17Yet you continue to trample My people by not sending them forth. |
|
יזעֽוֹדְךָ֖ מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל בְּעַמִּ֑י לְבִלְתִּ֖י שַׁלְּחָֽם: |
עֽוֹדְךָ מִסְתּוֹלֵל בְּעַמִּי - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: כְּבִישַׁת בֵּיהּ בְּעַמִּי – You are still treading on My people. The word מִסְתּוֹלֵל is related to מְסִלָּה, which is translated in Aramaic as אוֹרַח כְּבִישָׁא “a trodden path”; and in Old French it is “calcher” (“to trample”). I have already explained at the end of parashat Vaihi Miketz that any word whose first root letter is ס, in the hitpa’el (reflexive) conjugation, the auxiliary ת added in this conjugation is placed between the first two root letters – as here, and as in: “the locust will be heavy (וְיִסְתַּבֵּל),” from the root סבל “to bear a load”; and “that you should exercise authority (תִשְׂתָּרֵר) over us,” from the same root as שַׂר וְנָגִיד “a noble and a prince”; and similarly, מִשְׂתַּכַּל הֲוֵית “I was studying the horns,” from the root שכל “intellect.” |
|
עֽוֹדְךָ מִסְתּוֹלֵל בְּעַמִּי.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כְּבִישַׁת בֵּהּ בְּעַמִּי, וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת מְסִלָּה, דִּמְתַרְגְּמִינָן אֹרַח כְּבִישָׁא, וּבְלַעַז קלקי"ר; וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּסוֹף וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ, כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁתְּחִלַּת יְסוֹדָהּ סמ"ך וְהִיא בָּאָה לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן מִתְפַּעֵל, נוֹתֵן הַתָּי"ו שֶׁל שִׁמּוּשׁ בְּאֶמְצַע אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל עִקָּר, כְּגוֹן זוֹ, וּכְגוֹן "וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב" (קה' י"ב), מִגִּזְרַת סבל, "כִּי תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ" (במדבר ט"ז), מִגִּזְרַת נָגִיד וְשָׂר, "מִשְׂתַּכֵּל הֲוֵית" (דניאל ז'):
|
18At this time tomorrow, I will rain down a very heavy hail. Never before in Egypt, from the day it was founded until now, has there been anything like it. |
|
יחהִנְנִ֤י מַמְטִיר֙ כָּעֵ֣ת מָחָ֔ר בָּרָ֖ד כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־הָיָ֤ה כָמֹ֨הוּ֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם לְמִן־הַיּ֥וֹם הִוָּֽסְדָ֖ה וְעַד־עָֽתָּה: |
כָּעֵת מָחָר - means: At this time tomorrow. Moses scratched a mark on the wall for Pharaoh, to demonstrate God’s power to control the forces of nature with perfect timing, saying, “Tomorrow, when the shadow caused by the sun reaches here, the hail will begin to fall.” |
|
כָּעֵת מָחָר.
כָּעֵת הַזֹּאת לְמָחָר; שָׂרַט לוֹ שְׂרִיטָה בַּכֹּתֶל – לְמָחָר כְּשֶׁתַּגִּיעַ חַמָּה לְכָאן, יֵרֵד הַבָּרָד:
|
הִוָּֽסְדָה - (lit., “its being founded”). means: when it was founded. Similarly any word whose first root-letter is a י, such as: יסד “to establish,” ילד “to give birth,” ידע “to know,” and יסר “to discipline,” when it is in the passive form, a ו replaces the י, as here: הִוָּסְדָהּ; and: הִוָּלְדָהּ “her being born”; וַיִּוָּדַע “it became known”; וַיִּוָּלֵד לְיוֹסֵף “To Joseph were born”; “a servant is not disciplined (לֹא יִוָּסֶר) with words.” |
|
הִוָּֽסְדָה.
שֶׁנִּתְיַסְּדָה; וְכָל תֵּבָה שֶׁתְּחִלַּת יְסוֹדָהּ יוֹ"ד, כְּגוֹן יסד, ילד, ידע, יסר, כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְפַּעֶלֶת, תָּבֹא הַוָּי"ו בִּמְקוֹם הַיּוֹ"ד, כְּמוֹ הִוָּסְדָהּ, הִוָּלְדָהּ (הושע ב'), וַיִּוָּדַע, "וַיִּוָּלֵד לְיוֹסֵף" (בראשית מ"ו), "בִּדְבָרִים לֹא יִוָּסֶר עָבֶד" (משלי כ"ט):
|
19So now, send word and gather in your livestock and everything you possess in the field. Any man or beast that is in the field and is not brought indoors will be pelted by the hail and will die.”’” |
|
יטוְעַתָּ֗ה שְׁלַ֤ח הָעֵז֙ אֶת־מִקְנְךָ֔ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְךָ֖ בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה כָּל־הָֽאָדָ֨ם וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵ֣א בַשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְלֹ֤א יֵֽאָסֵף֙ הַבַּ֔יְתָה וְיָרַ֧ד עֲלֵהֶ֛ם הַבָּרָ֖ד וָמֵֽתוּ: |
שְׁלַח הָעֵז - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: שְׁלַח כְּנוֹשׁ – Send, gather. Similar examples of the verb הָעֵז are: “Dwellers of the Gevim gather (הֵעִיזוּ)”; “Gather (הָעִזוּ), descendants of Benjamin!” |
|
שְׁלַח הָעֵז.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שְׁלַח כְּנוֹשׁ, וְכֵן "יוֹשְׁבֵי הַגֵּבִים הֵעִיזוּ" (ישעיה י'), "הָעִזוּ בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן" (ירמיה ו'):
|
וְלֹא יֵֽאָסֵף הַבַּיְתָה - And is not brought indoors. The word יֵאָסֵף here connotes gathering in. |
|
וְלֹא יֵֽאָסֵף הַבַּיְתָה.
לְשׁוֹן הַכְנָסָה הוּא:
|
20Those among Pharaoh’s courtiers who feared the word of God made their slaves and livestock flee to take cover indoors, |
|
כהַיָּרֵא֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה מֵֽעַבְדֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֑ה הֵנִ֛יס אֶת־עֲבָדָ֥יו וְאֶת־מִקְנֵ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבָּתִּֽים: |
הֵנִיס - means: he made flee. It is of the same root as: וַיָּנָס מֹשֶׁה “and Moses fled.” |
|
הֵנִיס.
הִבְרִיחַ:
|
21while those who did not heed the word of God left their slaves and livestock in the field. |
|
כאוַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־שָׂ֛ם לִבּ֖וֹ אֶל־דְּבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֛ב אֶת־עֲבָדָ֥יו וְאֶת־מִקְנֵ֖הוּ בַּשָּׂדֶֽה: |
22God said to Moses, “Raise your hand toward heaven, and there will be hail all throughout Egypt—on man, on beast, and on all the vegetation of the field in Egypt.” |
|
כבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה נְטֵ֤ה אֶת־יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וִיהִ֥י בָרָ֖ד בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־הָֽאָדָ֣ם וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְעַ֛ל כָּל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
עַל־הַשָּׁמַיִם - (lit., “upon heaven”) means: in the direction of heaven.But the aggadic explanation is: The Holy One, blessed be He, miraculously raised Moses above heaven. |
|
עַל־הַשָּׁמַיִם.
לְצַד הַשָּׁמַיִם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: הִגְבִּיהוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה לְמַעְלָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם:
|
23Moses raised his staff toward heaven. God gave forth thunder and hail, and fire came down to the ground inside the hail, and God rained down hail over Egypt. |
|
כגוַיֵּ֨ט משֶׁ֣ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֘הוּ֘ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֒יִם֒ וַֽיהֹוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קֹלֹת֙ וּבָרָ֔ד וַתִּֽהֲלַךְ־אֵ֖שׁ אָ֑רְצָה וַיַּמְטֵ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּרָ֖ד עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
24The hail was very heavy—with lightning flashing in the midst of the hail—such as had never occurred in all Egypt since it became a nation. |
|
כדוַיְהִ֣י בָרָ֔ד וְאֵ֕שׁ מִתְלַקַּ֖חַת בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּרָ֑ד כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־הָיָ֤ה כָמֹ֨הוּ֙ בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵאָ֖ז הָֽיְתָ֥ה לְגֽוֹי: |
מִתְלַקַּחַת בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּרָד - Flashing in the midst of the hail. There occurred here a miracle within a miracle: the fire and the hail were mixed together, even though hail is made out of water. In order to carry out the will of their Master, they made peace with one another. |
|
מִתְלַקַּחַת בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּרָד.
נֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס, הָאֵשׁ וְהַבָּרָד מְעֹרָבִין, וְהַבָּרָד מַיִם הוּא, וְלַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן קוֹנָם עָשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם:
|
25All throughout Egypt, the hail struck down whatever was outdoors, whether man or beast. The hail struck down all the vegetation of the field, and shattered every tree in the fields. |
|
כהוַיַּ֨ךְ הַבָּרָ֜ד בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה מֵֽאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־עֵ֤שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה֙ הִכָּ֣ה הַבָּרָ֔ד וְאֶת־כָּל־עֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה שִׁבֵּֽר: |
26Only in Goshen, where the Israelites were, was there no hail. |
|
כורַ֚ק בְּאֶ֣רֶץ גּ֔שֶׁן אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֥א הָיָ֖ה בָּרָֽד: |
27Pharaoh sent word and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned. God is the Righteous One, and I and my people are the wicked ones. |
|
כזוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח פַּרְעֹ֗ה וַיִּקְרָא֙ לְמשֶׁ֣ה וּלְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם חָטָ֣אתִי הַפָּ֑עַם יְהֹוָה֙ הַצַּדִּ֔יק וַֽאֲנִ֥י וְעַמִּ֖י הָֽרְשָׁעִֽים: |
28Pray to God. There has been enough Divine thunder and hail. I will send you forth and you need stay no longer.” |
|
כחהַעְתִּ֨ירוּ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְרַ֕ב מִֽהְיֹ֛ת קֹלֹ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּבָרָ֑ד וַֽאֲשַׁלְּחָ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תֹֽסִפ֖וּן לַֽעֲמֹֽד: |
וְרַב - And enough - i.e., let it be enough for Him with what He has already sent down. |
|
וְרַב.
דַּי לוֹ בְּמַה שֶּׁהוֹרִיד כְּבָר:
|
29Moses said to him, “When I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to God. The thunder will cease and there will be no more hail—so that you will recognize that the world belongs to God. |
|
כטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ משֶׁ֔ה כְּצֵאתִי֙ אֶת־הָעִ֔יר אֶפְרֹ֥שׂ אֶת־כַּפַּ֖י אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה הַקֹּל֣וֹת יֶחְדָּל֗וּן וְהַבָּרָד֙ לֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶה־ע֔וֹד לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֥י לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הָאָֽרֶץ: |
כְּצֵאתִי אֶת־הָעִיר - (lit., “when I go out the city”) means: “when I go out from the city”; but he did not pray inside the city, because it was full of idols. |
|
כְּצֵאתִי אֶת־הָעִיר.
מִן הָעִיר, אֲבָל בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר לֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה מְלֵאָה גִּלּוּלִים (שמות רבה):
|
30But as for you and your courtiers, I know that you do not yet fear God.” |
|
לוְאַתָּ֖ה וַֽעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּ֚י טֶ֣רֶם תִּֽירְא֔וּן מִפְּנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִֽים: |
טֶרֶם תִּֽירְאוּן - means: You are not yet afraid. Similarly, wherever טֶרֶם occurs in Scripture, its meaning is “not yet,” and it does not mean “before,” e.g., טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּ is translated in Aramaic as עַד לָא שְׁכִיבוּ “they had not yet gone to bed”; טֶרֶם יִצְמָח is translated as עַד לָא צְמַח “had not yet sprouted.” Here, too, it has the same meaning: I know that you are not yet afraid, and when there will be relief, you will persist in your corrupt behavior. |
|
טֶרֶם תִּֽירְאוּן.
עֲדַיִן לֹא תִירְאוּן; וְכֵן כָּל טֶרֶם שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא "עֲדַיִן לֹא" הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן קֹדֶם, "טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּ" (בראשית י"ט) – עַד לָא שְׁכִיבוּ, "טֶרֶם יִצְמָח" (שם ב') – עַד לָא צְמַח. אַף זֶה כֵן הוּא – יָדַעְתִּי כִּי עֲדַיִן אֵינְכֶם יְרֵאִים, וּמִשֶּׁתִּהְיֶה הָרְוָחָה תַעַמְדוּ בְּקִלְקוּלְכֶם:
|
31The flax and the barley were crushed by the hail, since the barley was ripe and the flax had formed stalks. |
|
לאוְהַפִּשְׁתָּ֥ה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָ֖ה נֻכָּ֑תָה כִּ֤י הַשְּׂעֹרָה֙ אָבִ֔יב וְהַפִּשְׁתָּ֖ה גִּבְעֹֽל: |
וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה נֻכָּתָה - The flax and the barley were crushed. נֻכָּתָה means “broken.” It is of the same root as: פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה “the lame Pharaoh”; and נְכָאִים “broken ones”; and similarly לֹא נֻכּוּ “were not (lit.) broken.” It is impossible, however, to explain it as being of the same meaning as הַכָּאָה “smiting,” for a נ cannot replace a ה to explain נֻכָּתָה as being the same as הֻכָּתָה, and נֻכּוּ as being the same as הֻכּוּ. Rather, the נ is a root-letter of the word, and נֻכּוּ is of a similar conjugation to וְשֻׁפּוּ עַצְמוֹתָיו “and his bones are dislocated.” |
|
וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה נֻכָּתָה.
נִשְׁבְּרָה, לְשׁוֹן "פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה" (מלכים ב כ"ג), "נְכָאִים" (ישעיהו ט"ז), וְכֵן לֹא נֻכּוּ; וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרְשׁוֹ לְשׁוֹן הַכָּאָה, שֶׁאֵין נו"ן בִּמְקוֹם ה"א לְפָרֵשׁ נֻכָּתָה כְּמוֹ הֻכָּתָה, נֻכּוּ כְּמוֹ הֻכּוּ, אֶלָּא הַנּו"ן שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּבָה וַהֲרֵי הוּא מִגִּזְרַת "וְשֻׁפּוּ עַצְמוֹתָיו" (איוב ל"ג):
|
כִּי הַשְּׂעֹרָה אָבִיב - Since the barley was ripe - i.e., it had already produced its first produce and stood with firm stems, and they therefore broke and fell. And similarly, the flax had fully grown and hardened, standing firmly in its stalks. |
|
כִּי הַשְּׂעֹרָה אָבִיב.
כְּבָר בִּכְּרָה וְעוֹמֶדֶת בְּקָשְׁיָהּ, וְנִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ וְנָפְלוּ, וְכֵן הַפִּשְׁתָּה גָּדְלָה כְבָר, וְהֻקְשָׁה לַעֲמֹד בְּגִבְעוֹלֶיהָ:
|
הַשְּׂעֹרָה אָבִיב - means: the barley was standing in its shoots. אָבִיב is of the same root as בְּאִבֵּי הַנָּחַל “the shoots of the brook.” |
|
הַשְּׂעֹרָה אָבִיב.
עָמְדָה בְּאִבֶּיהָ, לְשׁוֹן "בְּאִבֵּי הַנָּחַל" (שיר ו'):
|
32But the wheat and spelt were not crushed, since they are late in sprouting and were therefore still pliable. |
|
לבוְהַֽחִטָּ֥ה וְהַכֻּסֶּ֖מֶת לֹ֣א נֻכּ֑וּ כִּ֥י אֲפִילֹ֖ת הֵֽנָּה: |
כִּי אֲפִילֹת הֵֽנָּה - means: “for they are late growers,” and thus they were still flexible and were able to withstand hard hail. And even though it says: “The hail struck down all the vegetation of the field,” one may explain the straightforward meaning of the verse as referring only to plants that were standing firm in their stalks and would thus typically be affected by the hail. But in Midrash Rabbi Tanchuma some of our rabbis disagreed with this explanation, and they explained כִּי אֲפִילֹת as meaning “amazing wonders (פִּלְאֵי פְלָאוֹת) happened to them that they were not affected as well.” |
|
כִּי אֲפִילֹת הֵֽנָּה.
מְאֻחָרוֹת, וַעֲדַיִן הָיוּ רַכּוֹת וִיכוֹלוֹת לַעֲמֹד בִּפְנֵי קָשֶׁה; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאֵת כָּל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה הִכָּה הַבָּרָד", יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא בַּעֲשָׂבִים הָעוֹמְדִים בְּקִלְחָם, הָרְאוּיִם לִלְקוֹת בַּבָּרָד. וּבְמִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ עַל זֹאת, וְדָרְשׁוּ כי אפילת, פִּלְאֵי פְלָאוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם שֶׁלֹּא לָקוּ:
|
33Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and went out of the city, and spread his hands out to God in prayer. The thunder and hail ceased. The rain stopped pouring down on the ground. |
|
לגוַיֵּצֵ֨א משֶׁ֜ה מֵעִ֤ם פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הָעִ֔יר וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ כַּפָּ֖יו אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּחְדְּל֤וּ הַקֹּלוֹת֙ וְהַבָּרָ֔ד וּמָטָ֖ר לֹֽא־נִתַּ֥ךְ אָֽרְצָה: |
לֹֽא־נִתַּךְ - means: “it did not reach” – that even those raindrops that were in midair when Moses prayed did not reach the ground but fell to the ground later. A similar example of this verb used in this sense is: וַתִּתַּךְ עָלֵינוּ הָאָלָה וְהַשְּׁבוּעָה in the book of Ezra, which means: “and the curse and the oath has reached us.” But Menachem ben Saruk classified this word in the same section as כְּהִתּוּךְ כֶּסֶף, which refers to pouring molten metal, and I agree with his opinion, for we see that Onkelos translates וַיִּצֹק as וְאַתִּיךְ “and he cast,” and לָצֶקֶת as לְאַתָּכָא “for casting.” According to this explanation here, too, לֹא נִתַּךְ לָאָרֶץ means: did not pour down on the ground, i.e., the rain ceased being a flowing liquid and evaporated on the spot.End of Parashat Va’era |
|
לֹֽא־נִתַּךְ.
לֹא הִגִּיעַ, וְאַף אוֹתָן שֶׁהָיוּ בָּאֲוִיר לֹא הִגִּיעוּ לָאָרֶץ; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ: "וַתִּתַּךְ עָלֵינוּ הָאָלָה וְהַשְּׁבוּעָה" (דניאל ט') דְּעֶזְרָא – וַתַּגִּיעַ עָלֵינוּ. וּמְנַחֵם בֶּן סָרוּק חִבְּרוֹ בְּחֵלֶק "כְּהִתּוּךְ כֶּסֶף" (יחזקאל כ"ב), לְשׁוֹן יְצִיקַת מַתֶּכֶת, וְרוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דְּבָרָיו, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְיָצַק – וְאַתִּיךְ, לָצֶקֶת – לְאַתָּכָא. אַף זֶה לֹא נִתַּךְ לָאָרֶץ – לֹא הוּצַק לָאָרֶץ:
|
34But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had ceased, he continued to sin. He, like his courtiers, remained obstinate. |
|
לדוַיַּ֣רְא פַּרְעֹ֗ה כִּֽי־חָדַ֨ל הַמָּטָ֧ר וְהַבָּרָ֛ד וְהַקֹּלֹ֖ת וַיֹּ֣סֶף לַֽחֲטֹ֑א וַיַּכְבֵּ֥ד לִבּ֖וֹ ה֥וּא וַֽעֲבָדָֽיו: |
35Pharaoh remained stubborn and did not send forth the Israelites, just as God had said through Moses. |
|
להוַיֶּֽחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה: |