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Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Shemot - Exodus Va'era Texts & Summaries

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First Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 6

2God rebuked Moses by saying to him, “I am God.		בוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־משֶׁה - (lit.) God spoke to Moses. He spoke reprovingly to him for having spoken harshly and having said, 1 “Why have You mistreated this people?”		וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־משֶׁה. דִּבֵּר אִתּוֹ מִשְׁפָּט, עַל שֶׁהִקְשָׁה לְדַבֵּר וְלוֹמַר "לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה":
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה' - And said to him, “I am God - Who may be relied upon to pay good reward to those who walk before Me, so I have not sent you for nothing, but to fulfill My word I promised to the forefathers.” We find this phrase explained in this sense in several places: “I am God, who may be relied upon to exact punishment” when it is mentioned following a matter deserving punishment, such as: “thereby profaning the Name of your God; I am God,” 2 and when it is mentioned following performance of commandments, such as: “You must safeguard My commandments and perform them; I am God,” 3 it means “who may be relied upon to give reward.”		וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה'. נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר טוֹב לַמִּתְהַלְּכִים לְפָנַי, וְלֹא לְחִנָּם שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ כִּי אִם לְקַיֵּם דְּבָרִי שֶׁדִּבַּרְתִּי לָאָבוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים. וּבַלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה מָצִינוּ שֶׁהוּא נִדְרָשׁ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת אֲנִי ה' נֶאֱמָן לְהִפָּרַע – כְּשֶׁהוּא אָמוּר אֵצֶל עֹנֶשׁ – כְּגוֹן "וְחִלַּלְתָּ אֶת שֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי ה'" (ויקרא י״ט:י״ב), וּכְשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר אֵצֶל קִיּוּם מִצְווֹת – כְּגוֹן "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם מִצְוֹתַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אוֹתָם אֲנִי ה'" (שם כ"ב) – נֶאֱמָן לִתֵּן שָׂכָר:
3I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob only as El Shadai [‘God Almighty’]; I was not manifest to them by My Name God.		גוָֽאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם:
וָֽאֵרָא - I appeared - to the patriarchs		וָֽאֵרָא. אֶל הָאָבוֹת:
בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי - As El Shadai [‘God Almighty’]. i.e., I made them promises, and with all the promises I said to them: “I am God Almighty.”		בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי. הִבְטַחְתִּים הַבְטָחוֹת וּבְכֻלָּן אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי:
וּשְׁמִי ה' לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶֽם - (lit.) But My Name ‘God’ I was not known to them. It is not written here לֹא הוֹדַעְתִּי “I did not make known,” but לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי “I was not known,” i.e., I was not recognized by them with My attribute of trustworthiness indicated by My Name “God” – that I may be relied upon to fulfill My words – for I made them promises but did not fulfill them in their lifetimes.		וּשְׁמִי ה' לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶֽם. לֹא הוֹדַעְתִּי אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי, לֹא נִכַּרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּמִדַת אֲמִתּוּת שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁעָלֶיהָ נִקְרָא שְׁמִי ה', נֶאֱמָן לְאַמֵּת דְּבָרַי, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִבְטַחְתִּים וְלֹא קִיַּמְתִּי:
4I also made My covenant with them to give them Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners.		דוְגַ֨ם הֲקִמֹ֤תִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי֙ אִתָּ֔ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֵ֛ת אֶ֥רֶץ מְגֻֽרֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־גָּ֥רוּ בָֽהּ:
וְגַם הֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי וגו' - I also made my covenant…. i.e., then, too, when I appeared to them as God Almighty, I placed and set up My covenant between Me and them.		וְגַם הֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי וגו'. וְגַם כְּשֶׁנִּרְאֵיתִי לָהֶם בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי הִצַּבְתִּי וְהֶעֱמַדְתִּי בְרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיהֶם,
לָתֵת לָהֶם אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן - to give them Canaan. to Abraham it was said, in the passage regarding the circumcision: “I am God Almighty…. I will give the land in which you are sojourning, the entire land of Canaan…to you and to your descendants after you”; 4 to Isaac it was said: “for I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, and I will fulfill the oath that I made to Abraham your father,” 5 and that oath that I made to Abraham, I uttered using My Name “God Almighty”; to Jacob it was said: “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase…. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give you….” 6 Thus, you see that I made certain vows to them but did not yet fulfill them.		לָתֵת לָהֶם אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן. לְאַבְרָהָם בְּפָרָשַׁת מִילָה נֶאֱמַר "אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי וְגוֹ' וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֵת אֶרֶץ מְגֻרֶיךָ" (בראשית י"ז), לְיִצְחָק "כִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת כָּל הָאֲרָצֹת הָאֵל וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת הַשְּׁבֻעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם" (שם כ"ו), וְאוֹתָהּ שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי אָמַרְתִּי לְיַעֲקֹב – "אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי פְּרֵה וּרְבֵה וְגוֹ' וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר וְגוֹ'" (שם ל"ה), הֲרֵי שֶׁנָּדַרְתִּי לָהֶם וְלֹא קִיַּמְתִּי:
5I have also heard the Israelites’ groaning, complaining that the Egyptians are enslaving them, and I have recalled My covenant.		הוְגַ֣ם \| אֲנִ֣י שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶת־נַֽאֲקַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם מַֽעֲבִדִ֣ים אֹתָ֑ם וָֽאֶזְכֹּ֖ר אֶת־בְּרִיתִֽי:
וְגַם אֲנִי - (lit.) And I also. Just as I placed and set up the covenant, so it is incumbent upon Me to fulfill it, therefore, “I have heard the groaning of the Israelites” who are crying out.		וְגַם אֲנִי. כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִצַּבְתִּי וְהֶעֱמַדְתִּי הַבְּרִית יֵשׁ עָלַי לְקַיֵּם, לְפִיכָךְ שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל הַנּוֹאֲקִים,:
אֲשֶׁר מִצְרַיִם מַעֲבִדִים אֹתָם וָאֶזְכֹּר אֶת־בְּרִיתִי - that the Egyptians are enslaving them, and I have recalled. that covenant, for at the Covenant between the Pieces I said to Abraham: “I will also execute judgment upon the nation whom they will serve.” 7		אֲשֶׁר מִצְרַיִם מַעֲבִדִים אֹתָם וָאֶזְכֹּר אֶת־בְּרִיתִי. כִּי בִּבְרִית בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ "וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי" (בראשית ט"ו):
6Therefore, convey to the Israelites: ‘I am God. I will free you from the oppression of the Egyptians, rescue you from their servitude, and redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great chastisements.		ולָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֥ר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָה֒ וְהֽוֹצֵאתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם מִתַּ֨חַת֙ סִבְלֹ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵֽעֲבֹֽדָתָ֑ם וְגָֽאַלְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבִשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים:
לָכֵן - Therefore - i.e., in accordance with that oath.		לָכֵן. עַל פִּי אוֹתָהּ הַשְּׁבוּעָה:
אֱמֹר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי ה' - Convey to the Israelites, “I am God - Who may be relied upon to fulfill My promises.”		אֱמֹר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי ה'. הַנֶּאֱמָן בְּהַבְטָחָתִי:
וְהֽוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם - I will free you - for so I promised Abraham: “after that they will leave with great wealth.” 8		וְהֽוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם. כִּי כֵן הִבְטַחְתִּי: "וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל" (שם):
סִבְלֹת - means: the troublesome burden of the Egyptians.		סִבְלֹת. טֹרַח מַשָּׂא מִצְרַיִם:
7I will take you to Myself as a nation, and I will be your God. And you will know that I am God, your God, who is freeing you from the burdens of the Egyptians.		זוְלָֽקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֥ם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם הַמּוֹצִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת סִבְל֥וֹת מִצְרָֽיִם:
8I will bring you to the land regarding which I raised My hand to swear that I would give it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a heritage; for I am God.’”		חוְהֵֽבֵאתִ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֨אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לָתֵ֣ת אֹתָ֔הּ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְנָֽתַתִּ֨י אֹתָ֥הּ לָכֶ֛ם מֽוֹרָשָׁ֖ה אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
נָשָׂאתִי אֶת־יָדִי - I raised my hand - i.e., I lifted it to make an oath by My Throne.		נָשָׂאתִי אֶת־יָדִי. הֲרִימוֹתִיהָ לְהִשָּׁבַע בְּכִסְאִי:
9Moses related God’s message to the Israelites, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their anguish of spirit and harsh labor.		טוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר משֶׁ֛ה כֵּ֖ן אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה מִקֹּ֣צֶר ר֔וּחַ וּמֵֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה קָשָֽׁה:
וְלֹא שָֽׁמְעוּ אֶל־משֶׁה - They did not listen to Moses - means: they could not accept his words of comfort.		וְלֹא שָֽׁמְעוּ אֶל־משֶׁה. לֹא קִבְּלוּ תַנְחוּמִין:
מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ - (lit.) Due to shortness of breath. When anyone is in anguish, his breathing is short and he cannot draw long breaths. In a manner similar to the above explanation I have heard this passage expounded by Rabbi Baruch b’Rabbi Eliezer, and he brought me a proof for this from the following verse: “At this time, I will let them know My power and My might, and they will know that My Name is God.” 9 This verse teaches us that when the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills His promises, even regarding retribution, He thus makes it known that His Name is “God,” and all the more so when substantiating His promises for good. But our rabbis 10 explained this passage in connection with the previous subject, that Moses asked: “Why have You mistreated this people?” 11 The Holy One, blessed be He, replied to him: It is a great pity about the loss of those who are gone and are no longer to be found! I now have reason to grieve over the death of the patriarchs. Many times I appeared to them as “God Almighty,” but they never asked Me: “What is Your Name?” But you asked: “They will ask me, ‘What is His Name?’ What should I tell them?” 12		מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ. כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא מֵצֵר, רוּחוֹ וּנְשִׁימָתוֹ קְצָרָה, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַאֲרִיךְ בִּנְשִׁימָתוֹ: קָרוֹב לְעִנְיָן זֶה שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ מֵרַבִּי בָּרוּךְ בְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְהֵבִיא לִי רְאָיָה מִמִּקְרָא זֶה, "בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת אוֹדִיעֵם אֶת יָדִי וְאֶת גְּבוּרָתִי וְיָדְעוּ כִּי שְׁמִי ה'" (ירמיהו ט"ז) – לָמַדְנוּ כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְאַמֵּן אֶת דְּבָרָיו אֲפִלּוּ לְפֻרְעָנוּת מוֹדִיעַ שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ ה', וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן הַאֲמָנָה לְטוֹבָה. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְרָשׁוּהוּ לְעִנְיָן שֶׁל מַעְלָה, שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא "חֲבַל עַל דְּאָבְדִין וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין" – יֵשׁ לִי לְהִתְאוֹנֵן עַל מִיתַת הָאָבוֹת, הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים נִגְלֵיתִי אֲלֵיהֶם בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לִי מַה שִּׁמְךָ, וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ מַה שְּׁמוֹ, מָה אֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם:
וְגַם הֲקִמֹתִי וגו' - I also made [My covenant with them to give them Canaan]. but when Abraham wished to bury Sarah, he did not find a burial plot until he acquired one at a high price; and similarly with Isaac, the local people raised claims against him concerning the wells that he had dug; and similarly with Jacob, “he purchased the parcel of land upon which he had pitched his tent”; 13 yet they did not question My ways – but you asked: “Why have You mistreated this people?” However, this explanation does not fit in with the text for various reasons: Firstly, it does not say: “but My Name God they did not ask Me.” And if you say that the verse is in fact telling us that God did not inform the patriarchs that this is His Name, I answer that this cannot be the meaning, for already when God first appeared to Abraham at the Covenant between the Pieces, it says: “I am God who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans.” 14 Furthermore, according to this explanation, how does the context flow with the verses that follow here: “And I have also heard…therefore, convey to the Israelites, ‘I am God’”? I therefore say: the verse should be explained primarily according to its straightforward meaning, each word in its proper setting, but in this case the Midrashic explanation must also be expounded, as it says: “Is not My word like fire, declares God, and like a hammer that splinters a rock”; 15 similarly fire – God’s word, the Torah – is divided into several sparks, i.e., explanations.		וְגַם הֲקִמֹתִי וגו'. וּכְשֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ אַבְרָהָם לִקְבֹּר אֶת שָׂרָה לֹא מָצָא קֶבֶר עַד שֶׁקָּנָה בְדָמִים מְרֻבִּים, וְכֵן בְּיִצְחָק עִרְעֲרוּ עָלָיו עַל הַבְּאֵרוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָפַר, וְכֵן יַעֲקֹב וַיִּקֶן אֶת חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה, לִנְטוֹת אָהֳלוֹ, וְלֹא הִרְהֲרוּ אַחַר מִדּוֹתַי, וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָה? וְאֵין הַמִּדְרָשׁ מִתְיַשֵּׁב אַחַר הַמִּקְרָא מִפְּנֵי כַמָּה דְבָרִים, אַחַת, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר וּשְׁמִי ה' לֹא שָׁאֲלוּ לִי, וְאִם תֹּאמַר לֹא הוֹדִיעָם שֶׁכָּךְ שְׁמוֹ, הֲרֵי תְּחִלָּה כְּשֶׁנִּגְלָה לְאַבְרָהָם בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים נֶאֱמַר "אֲנִי ה' אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִים" (בראשית ט"ו), וְעוֹד הֵיאַךְ הַסְּמִיכָה נִמְשֶׁכֶת בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁהוּא סוֹמֵךְ לְכָאן וגם אני שמעתי וגו' לכן אמר לבני ישראל? לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר יִתְיַשֵּׁב הַמִּקְרָא עַל פְּשׁוּטוֹ, דָּבָר דָּבוּר עַל אָפְנָיו, וְהַדְּרָשָׁה תִדָּרֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הֲלוֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם ה' וּכְפַטִּישׁ יְפוֹצֵץ סָלַע" (ירמיהו כ"ג) – מִתְחַלֵּק לְכַמָּה נִיצוֹצוֹת (סנהדרין ל"ד):
10God spoke to Moses, saying,		יוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
11“Come and speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so he will send the Israelites out of his land.”		יאבֹּ֣א דַבֵּ֔ר אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם וִֽישַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ:
12But Moses spoke before God, saying, “Even the Israelites have not listened to me, so how will Pharaoh listen to me? For I am a man of blocked lips.”		יבוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר משֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹא־שָֽׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה וַֽאֲנִ֖י עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם:
וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה - So how will Pharaoh listen to me. This is one of ten a fortiori arguments (קַל וָחֹמֶר) found in the Torah and Scripture.		וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה. זֶה אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה (בראשית רבה צ"ב):
עֲרַל שְׂפָתָֽיִם - means literally: of obstructed lips. Similarly, I say that every instance of the word עָרְלָה means “blocked,” e.g., עֲרֵלָה אָזְנָם 16 means: “their ear is blocked” to listening; עַרְלֵי לֵב 17 means: “their hearts are closed up” to understanding; שְׁתֵה גַּם אַתָּה וְהֵעָרֵל 18 means: “Drink, you too, and become blocked in your senses” from the intoxication of “the cup of curses”; עָרְלַת בָּשָׂר “the foreskin” is so called because the membrum is closed up and covered with it; וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ 19 means: make for it a block and a cover, i.e., a prohibition that prevents you from eating it; שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים 20 means: for three years it must remain for you blocked, covered, and barred from your eating it.		עֲרַל שְׂפָתָֽיִם. אֲטוּם שְׂפָתַיִם; וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן עָרְלָה אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁהוּא אָטוּם, "עֲרֵלָה אָזְנָם" (ירמיהו ו') – אֲטוּמָה מִשְּׁמֹעַ, "עַרְלֵי לֵב" (שם ט') – אֲטוּמִים מֵהָבִין, "שְׁתֵה גַּם אַתָּה וְהֵעָרֵל" (חבקוק ב') – וְהֵאָטֵם מִשִּׁכְרוּת כּוֹס הַקְּלָלָה, "עָרְלַת בָּשָׂר" – שֶׁהַגִּיד אָטוּם וּמְכֻסֶּה בָהּ, "וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ" (ויקרא י"ט) – עֲשׂוּ לוֹ אֹטֶם וְכִסּוּי אִסּוּר שֶׁיַּבְדִּיל בִּפְנֵי אֲכִילָתוֹ, "שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים" (שם) – אָטוּם וּמְכֻסֶּה וּמֻבְדָּל מִלְּאָכְלוֹ:
13God spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He commanded them to be His emissaries to the Israelites and to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to take the Israelites out of Egypt.		יגוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֒ וַיְצַוֵּם֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן - God spoke to Moses and to Aaron. This follows on from the previous verse: Because Moses had said, “I am a man of blocked lips,” the Holy One, blessed be He, had Aaron join him to be his “mouth” and interpreter.		וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן. לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה אֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתַיִם, צֵרֵף לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אַהֲרֹן לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְפֶה וּלְמֵלִיץ:
וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - (lit.) He commanded them to the Israelites - i.e., He commanded them concerning the Israelites, to lead them gently and to be tolerant with them.		וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. צִוָּם עֲלֵיהֶם לְהַנְהִיגָם בְּנַחַת וְלִסְבֹּל אוֹתָם (שמות רבה):
וְאֶל־פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם - And to Pharaoh, king of Egypt - i.e., He commanded them, concerning Pharaoh, to show him respect in the words with which they would address him. This is its Midrashic explanation. But its straightforward meaning is: He instructed them about the matter concerning the Israelites and regarding Moses’ mission to speak to Pharaoh. And what exactly they were commanded is stated explicitly only in the next section, after the order of their lineage, but since Scripture mentioned here Moses and Aaron as leaders, it interrupted the subject with: “The following are the heads of the paternal clans,” 21 to inform us how Moses and Aaron were born and whose descendants they were, to emphasize how they were suited to their mission.		וְאֶל־פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם. צִוָּם עָלָיו לַחֲלֹק לוֹ כָבוֹד בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם, זֶה מִדְרָשׁוֹ (שם); וּפְשׁוּטוֹ, צִוָּם עַל דְּבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל שְׁלִיחוּתוֹ אֶל פַּרְעֹה; וּדְבַר הַצִּוּוּי מַהוּ, מְפֹרָשׁ בְּפָרָשָׁה שְׁנִיָּה לְאַחַר סֵדֶר הַיַּחַס, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, הִפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן בְּאלה ראשי בית אבתם לְלַמְּדֵנוּ הֵיאַךְ נוֹלְדוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּבְמִי נִתְיַחֲסוּ:

Footnotes

Genesis 17:1, 8.

Genesis 35:11, 12.

Exodus 6:14ff.

Second Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 6

14The following are the heads of the paternal clans of the first three tribes: The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, were Chanoch, Palu, Chetzron, and Karmi; these are the families of Reuben.		ידאֵ֖לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֣י בֵֽית־אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּנֵ֨י רְאוּבֵ֜ן בְּכֹ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל חֲנ֤וֹךְ וּפַלּוּא֙ חֶצְרֹ֣ן וְכַרְמִ֔י אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת רְאוּבֵֽן:
אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵֽית־אֲבֹתָם - The following are the heads of the paternal clans. Since Scripture needed to give the genealogy of the tribe of Levi up to Moses and Aaron for the sake of telling us the ancestry of Moses and Aaron, it began by giving the genealogy of the tribes by their order of birth, from Reuben, the first tribe. But in Pesikta Rabbati 1 I have seen another explanation: Because their father Jacob had rebuked these three tribes at the time of his death, Scripture gives their genealogy here again on their own, implying that they were nevertheless worthy.		אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵֽית־אֲבֹתָם. מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהֻזְקַק לְיַחֵס שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי עַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בִּשְׁבִיל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, הִתְחִיל לְיַחֲסָם דֶּרֶךְ תּוֹלְדוֹתָם מֵרְאוּבֵן. וּבְפְסִיקְתָּא רַבָּתִי רָאִיתִי, לְפִי שֶׁקִּנְטְרָם יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לִשְׁלוֹשָׁה שְׁבָטִים הַלָּלוּ בִּשְׁעַת מוֹתוֹ, חָזַר הַכָּתוּב וְיִחֲסָם כָּאן לְבַדָּם, לוֹמַר שֶׁחֲשׁוּבִים הֵם:
15The sons of Simeon were Yemu’el, Yamin, Ohad, Yachin, Tzochar, and Sha’ul, son of Dinah, who was considered the Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.		טווּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֗וֹן יְמוּאֵ֨ל וְיָמִ֤ין וְאֹ֨הַד֙ וְיָכִ֣ין וְצֹ֔חַר וְשָׁא֖וּל בֶּן־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֑ית אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת שִׁמְעֽוֹן:
16These are the names of the sons of Levi in their order of birth: Gershon, Kehat, and Merari. The years of Levi’s life came to 137 when he died.		טזוְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־לֵוִי֙ לְתֹ֣לְדֹתָ֔ם גֵּֽרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִ֑י וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י לֵוִ֔י שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה:
וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי לֵוִי וגו' - The years of Levi’s life came to… Why are the years of Levi enumerated? To thereby tell us how long was the period of actual slavery, for as long as one of the tribes was alive there was no slavery, for it says: “Joseph and all his brothers died,” 2 and only after that “a new king arose”; 3 and Levi lived longer than all the others.		וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי לֵוִי וגו'. לָמָּה נִמְנוּ שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל לֵוִי? לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה יְמֵי הַשִּׁעְבּוּד; שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֶחָד מִן הַשְּׁבָטִים קַיָּם לֹא הָיָה שִׁעְבּוּד (שמות רבה א'), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף וְכָל אֶחָיו" (שמות א), וְאַחַר כָּךְ "וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ", וְלֵוִי הֶאֱרִיךְ יָמִים עַל כֻּלָּם:
17The sons of Gershon were Livni and Shim’i, with their respective families.		יזבְּנֵ֥י גֵֽרְשׁ֛וֹן לִבְנִ֥י וְשִׁמְעִ֖י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם:
18The sons of Kehat were Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron, and Uzi’el. The years of Kehat’s life came to 133 when he died.		יחוּבְנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֑ל וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י קְהָ֔ת שָׁל֧שׁ וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה:
וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי עַמְרָם וגו' - The years of Kehat’s life came to…the years of Amram’s life came to…. From this reckoning of the years of Kehat and Amram we can deduce that when Scripture states that the Israelites would dwell in exile for 400 years, 4 they do not mean only the years spent in Egypt, but they begin from the day of Isaac’s birth; for Kehat was among those who went down to Egypt with Jacob – count all his years (133), the years of Amram (137), and the 80 years of Moses’ age at the Exodus, and you do not find them amounting to 400 years, and besides this, many years of the sons’ lives overlap with the years of the fathers.		וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי עַמְרָם וגו'. מֵחֶשְׁבּוֹן זֶה אָנוּ לְמֵדִים עַל מוֹשַׁב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (בראשית ט״ו:י״ג), שֶׁלֹּא בְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְבַדָּהּ הָיוּ, אֶלָּא מִיּוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק; שֶׁהֲרֵי קְהָת מִיּוֹרְדֵי מִצְרַיִם הָיָה, חֲשֹׁב כָּל שְׁנוֹתָיו וּשְׁנוֹת עַמְרָם וּשְׁמוֹנִים שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, לֹא תִמְצָאֵם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, וְהַרְבֵּה שָׁנִים נִבְלָעִים לַבָּנִים בִּשְׁנֵי הָאָבוֹת:
19The sons of Merari were Machli and Mushi. The above are the families of Levi, in their order of birth.		יטוּבְנֵ֥י מְרָרִ֖י מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְתֹֽלְדֹתָֽם:
20Amram married Yocheved, his aunt. She bore him Aaron and Moses. The years of Amram’s life came to 137 when he died.		כוַיִּקַּ֨ח עַמְרָ֜ם אֶת־יוֹכֶ֤בֶד דֹּֽדָתוֹ֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֔וֹ אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וְאֶת־משֶׁ֑ה וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י עַמְרָ֔ם שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה:
יוֹכֶבֶד דודתו - Yocheved, his aunt. Onkelos translates דֹּדָתוֹ as אַחַת אֲבוּהִי “his father’s sister,” i.e., she was the daughter of Levi and thus the sister of Kehat, Amram’s father.		יוֹכֶבֶד דודתו. אַחַת אֲבוּהִי, בַּת לֵוִי אֲחוֹת קְהָת:
21The sons of Yitzhar were Korach, Nefeg, and Zichri.		כאוּבְנֵ֖י יִצְהָ֑ר קֹ֥רַח וָנֶ֖פֶג וְזִכְרִֽי:
22The sons of Uzi’el were Misha’el, Eltzafan, and Sitri.		כבוּבְנֵ֖י עֻזִּיאֵ֑ל מִֽישָׁאֵ֥ל וְאֶלְצָפָ֖ן וְסִתְרִֽי:
23Aaron married Elisheva daughter of Aminadav and sister of Nachshon, and she bore him Nadav, Avihu, Eleazar, and Itamar.		כגוַיִּקַּ֨ח אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־אֱלִישֶׁ֧בַע בַּת־עַמִּֽינָדָ֛ב אֲח֥וֹת נַחְשׁ֖וֹן ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֗וֹ אֶת־נָדָב֙ וְאֶת־אֲבִיה֔וּא אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר וְאֶת־אִֽיתָמָֽר:
אֲחוֹת נַחְשׁוֹן - Sister of Nachshon. From here we learn that one marrying a woman should first examine the character of her brothers.		אֲחוֹת נַחְשׁוֹן. מִכָּאן לָמְדוּ, הַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹק בְאַחֶיהָ (בבא בתרא ק"י):
24The sons of Korach were Asir, Elkanah, and Avi’asaf; these are the families of the clan of Korach.		כדוּבְנֵ֣י קֹ֔רַח אַסִּ֥יר וְאֶלְקָנָ֖ה וַֽאֲבִֽיאָסָ֑ף אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַקָּרְחִֽי:
25Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Puti’el, and she bore him Pinechas. The above are the heads of the paternal clans of the Levites, by their families.		כהוְאֶלְעָזָ֨ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן לָֽקַח־ל֨וֹ מִבְּנ֤וֹת פּֽוּטִיאֵל֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד ל֖וֹ אֶת־פִּֽינְחָ֑ס אֵ֗לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַֽלְוִיִּ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם:
מִבְּנוֹת פּֽוּטִיאֵל - One of the daughters of Puti’el. She was a descendant of Jethro, known as Puti’el because he fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves to sacrifice to idols, and a descendant of Joseph, known as Puti’el because he scorned (פִּטְפֵּט) the advice of his evil inclination.		מִבְּנוֹת פּֽוּטִיאֵל. מִזֶּרַע יִתְרוֹ שֶׁפִּטֵּם עֲגָלִים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וּמִזֶּרַע יוֹסֵף שֶׁפִּטְפֵּט בְּיִצְרוֹ (סוטה מ"ג):
26These are the same Aaron and Moses to whom God said, “Take the Israelites out of Egypt according to their tribal groups.”		כוה֥וּא אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וּמשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֜יאוּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם:
הוּא אַֽהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה - i.e., those who are mentioned above, whom Yocheved bore to Amram, “these are the same Aaron and Moses to whom God said…”; their background contributed to them being selected as leaders. There are some places where Scripture mentions Aaron before Moses, and some places where it mentions Moses before Aaron, in order to indicate to you that they were equal in that they both played integral roles in this mission.		הוּא אַֽהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה. אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֻזְכְּרוּ לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁיָּלְדָה יוֹכֶבֶד לְעַמְרָם. הוא אהרן ומשה. יֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמַּקְדִּים אַהֲרֹן לְמֹשֶׁה וְיֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמַּקְדִּים מֹשֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁשְּׁקוּלִין כְּאֶחָד:
עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם - means: בְּצִבְאוֹתָם “with their groups,” i.e., their entire host according to their tribes. Sometimes, as here, the word עַל is merely in place of a single-letter prefix: “עַל חַרְבְּךָ you will live” 5 is the same as בְּחַרְבְּךָ “by your sword”; “You stood עַל חַרְבְּכֶם” 6 is the same as בְּחַרְבְּכֶם “by your sword.”		עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם. בְּצִבְאוֹתָם, כָּל צְבָאָם לְשִׁבְטֵיהֶם; יֵשׁ עַל שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בִמְקוֹם אוֹת אַחַת, "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז), כְּמוֹ בְּחַרְבְּךָ, "עֲמַדְתֶּם עַל חַרְבְּכֶם" (יחזקאל ל"ג) – בְּחַרְבְּכֶם:
27They are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, in order to take the Israelites out of Egypt. They were Moses and Aaron.		כזהֵ֗ם הַֽמְדַבְּרִים֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם ה֥וּא משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן:
הֵם הַֽמְדַבְּרִים וגו' - They are the ones who spoke…. i.e., they are the ones who were commanded to speak to Pharaoh because of their inherent qualities as stated above, and they actualized these potentials, living up to their expectations.		הֵם הַֽמְדַבְּרִים וגו'. הֵם שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ, הֵם שֶׁקִּיְּמוּ:
הוּא משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן - (lit.) He was Moses and Aaron - i.e., they each were consistent in their unique roles in their mission, which stemmed from their individual righteous qualities, from beginning to end.		הוּא משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן. הֵם בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָם וּבְצִדְקָתָם מִתְּחִלָּה וְעַד סוֹף (מגילה י"א):
28On the day that God spoke to Moses in Egypt,		כחוַיְהִ֗י בְּי֨וֹם דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־משֶׁ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר וגו' - (lit.) It was on the day… This verse is connected to the following verse.		וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר וגו'. מְחֻבָּר לַמִּקְרָא שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו:

Footnotes

Pesikta Rabbati end of ch. 7.

Third Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 6

29when God had spoken to Moses, saying, “I am God; tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, all that I am saying to you,”		כטוַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה דַּבֵּ֗ר אֶל־פַּרְעֹה֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י דֹּבֵ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ:
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' - (lit.) God spoke… This is the very same statement mentioned above: 1 “Come and speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt,” but since the Torah interrupted the narrative in order to give Moses and Aaron’s lineage, it now goes back to the previous subject and begins with it.		וַיְדַבֵּר ה'. הוּא הַדִּבּוּר עַצְמוֹ הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה בא דבר אל פרעה מלך מצרים, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהִפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן כְּדֵי לְיַחֲסָם, חָזַר עָלָיו לְהַתְחִיל בּוֹ:
אֲנִי ה' - I am God - i.e., I am capable enough to send you and to carry out the matter on which I have sent you.		אֲנִי ה'. כְּדַאי אֲנִי לְשָׁלְחֲךָ וּלְקַיֵּם דִּבְרֵי שְׁלִיחוּתִי:
30Moses had said before God, “I am a man of blocked lips, so how will Pharaoh ever listen to me?”		לוַיֹּ֥אמֶר משֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה הֵ֤ן אֲנִי֙ עֲרַ֣ל שְׂפָתַ֔יִם וְאֵ֕יךְ יִשְׁמַ֥ע אֵלַ֖י פַּרְעֹֽה:
וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה' - (lit.) Moses said before God… This is the very same statement that he said above: 2 “Even the Israelites did not listen to me…,” but Scripture repeats it here since it interrupted the narrative. Thus the style is like a man who says, “Let us review our previous words.”		וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה'. הִיא הָאֲמִירָה שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה הן בני ישראל לא שמעו אלי, וְשָׁנָה הַכָּתוּב כָּאן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן; וְכֵן הִיא הַשִּׁיטָה, כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר "נַחֲזֹר עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת":

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 7

1God now replied to Moses, “Observe! I have made you master over Pharaoh. Your brother Aaron will be your spokesman.		אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה רְאֵ֛ה נְתַתִּ֥יךָ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְפַרְעֹ֑ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֥ן אָחִ֖יךָ יִֽהְיֶ֥ה נְבִיאֶֽךָ:
נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה - I have made you (lit.) a god for Pharaoh. אֱלֹהִים means here: a judge and castigator, to afflict him with plagues and suffering.		נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה. שׁוֹפֵט וְרוֹדֶה, לִרְדּוֹתוֹ בְמַכּוֹת וְיִסּוּרִין:
יִֽהְיֶה נְבִיאֶֽךָ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: יְהֵי מְתֻרְגְּמָנָךְ – Will be your spokesman. Similarly, every use of the term נְבוּאָה, usually translated as “prophecy,” refers to a man who proclaims and announces words of reproof to the people. It is of the same root as נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם “speech of the lips”; 3 יָנוּב חָכְמָה “utters wisdom”; 4 וַיְכַל מֵהִתְנַבּוֹת “he ended uttering prophecy” in 1 Samuel; 5 and in Old French נָבִיא is called “predicar” (“preacher”).		יִֽהְיֶה נְבִיאֶֽךָ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ – "מְתֻרְגְּמָנָךְ". וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן נְבוּאָה אָדָם הַמַּכְרִיז וּמַשְׁמִיעַ לָעָם דִּבְרֵי תוֹכָחוֹת, וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת "נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם" (ישעיהו נ"ז), "יָנוּב חָכְמָה" (משלי י'), "וַיְכַל מֵהִתְנַבּוֹת" דִּשְׁמוּאֵל (א' י'); וּבְלַעַז קוֹרְאִין לוֹ פרידיכ"ר:
2You must repeat before Pharaoh everything that I command you. Your brother Aaron must repeat it to Pharaoh so that he send forth the Israelites from his land.		באַתָּ֣ה תְדַבֵּ֔ר אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲצַוֶּ֑ךָּ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֨יךָ֙ יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְשִׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ:
אַתָּה תְדַבֵּר - (lit.) You must speak - each separate message once to carry out My mission, just as you have heard it from My mouth, and then your brother Aaron will translate it into Pharaoh’s language and articulate it eloquently so that Pharaoh will understand.		אַתָּה תְדַבֵּר. פַּעַם אַחַת כָּל שְׁלִיחוּת וּשְׁלִיחוּת כְּפִי שֶׁשְּׁמַעְתּוֹ מִפִּי, וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ יַמְלִיצֶנּוּ וְיַטְעִימֶנּוּ בְּאָזְנֵי פַרְעֹה:
3Nonetheless, I will make Pharaoh insensitive. I will thereby increase My signs and marvels in Egypt.		גוַֽאֲנִ֥י אַקְשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֧י אֶת־אֹֽתֹתַ֛י וְאֶת־מֽוֹפְתַ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַֽאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה - (lit.) And I will harden [Pharaoh’s heart]. Since he has wickedly opposed Me, and it is clear to Me that the idolatrous nations cannot provide satisfaction by applying themselves wholeheartedly to repent, it is better that his heart be hardened, in order that I be able to increase the number of My signs brought against him, and you will thus recognize the extent of My power. Such is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He: He brings punishment upon the sinful nations so that Israel hear about it and fear Him, as it says: “I destroyed nations, their towers became desolate…. I imagined that surely you will now fear Me and learn a lesson.” 6 Nevertheless, with the first five plagues it does not say: “God strengthened Pharaoh’s heart,” but “Pharaoh’s heart was strengthened.”		וַֽאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה. מֵאַחַר שֶׁהִרְשִׁיעַ וְהִתְרִיס כְּנֶגְדִּי, וְגָלוּי לְפָנַי שֶׁאֵין נַחַת רוּחַ בָּאֻמּוֹת לָתֵת לֵב שָׁלֵם לָשׁוּב, טוֹב שֶׁיִּתְקַשֶּׁה לִבּוֹ, לְמַעַן הַרְבּוֹת בּוֹ אוֹתוֹתַי, וְתַכִּירוּ אַתֶּם אֶת גְּבוּרָתִי. וְכֵן מִדָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מֵבִיא פֻּרְעָנוּת עַל הָאֻמּוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִירְאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱ' "הִכְרַתִּי גוֹיִם נָשַׁמּוּ פִּנּוֹתָם … אָמַרְתִּי אַךְ תִּירְאִי אוֹתִי תִּקְחִי מוּסָר" (צפניה ג'); וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן בְּחָמֵשׁ מַכּוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת לֹא נֶאֱמַר וַיְחַזֵּק ה' אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה, אֶלָּא וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה (תנחומא):
4Pharaoh will not listen to you. I will then lay My hand upon Egypt to strike it and bring forth My hosts—My people, the Israelites—from Egypt by bringing great chastisements upon it.		דוְלֹא־יִשְׁמַ֤ע אֲלֵכֶם֙ פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְנָֽתַתִּ֥י אֶת־יָדִ֖י בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְהֽוֹצֵאתִ֨י אֶת־צִבְאֹתַ֜י אֶת־עַמִּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בִּשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים:
5The Egyptians will recognize that I am God, when I raise My hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from their midst.”		הוְיָֽדְע֤וּ מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה בִּנְטֹתִ֥י אֶת־יָדִ֖י עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהֽוֹצֵאתִ֥י אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִתּוֹכָֽם:
אֶת־יָדִי - My hand. A real hand, to strike them.		אֶת־יָדִי. יָד מַמָּשׁ, לְהַכּוֹת בָּהֶם:
6Moses and Aaron did exactly as God instructed them.		ווַיַּ֥עַשׂ משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֑ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹתָ֖ם כֵּ֥ן עָשֽׂוּ:
7Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83 years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.		זוּמשֶׁה֙ בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְאַ֣הֲרֹ֔ן בֶּן־שָׁל֥שׁ וּשְׁמֹנִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה בְּדַבְּרָ֖ם אֶל־פַּרְעֹֽה:

Footnotes

Fourth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 7

8God said to Moses and Aaron as follows:		חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
9“When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, ‘Produce a marvel for yourselves,’ you must say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh. It will become a serpent.’”		טכִּי֩ יְדַבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵכֶ֤ם פַּרְעֹה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם מוֹפֵ֑ת וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן קַ֧ח אֶת־מַטְּךָ֛ וְהַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ לִפְנֵֽי־פַרְעֹ֖ה יְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין:
מוֹפֵת - means: a sign to show that the One who has sent you has enough power and dominion that I should listen to you.		מוֹפֵת. אוֹת, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ צְרוֹךְ בְּמִי שֶׁשּׁוֹלֵחַ אֶתְכֶם:
לְתַנִּֽין - תַנִּין is a serpent.		לְתַנִּֽין. נָחָשׁ:
10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did exactly as God had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and in front of his courtiers, and it became a serpent.		יוַיָּבֹ֨א משֶׁ֤ה וְאַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֣עֲשׂוּ כֵ֔ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֨ךְ אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־מַטֵּ֗הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י עֲבָדָ֖יו וַיְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין:
11Pharaoh, too, summoned his wise men and magicians, and the necromancers also did likewise through their incantations:		יאוַיִּקְרָא֙ גַּם־פַּרְעֹ֔ה לַֽחֲכָמִ֖ים וְלַֽמְכַשְּׁפִ֑ים וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֨וּ גַם־הֵ֜ם חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם בְּלַֽהֲטֵיהֶ֖ם כֵּֽן:
בְּלַֽהֲטֵיהֶם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: בְּלַחֲשֵׁיהוֹן – with their incantations. There is no word directly identical to it in Scripture, but it may be compared to לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת “the revolving sword blade” 1 – the sword seemed to be revolving through an incantation (לַחַשׁ).		בְּלַֽהֲטֵיהֶם. בְּלַחֲשֵׁיהוֹן; וְאֵין לוֹ דִּמְיוֹן בַּמִּקְרָא; וְיֵשׁ לְדַמּוֹת לוֹ "לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת" (בראשית ג') – דּוֹמֶה שֶׁהִיא מִתְהַפֶּכֶת עַל יְדֵי לַחַשׁ:
12Each of them threw down his staff and the staffs turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.		יבוַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַטֵּ֔הוּ וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ לְתַנִּינִ֑ם וַיִּבְלַ֥ע מַטֵּה־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן אֶת־מַטֹּתָֽם:
וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה־אַֽהֲרֹן - But Aaron’s staff swallowed up - i.e., after it had turned back into a staff, symbolizing power and dominion, it swallowed up all of them.		וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה־אַֽהֲרֹן. מֵאַחַר שֶׁחָזַר וְנַעֲשָׂה מַטֶּה, בָּלַע אֶת כֻּלָּן (שבת צ"ז):
13But Pharaoh was stubborn, and he paid no heed to them, just as God had said.		יגוַֽיֶּֽחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
14God said to Moses, “Pharaoh is being obstinate; he refuses to send the people forth.		ידוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה כָּבֵ֖ד לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה מֵאֵ֖ן לְשַׁלַּ֥ח הָעָֽם:
כָּבֵד - (lit.) Heavy. Onkelos’ translation of this word is יַקִּיר “is heavy,” and not אִתְיַקַּר “has become heavy,” because it is an adjective and not a verb, as in “for this matter is too weighty (כָבֵד) for you”; 2 i.e., Pharaoh is stubborn on his own, beyond whatever God had done to make him stubborn.		כָּבֵד. תַּרְגוּמוֹ יַקִּיר וְלֹא אִתְיַקַּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם דָּבָר, כְּמוֹ "כִּי כָבֵד מִמְּךָ הַדָּבָר" (שמות י"ח):
15Go to Pharaoh in the morning, for that is when he goes out to the water. Station yourself opposite him on the bank of the Nile River. Take in your hand Aaron’s staff, which turned into a serpent.		טולֵ֣ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֞ה בַּבֹּ֗קֶר הִנֵּה֙ יֹצֵ֣א הַמַּ֔יְמָה וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִקְרָאת֖וֹ עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיְאֹ֑ר וְהַמַּטֶּ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְנָחָ֖שׁ תִּקַּ֥ח בְּיָדֶֽךָ:
הִנֵּה יֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה - That is when he goes out to the water - to relieve himself; for Pharaoh pretended to be a god and claimed that he had no need to relieve himself, so he would rise early each morning and go out to the Nile and take care of his personal needs there in secret.		הִנֵּה יֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה. לִנְקָבָיו; שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִנְקָבָיו, וּמַשְׁכִּים וְיוֹצֵא לַנִּילוּס וְעוֹשֶׂה שָׁם צְרָכָיו (תנחומא):
16You must say to him: ‘God, God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say: Send forth My people, so they may serve Me in the wilderness! Until now you have not paid attention.		טזוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽעִבְרִים֙ שְׁלָחַ֤נִי אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְיַֽעַבְדֻ֖נִי בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְהִנֵּ֥ה לֹֽא־שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ עַד־כֹּֽה:
עַד־כֹּֽה - means: until now. But its Midrashic explanation is: You will not listen to Me until you hear from Me the announcement of the plague of the firstborn, which I will open with the word כֹּה “thus”: “Thus God has said, ‘At midnight….’” 3		עַד־כֹּֽה. עַד הֵנָּה; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: עַד שֶׁתִּשְׁמַע מִמֶּנִּי מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת שֶׁאֶפְתַּח בָּהּ בְּ"כֹה" אָמַר ה' כַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה (שמות י״א:ד׳):
17Now this is what God has said: Through this you will recognize that I am God. I am now going to strike the water of the river with the staff in my hand, and it will turn into blood.		יזכֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּזֹ֣את תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֖י אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י מַכֶּ֣ה \| בַּמַּטֶּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִ֗י עַל־הַמַּ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּיְאֹ֖ר וְנֶֽהֶפְכ֥וּ לְדָֽם:
וְנֶֽהֶפְכוּ לְדָֽם - And it will turn into blood. Since rain does not fall in Egypt; rather, the Nile overflows and irrigates the land, the Egyptians worship the Nile as a deity. God therefore first smote their deity by turning it into blood and only afterwards punished them.		וְנֶֽהֶפְכוּ לְדָֽם. לְפִי שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִים בְּמִצְרַיִם וְנִילוּס עוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וּמִצְרַיִם עוֹבְדִים לַנִּילוּס, לְפִיכָךְ הִלְקָה אֶת יִרְאָתָם וְאֲחַר כַּךְ הִלְקָה אוֹתָם (תנחומא):
18The fish in the river will die and the river will become putrid, and the Egyptians will grow weary of trying to drink water from it.’”		יחוְהַדָּגָ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֛ר תָּמ֖וּת וּבָאַ֣שׁ הַיְאֹ֑ר וְנִלְא֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מַ֖יִם מִן־הַיְאֹֽר:
וְנִלְאוּ מִצְרַיִם - And the Egyptians will grow weary - of seeking a cure for the water of the Nile so that it become fit to drink.		וְנִלְאוּ מִצְרַיִם. לְבַקֵּשׁ רְפוּאָה לְמֵי הַיְאוֹר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ רְאוּיִין לִשְׁתּוֹת:
19God said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and raise your hand over the water of Egypt—over their rivers, their canals, their ponds, and all their other bodies of water—and they will turn into blood. There will be blood throughout all Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.’”		יטוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֣ר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֡ן קַ֣ח מַטְּךָ֣ וּנְטֵה־יָֽדְךָ֩ עַל־מֵימֵ֨י מִצְרַ֜יִם עַל־נַֽהֲרֹתָ֣ם \| עַל־יְאֹֽרֵיהֶ֣ם וְעַל־אַגְמֵיהֶ֗ם וְעַ֛ל כָּל־מִקְוֵ֥ה מֵֽימֵיהֶ֖ם וְיִֽהְיוּ־דָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה דָם֙ בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָֽעֵצִ֖ים וּבָֽאֲבָנִֽים:
אֱמֹר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן - Say to Aaron. Since the Nile protected Moses when he was cast into it, it was not smitten through him, neither in the plague of blood nor in the plague of frogs. Instead, it was smitten through Aaron.		אֱמֹר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן. לְפִי שֶׁהֵגֵן הַיְאוֹר עַל מֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁלַךְ לְתוֹכוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא לָקָה עַל יָדוֹ לֹא בַדָּם וְלֹא בַצְפַרְדְּעִים, וְלָקָה עַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן (שמות רבה):
נַֽהֲרֹתָם - Their rivers. These are flowing rivers, similar to our rivers here in France.		נַֽהֲרֹתָם. הֵם נְהָרוֹת הַמּוֹשְׁכִים, כְּעֵין נְהָרוֹת שֶׁלָּנוּ:
יְאֹֽרֵיהֶם - These are man-made pools, channels running from the river bank to the fields. The Nile’s water would increase and it would overflow, pass through these canals and irrigate the fields.		יְאֹֽרֵיהֶם. הֵם בְּרֵכוֹת נִגָּרִים, הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת בִּידֵי אָדָם מִשְּׂפַת הַנָּהָר לַשָּׂדוֹת, וְנִילוּס מֵימָיו מִתְבָּרְכִים וְעוֹלֶה דֶּרֶךְ הַיְאוֹרִים וּמַשְׁקֶה הַשָּׂדוֹת:
אַגְמֵיהֶם - Their ponds. אַגַם is a collection of water that neither gushes forth nor flows, but remains stagnant in one place. It is called in Old French “estanc” (“pond”).		אַגְמֵיהֶם. קְבוּצַת מַיִם שֶׁאֵינָן נוֹבְעִין וְאֵין מוֹשְׁכִין, אֶלָּא עוֹמְדִין בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, וְקוֹרְין לוֹ אשטנ"ק:
בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - Throughout all Egypt - even in the bathhouses and in baths in homes.		בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. אַף בַּמֶּרְחֲצָאוֹת וּבָאַמְבַּטָּאוֹת שֶׁבַּבָּתִּים:
וּבָֽעֵצִים וּבָֽאֲבָנִֽים - (lit., “and in the trees and the stones”). means: the plague of blood would affect the water in wooden vessels and stone vessels.		וּבָֽעֵצִים וּבָֽאֲבָנִֽים. מַיִם שֶׁבִּכְלֵי עֵץ וּבִכְלֵי אֶבֶן:
20Moses and Aaron did exactly as God had commanded: Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile River in the sight of Pharaoh and his courtiers, and all the water in the river turned into blood.		כוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֩ משֶׁ֨ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֜ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר \| צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיָּ֤רֶם בַּמַּטֶּה֙ וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־הַמַּ֨יִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּיְאֹ֔ר לְעֵינֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיֵּהָֽפְכ֛וּ כָּל־הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֖ר לְדָֽם:
21The fish in the river died and the river became putrid, so that the Egyptians were unable to drink water from the river. There was blood everywhere in Egypt.		כאוְהַדָּגָ֨ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֥ר מֵ֨תָה֙ וַיִּבְאַ֣שׁ הַיְאֹ֔ר וְלֹא־יָכְל֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מַ֖יִם מִן־הַיְאֹ֑ר וַיְהִ֥י הַדָּ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
22The necromancers of Egypt then did likewise with their incantations. So Pharaoh was stubborn, paying no heed to them, just as God had said.		כבוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֛ן חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּלָֽטֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֶּֽחֱזַ֤ק לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
בְּלָֽטֵיהֶם - With their incantations - refers to a spell that is uttered covertly (בַּלָּט) and secretly; and our rabbis said: בְּלָטֵיהֶם refers to acts intended to manipulate demons; בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם 4 refers to acts of sorcery.		בְּלָֽטֵיהֶם. לַחַשׁ שֶׁאוֹמְרִין אוֹתוֹ בַּלָּט וּבַחֲשַׁאי; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, "בְּלָטֵיהֶם" מַעֲשֵׂה שֵׁדִים, "בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם" מַעֲשֵׂה כְשָׁפִים (סנהדרין ס"ז):
וַיֶּֽחֱזַק לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה - So Pharaoh was stubborn - by saying, “You are doing this through magic. Are you bringing straw to Ofrayim, a city full of straw? You, too, are bringing magic to Egypt, which is already full of magic!”		וַיֶּֽחֱזַק לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה. לוֹמַר עַל יְדֵי מְכַשְּׁפוּת אַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים כֵּן; "תֶּבֶן אַתֶּם מַכְנִיסִים לְעָפְרַיִם", עִיר שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ תֶּבֶן, אַף אַתֶּם מְבִיאִין מְכַשְּׁפוּת לְמִצְרַיִם שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ כְּשָׁפִים:
23Pharaoh turned and went into his palace, paying no attention even to this.		כגוַיִּ֣פֶן פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וְלֹא־שָׁ֥ת לִבּ֖וֹ גַּם־לָזֹֽאת:
גַּם־לָזֹֽאת - Even to this - i.e., not only did he not care about the marvel of the staff having turned into a serpent, but also not about this sign of the Nile turning to blood.		גַּם־לָזֹֽאת. לְמוֹפֵת הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁנֶּהְפַּךְ לְתַנִּין, וְלֹא לָזֶה שֶׁל דָּם:
24All the Egyptians dug around the river for drinking water, since they could not drink any water from the river.		כדוַיַּחְפְּר֧וּ כָל־מִצְרַ֛יִם סְבִיבֹ֥ת הַיְאֹ֖ר מַ֣יִם לִשְׁתּ֑וֹת כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָֽכְלוּ֙ לִשְׁתֹּ֔ת מִמֵּימֵ֖י הַיְאֹֽר:
25Seven full days passed from the time God struck the river.		כהוַיִּמָּלֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים אַֽחֲרֵ֥י הַכּֽוֹת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הַיְאֹֽר:
וַיִּמָּלֵא - (lit.) There was completed - the amount of seven days during which the plague continued in that the Nile did not revert to its former state; this verse is stated also to inform when the subsequent warnings took place, for each plague would last a quarter of a month, and for three-quarters of a month Moses warned and cautioned the Egyptians about the forthcoming plague.		וַיִּמָּלֵא. מִנְיַן שבעת ימים, שֶׁלֹּא שָׁב הַיְאוֹר לְקַדְמוּתוֹ, שֶׁהָיְתָה הַמַּכָּה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת רְבִיעַ חֹדֶשׁ, וג' חֲלָקִים הָיָה מֵעִיד וּמַתְרֶה בָהֶם (תנחומא):
26God said to Moses, “Come to Pharaoh and say to him: ‘This is what God has said: Send forth My people so they may serve Me.		כווַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי:
27If you refuse to let them leave, I will plague all your territory with frogs.		כזוְאִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לְשַׁלֵּ֑חַ הִנֵּ֣ה אָֽנֹכִ֗י נֹגֵ֛ף אֶת־כָּל־גְּבֽוּלְךָ֖ בַּֽצְפַרְדְּעִֽים:
וְאִם־מָאֵן אַתָּה - means: “But if you are one who refuses.” מָאֵן is similar in meaning to the present tense verbs מְמָאֵן and מְסָרֵב “refuse,” but the difference is that מָאֵן is a description of the person in respect to his continual action, similar to שָׁלֵו “one who is tranquil”; 5 שָׁקֵט “one who is calm”; סַר וְזָעֵף “dispirited and one who is enraged.” 6		וְאִם־מָאֵן אַתָּה. וְאִם סַרְבָן אַתָּה מָאֵן כְּמוֹ מְמָאֵן, מְסָרֵב, אֶלָּא כִּנּוּי הָאָדָם עַל שֵׁם הַמִּפְעָל, כְּמוֹ "שָׁלֵו" (איוב ט"ז), "שָׁקֵט" (שופטים י"ח), "סַר וְזָעֵף" (מלכים א כ'):
נֹגֵף אֶת־כָּל־גְּבֽוּלְךָ - Plague all your territory. נֹגֵף means here: “smite,” and likewise every expression of מַגֵּפָה does not necessarily connote death but smiting; and similarly: “and they collide with (וְנָגְפוּ) a pregnant woman” 7 does not connote killing; and similarly: “and while your feet do not yet stumble (יִתְנַגְּפוּ)”; 8 “so that your foot not strike (פֶּן תִּגֹּף) a stone”; 9 וּלְאֶבֶן נֶגֶף “and as a stumbling block.” 10		נֹגֵף אֶת־כָּל־גְּבֽוּלְךָ. מַכֶּה, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן מַגֵּפָה אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מַכָּה, וְכֵן "וְנָגְפוּ אִשָּׁה הָרָה" (שמות כ"א), אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה, וְכֵן "וּבְטֶרֶם יִתְנַגְּפוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם" (ירמיהו י"ג), "פֶּן תִּגֹּף בָּאֶבֶן רַגְלֶךָ" (תהילים צ"א), "וּלְאֶבֶן נֶגֶף" (ישעיהו ח'):
28The river will swarm with frogs, and when they emerge, they will go first into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, and then into the homes of your courtiers and among your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls.		כחוְשָׁרַ֣ץ הַיְאֹר֘ צְפַרְדְּעִים֒ וְעָלוּ֙ וּבָ֣אוּ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ וּבַֽחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּֽבְךָ֖ וְעַל־מִטָּתֶ֑ךָ וּבְבֵ֤ית עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ וּבְעַמֶּ֔ךָ וּבְתַנּוּרֶ֖יךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ:
וְעָלוּ - And they will (lit.) come up - i.e., from the Nile River.		וְעָלוּ. מִן הַיְאוֹר:
בְּבֵיתֶךָ - Into your house - and only afterwards into your courtiers’ houses. Pharaoh first proposed the idea of oppressing the Israelites, as it says: “He said to his people…”, 11 and therefore the punishment began with him.		בְּבֵיתֶךָ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ בבית עבדיך. הוּא הִתְחִיל בָּעֵצָה תְּחִלָּה, "וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ" (שמות א'), וּמִמֶּנּוּ הִתְחִילָה הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:
29The frogs will enter alive into you, your people, and all your courtiers.’”		כטוּבְכָ֥ה וּבְעַמְּךָ֖ וּבְכָל־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ יַֽעֲל֖וּ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִֽים:
וּבְכָה וּבְעַמְּךָ - Into you and your people. The frogs would even enter into their intestines and croak there.		וּבְכָה וּבְעַמְּךָ. בְּתוֹךְ מְעֵיהֶם נִכְנָסִין וּמְקַרְקְרִין (סוטה י"א):

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 8

1God said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Raise your hand with your staff over the rivers, the canals, and the ponds, and make the frogs come up over Egypt.’”		אוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁה֒ אֱמֹ֣ר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן נְטֵ֤ה אֶת־יָֽדְךָ֙ בְּמַטֶּ֔ךָ עַל־הַ֙נְּהָרֹ֔ת עַל־הַיְאֹרִ֖ים וְעַל־הָֽאֲגַמִּ֑ים וְהַ֥עַל אֶת־הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֖ים עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
2Aaron raised his hand over the water of Egypt, and the swarm of frogs came up and covered Egypt.		בוַיֵּ֤ט אַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶת־יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל מֵימֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתַּ֨עַל֙ הַצּפַרְדֵּ֔עַ וַתְּכַ֖ס אֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַתַּעַל הַצּפַרְדֵּעַ - (lit.) And the frog came up. There was at first just one frog, but the Egyptians would strike it and it would then spray forth many swarms; this is its Midrashic explanation, according to which the word can simultaneously be rendered as “came up” and “brought up.” But its straightforward explanation is: One may say that a swarm of frogs may be spoken of in the singular, and so we find: וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם, 12 where הַכִּנָּם means: the swarm of lice, “pedoliyere” in Old French (“lice swarm”); so, too, here: וַתַּעַל הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ, and הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ means: “grenoulliyere” in Old French (“frog swarm”).		וַתַּעַל הַצּפַרְדֵּעַ. צְפַרֵדַּע אַחַת הָיְתָה וְהָיוּ מַכִּין אוֹתָהּ וְהִיא מַתֶּזֶת נְחִילִים נְחִילִים, זֶהוּ מִדְרָשׁוֹ (סנהדרין ס"ז). וּפְשׁוּטוֹ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, שֵׁרוּץ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים קוֹרֵא לְשׁוֹן יְחִידוּת; וְכֵן וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם – הָרְחִישָׁה, פדולייר"א בְּלַעַז, וְאַף ותעל הצפרדע – גרינולייר"א בְּלַעַז:
3The necromancers did the same with their incantations: they made frogs come up over Egypt.		גוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֥ן הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֖ים בְּלָֽטֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲל֥וּ אֶת־הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֖ים עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
4Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat God to remove the frogs from me and my people, and I will send forth the people so they may sacrifice to God!”		דוַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֜ה לְמשֶׁ֣ה וּלְאַֽהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַעְתִּ֣ירוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיָסֵר֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִמֶּ֖נִּי וּמֵֽעַמִּ֑י וַֽאֲשַׁלְּחָה֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְיִזְבְּח֖וּ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
5Moses replied to Pharaoh, “Show off at my expense. For what time should I pray—for you and your courtiers and your people—that God should eradicate the frogs from you and your homes so that they remain only in the river?”		הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֣ה לְפַרְעֹה֘ הִתְפָּאֵ֣ר עָלַי֒ לְמָתַ֣י \| אַעְתִּ֣יר לְךָ֗ וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ וּלְעַמְּךָ֔ לְהַכְרִית֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִמְּךָ֖ וּמִבָּתֶּ֑יךָ רַ֥ק בַּיְאֹ֖ר תִּשָּׁאַֽרְנָה:
הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי - The word הִתְפָּאֵר is similar to: “Can the axe pride itself (הֲיִתְפָּאֵר) over the one who chops with it,” 13 i.e., boast by saying, “I am greater than you”; “vanter” in Old French (“to boast”). Similarly here: הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי means: Pride yourself by acting clever, asking me to do something difficult, saying that I will be unable to do it.		הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי. כְּמוֹ "הֲיִתְפָּאֵר הַגַּרְזֶן עַל הַחֹצֵב בּוֹ" (ישעיהו י') – מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ לוֹמַר אֲנִי גָּדוֹל מִמְּךָ, ונטי"ר בְּלַעַז. וְכֵן הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי – הִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ לְהִתְחַכֵּם וְלִשְׁאֹל דָּבָר גָּדוֹל, וְלוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא אוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ:
לְמָתַי אַעְתִּיר לְךָ - (lit.) For when should I pray for you- i.e., that which I will pray for you today concerning the eradication of the frogs – when do you wish them to disappear? You will then see if I uphold my word at the time you designate for me. If the verse had said: מָתַי אַעְתִּיר, it would have meant: “when should I pray?” Since it says: לְמָתַי אַעְתִּיר, it means: Today I will pray for you that the frogs be eradicated at the time you set for me; say by which day you wish them to disappear. Scripture uses the hif’il forms אַעְתִּיר, הַעְתִּירוּ, and וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי, and it does not say: אֶעְתַּר, עִתְרוּ, and וְעָתַרְתִּי (kal forms), because every form of the verb עתר connotes increasing prayer, and just as when wishing to express “increasing something,” one says: הַרְבּוּ, אַרְבֶּה, and וְהִרְבֵּיתִי in the hif’il form, so one says: אַעְתִּיר, הַעְתִּירוּ, and וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי to express “increasing words.” The prime example for this is: וְהַעְתַּרְתֶּם עָלַי דִּבְרֵיכֶם which means “and you have multiplied your words against Me.” 14		לְמָתַי אַעְתִּיר לְךָ. אֶת אֲשֶׁר אַעְתִּיר לְךָ הַיּוֹם עַל הַכְרָתַת הַצְפַרְדְּעִים, לְמָתַי תִּרְצֶה שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ? וְתִרְאֶה אִם אַשְׁלִים דְּבָרִי לַמּוֹעֵד שֶׁתִּקְבַּע לִי. אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר "מָתַי" אַעְתִּיר, הָיָה מַשְׁמָע מָתַי אֶתְפַּלֵּל, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לְמָתַי", מַשְׁמָע אֲנִי הַיּוֹם אֶתְפַּלֵּל עָלֶיךָ, שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים לִזְמַן שֶׁתִּקְבַּע עָלַי; אֱמֹר לְאֵיזֶה יוֹם תִּרְצֶה שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ אַעְתִּיר העתירו, והעתרתי וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶעְתַּר, עִתְרוּ, וְעָתַרְתִּי, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּל לְשׁוֹן עתר הַרְבּוֹת פֶּלֶל הוּא, וְכַאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר אַרְבֶּה, הַרְבּוּ, וְהִרְבֵּיתִי, לְשׁוֹן מַפְעִיל, כָּךְ יֹאמַר אַעְתִּיר, הַעְתִּירוּ, וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי דְּבָרִים; וְאָב לְכֻלָּם "וְהַעְתַּרְתֶּם עָלַי דִּבְרֵיכֶם" (יחזקאל ל"ה) – הִרְבֵּיתֶם:
6He replied, “By tomorrow.” So Moses said, “It will be as you say, so that you will recognize that there is none like God, our God.		ווַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְמָחָ֑ר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ כִּדְבָ֣רְךָ֔ לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֔ע כִּי־אֵ֖ין כַּֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ:
וַיֹּאמֶר לְמָחָר - He replied, “By tomorrow” - i.e., pray today that they disappear by tomorrow.		וַיֹּאמֶר לְמָחָר. הִתְפַּלֵּל הַיּוֹם, שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ לְמָחָר:

Footnotes

1 Kings 20:43.

Fifth Portion

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:

Footnotes

2 Kings 3:24.

1 Kings 20:37.

Tanchuma Bo 4.

Sixth Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 8

19I will make a redemptive distinction between My people and your people. This miraculous sign will come about tomorrow.”’”		יטוְשַׂמְתִּ֣י פְדֻ֔ת בֵּ֥ין עַמִּ֖י וּבֵ֣ין עַמֶּ֑ךָ לְמָחָ֥ר יִֽהְיֶ֖ה הָאֹ֥ת הַזֶּֽה:
וְשַׂמְתִּי פְדֻת - (lit.) And I will place a redemption - that will distinguish “between My people and your people.”		וְשַׂמְתִּי פְדֻת. שֶׁיַּבְדִּיל בֵּין עַמִּי וּבֵין עַמְּךָ:
20God did this, and a huge mixed horde of wild beasts came upon the homes of Pharaoh and of his courtiers; all throughout Egypt the land was devastated by the mixed horde of wild beasts.		כוַיַּ֤עַשׂ יְהֹוָה֙ כֵּ֔ן וַיָּבֹא֙ עָרֹ֣ב כָּבֵ֔ד בֵּ֥יתָה פַרְעֹ֖ה וּבֵ֣ית עֲבָדָ֑יו וּבְכָל־אֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֛יִם תִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֥י הֶעָרֹֽב:
תִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ - (lit., “the land will be devastated”) means: the land was devastated, in the past tense, as Onkelos translates it: אִתְחַבָּלַת אַרְעָא.		תִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ. נִשְׁחֶתֶת הָאָרֶץ, אִתְחַבָּלַת אַרְעָא:
21Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go and sacrifice to your God in this land.”		כאוַיִּקְרָ֣א פַרְעֹ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֖ה וּלְאַֽהֲרֹ֑ן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכ֛וּ זִבְח֥וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם בָּאָֽרֶץ:
זִבְחוּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶם בָּאָֽרֶץ - Go and sacrifice to your God in this land - i.e., in the place where you are, and do not go out into the desert.		זִבְחוּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶם בָּאָֽרֶץ. בִּמְקוֹמְכֶם וְלֹא תֵלְכוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר:
22Moses said, “It would not be proper to do so, for it is the deity of Egypt that we would sacrifice to God, our God. If we were to sacrifice the deity of the Egyptians before their very eyes, would they not stone us?!		כבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה לֹ֤א נָכוֹן֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת כֵּ֔ן כִּ֚י תּֽוֹעֲבַ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם נִזְבַּ֖ח לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ הֵ֣ן נִזְבַּ֞ח אֶת־תּֽוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֛יִם לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ:
תּֽוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם - (lit., “the abomination of Egypt”) – means: the Egyptians’ deity, as in: “and for Milcom the idol (תּוֹעֲבַת) of the Ammonites,” 1 but in relation to Israel Scripture calls it “an abomination.” One may also explain it another way: תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם means: the act of sacrificing that we are planning on carrying out is something abhorrent to the Egyptians, for we sacrifice animals that they worship.		תּֽוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם. 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:
וְלֹא יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ - (lit.) And they would not stone us. This is to be read as a rhetorical question.		וְלֹא יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ. בִּתְמִיהָ:
23We must make a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice there to God, our God, in accordance with what He will tell us.”		כגדֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים נֵלֵ֖ךְ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְזָבַ֨חְנוּ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר יֹאמַ֥ר אֵלֵֽינוּ:
24Pharaoh said, “I will send you forth so you can sacrifice to God, your God, in the wilderness, but you must not travel far. And pray for me!”		כדוַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֗ה אָֽנֹכִ֞י אֲשַׁלַּ֤ח אֶתְכֶם֙ וּזְבַחְתֶּ֞ם לַֽיהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר רַ֛ק הַרְחֵ֥ק לֹֽא־תַרְחִ֖יקוּ לָלֶ֑כֶת הַעְתִּ֖ירוּ בַּֽעֲדִֽי:
25Moses answered, “I am now going to leave your presence and I will pray to God, and tomorrow the horde of wild beasts will go away from Pharaoh and his courtiers and his people. But let Pharaoh not mock us again by not sending the people forth to sacrifice to God!”		כהוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י יוֹצֵ֤א מֵֽעִמָּךְ֙ וְהַעְתַּרְתִּ֣י אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְסָ֣ר הֶֽעָרֹ֗ב מִפַּרְעֹ֛ה מֵֽעֲבָדָ֥יו וּמֵֽעַמּ֖וֹ מָחָ֑ר רַ֗ק אַל־יֹסֵ֤ף פַּרְעֹה֙ הָתֵ֔ל לְבִלְתִּי֙ שַׁלַּ֣ח אֶת־הָעָ֔ם לִזְבֹּ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
הָתֵל - is the same as לְהָתֵל – to mock -		הָתֵל. כְּמוֹ לְהָתֵל:
26Moses then left Pharaoh’s presence and prayed to God.		כווַיֵּצֵ֥א משֶׁ֖ה מֵעִ֣ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַיֶּעְתַּ֖ר אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיֶּעְתַּר אֶל־ה' - And prayed to God - i.e., he prayed intensely. Similarly, if the Torah had wished to say וַיַּעְתִּיר (the hif’il causative form) it could have said so, and it would have meant וַיַּרְבֶּה בִּתְפִלָּה “he increased prayers”; but when it uses the וַיִּפְעַל (kal, intransitive) form as here, its meaning is וַיַּרְבֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל “he prayed much,” i.e., greatly.		וַיֶּעְתַּר אֶל־ה'. נִתְאַמֵּץ בִּתְפִלָּה, וְכֵן אִם בָּא לוֹמַר וַיַּעְתִּיר, הָיָה יָכוֹל לוֹמַר, וּמַשְׁמָע וַיַּרְבֶּה בִּתְפִלָּה, וּכְשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר בִּלְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל, מַשְׁמָע וַיַּרְבֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל:
27God did as Moses asked and removed the mixed horde of wild beasts from Pharaoh and his courtiers and his people. Not one remained.		כזוַיַּ֤עַשׂ יְהֹוָה֙ כִּדְבַ֣ר משֶׁ֔ה וַיָּ֨סַר֙ הֶֽעָרֹ֔ב מִפַּרְעֹ֖ה מֵֽעֲבָדָ֣יו וּמֵֽעַמּ֑וֹ לֹ֥א נִשְׁאַ֖ר אֶחָֽד:
וַיָּסַר הֶֽעָרֹב - And removed the mixed horde - but they did not simply die in Egypt as the frogs had died, for if they had died, the Egyptians could have enjoyed use of their hides.		וַיָּסַר הֶֽעָרֹב. וְלֹא מֵתוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁמֵּתוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים, שֶׁאִם מֵתוּ הָיָה לָהֶם הֲנָאָה בְּעוֹרוֹתָם (תנחומא):
28But this time, too, Pharaoh continued to be obstinate, and did not send forth the people.		כחוַיַּכְבֵּ֤ד פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ גַּ֖ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֑את וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם:
גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת - This time, too - even though Pharaoh had said: “I will send you forth,” 2 he did not keep his promise.		גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת. אף על פי שאמר (פסוק כד) אנכי אשלח אתכם, לא קיים הבטחתו:

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 9

1God said to Moses, “Come to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘This is what God, God of the Hebrews, has said: “Send forth My people, so they may serve Me.”		אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי:
2For if you refuse to send them forth and continue to detain them,		בכִּ֛י אִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לְשַׁלֵּ֑חַ וְעֽוֹדְךָ֖ מַֽחֲזִ֥יק בָּֽם:
מַֽחֲזִיק בָּֽם - means: hold on to them, as in: “and she grabs hold (וְהֶחֱזִיקָה) of his private parts.” 3		מַֽחֲזִיק בָּֽם. אוֹחֵז בָּם, כְּמוֹ "וְהֶחֱזִיקָה בִּמְבֻשָׁיו" (דברים כ"ה):
3the hand of God will be directed against your livestock in the field—against the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the cattle, and the flocks—with a very severe epidemic.		גהִנֵּ֨ה יַד־יְהֹוָ֜ה הוֹיָ֗ה בְּמִקְנְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה בַּסּוּסִ֤ים בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙ בַּגְּמַלִּ֔ים בַּבָּקָ֖ר וּבַצֹּ֑אן דֶּ֖בֶר כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד:
הִנֵּה יַד־ה' הוֹיָה - (lit.) The power of God is going to be. הוֹיָה is a present tense form of the verb הוה “to be,” for so one says in the feminine form of this verb: in the past tense – הָיְתָה; in the future tense – תִּהְיֶה; and in the present tense – הוֹיָה, similar in vocalization to the feminine present tense forms עוֹשָׂה, רוֹצָה, and רוֹעָה.		הִנֵּה יַד־ה' הוֹיָה. לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה, כִּי כֵן יֹאמַר בִּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה עַל שֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה, וְעַל הֶעָתִיד תִּהְיֶה, וְעַל הָעוֹמֵד הוֹיָה, כְּמוֹ עוֹשָׂה, רוֹצָה, רוֹעָה:
4God will also differentiate between the livestock of the Israelites and the livestock of the Egyptians, and nothing belonging to the Israelites will die.		דוְהִפְלָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בֵּ֚ין מִקְנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבֵ֖ין מִקְנֵ֣ה מִצְרָ֑יִם וְלֹ֥א יָמ֛וּת מִכָּל־לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דָּבָֽר:
וְהִפְלָה - means: He will differentiate.		וְהִפְלָה. וְהִבְדִּיל:
5God has fixed a time, saying, “Tomorrow God will do this thing in the land.”’”		הוַיָּ֥שֶׂם יְהֹוָ֖ה מוֹעֵ֣ד לֵאמֹ֑ר מָחָ֗ר יַֽעֲשֶׂ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה בָּאָֽרֶץ:
6God did this thing the next day, and all the livestock of the Egyptians died. But of the livestock of the Israelites not a single animal died.		ווַיַּ֨עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ מִמָּ֣חֳרָ֔ת וַיָּ֕מָת כֹּ֖ל מִקְנֵ֣ה מִצְרָ֑יִם וּמִמִּקְנֵ֥ה בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹא־מֵ֥ת אֶחָֽד:
7Pharaoh inquired and discovered that not even one animal of the livestock of the Israelites had died, but Pharaoh was obstinate and did not send forth the people.		זוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֗ה לֹא־מֵ֛ת מִמִּקְנֵ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־אֶחָ֑ד וַיִּכְבַּד֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם:
8God said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves two handfuls each of soot from a kiln. Then, let Moses throw all four handfuls at once heavenwards before Pharaoh’s eyes.		חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֒ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מְלֹ֣א חָפְנֵיכֶ֔ם פִּ֖יחַ כִּבְשָׁ֑ן וּזְרָק֥וֹ משֶׁ֛ה הַשָּׁמַ֖יְמָה לְעֵינֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה:
מְלֹא חָפְנֵיכֶם - Handfuls - “jaloynes” in Old French (“measuring bowls”). [Another version: “poing” in Old French (“fist”).]		מְלֹא חָפְנֵיכֶם. ילויני"ש בְּלַעַז:
פִּיחַ כִּבְשָׁן - Soot from a kiln - is the substance that is blown away from the extinguished furnace coals, and in Old French: “olves.” פִּיחַ is of the same root as הֲפָחָה “blowing,” since the wind blows it and scatters it.		פִּיחַ כִּבְשָׁן. דָּבָר הַנִּפָּח מִן הַגֶּחָלִים עֲמוּמִים הַנִּשְׂרָפִים בַּכִּבְשָׁן, וּבְלַעַז אולבי"ש, פִּיחַ לְשׁוֹן הֲפָחָה, שֶׁהָרוּחַ מְפִיחָן וּמַפְרִיחָן:
וּזְרָקוֹ משֶׁה - Let Moses throw it. Anything that is thrown with force can only be thrown with one hand. Thus there were several miracles here: One, that Moses’ one fist held the double-handfuls of both him and Aaron; and another, that the dust spread over all Egypt, not to mention that the plague’s development itself was miraculous.		וּזְרָקוֹ משֶׁה. 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):
9It will miraculously spread and become dust over all Egypt, and it will cause an inflammation, erupting into blisters on humans and animals throughout Egypt.”		טוְהָיָ֣ה לְאָבָ֔ק עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָ֨ה עַל־הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה לִשְׁחִ֥ין פֹּרֵ֛חַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֖ת בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
לִשְׁחִין פֹּרֵחַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹת - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לִשְׁחִין סָגֵי אֲבַעְבּוּעִין “into an inflammation growing blisters,” i.e., through the inflammation, blisters develop upon the Egyptians, even where the dust had not hit.		לִשְׁחִין פֹּרֵחַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹת. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְֹשִׁיחֲנָא סָגֵי אֲבַעְבּוּעִין, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ צוֹמְחִין בָּהֶן בּוּעוֹת:
שְׁחִין - is a word denoting heat, and there are many examples of this sense in Mishnaic Hebrew, e.g., שָׁנָה שְׁחוּנָה “a hot year.” 4		שְׁחִין. לְשׁוֹן חֲמִימוּת; וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה, "שָׁנָה שְׁחוּנָה" (יומא נ"ג):
10They took the soot of a kiln and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses threw it heavenwards. It spread and became dust over all Egypt, and caused an inflammation, erupting into blisters on humans and animals.		יוַיִּקְח֞וּ אֶת־פִּ֣יחַ הַכִּבְשָׁ֗ן וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיִּזְרֹ֥ק אֹת֛וֹ משֶׁ֖ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וַיְהִ֗י שְׁחִין֙ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֔ת פֹּרֵ֕חַ בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה:
בָּֽאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה - On humans and animals. Should you ask: From where did the Egyptians have animals? Is it not already stated that during the epidemic “all the livestock of the Egyptians died”? 5 I answer: That decree applied only to those animals that were in the fields, as it says: “against your livestock in the field,” 6 but “whoever feared the word of God made his livestock flee indoors”; 7 and so is stated in Mechilta regarding the verse: “He took 600 choice chariots.” 8		בָּֽאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה. 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):
11The necromancers could not stand before Moses because of the inflammation, for the inflammation had attacked the necromancers together with all Egypt.		יאוְלֹא־יָֽכְל֣וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֗ים לַֽעֲמֹ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י משֶׁ֖ה מִפְּנֵ֣י הַשְּׁחִ֑ין כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה הַשְּׁחִ֔ין בַּֽחַרְטֻמִּ֖ם וּבְכָל־מִצְרָֽיִם:
12God made Pharaoh stubborn, so he did not listen to them, just as God had said to Moses.		יבוַיְחַזֵּ֤ק יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶֽׁה:
13God said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and station yourself before Pharaoh, and you must say to him: ‘This is what God, God of the Hebrews, has said, “Send forth My people, so they may serve Me.		יגוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי:
14For this time I am about to send a plague that will prove as devastating as all My other plagues together, against your very heart and against your courtiers and your people, so that you will realize that there is none like Me in all the world.		ידכִּ֣י \| בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֗את אֲנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֜חַ אֶת־כָּל־מַגֵּֽפֹתַי֙ אֶל־לִבְּךָ֔ וּבַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וּבְעַמֶּ֑ךָ בַּֽעֲב֣וּר תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין כָּמֹ֖נִי בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
אֶת־כָּל־מַגֵּֽפֹתַי - All my plagues. From here we learn that the plague of the firstborn (another reading: of the early ripening produce) is equivalent in severity to all the other plagues together.		אֶת־כָּל־מַגֵּֽפֹתַי. לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁמַּכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַמַּכּוֹת:
15I could now have stretched forth My arm and smitten you and your people with the epidemic I sent against the animals, and you would have been obliterated from the world.		טוכִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ שָׁלַ֣חְתִּי אֶת־יָדִ֔י וָאַ֥ךְ אֽוֹתְךָ֛ וְאֶת־עַמְּךָ֖ בַּדָּ֑בֶר וַתִּכָּחֵ֖ד מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ:
כִּי עַתָּה שָׁלַחְתִּי אֶת־יָדִי וגו' - (lit.) For now I have stretched forth My arm…. means: for if I had wished, when My hand was stretched against your livestock, which I smote with the epidemic, I could have extended it and smitten you and your people together with the animals, “and you would have been obliterated from the world.” But “I have spared you for this purpose….”		כִּי עַתָּה שָׁלַחְתִּי אֶת־יָדִי וגו'. כִּי אִלּוּ רָצִיתִי, כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה יָדִי בְמִקְנְךָ שֶׁהִכִּיתִים בַּדֶּבֶר, שְׁלַחְתִּיהָ וְהִכֵּיתִי אותך ואת עמך עִם הַבְּהֵמוֹת, ותכחד מן הארץ, אֲבָל בעבור זאת העמדתיך וגו':
16Nevertheless, I have spared you for this purpose: in order to show you My power, and in order that My Name resound throughout the world.		טזוְאוּלָ֗ם בַּֽעֲב֥וּר זֹאת֙ הֶֽעֱמַדְתִּ֔יךָ בַּֽעֲב֖וּר הַרְאֹֽתְךָ֣ אֶת־כֹּחִ֑י וּלְמַ֛עַן סַפֵּ֥ר שְׁמִ֖י בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ:

Footnotes

2 Kings 23:13.

see v. 20.

Seventh Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 9

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),” 1 from the root סבל “to bear a load”; and “that you should exercise authority (תִשְׂתָּרֵר) over us,” 2 from the same root as שַׂר וְנָגִיד “a noble and a prince”; and similarly, מִשְׂתַּכַּל הֲוֵית “I was studying the horns,” 3 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”; 4 וַיִּוָּדַע “it became known”; 5 וַיִּוָּלֵד לְיוֹסֵף “To Joseph were born”; 6 “a servant is not disciplined (לֹא יִוָּסֶר) with words.” 7		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)”; 8 “Gather (הָעִזוּ), descendants of Benjamin!” 9		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.” 10		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 11 is translated in Aramaic as עַד לָא שְׁכִיבוּ “they had not yet gone to bed”; טֶרֶם יִצְמָח 12 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”; 13 and נְכָאִים “broken ones”; 14 and similarly לֹא נֻכּוּ “were not (lit.) broken.” 15 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.” 16		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.” 17		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,” 18 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 19 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, 20 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, 21 which refers to pouring molten metal, and I agree with his opinion, for we see that Onkelos translates וַיִּצֹק 22 as וְאַתִּיךְ “and he cast,” and לָצֶקֶת 23 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.		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:

Footnotes

2 Kings 23:29.

Tanchuma ch. 16.

Maftir Portion

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 9

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, 1 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, 2 which refers to pouring molten metal, and I agree with his opinion, for we see that Onkelos translates וַיִּצֹק 3 as וְאַתִּיךְ “and he cast,” and לָצֶקֶת 4 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.		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:

Footnotes

Maftir Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 28

9On the Sabbath day: two unblemished, one-year-old lambs, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain-offering, mixed with oil, and its libation.		טוּבְיוֹם֙ הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת שְׁנֵֽי־כְבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֖ה תְּמִימִ֑ם וּשְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֧לֶת מִנְחָ֛ה בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן וְנִסְכּֽוֹ:
10The ascent-offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath, following the continual ascent-offering and its libation.		יעֹלַ֥ת שַׁבַּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ עַל־עֹלַ֥ת הַתָּמִ֖יד וְנִסְכָּֽהּ:
עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ - The ascent-offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath - but not the ascent-offering of this Sabbath on another Sabbath – for if he did not offer up the sacrifice on this Sabbath, I might understand that he must offer up two on the following Sabbath. Scripture therefore states: “on its Sabbath,” telling us that if the offering’s designated day passed, the requirement to sacrifice the offering is cancelled.		עֹלַת שַׁבַּת בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ. וְלֹא עוֹלַת שַׁבָּת זוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת אַחֶרֶת, הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא הִקְרִיב בְּשַׁבָּת זוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי יַקְרִיב שְׁתַּיִם לַשַּׁבָּת הַבָּאָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ", מַגִּיד שֶׁאִם עָבַר יוֹמוֹ בָּטֵל קָרְבָּנוֹ (ספרי):
עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד - (lit.) Besides the continual ascent-offering - i.e., these are additional offerings, besides the two lambs of the continual ascent-offering. This terminology tells us that they may only be offered between the two continual offerings. Similarly, regarding all additional offerings it says: “besides the continual ascent-offering,” in order to teach this law.		עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד. אֵלּוּ מוּסָפִין, לְבַד אוֹתָן שְׁנֵי כְבָשִׂים שֶׁל עוֹלַת הַתָּמִיד, וּמַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין קְרֵבִין אֶלָּא בֵּין שְׁנֵי הַתְּמִידִין, וְכֵן בְּכָל הַמּוּסָפִין נֶאֱמַר עַל עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד לְתַלְמוּד זֶה:
11On your first days of the month, you must offer up an ascent-offering to God: two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old lambs, unblemished,		יאוּבְרָאשֵׁי֙ חָדְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם תַּקְרִ֥יבוּ עֹלָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה פָּרִ֨ים בְּנֵֽי־בָקָ֤ר שְׁנַ֨יִם֙ וְאַ֣יִל אֶחָ֔ד כְּבָשִׂ֧ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֛ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה תְּמִימִֽם:
12and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each bull, two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each ram,		יבוּשְׁלשָׁ֣ה עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לַפָּ֖ר הָֽאֶחָ֑ד וּשְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לָאַ֖יִל הָֽאֶחָֽד:
וּשְׁלשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים - And three-tenths - this being the prescribed libation for bulls, for so they are set in the passage regarding libations. 1		וּשְׁלשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים. כְּמִשְׁפַּט נִסְכֵּי פַר, שֶׁכֵּן הֵן קְצוּבִין בְּפָרָשַׁת נְסָכִים:
13and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for each lamb, an ascent-offering, a fire-offering pleasing to God.		יגוְעִשָּׂרֹ֣ן עִשָּׂר֗וֹן סֹ֤לֶת מִנְחָה֙ בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשֶּׁ֔מֶן לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָֽאֶחָ֑ד עֹלָה֙ רֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
14And their libations: half a hin of wine for each bull, a third of a hin of wine for each ram, and a quarter of a hin of wine for each lamb. This is the ascent-offering of each month in its month throughout the months of the year.		ידוְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֗ם חֲצִ֣י הַהִין֩ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לַפָּ֜ר וּשְׁלִישִׁ֧ת הַהִ֣ין לָאַ֗יִל וּרְבִיעִ֥ת הַהִ֛ין לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ יָ֑יִן זֹ֣את עֹלַ֥ת חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ לְחָדְשֵׁ֖י הַשָּׁנָֽה:
זֹאת עֹלַת חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ - This is the ascent-offering of each month in its month - i.e., that if its designated day passed, the requirement to sacrifice its offering is cancelled, and it cannot be made up again.		זֹאת עֹלַת חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ. שֶׁאִם עָבַר יוֹמוֹ בָּטֵל קָרְבָּנוֹ וְשׁוּב אֵין לוֹ תַשְׁלוּמִין:
15One young he-goat as a sin-offering to God, and its libation, must be offered up following the continual ascent-offering.		טווּשְׂעִ֨יר עִזִּ֥ים אֶחָ֛ד לְחַטָּ֖את לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה עַל־עֹלַ֧ת הַתָּמִ֛יד יֵֽעָשֶׂ֖ה וְנִסְכּֽוֹ:
וּשְׂעִיר עִזִּים וגו' - One young he-goat… All additional-offering goats are brought to atone for unwittingly entering the Temple or eating consecrated food while ritually defiled, all as is explained in Tractate Shevuot. 2 However, the goat of Rosh Chodesh is unique in that it says about it: לַה׳ “to God,” to teach you that that it atones for ritual defilement of which one remained unaware both before and after transgressing, for no one was aware of the sin except the Holy One, blessed be He – and the other goats, brought as sin-offerings on the festivals, are derived from it. And its aggadic explanation is: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Bring an atonement for Me because I diminished the moon.”		וּשְׂעִיר עִזִּים וגו'. כָּל שְׂעִירֵי הַמּוּסָפִין בָּאִין לְכַפֵּר עַל טֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּמַסֶּכֶת שְׁבוּעוֹת (דף ט'), וְנִשְׁתַּנָּה שְׂעִיר רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "לַה'"; לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁמְּכַפֵּר עַל שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ יְדִיעָה לֹא בַתְּחִלָּה וְלֹא בַסּוֹף — שֶׁאֵין מַכִּיר בַּחֵטְא אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִלְבָד, וּשְׁאָר הַשְּׂעִירִים לְמֵדִין מִמֶּנוּ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ בָּאַגָּדָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָבִיאוּ כַפָּרָה עָלַי עַל שֶׁמִּעַטְתִּי אֶת הַיָּרֵחַ (חולין ס'):
עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד יֵֽעָשֶׂה - Must be offered up following the continual ascent-offering - i.e., this entire offering in all its constituent parts .		עַל־עֹלַת הַתָּמִיד יֵֽעָשֶׂה. כָּל הַקָּרְבָּן הַזֶּה:
וְנִסְכּֽוֹ - and its libation. The word וְנִסְכּוֹ “and its libation” does not refer to the goat, for a sin-offering is not accompanied by libations.		וְנִסְכּֽוֹ. אֵין "וְנִסְכּוֹ" מוּסָב עַל הַשָּׂעִיר, שֶׁאֵין נְסָכִים לְחַטָּאת:

Footnotes

Numbers 15:9.

Shevuot 9a.

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 66

1So says the Lord, "The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool; which is the house that you will build for Me, and which is the place of My rest?		אכֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כִּסְאִ֔י וְהָאָ֖רֶץ הֲדֹ֣ם רַגְלָ֑י אֵי־זֶ֥ה בַ֙יִת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּבְנוּ־לִ֔י וְאֵי־זֶ֥ה מָק֖וֹם מְנֽוּחָתִֽי:
The heavens are My throne. I do not need your Temple.		השמים כסאי. איני צריך לבית המקדש שלכם:
which is the house. that is fitting for My Shechinah.		איזה בית. אשר הוא כדאי לשכינתי:
2And all these My hand made, and all these have become," says the Lord. "But to this one will I look, to one poor and of crushed spirit, who hastens to do My bidding.		בוְאֶת־כָּל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ יָדִ֣י עָשָׂ֔תָה וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ כָל־אֵ֖לֶּה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֶל־זֶ֣ה אַבִּ֔יט אֶל־עָנִי֙ וּנְכֵה־ר֔וּחַ וְחָרֵ֖ד עַל־דְּבָרִֽי:
And all these. The heavens and the earth, and for this reason I confined My Shechinah among you when you obeyed Me, for so is My wont, to look at one poor and of crushed spirit, who hastens to do My bidding. But now, I have no desire for you, for whoever slaughters an ox, has smitten its owner and robbed him of it. Therefore, whoever slaughters a lamb seems to Me as one who beheads a dog, and whoever offers up a meal offering is before Me like swine blood, and מַזְכִּיר, he who burns incense. Comp. (Lev. 5:12) “its memorial part (אַזְכָּרָתָהּ).” Also (ibid. 24:7), “and it shall be for the bread as a memorial (לְאַזְכָּרָה).”		ואת כל אלה. השמים והארץ ידי עשתה זאת אשר צימצמתי שכינתי בתוככם בהיותכם נשמעים לי לפי שכן דרכי להביט אל עני ונכה רוח וחרד על דברי אבל עתה אין לי חפץ בכם שהרי שוחט השור הכה את בעליו וגזלו ממנו לפיכך זובח השה דומה לפני כעורף את הכלב והמעלה את המנחה הרי הוא לפני כדם חזיר והמזכיר לבונה מקטיר לבונה כמו אזכרתה (ויקרא ה) והיתה ללחם לאזכרה (שם כד):
3Whoever slaughters an ox has slain a man; he who slaughters a lamb is as though he beheads a dog; he who offers up a meal-offering is [like] swine blood; he who burns frankincense brings a gift of violence; they, too, chose their ways, and their soul desired their abominations.		גשׁוֹחֵ֨ט הַשּׁ֜וֹר מַכֵּה־אִ֗ישׁ זוֹבֵ֚חַ הַשֶּׂה֙ ע֣וֹרֵֽף כֶּ֔לֶב מַֽעֲלֵ֚ה מִנְחָה֙ דַּם־חֲזִ֔יר מַזְכִּ֥יר לְבֹנָ֖ה מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ אָ֑וֶן גַּם־הֵ֗מָּה בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְשִׁקּֽוּצֵיהֶ֖ם נַפְשָׁ֥ם חָפֵֽצָה:
brings a gift of violence. Heb. מְבָרֵךְ, blesses Me with a gift of violence, brings a gift of violence. This is its explanation, and the expression of בְּרָכָה applies to a gift that is for a reception. Comp. (Gen. 33:11) “Please take my gift (בִּרְכָתִי).” Also (supra 36:16), “Make peace (בְרָכָה) with me and come out to me.”		מברך און. מברך אותי בתשורת אונס מברך און מתשיר אונס זהו פירושו ולשון ברכה נופל בתשורה שהיא להקבלת פנים כמו קח נא את ברכתי (בראשית ל״ג:י״א) עשו אתי ברכה וצאו אלי:
they, too, chose their ways. They desire these evil ways, and I, too, will choose and desire their mockeries. Now if you ask the meaning of גַּם, too, so is the style of the Hebrew language to say twice גַּם one next to the other. Comp. (Deut. 32:25) “Both a young man and a virgin (גַּם בָּחוּר גַּם בְּתוּלָה);” (I Kings 3:26) “neither mine nor yours (גַּם לִי גַּם לָךְ);” (Ecc. 9:1) “neither love nor hate (גַּם שִׂנְאָה גַּם אַהֲבָה);” (Num. 18:3) “and neither they nor you shall die הֵם גַּם אַתֶּם) (גַּם.” Here, too, both they chose and I will choose.		גם המה בחרו בדרכיהם. הם חפצים בדרכים הללו הרעים וגם אני אבחר ואחפוץ בתעלוליה' וא"ת מהו גם כן דרך לשון עברי לומר שני גמין זה אצל זה כמו גם בחור גם בתולה (דברים ל״ב:כ״ה) גם לי גם לך (מלכים א ב) גם אהבה גם שנאה (קהלת ט׳:א׳) ל' ולא ימותו גם הם גם אתם (במדבר י״ח:ג׳) אף כאן גם הם בחרו וגם אני אבחר:
4I, too, will choose their mockeries, and their fears I will bring to them, since I called and no one answered, I spoke and they did not hearken, and they did what was evil in My eyes, and what I did not wish they chose.		דגַּם־אֲנִ֞י אֶבְחַ֣ר בְּתַֽעֲלֻֽלֵיהֶ֗ם וּמְגֽוּרֹתָם֙ אָבִ֣יא לָהֶ֔ם יַ֚עַן קָרָ֙אתִי֙ וְאֵ֣ין עוֹנֶ֔ה דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי וְלֹ֣א שָׁמֵ֑עוּ וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֚וּ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י וּבַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־חָפַ֖צְתִּי בָּחָֽרוּ:
their mockeries. Heb. בְּתַעֲלוּלֵיהֶם, to mock them, an expression like (ibid. 22:29) “For you mocked (הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ) me.”		בתעלוליהם. להיות עולל בם לשון כי התעללת בי (שם כ):
and their fears. What they fear.		ומגורותם. מה שהם יראים:
since I called. Hearken and return to Me.		יען קראתי. שמעו שמוע ושובו אלי:
and no one answered. saying, “I heard.”		ואין עונה. לאמר שמעתי:
5Hearken to the word of the Lord, who quake at His word, "Your brethren who hate you, who cast you out, said, "For the sake of my name, the Lord shall be glorified," but we will see your joy, and they shall be ashamed.		השִׁמְעוּ֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה הַֽחֲרֵדִ֖ים אֶל־דְּבָר֑וֹ אָֽמְרוּ֩ אֲחֵיכֶ֨ם שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֜ם מְנַדֵּיכֶ֗ם לְמַ֚עַן שְׁמִי֙ יִכְבַּ֣ד יְהֹוָ֔ה וְנִרְאֶ֥ה בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶ֖ם וְהֵ֥ם יֵבֹֽשׁוּ:
who quake at His word. The righteous who hasten with quaking to draw near to His words.		החרדים אל דברו. הצדיקים הממהרים בחרדה להתקרב אל דבריו:
Your brethren… said. The transgressors of Israel mentioned above. Another explanation:		אמרו אחיכם. פושעי ישראל הנזכרים למעלה, ד"א:
Your brethren… who cast you out, said. Who said to you (Lam. 4:15), “Turn away, unclean one.”		אמרו אחיכם מנדיכם. אשר אמרו לכם סורו טמא (איכה ד):
who hate you, who cast you out. Who say (supra 65:5), “Keep to yourself, do not come near me.” [Because of the confusion, we quote other readings. Some manuscripts, as well as K’li Paz, read:]		שנאיכם מנדיכם. האומרים קרב אליך אל תגש בי (לעיל סה) :
For the sake of my name, the Lord shall be glorified. With our greatness, the Holy One, blessed be He, is glorified, for we are closer to Him than you are.		למען שמי יכבד ה'. בגדולתנו הקב"ה מתכבד שאנו קרובים לו יותר מכם:
but we will see your joy. The prophet says, But it is not so as their words, for “we will see your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” Why? For sound a sound of their stirring has come before the Holy One, blessed be He, from what they did in His city, and a sound emanates from His Temple and accuses those who destroyed it, and then the voice of the Lord, recompensing His enemies.		ונראה בשמחתכם והם יבושו. הנביא אומר אבל לא כן הוא כדבריהם כי בשמחתכם נראה והם יבושו למה כי קול שאון שלהם בא לפני הקב"ה ממה שעשו בעירו וקול יוצא מהיכלו ומקטרג על מחריביו ואחרי כן קול ה' משלם גמול לאויביו:
6There is a sound of stirring from the city, a sound from the Temple, the voice of the Lord, recompensing His enemies.		וק֚וֹל שָׁאוֹן֙ מֵעִ֔יר ק֖וֹל מֵֽהֵיכָ֑ל ק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֔ה מְשַׁלֵּ֥ם גְּמ֖וּל לְאֹֽיְבָֽיו:
7When she has not yet travailed, she has given birth; when the pang has not yet come to her, she has been delivered of a male child.		זבְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּחִ֖יל יָלָ֑דָה בְּטֶ֨רֶם יָב֥וֹא חֵ֛בֶל לָ֖הּ וְהִמְלִ֥יטָה זָכָֽר:
When she has not yet travailed. When Zion has not yet travailed with birth pangs, she has borne her children; that is to say that her children will gather into her midst, which was desolate and bereft of them, and it is as though she bore them now without birth pangs, for all the nations will bring them into her midst.		בטרם תחיל. ציון חיל היולדת ילדה את בניה כלומר יתקבצו בניה לתוכה אשר הית' שוממה מהם ושכולה והרי הוא כאילו ילדתן עכשיו בלא חבלי יולדה כי כל העכו"ם יביאום לתוכה:
she has been delivered of a male child. Heb. וְהִמְלִיטָה. Any emerging of an embedded thing is called הַמְלָטָה. And הַמְלָטָה is esmoucer, or eschamocier in O.F., to allow to escape.		והמליטה זכר. כל יציאת דבר בלוע קרוי המלטה והמליטה אישקמוציי"ר בלעז:
8Who heard [anything] like this? Who saw [anything] like these? Is a land born in one day? Is a nation born at once, that Zion both experienced birth pangs and bore her children?		חמִֽי־שָׁמַ֣ע כָּזֹ֗את מִ֚י רָאָה֙ כָּאֵ֔לֶּה הֲי֚וּחַל אֶ֙רֶץ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד אִם־יִוָּ֥לֵֽד גּ֖וֹי פַּ֣עַם אֶחָ֑ת כִּי־חָ֛לָה גַּם־יָֽלְדָ֥ה צִיּ֖וֹן אֶת־בָּנֶֽיהָ:
Is a land born in one day?. Can a pain come to a woman in confinement to bear a land full of sons in one day?		היוחל ארץ ביום אחד. היבוא חיל ליולדת לילד מלא ארץ בנים ביום אחד:
9"Will I bring to the birth stool and not cause to give birth?" says the Lord. "Am I not He who causes to give birth, now should I shut the womb?" says your God.		טהַֽאֲנִ֥י אַשְׁבִּ֛יר וְלֹ֥א אוֹלִ֖יד יֹאמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה אִם־אֲנִ֧י הַמּוֹלִ֛יד וְעָצַ֖רְתִּי אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ:
Will I bring to the birth stool and not cause to give birth. Will I bring a woman to the birth stool and not open her womb to bring out her fetus? That is to say, Shall I commence a thing and not be able to complete it? Am I not the One Who causes every woman in confinement to give birth, and now will I shut the womb? This is a question.		האני אשביר ולא אוליד. האני אביא את האשה על המשבר ולא אפתח רחמה להוציא עוברה כלומר שמא אתחיל בדבר ולא אוכל לגמור והלא אני המוליד את כל היולדות ועכשיו שמא עצרתי בתמיה:
10Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her all those who love her: rejoice with her a rejoicing, all who mourn over her.		ישִׂמְח֧וּ אֶת־יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֛ם וְגִ֥ילוּ בָ֖הּ כָּל־אֹֽהֲבֶ֑יהָ שִׂ֚ישׂוּ אִתָּהּ֙ מָשׂ֔וֹשׂ כָּל־הַמִּֽתְאַבְּלִ֖ים עָלֶֽיהָ:
11In order that you suck and become sated from the breast of her consolations in order that you drink deeply and delight from her approaching glory.		יאלְמַ֚עַן תִּֽינְקוּ֙ וּשְׂבַעְתֶּ֔ם מִשֹּׁ֖ד תַּנְחֻמֶ֑יהָ לְמַ֧עַן תָּמֹ֛צּוּ וְהִתְעַנַּגְתֶּ֖ם מִזִּ֥יז כְּבוֹדָֽהּ:
from the breast. Heb. מִשֹּׁד, an expression of breasts (שָׁדַיִם).		משד. ל' שדים:
you drink deeply. Heb. תָּמֹצּוּ, sucer in French, to suck.		תמוצו. שוציי"ר בלעז:
from her approaching glory. Heb. מִזִּיז. From the great glory that is moving and coming nearer to her.		מזיז כבודה. מכבוד גדול הזז וממשמש לבא לה:
glory. זִיז means esmoviment in O.F., movement.		זיז. אישמובימנ"ט בלעז:
12For so says the Lord, "Behold, I will extend peace to you like a river, and like a flooding stream the wealth of the nations, and you shall suck thereof; on the side you shall be borne, and on knees you shall be dandled.		יבכִּֽי־כֹ֣ה \| אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִנְנִ֣י נֹטֶֽה־אֵ֠לֶיהָ כְּנָהָ֨ר שָׁל֜וֹם וּכְנַ֧חַל שׁוֹטֵ֛ף כְּב֥וֹד גּוֹיִ֖ם וִֽינַקְתֶּ֑ם עַל־צַד֙ תִּנָּשֵׂ֔אוּ וְעַל־בִּרְכַּ֖יִם תְּשָֽׁעֳשָֽׁעוּ:
and like a flooding stream. I extend to her the wealth of the nations.		וכנחל שוטף. אני נוטה אליה כבוד גוים:
on the side. On the sides of your nurses, [in Aramaic,] גִּסְסִין.		על צד. על צדי אומניכם על גיססין:
you shall be dandled. You shall be dandled as they dandle an infant. Esbanier in O.F.		תשעשעו. תהיו משועשעין כדרך שמשעשעין את התינוק אישבניי"ר בלעז:
13Like a man whose mother consoles him, so will I console you, and in Jerusalem, you shall be consoled.		יגכְּאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִמּ֖וֹ תְּנַֽחֲמֶ֑נּוּ כֵּ֚ן אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֲנַ֣חֶמְכֶ֔ם וּבִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם תְּנֻחָֽמוּ:
14And you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall bloom like grass, and the hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, and He shall be wroth with His enemies.		ידוּרְאִיתֶם֙ וְשָׂ֣שׂ לִבְּכֶ֔ם וְעַצְמֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם כַּדֶּ֣שֶׁא תִפְרַ֑חְנָה וְנֽוֹדְעָ֚ה יַד־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו וְזָעַ֖ם אֶת־אֹֽיְבָֽיו:
and the hand of the Lord shall be known. When He wreaks His vengeance and His awesome acts, His servants shall know the strength of the might of His hand.		ונודעה יד ה'. בעשותו נקמותיו ונוראותיו ידעו עבדיו את כח גבורת ידו:
15For behold, the Lord shall come with fire, and like a tempest, His chariots, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.		טוכִּֽי־הִנֵּ֚ה יְהֹוָה֙ בָּאֵ֣שׁ יָב֔וֹא וְכַסּוּפָ֖ה מַרְכְּבֹתָ֑יו לְהָשִׁ֚יב בְּחֵמָה֙ אַפּ֔וֹ וְגַֽעֲרָת֖וֹ בְּלַֽהֲבֵי־אֵֽשׁ:
shall come with fire. With the fury of fire He shall come upon the wicked.		באש יבוא. בחמת אש יבוא על הרשעים:
to render. Heb. לְהָשִׁיב, [lit. to return] to His adversaries with fury His anger.		להשיב. לצריו בחימה את אפו:
16For with fire, will the Lord contend, and with His sword with all flesh, and those slain by the Lord shall be many.		טזכִּ֚י בָאֵשׁ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה נִשְׁפָּ֔ט וּבְחַרְבּ֖וֹ אֶת־כָּל־בָּשָׂ֑ר וְרַבּ֖וּ חַלְלֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
For with fire. of Gehinnom will the Lord contend with His adversaries, and since He is the plaintiff and the judge, the expression of contending is appropriate for Him, for He, too, presents His claim to find their iniquity and their transgression. Comp. (Ezekiel 38:22) “And I will contend with him (וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּי);” (Jer. 2:35) “Behold, I contend with you.” It is an expression of debate. Derajjsner in O.F. [And its simple meaning is: For with the fire of the Lord and with His sword, all flesh shall be judged. Similarly, there are many inverted verses in Scriptures.]		כי באש. של גיהנם ה' נשפט עם צריו ולפי שהוא בעל דין ודיין נופל בו ל' נשפט שאף הוא טוען טענותיו למצוא עוונם ופשעם וכן ונשפטתי אתו (יחזקאל ל״ח:כ״ב) הנני נשפט אותך (ירמיהו כ׳:ד׳) לשון וויכוח הוא דרישניי"ר בלעז, ופשוטו כי באש ה' וחרבו נשפט כל בשר וכן רבים מסורסים במקראות:
17"Those who prepare themselves and purify themselves to the gardens, [one] after another in the middle, those who eat the flesh of the swine and the detestable thing and the rodent, shall perish together," says the Lord.		יזהַמִּתְקַדְּשִׁ֨ים וְהַמִּֽטַּהֲרִ֜ים אֶל־הַגַּנּ֗וֹת אַחַ֚ר אַחַת֙ (כתיב אַחַד֙) בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ אֹֽכְלֵי֙ בְּשַׂ֣ר הַֽחֲזִ֔יר וְהַשֶּׁ֖קֶץ וְהָֽעַכְבָּ֑ר יַחְדָּ֥ו יָסֻ֖פוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה:
Those who prepare themselves. Heb. הַמִּתְקַדְּשִׁים. Those who prepare themselves, “Let you and me go on such-and-such a day to worship such-and-such an idol.”		המתקדשים. המזדמנים אני ואתה נלך ליום פלוני לעבוד לעכו"ם פלונית:
to the gardens. where they plant vegetables, and there they would erect idols.		אל הגנות. שזורעין שם ירק ושם היו מעמידין עכו"ם:
[one] after one. As Jonathan renders: a company after a company. They prepare themselves and purify themselves to worship, one company after its fellow has completed its worship.		אחר. אחת כמה שת"י סיעה בתר סיעה מתקדשים ומטהרים לעבוד סיעה אחר, שגמרה חבירתה את עבודתה:
in the middle. In the middle of the garden. Such was their custom to erect it.		בתוך. באמצע הגינה כן היה דרכם להעמיד':
18And I-their deeds and their thoughts have come to gather all the nations and the tongues, and they shall come and they shall see My glory.		יחוְאָֽנֹכִ֗י מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ וּמַחְשְׁבֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם בָּאָ֕ה לְקַבֵּ֥ץ אֶת־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם וְהַלְּשֹׁנ֑וֹת וּבָ֖אוּ וְרָא֥וּ אֶת־כְּבוֹדִֽי:
And I - their deeds and their thoughts have come etc.. And I What am I to do? Their deeds and their thoughts have come to Me. And that forces Me to gather all the heathens (nations [Mss. and K’li Paz]), and to let them know that their deeds are vanity and the thoughts they are thinking, “For the sake of my name, the Lord shall be glorified,” let them understand that it is false. And where is the gathering? It is the gathering that Zechariah prophesied (14:2): “And I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem.”		ואנכי מעשיהם ומחשבותיהם באה וגו'. ואנכי מה לי לעשות מעשיהם ומחשבותיהם באה אלי והיא תזקיקני לקבץ את כל הגוים ולהודיע שמעשיהם הבל ומחשבותם שהם חושבין למען (שמי) יכבד ה' יבינו שהוא שקר והיכן הוא אותו קיבוץ הוא האסיף שניבא זכריה ואספתי את כל הגוים אל ירושלים (זכריה י״ד:ב׳):
and they shall see My glory. When I wage war with them with the plague of the following description (ibid. 14:12): “Their flesh shall disintegrate… and their eyes… and their tongue.”		וראו את כבודי. בהלחמי בהם במכת המק בשרו ועיניו ולשונו (שם):
19And I will place a sign upon them, and I will send from them refugees to the nations, Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, the distant islands, who did not hear of My fame and did not see My glory, and they shall recount My glory among the nations.		יטוְשַׂמְתִּ֨י בָהֶ֜ם א֗וֹת וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣י מֵהֶ֣ם \| פְּ֠לֵיטִים אֶל־הַגּוֹיִ֞ם תַּרְשִׁ֨ישׁ פּ֥וּל וְל֛וּד מֹ֥שְׁכֵי קֶ֖שֶׁת תֻּבַ֣ל וְיָוָ֑ן הָֽאִיִּ֣ים הָֽרְחֹקִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־שָֽׁמְע֚וּ אֶת־שִׁמְעִי֙ וְלֹֽא־רָא֣וּ אֶת־כְּבוֹדִ֔י וְהִגִּ֥ידוּ אֶת־כְּבוֹדִ֖י בַּגּוֹיִֽם:
And I will place a sign upon them etc.. Refugees will survive the war, and I will allow them to remain in order to go to report to the distant islands My glory that they saw in the war, and also upon those refugees I will place one of the signs with which their colleagues were punished, in order to let the distant ones know that with this plague, those who gathered about Jerusalem were smitten.		ושמתי בהם אות וגו'. פליטים ינצלו מן המלחמה ואני אשאירם כדי לילך לבשר לאיים הרחוקים את כבודי אשר ראו במלחמה ואף באותם פליטים אשים אחת מן האותות שנידונו חביריהם בהם כדי להודיע לרחוקים במגפה זו נגפו הצובאים על ירושלים:
20And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a tribute to the Lord, with horses and with chariots, and with covered wagons and with mules and with joyous songs upon My holy mount, Jerusalem," says the Lord, "as the children of Israel bring the offering in a pure vessel to the house of the Lord.		כוְהֵבִ֣יאוּ אֶת־כָּל־אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם \| מִנְחָ֣ה לַֽיהֹוָ֡ה בַּסּוּסִ֡ים וּ֠בָרֶכֶב וּבַצַּבִּ֨ים וּבַפְּרָדִ֜ים וּבַכִּרְכָּר֗וֹת עַ֣ל הַ֥ר קָדְשִׁ֛י יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבִיאוּ֩ בְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֛ה בִּכְלִ֥י טָה֖וֹר בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה:
and with covered wagons. Heb. וּבַצַּבִּים. These are wagons equipped with partitions and a tent. Comp. (Num. 7: 3) “Six covered wagons (עֶגְלוֹתצָב).”		ובצבים. הם עגלות מטוקסות במחיצות ואהל ודומה לו שש עגלות צב (במדבר ז׳:ג׳):
and with joyous songs. Heb. וּבַכִּרְכָּרוֹת. With a song of players and dancers. Comp. (II Sam. 6: 14) “And David danced (מְכַרְכֵּר),” treper in O.F. [Menahem (p. 109) explains it as an expression meaning a lamb. Comp. (supra 16:1) “Send lambs (כַּר) of the ruler of the land.”]		ובכרכרות. בשיר משחקים ומכרכרים כמו ודוד מכרכר (שמואל ב ו׳:י״ד) טריפי"ר בלעז ומנחם פירשו לשון כבש כמו שלחו כר מושל ארץ (לעיל טז):
as… bring. an offering in a pure vessel for acceptance, so will they bring your brethren as an acceptable offering.		כאשר יביאו. מנחה בכלי טהור לרצון כן יביאו את אחיכם למנחת רצון:
21And from them too will I take for priests and for Levites," says the Lord.		כאוְגַם־מֵהֶ֥ם אֶקַּ֛ח לַכֹּֽהֲנִ֥ים לַֽלְוִיִּ֖ם אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
And from them too. From the peoples bringing them and from those brought, I will take priests and Levites, for they are now assimilated among the heathens (nations [Mss. and K’li Paz]) under coercion, and before Me the priests and the Levites among them are revealed, and I will select them from among them, and they shall minister before Me, said the Lord. Now where did He say it? (Deut. 29:28) “The hidden things are for the Lord our God.” In this manner it is explained in the Aggadah of Psalms (87:6).		וגם מהם אקח לכהנים ללוים. מן העמים המביאים אותם ומן המובאים אקח כהנים ולוים ולפני גלוים הכהנים והלוים שבהם ואברור אותן מתוכן ויהיו משמשין לפני:
22"For, as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making, stand before Me," says the Lord, "so shall your seed and your name stand.		כבכִּ֣י כַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם הַֽ֠חֳדָשִׁים וְהָאָ֨רֶץ הַֽחֲדָשָׁ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֛ה עֹֽמְדִ֥ים לְפָנַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה כֵּ֛ן יַֽעֲמֹ֥ד זַרְעֲכֶ֖ם וְשִׁמְכֶֽם:
23And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to prostrate themselves before Me," says the Lord.		כגוְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כָל־בָּשָֹ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו‍ֹ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
24"And they shall go out and see the corpses of the people who rebelled against Me, for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring for all flesh."		כדוְיָצְאוּ֨ וְרָא֔וּ בְּפִגְרֵי֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַפֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים בִּ֑י כִּ֣י תֽוֹלַעְתָּ֞ם לֹ֣א תָמ֗וּת וְאִשָּׁם֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה וְהָי֥וּ דֵֽרָא֖וֹן לְכָל־בָּשָֽׂר:
their worm. The worm that consumes their flesh.		תולעתם. רמה האוכלת את בשרם:
and their fire. in Gehinnom.		ואשם. בגיהנם:
and abhorring. Heb. דֵרָאוֹן, an expression of contempt. Jonathan, however, renders it as two words: enough (דֵּי) seeing (רְאִיָה), until the righteous say about them, We have seen enough.		דראון. לשון בזיון, וי"ת כמין שתי תיבות די ראייה, עד דיימרון עליהון צדיקיא מיסת חזינא:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 66

23And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to prostrate themselves before Me," says the Lord.

כגוְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כָל־בָּשָֹ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו‍ֹ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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