Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 8

7The frogs will depart from you, as well as from your houses and your courtiers and your people, and they will remain only in the river.”   זוְסָר֣וּ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֗ים מִמְּךָ֙ וּמִבָּ֣תֶּ֔יךָ וּמֵֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וּמֵֽעַמֶּ֑ךָ רַ֥ק בַּיְאֹ֖ר תִּשָּׁאַֽרְנָה:
8Moses and Aaron then left Pharaoh’s presence, and Moses cried out to God concerning the frogs that He had brought upon Pharaoh.   חוַיֵּצֵ֥א משֶׁ֛ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן מֵעִ֣ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַיִּצְעַ֤ק משֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה עַל־דְּבַ֥ר הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֖ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֥ם לְפַרְעֹֽה:
וַיֵּצֵא וַיִּצְעַק - [Moses] left…and cried out. immediately that the frogs should disappear by the next day.   וַיֵּצֵא וַיִּצְעַק.  מִיָּד, שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ לְמָחָר:
9God did as Moses asked, and the frogs in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields died.   טוַיַּ֥עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּדְבַ֣ר משֶׁ֑ה וַיָּמֻ֨תוּ֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִן־הַבָּתִּ֥ים מִן־הַֽחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וּמִן־הַשָּׂדֹֽת:
10The Egyptians gathered them into heaps, and the land stank.   יוַיִּצְבְּר֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם חֳמָרִ֣ם חֳמָרִ֑ם וַתִּבְאַ֖שׁ הָאָֽרֶץ:
חֳמָרִם חֳמָרִם - means: “heaps and heaps,” just as Onkelos translates it: דְּגוֹרִין, i.e., “heaps.”   חֳמָרִם חֳמָרִם.  צִבּוּרִים צִבּוּרִים, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, דְּגוֹרִין – גַּלִּין:
11But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he remained obstinate, paying no heed to them, just as God had said.   יאוַיַּ֣רְא פַּרְעֹ֗ה כִּ֤י הָֽיְתָה֙ הָֽרְוָחָ֔ה וְהַכְבֵּד֙ אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת־לִבּוֹ - (lit.) To make his heart heavy. (i.e., to persist in being obstinate). The word הַכְבֵּד is an infinitive (פָּעוֹל) form used in place of the past tense, in order to denote ongoing action, as in הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ “moving steadily”; 1 and similarly, וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב “and smiting Moab”; 2 וְשָׁאוֹל לוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים “and asking for him the word of God”; 3 הַכֵּה וּפָצֹעַ “hitting and wounding.” 4   וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת־לִבּוֹ.  לְשׁוֹן פָּעוֹל הוּא, כְּמוֹ "הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ" (בראשית י"ב), וְכֵן "וְהַכּוֹת אֶת מוֹאָב" (מלכים ב ג׳:כ״ד), "וְשָׁאוֹל לוֹ בֵאלֹהִים" (שמואל א כ״ב:י״ג), "הַכֵּה וּפָצֹעַ" (מלכים א כ'):
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' - Just as God had said. And where had He said this? “Pharaoh will not listen to you.” 5   כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה'.  וְהֵיכָן דִּבֵּר? וְלֹא יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה:
12God said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Raise your staff and strike the dust of the earth, and it will turn into lice all throughout Egypt.’”   יבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁה֒ אֱמֹר֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן נְטֵ֣ה אֶת־מַטְּךָ֔ וְהַ֖ךְ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה לְכִנִּ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
אֱמֹר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן - Say to Aaron. It was not proper that the soil be struck by Moses, because it had helped him when he killed the Egyptian, as it says: “and he hid him in the sand,” 6 so it was struck by Aaron.   אֱמֹר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן.  לֹא הָיָה הֶעָפָר כְּדַאי לִלְקוֹת עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה, לְפִי שֶׁהֵגֵן עָלָיו כְּשֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל, וְלָקָה עַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן (שמות רבה):
13They did this. Aaron raised his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and the swarm of lice came upon man and beast. All the dust of the earth turned into lice throughout Egypt.   יגוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֗ן וַיֵּט֩ אַֽהֲרֹ֨ן אֶת־יָד֤וֹ בְמַטֵּ֨הוּ֙ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה כָּל־עֲפַ֥ר הָאָ֛רֶץ הָיָ֥ה כִנִּ֖ים בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם - הַכִּנָם means: The swarm of lice; “pedolliyere” in Old French (“lice swarm”).   וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם.  הָרְחִישָׁה, פדוליר"א בְּלַעַז:
14The necromancers tried likewise to bring forth lice with their incantations, but they could not. The swarm of lice remained on man and beast.   ידוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֨ן הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֧ים בְּלָֽטֵיהֶ֛ם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־הַכִּנִּ֖ים וְלֹ֣א יָכֹ֑לוּ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה:
לְהוֹצִיא אֶת־הַכִּנִּים - (lit.) To bring out the lice - i.e., to create them, producing them from another place.   לְהוֹצִיא אֶת־הַכִּנִּים.  לִבְרֹאתָם וּלְהוֹצִיאָם מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר:
וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ - But they could not - for a demon has no control over any creature smaller than a barleycorn.   וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ.  שֶׁאֵין הַשֵּׁד שׁוֹלֵט עַל בְּרִיָּה פְּחוּתָה מִכַּשְּׂעוֹרָה (סנהדרין ס"ז):
15The necromancers said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh remained obstinate, paying no heed to them, just as God had said.   טווַיֹּֽאמְר֤וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּם֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה אֶצְבַּ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים הִ֑וא וַיֶּֽחֱזַ֤ק לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִוא - This is the finger of God - i.e., this plague is not the result of magic; it is from the Omnipresent.   אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִוא.  מַכָּה זוֹ אֵינָהּ עַל יְדֵי כְשָׁפִים, מֵאֵת הַמָּקוֹם הִיא (שמות רבה):
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' - Just as God had said - “Pharaoh will not listen to you.” 7   כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה'.  וְלֹא יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה:
16God said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and station yourself before Pharaoh as he is going out to the water, and you must say to him: ‘This is what God has said: “Send forth My people, so they may serve Me.   טזוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה הַשְׁכֵּ֤ם בַּבֹּ֨קֶר֙ וְהִתְיַצֵּב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה הִנֵּ֖ה יוֹצֵ֣א הַמָּ֑יְמָה וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שַׁלַּ֥ח עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי:
17For if you do not send forth My people, I will incite a mixed horde of wild beasts, snakes, and scorpions against you, your courtiers, your people, and your homes. The houses of the Egyptians will be filled with the mixed horde of wild beasts, as will the ground upon which they stand be filled with snakes and scorpions.   יזכִּ֣י אִם־אֵֽינְךָ֘ מְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ אֶת־עַמִּי֒ הִנְנִי֩ מַשְׁלִ֨יחַ בְּךָ֜ וּבַֽעֲבָדֶ֧יךָ וּבְעַמְּךָ֛ וּבְבָתֶּ֖יךָ אֶת־הֶֽעָרֹ֑ב וּמָ֨לְא֜וּ בָּתֵּ֤י מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרֹ֔ב וְגַ֥ם הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֥ם עָלֶֽיהָ:
מַשְׁלִיחַ בְּךָ - means: incite against you, and similarly: “Even the teeth of cattle I will set (אֲשַׁלַּח) against them,” 8 which connotes rousing a creature to greater viciousness than it naturally exhibits; “inciter” in Old French (“to incite”).   מַשְׁלִיחַ בְּךָ.  מְגָרֶה בְךָ, וְכֵן "וְשֶׁן בְּהֵמוֹת אֲשַׁלַּח בָּם" (דברים ל"ב), לְשׁוֹן שִׁסּוּי, אינציט"ר בְּלַעַז:
אֶת־הֶֽעָרֹב - A mixed horde - i.e., all different types of wild beasts, snakes, and scorpions in a chaos (עִרְבּוּבְיָא), so that they wreak destruction among the Egyptians in a terrifying manner. There is a reason given in the aggadic sources for each plague, why this one came first and this one next: God came against them with the war tactics of kings, in the order followed by a sovereign power when it besieges a city. First it ruins the city’s water sources, and afterwards the attackers blast and make wailing sounds with shofars to intimidate and confuse the inhabitants, and similarly the frogs were croaking and making noise, etc., as is stated in Midrash Rabbi Tanchuma. 9 Similarly, the havoc caused by the mixed horde was an integral component of the plague.   אֶת־הֶֽעָרֹב.  כָּל מִינֵי הַחַיּוֹת רָעוֹת וּנְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְהָיוּ מַשְׁחִיתִים בָּהֶם; וְיֵשׁ טַעַם בַּדָּבָר בָּאַגָּדָה בְּכָל מַכָּה וּמַכָּה לָמָּה זוֹ וְלָמָּה זוֹ; בְּטַכְסִיסֵי מִלְחֲמוֹת מְלָכִים בָּא עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּסֵדֶר מַלְכוּת כְּשֶׁצָּרָה עַל עִיר, בַּתְּחִלָּה מְקַלְקֵל מַעְיְנוֹתֶיהָ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ תּוֹקְעִין עֲלֵיהֶם וּמְרִיעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת לְיָרְאָם וּלְבַהֲלָם, וְכֵן הַצְפַרְדְּעִים מְקַרְקְרִים וְהוֹמִים וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא (פ' בא):
18On that day, I will set apart Goshen, where My people dwell, so that there will not be any mixed horde there. Thus you will realize that I am God in the midst of the land.   יחוְהִפְלֵיתִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַמִּי֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עָלֶ֔יהָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י הֱיֽוֹת־שָׁ֖ם עָרֹ֑ב לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ:
וְהִפְלֵיתִי - means: I will set apart; and similarly, וְהִפְלָה ה׳ “God will differentiate”; 10 and similarly, לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִיא מִמְּךָ 11 means: “it is not separated or set apart from you.”   וְהִפְלֵיתִי.  וְהִפְרַשְׁתִּי, וְכֵן "וְהִפְלָה ה'" (שמות ט'), וְכֵן "לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִיא מִמְּךָ" (דברים ל') – לֹא מֻבְדֶּלֶת וּמֻפְרֶשֶׁת הִיא מִמְּךָ:
לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי ה' בְּקֶרֶב הָאָֽרֶץ - Thus you will realize that I am God in the midst of the land - i.e., though the seat of My Divine Presence is in heaven, My decree takes effect in the lower realms as well.   לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי ה' בְּקֶרֶב הָאָֽרֶץ.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׁכִינָתִי בַּשָּׁמַיִם גְּזֵרָתִי מִתְקַיֶּמֶת בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים: