| 1God said to Moses, “Come to Pharaoh, for I have made him and his courtiers obstinate, so that I may demonstrate these miraculous signs of Mine in his midst, |
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אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדָ֔יו לְמַ֗עַן שִׁתִ֛י אֹֽתֹתַ֥י אֵ֖לֶּה בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ: |
| וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בֹּא אֶל־פַּרְעֹה - God said to Moses, “Come to Pharaoh - and warn him about the forthcoming plague.” |
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וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בֹּא אֶל־פַּרְעֹה.
וְהַתְרֵה בוֹ:
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| שיתי - has the same meaning as שִׂימִי – “that I may (lit.) place.” |
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שיתי.
שׂוּמִי – שֶׁאָשִׁית אֲנִי:
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| 2and so that you may recount to your children and grandchildren how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My miraculous signs among them. You will then realize that I am God.” |
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בוּלְמַ֡עַן תְּסַפֵּר֩ בְּאָזְנֵ֨י בִנְךָ֜ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ֗ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִתְעַלַּ֨לְתִּי֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶת־אֹֽתֹתַ֖י אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי בָ֑ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי - means “I mocked,”. as in “because you (lit.) ridiculed (הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ) me,” and “will it not be that just as He mocked (הִתְעַלֵּל) them…”, which is stated in reference to Egypt. It is not an expression of action and deeds (מַעֲלָלִים), for if so, Scripture should have written עוֹלַלְתִּי, as in: וְעוֹלֵל לָמוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עוֹלַלְתָּ לִי “and act against them just as You acted against me”; and: אֲשֶׁר עוֹלַל לִי “which befell me.” |
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הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי.
שָׂחַקְתִּי, כְּמוֹ "כִּי הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ בִּי" (במדבר כ"ב), "הֲלֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר הִתְעוֹלֵל בָּהֶם" (שמואל א' ו'), הָאָמוּר בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן פּוֹעֵל וּמַעֲלָלִים, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב עוֹלַלְתִּי, כְּמוֹ "וְעוֹלֵל לָמוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עוֹלַלְתָּ לִי" (איכה א'), "אֲשֶׁר עוֹלַל לִי" (שם):
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| 3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what God, God of the Hebrews, has said: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Send forth My people, so they may serve Me! |
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גוַיָּבֹ֨א משֶׁ֣ה וְאַֽהֲרֹן֘ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה֒ וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים עַד־מָתַ֣י מֵאַ֔נְתָּ לֵֽעָנֹ֖ת מִפָּנָ֑י שַׁלַּ֥ח עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי: |
| לֵֽעָנֹת - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: לְאִתְכְּנָעָא – to be humbled. It is of the same root as עָנִי “poor,” and as if the verse were saying: “you refuse to be poor and lowly before Me.” |
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לֵֽעָנֹת.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, "לְאִתְכְּנָעָא", וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת עָנִי – מֵאַנְתָּ לִהְיוֹת עָנִי וְשָׁפָל מִפָּנַי:
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| 4For if you refuse to send forth My people, I will bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. |
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דכִּ֛י אִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ אֶת־עַמִּ֑י הִֽנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֥יא מָחָ֛ר אַרְבֶּ֖ה בִּגְבֻלֶֽךָ: |
| 5They will cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the ground. They will consume the surviving remnant of vegetation that was left for you after the hail, and they will eat away all your trees that grow in the field. |
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הוְכִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְלֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאָכַ֣ל | אֶת־יֶ֣תֶר הַפְּלֵטָ֗ה הַנִּשְׁאֶ֤רֶת לָכֶם֙ מִן־הַבָּרָ֔ד וְאָכַל֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָעֵ֔ץ הַצֹּמֵ֥חַ לָכֶ֖ם מִן־הַשָּׂדֶֽה: |
| אֶת־עֵין הָאָרֶץ - means: the appearance of the land. |
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אֶת־עֵין הָאָרֶץ.
אֶת מַרְאֵה הָאָרֶץ:
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| וְלֹא יוּכַל - (lit.) He will be unable - i.e., one who looks – “to see the land.” The verse speaks in an abbreviated form. |
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וְלֹא יוּכַל.
הָרוֹאֶה לראת את הארץ, וְלָשׁוֹן קְצָרָה דִּבֵּר:
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| 6Your houses and all your courtiers’ houses and the houses of all the Egyptians will be filled with them—something that your fathers and your fathers’ fathers have never seen from the day they appeared on earth until this day.’” And with that they turned and left Pharaoh’s presence. |
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ווּמָֽלְא֨וּ בָתֶּ֜יךָ וּבָתֵּ֣י כָל־עֲבָדֶ֘יךָ֘ וּבָתֵּ֣י כָל־מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־רָא֤וּ אֲבֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ וַֽאֲב֣וֹת אֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ מִיּ֗וֹם הֱיוֹתָם֙ עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּ֥פֶן וַיֵּצֵ֖א מֵעִ֥ם פַּרְעֹֽה: |
| 7Pharaoh’s courtiers said to him, “How long will this person continue to be a snare for us? Send the men forth and let them serve God, their God! Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?” |
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זוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֩ עַבְדֵ֨י פַרְעֹ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו עַד־מָתַי֙ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה זֶ֥ה לָ֨נוּ֙ לְמוֹקֵ֔שׁ שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְיַֽעַבְד֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם הֲטֶ֣רֶם תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֥י אָֽבְדָ֖ה מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| הֲטֶרֶם תֵּדַע - means: do you not yet know that Egypt is ruined?! |
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הֲטֶרֶם תֵּדַע.
הַעוֹד לֹא יָדַעְתָּ כִּי אָבְדָה מִצְרַיִם:
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| 8So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh and he said to them, “Go and serve God, your God. Exactly who will be going?” |
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חוַיּוּשַׁ֞ב אֶת־משֶׁ֤ה וְאֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְכ֥וּ עִבְד֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם מִ֥י וָמִ֖י הַהֹֽלְכִֽים: |
| וַיּוּשַׁב - Were brought back - i.e., Moses and Aaron were brought back by a messenger; Pharaoh’s servants sent messengers after them and they brought them back to Pharaoh. |
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וַיּוּשַׁב.
הוּשְׁבוּ עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִיחַ, שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם וֶהֱשִׁיבוּם אֶל פַּרְעֹה:
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| 9Moses replied, “We will go with our young people and with our elders; we will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and our cattle, for it is a festival of God for us.” |
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טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה בִּנְעָרֵ֥ינוּ וּבִזְקֵנֵ֖ינוּ נֵלֵ֑ךְ בְּבָנֵ֨ינוּ וּבִבְנוֹתֵ֜נוּ בְּצֹאנֵ֤נוּ וּבִבְקָרֵ֨נוּ֙ נֵלֵ֔ךְ כִּ֥י חַג־יְהֹוָ֖ה לָֽנוּ: |
| 10Pharaoh said to them sarcastically, “Yes, of course! May God be with you when I send you forth with your children! But watch out! Your evil intent will backfire! |
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יוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם יְהִ֨י כֵ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶתְכֶ֖ם וְאֶת־טַפְּכֶ֑ם רְא֕וּ כִּ֥י רָעָ֖ה נֶ֥גֶד פְּנֵיכֶֽם: |
| כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אֲשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת־טַפְּכֶם - When I send you forth with your children - and even were I to let the sheep and cattle also go as you have said – |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אֲשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת־טַפְּכֶם.
אַף כִּי אֲשַׁלַּח גַּם אֶת הַצֹּאן וְאֶת הַבָּקָר כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם:
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| רְאוּ כִּי רָעָה נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶֽם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “Be aware that the evil you intend to do will turn against you.” But I have heard an aggadic explanation: There is a certain star which is named Ra’ah (רָעָה – evil), and this is what Pharaoh said to them: “With my art of astrology, I see that star Ra’ah rising towards you in the desert where you are going, signifying bloodshed and slaughter.” And when the Israelites sinned with the Golden Calf and the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to kill them, Moses said in his prayer: “Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He took them out with Ra’ah (בְּרָעָה)?’” – i.e., this is what Pharaoh had said to them then: “See that Ra’ah (רָעָה) is before you.” Immediately, “God relented concerning the Ra’ah star (הָרָעָה),” and He turned the blood indicated by the star into the blood of circumcision, that Joshua had them circumcised. And this is what is meant when it says: “Today I have rolled the disgrace of Egypt off of you,” for they were saying to you: “We foresee blood upon you in the desert.” |
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רְאוּ כִּי רָעָה נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶֽם.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ. וּמִדְרָשׁ אַגָדָה שָׁמַעְתִּי, כּוֹכָב אֶחָד יֵשׁ שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ רָעָה, אָמַר לָהֶם פַּרְעֹה, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי בָּאִצְטַגְנִינוּת שֶׁלִּי אוֹתוֹ כוֹכָב עוֹלֶה לִקְרַאתְכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְהוּא סִימַן דָּם וַהֲרִיגָה; וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵגֶל וּבִקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהָרְגָם, אָמַר מֹשֶׁה בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ מִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר "בְּרָעָה" הוֹצִיאָם (שמות ל"ב), זוֹ הִיא שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם, רְאוּ כִּי רָעָה נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶם; מִיָּד וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' עַל הָרָעָה וְהָפַךְ אֶת הַדָּם לְדַם מִילָה, שֶׁמָּל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹתָם, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּ' "הַיּוֹם גַּלּוֹתִי אֶת חֶרְפַּת מִצְרַיִם מֵעֲלֵיכֶם" (יהושע ה'), שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לָכֶם, דָּם אָנוּ רוֹאִין עֲלֵיכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר:
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| 11It is not at all as you say! You menfolk go and serve God, for that is what you are asking for!” And they were expelled from Pharaoh’s presence. |
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יאלֹ֣א כֵ֗ן לְכ֙וּ נָ֤א הַגְּבָרִים֙ וְעִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י אֹתָ֖הּ אַתֶּ֣ם מְבַקְשִׁ֑ים וַיְגָ֣רֶשׁ אֹתָ֔ם מֵאֵ֖ת פְּנֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה: |
| לֹא כֵן - (lit.) It is not so - as you have said, to take the children with you, but only “you menfolk shall now go and serve God” – |
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לֹא כֵן.
כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם לְהוֹלִיךְ הַטַּף עִמָּכֶם, אֶלָּא לכו הגברים ועבדו את ה':
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| כִּי אֹתָהּ אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים - For that is what you are asking for - i.e., that is what you have requested until now – “Let us sacrifice to our God,” and it is not the way of small children to bring sacrifices. |
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כִּי אֹתָהּ אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים.
כִּי אוֹתָהּ בִּקַּשְׁתֶּם עַד הֵנָּה – נִזְבְּחָה לֵאלֹהֵינוּ, וְאֵין דֶּרֶךְ הַטַּף לִזְבֹּחַ:
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| וַיְגָרֶשׁ אותם - (lit.) He expelled them. This is an abbreviated phrase, for it does not state explicitly who was the one expelling. |
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וַיְגָרֶשׁ אותם.
הֲרֵי זֶה לָשׁוֹן קָצָר וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי הַמְגָרֵשׁ:
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