one. Shemot (10:15) states that the locust ate “All the grass of the land and all the fruit of the tree that the hail left over.” It should have been destroyed by hail, but was left over for the sign of locust.

The plague of locust made Pharaoh think that he misjudged Moses. He concluded that Moses was not going to flee. Shemot (10:16) therefore states, “And Pharaoh hastened to summon Moses and Aharon, and he said, I have sinned to HaShem your God and to you.” Shemot (10:19), however, states (when the locust were removed), “…not a single locust (not even salted ones, Rashi) remained in the entire land of Egypt. (10:20) And HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not send out the children of Israel.” HaShem showed Pharaoh that just as no locust remained in Egypt, so, too, none of Israel would remain there. HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart by showing him that they would not return, so Pharaoh would only send the men, because otherwise, they would flee. But it was still he who did not send them. Locust required Pharaoh to do more. He could have let the woman and children go, but keep collateral, as Pharaoh said to do after darkness. He chose not to. Darkness was not a sign. It was a punishment for not doing more.

Shemot (10:1) (between hail and locust), “And HaShem said to Moses, go to Pharaoh, for I have made heavy his heart and the hearts of his servants, in order to place these signs of mine in their midst.” Locust was a sign only because of the refusal. Had the servants petitioned Pharaoh after hail and had he agreed, the warning for locust would have required them to do more. Locust for them not doing so would not have been a sign. Furthermore, the signs of hail and locust had to produce no result. The message to the children of Israel to go beyond the letter of the law would have been lost had the plagues produced an outcome. The refusal of hail established both hail and locust as a sign.

By hail, locust, and darkness, HaShem told Moses to stretch forth his hand. By hail and locust, however, Moses stretched forth his staff (Shemot 9:23, 10:13), whereas by darkness, he stretched forth his hand (Shemot 10:22). Shemot (4:17), “And this staff you shall take in your hand, with which you shall perform the signs.” Hail and locust were the signs, so he stretched forth his staff, but darkness was not, so he didn’t. Furthermore, only hail and locust had two involvements. Moses both predicted when they would come (as by arov and pestilence), and he brought them forth with his staff. Shemot (4:17), “And this staff you shall take in your hand, with which you shall perform the signs.” Shemot (4:21), “And HaShem said to Moses …, observe all the wonders that I have placed in your hand, and you shall do them before Pharaoh.” The staff involvement was because they were signs, and the prediction involvement was because they were also wonders.

After darkness again indicated to Pharaoh that he must do more, Shemot (10:24) states, “And Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, go serve HaShem, only your flock and cattle shall remain behind, also your children may go with you. Pharaoh would have his collateral, but Moses did not accept this. Shemot (10:27), “And HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he was unwilling to send them out. (10/28) And Pharaoh said to him, go away from me. Beware, do not see my face anymore, for on the day that you see my face you shall die.” It was clear that Israel was going to flee, as they would not even leave collateral. This is how HaShem hardened his heart, and he wasn’t expected to do more, but it was still he who was unwilling to send them. His responsibility was not that he did not send them, but that he was unwilling to do so. Pharaoh gave his final offer. He therefore ordered Moses not to see him again. In the end, Pharaoh did send them, but this was based on a different premise. Pharaoh had been seeking to fulfill what HaShem required of him, if only Moses would oblige. The new premise was that Pharaoh had to listen not only to HaShem, but to the children of Israel as well. This was the lesson of the first-born. Israel is HaShem’s first-born son. The other sons must honor him.

Shemot (11:7), “And against all the children of Israel a dog will not sharpen its tongue from man unto beast, so that you shall know that HaShem will separate between Egypt and Israel.” This separation is not about HaShem towards Israel (as by arov and pestilence), but about Israel themselves. Pharaoh could no longer blame Moses for taking advantage of HaShem’s will. He had to listen to Moses as well. After the plague, this is why he sent them, as Shemot (12:31) states, “And he called for Moses and Aharon at night and said, rise up, go out from among my nation, even you, even the children of Israel, and go serve HaShem, as you have spoken.” By the warning, however, Pharaoh both did not listen to them and did not send them. On the first premise (of heeding HaShem’s will), he did not send them (even though the warning for the first-born required him to do more). He also did not listen to them. He did not yet accept the second premise that he must do so.