ח׳
י״טוְשַׂמְתִּ֣י פְדֻ֔ת בֵּ֥ין עַמִּ֖י וּבֵ֣ין עַמֶּ֑ךָ לְמָחָ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה הָאֹ֥ת הַזֶּֽה׃
19And I will make a distinctionbdistinction Meaning of peduth uncertain. between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall come to pass.’”
ושמתי פדת. שֶׁיַּבְדִּיל בֵּין עַמִּי וּבֵין עַמְּךָ:
ושמתי פדות AND I WILL MAKE A DELIVERANCE which shall serve as a division BETWEEN MY PEOPLE AND THY PEOPLE.
כ׳וַיַּ֤עַשׂ יְהֹוָה֙ כֵּ֔ן וַיָּבֹא֙ עָרֹ֣ב כָּבֵ֔ד בֵּ֥יתָה פַרְעֹ֖ה וּבֵ֣ית עֲבָדָ֑יו וּבְכׇל־אֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֛יִם תִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֥י הֶעָרֹֽב׃
20And GOD did so. Heavy swarms of insects invaded Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his courtiers; throughout the country of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of insects.
תשחת הארץ. נִשְׁחֶתֶת הָאָרֶץ, אִתְחַבָּלַת אַרְעָא:
תשחת הארץ means the ground was being destroyed (the imperfect tense denotes what was then going on continuously), and so the Targum has אתחבלת ארעא (the participle) the ground was being ruined.
כ״אוַיִּקְרָ֣א פַרְעֹ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה וּֽלְאַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכ֛וּ זִבְח֥וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
21Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go and sacrifice to your God within the land.”
זבחו לאלהיכם בארץ. בִּמְקוֹמְכֶם וְלֹא תֵלְכוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר:
זבחו לאלהיכם בארץ SACRIFICE TO YOUR GOD IN THE LAND, in the place where you are, and do not go into the wilderness.
כ״בוַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה לֹ֤א נָכוֹן֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת כֵּ֔ן כִּ֚י תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם נִזְבַּ֖ח לַיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ הֵ֣ן נִזְבַּ֞ח אֶת־תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֛יִם לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ׃
22But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do this, for what we sacrifice to the ETERNAL our God is untouchable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice that which is untouchable to the Egyptians before their very eyes, will they not stone us!
תועבת מצרים. יִרְאַת מִצְרַיִם, כְּמוֹ "וּלְמִלְכֹּם תּוֹעֲבַת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן" (מלכים ב כ״ג:י״ג), וְאֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ תּוֹעֵבָה; וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לוֹמַר בְּלָשׁוֹן אַחֵר, תועבת מצרים, דָּבָר שָׂנאוּי הוּא לְמִצְרַיִם זְבִיחָה שֶׁאָנוּ זוֹבְחִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי יִרְאָתָם אָנוּ זוֹבְחִים:
תועבת מצרים THE ABOMINATION OF THE EGYPTIANS — This means: that which the Egyptians reverence (their idol), just as, (2 Kings 23:13) “and for Milcom the abomination (תועבת) of the children of Ammon”, but in relation to the Israelites it (Scripture) calls it תועבה. We may explain these words in another sense also: תועבת מצרים — The act of sacrifice which we practise is a hateful thing to the Egyptians seing that we sacrifice their god (sheep which were reverenced as gods in Egypt).
ולא יסקלנו. בִּתְמִיהָ:
ולא יסקלנו — This must be read in the intonation of a question (although there is no interrogative prefix הֲ) AND WILL THEY NOT STONE US?
כ״גדֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים נֵלֵ֖ךְ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְזָבַ֙חְנוּ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר יֹאמַ֥ר אֵלֵֽינוּ׃
23So we must go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the ETERNAL as our God may command us.”
כ״דוַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֗ה אָנֹכִ֞י אֲשַׁלַּ֤ח אֶתְכֶם֙ וּזְבַחְתֶּ֞ם לַיהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר רַ֛ק הַרְחֵ֥ק לֹא־תַרְחִ֖יקוּ לָלֶ֑כֶת הַעְתִּ֖ירוּ בַּעֲדִֽי׃
24Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the ETERNAL your God in the wilderness; but do not go very far. Plead, then, for me.”
כ״הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י יוֹצֵ֤א מֵֽעִמָּךְ֙ וְהַעְתַּרְתִּ֣י אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְסָ֣ר הֶעָרֹ֗ב מִפַּרְעֹ֛ה מֵעֲבָדָ֥יו וּמֵעַמּ֖וֹ מָחָ֑ר רַ֗ק אַל־יֹסֵ֤ף פַּרְעֹה֙ הָתֵ֔ל לְבִלְתִּי֙ שַׁלַּ֣ח אֶת־הָעָ֔ם לִזְבֹּ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃
25And Moses said, “When I leave your presence, I will plead with GOD that the swarms of insects depart tomorrow from Pharaoh and his courtiers and his people; but let not Pharaoh again act deceitfully, not letting the people go to sacrifice to GOD.”
התל. כְּמוֹ לְהָתֵל:
התל is the same as להתל (i. e. the infinitive may be used with or without ל prefixed).
כ״ווַיֵּצֵ֥א מֹשֶׁ֖ה מֵעִ֣ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַיֶּעְתַּ֖ר אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃
26So Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and pleaded with GOD.
ויעתר אל ה'. נִתְאַמֵּץ בִּתְפִלָּה, וְכֵן אִם בָּא לוֹמַר וַיַּעְתִּיר, הָיָה יָכוֹל לוֹמַר, וּמַשְׁמָע וַיַּרְבֶּה בִּתְפִלָּה, וּכְשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר בִּלְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל, מַשְׁמָע וַיִּרְבֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל:
ויעתר אל ה׳ AND ENTREATED THE LORD (the verb is the Kal) — he concentrated his energies on prayer. So, too, if it had wished to use the term וַיַעְתִּיר (the Hiphil) it could have used it, and that would have signified, “and he increased words in prayer”. But when it uses an expression denoting “and he did something” (the Kal) it signifies “he prayed much (devoutly)”.
כ״זוַיַּ֤עַשׂ יְהֹוָה֙ כִּדְבַ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיָּ֙סַר֙ הֶעָרֹ֔ב מִפַּרְעֹ֖ה מֵעֲבָדָ֣יו וּמֵעַמּ֑וֹ לֹ֥א נִשְׁאַ֖ר אֶחָֽד׃
27And GOD did as Moses asked—removing the swarms of insects from Pharaoh, from his courtiers, and from his people; not one remained.
ויסר הערב. וְלֹא מֵתוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁמֵּתוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים, שֶׁאִם מֵתוּ הָיָה לָהֶם הֲנָאָה בְּעוֹרוֹתָם (תנחומא):
ויסר הערב AND HE REMOVED THE SWARM OF ANIMALS — He merely removed them and they did not die as the frogs had died; for had they died, they (the Egyptians) could have made some use of their skins (Exodus Rabbah 11:3).
כ״חוַיַּכְבֵּ֤ד פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ גַּ֖ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֑את וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ {פ}
28But Pharaoh became stubborn this time also, and would not let the people go.
גם בפעם הזאת. אע"פ שאמר אנכי אשלח אתכם, לא קיים הבטחתו:
Again this time. [Once more,] though he said, “I will send you out,” he did not keep his promise.
ט׳
א׳וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
1GOD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the ETERNAL, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go to worship Me.
ב׳כִּ֛י אִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לְשַׁלֵּ֑חַ וְעוֹדְךָ֖ מַחֲזִ֥יק בָּֽם׃
2For if you refuse to let them go, and continue to hold them,
מחזיק בם. אוֹחֵז בָּם, כְּמוֹ "וְהֶחֱזִיקָה בִּמְבֻשָׁיו" (דברים כ"ה):
מחזיק בם means WILT KEEP HOLD OF THEM, as in, (Deuteronomy 25:11) “and layeth hold of him etc. (...והחזיקה ב)”.
ג׳הִנֵּ֨ה יַד־יְהֹוָ֜ה הוֹיָ֗ה בְּמִקְנְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה בַּסּוּסִ֤ים בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙ בַּגְּמַלִּ֔ים בַּבָּקָ֖ר וּבַצֹּ֑אן דֶּ֖בֶר כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
3then GOD’s hand will strike your livestock in the fields—the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep—with a very severe pestilence.
הנה יד ה' הויה. לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה, כִּי כֵן יֹאמַר בִּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה עַל שֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה, וְעַל הֶעָתִיד תִּהְיֶה, וְעַל הָעוֹמֵד הוֹיָה, כְּמוֹ עוֹשָׂה, רוֹצָה, רוֹעָה:
הנה יד ה׳ הוֹיָה BEHOLD THE HAND OF THE LORD IS — The verb הויה is in the present tense, for so one says in the feminine gender of the past היתה, “she was”, of the future, תהיה, “she will be” and of the present, הוֹיָה, the latter form being similar to עוֹשָׂה and רוֹצָה and רוֹעָה (Fem. part. sing. Kal of ל"ה verbs).
ד׳וְהִפְלָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בֵּ֚ין מִקְנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבֵ֖ין מִקְנֵ֣ה מִצְרָ֑יִם וְלֹ֥א יָמ֛וּת מִכׇּל־לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דָּבָֽר׃
4But GOD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of the Egyptians, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites.
והפלה. וְהִבְדִּיל:
והפלה means HE WILL SEPARATE.
ה׳וַיָּ֥שֶׂם יְהֹוָ֖ה מוֹעֵ֣ד לֵאמֹ֑ר מָחָ֗ר יַעֲשֶׂ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
5GOD has fixed the time: tomorrow GOD will do this thing in the land.’”
ו׳וַיַּ֨עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֔ת וַיָּ֕מׇת כֹּ֖ל מִקְנֵ֣ה מִצְרָ֑יִם וּמִמִּקְנֵ֥ה בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹא־מֵ֥ת אֶחָֽד׃
6And GOD did so the next day: all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the livestock of the Israelites not one died.
ז׳וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֗ה לֹא־מֵ֛ת מִמִּקְנֵ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־אֶחָ֑ד וַיִּכְבַּד֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ {פ}
7When Pharaoh inquired, he found that not a head of the livestock of Israel had died; yet Pharaoh remained stubborn, and he would not let the people go.
ח׳וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מְלֹ֣א חׇפְנֵיכֶ֔ם פִּ֖יחַ כִּבְשָׁ֑ן וּזְרָק֥וֹ מֹשֶׁ֛ה הַשָּׁמַ֖יְמָה לְעֵינֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה׃
8Then GOD said to Moses and Aaron, “Each of you take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.
מלא חפניכם. ילויני"ש בְּלַעַז:
מלא חפניכם HANDFULS (more lit., as much as will fill your fists), old French joincheiz; Engl, double-handfuls.
פיח כבשן. דָּבָר הַנִּפָּח מִן הַגֶּחָלִים עֲמוּמִים הַנִּשְׂרָפִים בַּכִּבְשָׁן, וּבְלַעַז אולבי"ש:
פיח הכבשן SOOT OF THE FURNACE — the word פיח denotes a thing which is blown away (נפוח) from coals that have become extinguished after being burnt in a furnace; in old French oulvis.
פיח. לְשׁוֹן הֲפָחָה, שֶׁהָרוּחַ מְפִיחָן וּמַפְרִיחָן:
פיח is derived from a root that signifies blowing, and it so called because the wind blows it about and scatters it abroad.
וזרקו משה. וְכָל דָּבָר הַנִּזְרָק בְּכֹחַ, אֵינוֹ נִזְרָק אֶלָּא בְיַד אַחַת, הֲרֵי נִסִּים הַרְבֵּה – אֶחָד שֶׁהֶחֱזִיק קֻמְצוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה מְלֹא חָפְנַיִם שֶׁלּוֹ וְשֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, וְאֶחָד שֶׁהָלַךְ הָאָבָק עַל כָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם (תנחומא):
וזרקו משה AND LET MOSES THREW IT — Since anything which is thrown with force must be thrown with one hand only, there were here several miracles: one, that Moses’ closed fingers (קמץ) held as much as would fill his two fists and those of Aaron, and another, that this dust spread itself over the entire land of Egypt (Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 14; Exodus Rabbah 11:8).
ט׳וְהָיָ֣ה לְאָבָ֔ק עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָ֨ה עַל־הָאָדָ֜ם וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה לִשְׁחִ֥ין פֹּרֵ֛חַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֖ת בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
9It shall become a fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and cause an inflammation breaking out in boils on human and animal throughout the land of Egypt.”
לשחין פרח אבעבעת. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְֹשִׁיחֲנָא סָגֵי אֲבַעְבּוּעִין, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ צוֹמְחִין בָּהֶן בּוּעוֹת:
לשחין פרח אבעבעת A BOIL BREAKING FORTH INTO BLAINS — Render it as the Targum does: a boil growing blains, — the idea is, that through it (the boil) blains burst out on them (on the people).
שחין. לְשׁוֹן חֲמִימוּת; וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה, "שָׁנָה שְׁחוּנָה" (יומא נ"ג):
שחין has the meaning of “heat”. In the Mishnaic Hebrew there are many examples of its use; e. g., (Yoma 53b) “a hot (שחונה) year”.
י׳וַיִּקְח֞וּ אֶת־פִּ֣יחַ הַכִּבְשָׁ֗ן וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיִּזְרֹ֥ק אֹת֛וֹ מֹשֶׁ֖ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וַיְהִ֗י שְׁחִין֙ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֔ת פֹּרֵ֕חַ בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה׃
10So they took soot of the kiln and appeared before Pharaoh; Moses threw it toward the sky, and it caused an inflammation breaking out in boils on human and animal.
באדם ובבהמה. וְאִם תֹּאמַר מֵאַיִן הָיוּ לָהֶם הַבְּהֵמוֹת, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר וַיָּמָת כֹּל מִקְנֵה מִצְרָיִם? לֹא נִגְזְרָה גְזֵרָה אֶלָּא עַל אוֹתָן שֶׁבַּשָּׂדוֹת בִּלְבַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמִקְנְךָ אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה, וְהַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר ה' הִכְנִיס אֶת מִקְנֵהוּ אֶל הַבָּתִּים, כֵּן שְׁנוּיָה בִּמְכִילְתָּא אֵצֶל "וַיִּקַּח שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בָּחוּר" (שמות י"ד):
באדם ובבהמה UPON MAN AND UPON CATTLE — If you ask, “Whence did they obtain these cattle”? Has it not already been stated, (v. 6) “And all the cattle of Egypt died”? I reply that this judgment was decreed only against the cattle that were in the fields, as it is said, (v. 3) “[The hand of the Lord is] upon thy cattle which is in the field”, and everyone who feared the Lord took his cattle in-doors. So it is taught in the Mechilta in the comment on (Exodus 14:7) “And he took six hundred chosen chariots.”
י״אוְלֹֽא־יָכְל֣וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֗ים לַעֲמֹ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִפְּנֵ֣י הַשְּׁחִ֑ין כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה הַשְּׁחִ֔ין בַּֽחַרְטֻמִּ֖ם וּבְכׇל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
11The magicians were unable to confront Moses because of the inflammation, for the inflammation afflicted the magicians as well as all the other Egyptians.
י״בוַיְחַזֵּ֤ק יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {ס}
12But GOD stiffened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not heed them, just as GOD had told Moses.
י״גוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
13GOD said to Moses, “Early in the morning present yourself to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the ETERNAL, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go to worship Me.
י״דכִּ֣י ׀ בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֗את אֲנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֜חַ אֶת־כׇּל־מַגֵּפֹתַי֙ אֶֽל־לִבְּךָ֔ וּבַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וּבְעַמֶּ֑ךָ בַּעֲב֣וּר תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין כָּמֹ֖נִי בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
14For this time I will send all My plagues upon your person, and your courtiers, and your people, in order that you may know that there is none like Me in all the world.
את כל מגפתי. לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁמַּכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַמַּכּוֹת:
את כל מגפתי [FOR I WILL THIS TIME SEND] ALL MY PLAGUES — We may gather from this that the plague on the first ripe ears outweighed all the previous plagues.
ט״וכִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ שָׁלַ֣חְתִּי אֶת־יָדִ֔י וָאַ֥ךְ אוֹתְךָ֛ וְאֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֖ בַּדָּ֑בֶר וַתִּכָּחֵ֖ד מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
15I could have stretched forth My hand and stricken you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been effaced from the earth.
כי עתה שלחתי את ידי וגו'. כִּי אִלּוּ רָצִיתִי, כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה יָדִי בְמִקְנְךָ שֶׁהִכִּיתִים בַּדֶּבֶר, שְׁלַחְתִּיהָ וְהִכֵּיתִי אותך ואת עמך עִם הַבְּהֵמוֹת, ותכחד מן הארץ, אֲבָל בעבור זאת העמדתיך וגו':
כי עתה שלחתי את ידי וגו׳ FOR NOW I MIGHT HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HAND etc. — For had I so desired it, when My hand was upon thy cattle which I smote with pestilence I could have stretched it forth and smitten thee and thy people together with the cattle, ותכחד מן הארץ AND THOU WOULDST HAVE BEEN EXTERMINATED FROM THE EARTH, BUT (this word אבל corresponds to ואולם in the Hebrew text) בעבור זאת העמדתיך FOR THIS REASON I MADE THEE REMAIN [IN LIFE IN ORDER TO SHOW THEE MY POWER], etc.
ט״זוְאוּלָ֗ם בַּעֲב֥וּר זֹאת֙ הֶעֱמַדְתִּ֔יךָ בַּעֲב֖וּר הַרְאֹתְךָ֣ אֶת־כֹּחִ֑י וּלְמַ֛עַן סַפֵּ֥ר שְׁמִ֖י בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
16Nevertheless I have spared you for this purpose: in order to show you My power, and in order that My fame may resound throughout the world.