Whom and Where Did the Plagues Strike/3

Whom and Where Did the Plagues Strike?

Points of Dispute

These are some of the central points of dispute (נקודות המחלוקת) between the various exegetes:

• Purpose of the differentiation
  • To save the Israelites from harm – Ibn Ezra, Ibn Kaspi
  • To demonstrate Hashem's wondrous ways – Philo, Akeidat Yitzchak
• What was unique about the five plagues in which differentiation is mentioned?
  • They were airborne and thus differentiation needed to be stated – Rashbam, Moshav Zekeinim, Ramban, Shadal
  • Their differentiation was of a different nature – Tosafist manuscript
  • The purpose of their differentiation was different – Akeidat Yitzchak
  • They were more severe – Ibn Ezra, Ibn Kaspi
  • They were not unique as all of the Plagues imply differentiation – Rambam, Yefet b. Eli, Radbaz
• Differentiation noted in the warnings of only עָרֹב‎, דֶּבֶר, and בְּכוֹרוֹת
  • These plagues came directly from Hashem – Moshav Zekeinim
  • The purpose of their differentiation was different – Akeidat Yitzchak
• Why Paroh checked only after דֶּבֶר
  • He didn't see Moshe bringing or removing the plague – Moshav Zekeinim
  • It was the first plague to discriminate ethnically – Tosafist manuscript, Akeidat Yitzchak
• Were the Israelites in Egypt proper affected by the Plagues?
  • Yes – Ibn Kaspi, Ralbag, Shadal
  • Partially
    • All except for עָרֹב – Ramban
    • All except for דֶּבֶר – Tosafist manuscript
    • All except for חֹשֶׁךְ – Rashbam
  • No – Philo, Tanchuma, Shemot Rabbah, Bemidbar Rabbah, Rambam
• Were the Egyptians in Goshen affected by the Plagues?
  • Yes – Philo, Tanchuma, Shemot Rabbah, Bemidbar Rabbah, Ralbag
  • All except for עָרֹב – Tosafist manuscript
  • No – Ramban, Shadal
• Natural or supernatural differentiation
  • Natural – Moshav Zekeinim, Ibn Kaspi, Shadal
  • Supernatural – Philo, Tanchuma, Shemot Rabbah, Bemidbar Rabbah, Rambam
• Differentiation in עָרֹב ‎– "וְהִפְלֵיתִי... אֶת אֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן... וְשַׂמְתִּי פְדֻת בֵּין עַמִּי וּבֵין עַמֶּךָ"
  • Everyone in Goshen as well as the Israelites outside of Goshen were spared – Ibn Ezra, Ramban
  • Everyone in Goshen was spared but not the Israelites outside of Goshen – Moshav Zekeinim, Ibn Kaspi, Shadal
  • Israelites even outside of Goshen were spared but Egyptians in Goshen were not – Philo, Tanchuma, Shemot Rabbah, R"Y Bekhor Shor, Tosafist manuscript
  • Only Israelites in Goshen were spared – Ralbag
• No בָּרָד in Goshen – "רַק בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן אֲשֶׁר שָׁם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"
  • Everyone in Goshen as well as the Israelites outside of Goshen were spared – .
  • Everyone in Goshen was spared but not the Israelites outside of Goshen – Moshav Zekeinim, Ibn Kaspi, Shadal.
  • Israelites even outside of Goshen were spared but Egyptians in Goshen were not – Philo, Tanchuma, Shemot Rabbah.
  • Only Israelites in Goshen were spared – .
• Light for the Israelites "בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָם"
  • There was light for the Israelites even in Egypt proper – Shemot Rabbah, Tanchuma, Rashbam
  • The Israelites had light only in Goshen – R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Ibn Kaspi, Shadal