Lang: he;
Title: שמות פרק ח;
Content:
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֱמֹר אֶל אַהֲרֹן נְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ בְּמַטֶּךָ עַל הַנְּהָרֹת עַל הַיְאֹרִים וְעַל הָאֲגַמִּים וְהַעַל אֶת הַצְפַרְדְּעִים עַל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
(ב) וַיֵּט אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדוֹ עַל מֵימֵי מִצְרָיִם וַתַּעַל הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ וַתְּכַס אֶת אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
(ג) וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן הַחַרְטֻמִּים בְּלָטֵיהֶם וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת הַצְפַרְדְּעִים עַל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
(ד) וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר הַעְתִּירוּ אֶל י״י וְיָסֵר הַצְפַרְדְּעִים מִמֶּנִּי וּמֵעַמִּי וַאֲשַׁלְּחָה אֶת הָעָם וְיִזְבְּחוּ לַי״י.
(ה) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לְפַרְעֹה הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי לְמָתַי אַעְתִּיר לְךָ וְלַעֲבָדֶיךָ וּלְעַמְּךָ לְהַכְרִית הַצְפַרְדְּעִים מִמְּךָ וּמִבָּתֶּיךָ רַק בַּיְאֹר תִּשָּׁאַרְנָה.
(ו) וַיֹּאמֶר לְמָחָר וַיֹּאמֶר כִּדְבָרְךָ לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי אֵין כַּי״י אֱלֹהֵינוּ.
(ז) וְסָרוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים מִמְּךָ וּמִבָּתֶּיךָ וּמֵעֲבָדֶיךָ וּמֵעַמֶּךָ רַק בַּיְאֹר תִּשָּׁאַרְנָה.
(ח) וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל י״י עַל דְּבַר הַצְפַרְדְּעִים אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לְפַרְעֹה.
(ט) וַיַּעַשׂ י״י כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה וַיָּמֻתוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים מִן הַבָּתִּים מִן הַחֲצֵרֹת וּמִן הַשָּׂדֹת.
(י) וַיִּצְבְּרוּ אֹתָם חֳמָרִם חֳמָרִם וַתִּבְאַשׁ הָאָרֶץ.
(יא) וַיַּרְא פַּרְעֹה כִּי הָיְתָה הָרְוָחָה וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר י״י.
(יב) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֱמֹר אֶל אַהֲרֹן נְטֵה אֶת מַטְּךָ וְהַךְ אֶת עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ וְהָיָה לְכִנִּם בְּכׇל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
(יג) וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן וַיֵּט אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדוֹ בְמַטֵּהוּ וַיַּךְ אֶת עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה כׇּל עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ הָיָה כִנִּים בְּכׇל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
(יד) וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן הַחַרְטֻמִּים בְּלָטֵיהֶם לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַכִּנִּים וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה.
(טו) וַיֹּאמְרוּ הַחַרְטֻמִּם אֶל פַּרְעֹה אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִוא וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר י״י.
(טז) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה הַשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וְהִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה הִנֵּה יוֹצֵא הַמָּיְמָה וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר י״י שַׁלַּח עַמִּי וְיַעַבְדֻנִי.
(יז) כִּי אִם אֵינְךָ מְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת עַמִּי הִנְנִי מַשְׁלִיחַ בְּךָ וּבַעֲבָדֶיךָ וּבְעַמְּךָ וּבְבָתֶּיךָ אֶת הֶעָרֹב וּמָלְאוּ בָּתֵּי מִצְרַיִם אֶת הֶעָרֹב וְגַם הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר הֵם עָלֶיהָ.
(יח) וְהִפְלֵיתִי בַיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת אֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן אֲשֶׁר עַמִּי עֹמֵד עָלֶיהָ לְבִלְתִּי הֱיוֹת שָׁם עָרֹב לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי י״י בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ.
(יט) וְשַׂמְתִּי פְדֻת בֵּין עַמִּי וּבֵין עַמֶּךָ לְמָחָר יִהְיֶה הָאֹת הַזֶּה.
(כ) וַיַּעַשׂ י״י כֵּן וַיָּבֹא עָרֹב כָּבֵד בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה וּבֵית עֲבָדָיו וּבְכׇל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם תִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵי הֶעָרֹב.
(כא) וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה אֶל מֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ זִבְחוּ לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם בָּאָרֶץ.
(כב) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לֹא נָכוֹן לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן כִּי תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם נִזְבַּח לַי״י אֱלֹהֵינוּ הֵן נִזְבַּח אֶת תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִסְקְלֻנוּ.
(כג) דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים נֵלֵךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְזָבַחְנוּ לַי״י אֱלֹהֵינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר אֵלֵינוּ.
(כד) וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אָנֹכִי אֲשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם וּזְבַחְתֶּם לַי״י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר רַק הַרְחֵק לֹא תַרְחִיקוּ לָלֶכֶת הַעְתִּירוּ בַּעֲדִי.
(כה) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יוֹצֵא מֵעִמָּךְ וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי אֶל י״י וְסָר הֶעָרֹב מִפַּרְעֹה מֵעֲבָדָיו וּמֵעַמּוֹ מָחָר רַק אַל יֹסֵף פַּרְעֹה הָתֵל לְבִלְתִּי שַׁלַּח אֶת הָעָם לִזְבֹּחַ לַי״י.
(כו) וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה וַיֶּעְתַּר אֶל י״י.
(כז) וַיַּעַשׂ י״י כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה וַיָּסַר הֶעָרֹב מִפַּרְעֹה מֵעֲבָדָיו וּמֵעַמּוֹ לֹא נִשְׁאַר אֶחָד.
(כח) וַיַּכְבֵּד פַּרְעֹה אֶת לִבּוֹ גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת וְלֹא שִׁלַּח אֶת הָעָם.
===
Lang: en;
Title: Shemot 8;
Content:
(1) Hashem said to Moshe, "Tell Aharon, 'Stretch forth your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals,over the canals | עַל הַיְאֹרִים – See the footnote on Shemot 7:19. and over the ponds, and bring up the frogs over the land of Egypt.'"
(2) Aharon stretched forth his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogsThe frogs | הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ – Literally: "the frog," but see Ibn Ezra that the singular form is a collective noun, referring to the species, or Rashi that it refers to "the swarm of frogs". Cf. Bavli Sanhedrin 67b that originally there was only one frog which then spawned the others. came up and covered the land of Egypt.
(3) The magicians did so with their secret arts, and they brought up the frogs over the land of Egypt.
(4) Paroh called for Moshe and Aharon, and he said, "Entreat Hashem that He remove the frogs from me and from my people, and I will send out the people that they may sacrifice to Hashem."
(5) Moshe said to Paroh "Gloat over me!Gloat over me | הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי – The meaning of Moshe's words is debated. See Rashi and Rashbam that the connotation is: "Challenge me! Give me a time, and gloat as you assume that I shall be unable to do as you ask". Contrast Ibn Ezra who suggests that Moshe's tone is polite, saying the equivalent of: "Let me honor you in letting you choose the time". For whenFor when | לְמָתַי – See Rashi that Moshe is not asking when he should pray, but when the frogs should be removed. should I entreat on behalf of you, your servants, and your people, to cut off the frogs from you and your houses, that they shall remain only in the river?"
(6) He said, "For tomorrow." He said, "As you say,As you say | כִּדְבָרְךָ – Literally: "According to your word". so that you know that there is none like Hashem, our God.
(7) The frogs shall depart from you, your houses, and your servants; they shall remain only in the river."
(8) Moshe and Aharon went out from Paroh, and Moshe cried outcried out | וַיִּצְעַק – See Shadal that the verb "לצעק"(cry out) is stronger than "לעתר" (entreat). Since Moshe had acted on his own (without Divine instruction) in telling Paroh that the plague would end when he requested, he needed to cry out to Hashem to fulfill his words (Ibn Ezra, Abarbanel). For discussion of how much autonomy a prophet has to declare miracles on his own, see Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction. to Hashem regarding the frogs that He had set on Paroh.
(9) Hashem did according to the word of Moshe, and the frogs died, from the houses, from the courtyards, and from the fields.
(10) They piled them in heaps and heaps, and the land reeked.
(11) Paroh saw that there was relief,relief | הָרְוָחָה – The word might relate to the noun "רֶוַח", space. Distress (צרה) is likened to narrow straits, while relief is likened to open space (Shadal). and he made his heart heavyhe made… heavy | וְהַכְבֵּד – See Shadal that though this is an infinitive (often translated as: "to make heavy"), when there is a verb earlier in the verse, the infinitive is understood to match the time and conjugation of the previous verb. [See Ibn Ezra similarly.] For other examples, see Bereshit 41:43, Shofetim 7:19 and Esther 2:3. and did not listen to them, as Hashem had spoken.
(12) Hashem said to Moshe, "Say to Aharon, 'Stretch forth your staff and strikeand strike | וְהַךְ – This plague, like those of boils and darkness, is not preceded by a warning to Paroh. For discussion, see Purpose of the Plagues and Patterns in the Plagues. the dust of the land and it shall become licelice | לְכִנִּם – Alternatively: "gnats", "fleas", "mosquitoes" or other stinging insects. See Shadal and R. D"Z Hoffmann for a variety of possibilities. throughout the land of Egypt.'"
(13) They did so, and Aharon stretched forth his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the land, and the licethe lice | הַכִּנָּם – See Rashbam and Ibn Ezra that the final "ם" in this word is not an indicator of a plural form (which is why the word takes a singular verb form), but is superfluous, such as the "ם" of the word "ריקם". Ibn Ezra explain that the singular form is a collective noun, relating to the species, while Rashi notes that it refers to "the swarm of lice", both comparing it to the singular form of "הַצְּפַרְדֵּע" in verse 2 above (and see the note there). were on man and animal. All of the dust of the land became lice throughout the land of Egypt.
(14) The magicians did so with their secret arts to bring forthbring forth | לְהוֹצִיא – Cf. R"Y Bekhor Shor who suggests: "remove". His reading accounts for the otherwise repetitive ending of the verse. The magicians attempted to get rid of the lice, but being unable to, the lice remained on man and animal. the lice, but they could not. And the lice were on man and animal.
(15) The magicians said to Paroh, "It is the finger of God,"It is the finger of God | אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִוא – See Shemot Rabbah, Rashi, and others that with these words the magicians attested that the plague came from Hashem, and was not the result of magic. Cf. Rashbam and Ibn Ezra that they merely admitted that the plague was the result of natural forces, being "the finger of god", but not "the finger of Hashem". but Paroh's heart was strengthened and he did not listen to them, as Hashem had spoken.
(16) Hashem said to Moshe, "Rise early in the morning and station yourselfstation yourself | וְהִתְיַצֵּב – Several commentators suggest that the plagues were divided into triads, with each group sharing certain features and following similar patterns. Thus Ramban notes that in the first plague of each triad (blood, swarms of beasts and hail) Hashem uses this same language of "station yourself" when commanding Moshe to warn about the plague, while in the second plague of each group (frogs, pestilence and locusts), the language of "come to Paroh" is found. See Patterns in the Plagues for discussion. before Paroh, behold he goes out to the water; and you shall say to him, 'Thus says Hashem: Send out My people that they may serve Me.
(17) For if you do not send My people, behold, I will inciteincite | מַשְׁלִיחַ – See Rashi, Ralbag and Malbim. Alternatively: "let loose". This hiphil (causative) form of the verb "לשלח" (to send) is somewhat uncommon, and see R. D"Z Hoffmann that many of its appearances relate to decrees of nation-wide tragedy. against you, your servants, and your people swarms of beasts;swarms of beasts | הֶעָרֹב – This word appears only in the context of the plagues, making it difficult to define. Many assume that it relates to the noun "ערבוב", a mixture, and might refer to a mixture of wild beasts (R. Yehuda in Tanchuma, Targum Yerushlami (Yonatan), and many others), biting flies (Septuagint, R. Nechemyah in Tanchuma), snakes and scorpions (Ma'asei Hashem), birds of prey (R. Natan in Midrash Tehillim, Shemot Rabbah), or some combination of the above. Rashbam, in contrast, suggests that "ֶעָרֹב" derives from the word "עֶרֶב" (evening), and refers to wolves which stalk their prey at dark. See עָרֹבfor analysis. and the houses of Egypt shall be filled with swarms of beasts, and also the ground upon which they are.
(18) On that day I will separateI will separate | וְהִפְלֵיתִי – This is the first mention of Hashem distinguishing between Egypt and Goshen during the plagues, leading commentators to debate whether in the plagues where no such distinction is mentioned, the Israelites and Goshen were affected as well. For discussion see Whom and Where Did the Plagues Strike. the land of Goshen, on which My people remain,remains | עֹמֵד – See R. D"Z Hoffmann. Though this word is normally translated as "stand," it might also take the connotation of "remain", "stay" or "endure", as per its usage in Melakhim II 15:20, Devarim 10:10, or Esther 7:7. so that there will not be any swarms of beasts there, so that you know that I am Hashem in the midst of the land.
(19) And I will make a distinctiondistinction | פְדֻת – In the three other instances where this word appears, it takes the meaning "redemption" or "ransom", like the related noun "פדיון" and the verbal root "פדה", but see Rashbam that this and other words which refer to salvation or deliverance (such as "פורקן", "הצלה", "חליצה") all really refer to separating from danger. [See also Bereshit 31:9 and Rashbam there]. Cf. Shemot Rabbah who adopts the common understanding of the noun, asserting that the Israelites deserved to be included in the plague, but were "ransomed" so that Egyptians were punished in their stead. between My people and your people.between My people and your people | בֵּין עַמִּי וּבֵין עַמֶּךָ – See Ibn Ezra that with these words, Hashem says that He will make not only a geographic distinction between Goshen and the rest of Egypt (mentioned in verse 18), but also an ethnic distinction between the two nations throughout the country. Cf. Shadal who disagrees, asserting that this clause is simply an elaboration of verse 18. For further discussion of the level of differentiation within the plagues, see Whom and Where Did the Plagues Strike. This sign will be for tomorrow.'"
(20) Hashem did so, and heavy swarms of beasts came to the house of Paroh and the house of his servants; and throughout the land of Egypt the land was destroyed because of the swarms of beasts.
(21) Paroh called Moshe and Aharon, and he said, "Go sacrifice to your godyour god | לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם – The translation has not capitalized "god", assuming that from the perspective of Paroh, Hashem was but one of many gods. in the land."
(22) Moshe said, "It is not proper to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of Egyptabomination of Egypt | תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם – See Rashi and Ibn Ezra that when speaking to Paroh, Moshe likely said "the god of Egypt", but the Torah uses the term "abomination" to disparage the idolatry. Cf. Rashbam that the Egyptians viewed sheep not as sacred but as disgusting abominations (Bereshit 43:32). to Hashem, our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of Egypt before their eyes, will they not stone us?
(23) Let us go for a three day journey in the wilderness and we shall sacrifice to Hashem, our God, as He tells us.
(24) Paroh said, "I will send you out that you may sacrifice to Hashem, your god, in the wilderness; only do not go very far.do not go very far | רַק הַרְחֵק לֹא תַרְחִיקוּ – According to Ibn Ezra and Ralbag, Paroh is acquiescing to Moshe, but warning that they do not go beyond a three day journey. Cf. Netziv that he is setting a new condition, that they may go, but only for a day or two's journey. Entreat on my behalf!"
(25) Moshe said, "Behold, I am going out from before you, and I will entreat Hashem, and the swarms of beast will depart from Paroh, his servants, and his people tomorrow. Only,Only | רַק – Moshe's "only" echoes that of Paroh in the previous verse. let Paroh not again mock by not sending the people to sacrifice to Hashem."
(26) Moshe went out from Paroh, and entreated Hashem.
(27) Hashem did according to Moshe's word, and He removed the swarms of beasts from Paroh and from his servants and from his people. Not one remained.
(28) Paroh made his heart heavy also this time and did not send out the nation.