Tanach
Shemot 10:21-29 שמות י׳:כ״א-כ״ט
Part of: BoBo, Aliyah 2Bo, Aliyah 3Chapter 10
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה נְטֵה יָֽדְךָ עַל־הַשָּׁמַיִם וִיהִי חֹשֶׁךְ עַל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְיָמֵשׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt. The darkness will be tangible.”
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt. The darkness will be tangible.”
Rashi
וימש. כמו ויאמש. יש לנו תיבות הרבה חסרות אל"ף, לפי שאין הברת האלף נכרת כל כך אין הכתוב מקפיד על חסרונה, כגון וְלֹא יַהֵל שָׁם עֲרָבִי (ישעי' יג, כ), כמו לא יאהל לא יטה אהלו. וכן וַתַּזְרֵנִי חַיִל (שמואל־ב כב, מ), כמו וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי. ואונקלוס תרגם לשון הסרה, כמו לא ימיש בָּתַר דְּיַעְדֵי קְבֵל לֵילְיָא, כשיגיע סמוך לאור היום. אבל אין הדבור מיושב על הוי"ו של וימש, לפי שהוא כתוב אחר ויהי חשך. ומדרש אגדה פותרו, לשון מְמַשֵּׁשׁ בַּצָּהֳרַיִם (דברים כח, כט), שהיה כפול ומכופל ועב עד שהיה בו ממש:
וְיָמֵשׁ (will be tangible) — is the same as וְיַאֲמֵשׁ (He will darken). We have many words missing the letter א' . Since the enunciation of the א' is not very noticeable Scripture is not particular if it is omitted. For example: וְלֹא יַהֵל שָׁם עֲרָבִי [וְלֹא יַהֵל] being the same as לֹא יַאֲהִיל (with an א') [meaning:] “[An Arab] will not pitch his tent [there].” Similarly, וַתַּזְרֵנִי חָיִל (“you have girded me with strength”) the same as וַתְּאַזְרֵנִי — (with an א'). Onkelos translates [וְיָמֵש] as having the meaning of removing as in לֹא יָמוּשׁ — “It will not depart.” [Onkelos’ understanding of וְיָמֵשׁ חְשֶׁךְ is:] “After the darkness of night has departed” [i.e.,] when the light of day will approach. However, this statement does not fit the letter ו' of the word וְיָמֵשׁ because it is written after וִיהִי חֹשֶׁך . A Midrash Aggada explains it (וְיָמֵשׁ) from the term (מְמַשֵּׁשׁ) feeling his way in the afternoon,” for [the darkness] was doubled and redoubled and so thick that it was tangible.
וַיֵּט מֹשֶׁה אֶת־יָדוֹ עַל־הַשָּׁמָיִם וַיְהִי חֹֽשֶׁךְ־אֲפֵלָה בְּכׇל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִֽים׃
Moshe stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was total darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days.
Moshe stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was total darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days.
Rashi
ויהי חשך אפלה שלשת ימים וגו'. חשך של אופל שלא ראו איש את אחיו ג' ימים, ועוד שלשת ימים אחרים חשך מוכפל על זה, שלא קמו איש מתחתיו, יושב אין יכול לעמוד ועומד אין יכול לישב (שמו"ר יד, ג). ולמה הביא עליהם חשך, שהיו בישראל באותו הדור רשעים, ולא היו רוצים לצאת, ומתו בשלשת ימי אפלה, כדי שלא יראו מצרים במפלתם ויאמרו אף הם לוקין כמונו. ועוד, שחפשו ישראל וראו את כליהם, וכשיצאו והיו שואלין מהן והיו אומרים אין בידינו כלום, אומר לו, אני ראיתיו בביתך ובמקום פלוני הוא (שם):
Three days. [שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים means:] a threesome of days. Terzaine in Old French — a threesome. Similarly, wherever it says: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, it is septaine [in Old French] — a group of seven days.
שלשת ימים. שלוש של ימים, טרציי"נא בלע"ז, וכן ז' ימים בכל מקום, שטיי"נא של ימים:
There was total darkness. For three days, etc., [חֹשֶׁךְ אֲפֵילָה means:] darkness of gloom so that one person did not see another during those three days, and for another three days afterwards [there was] a darkness twice as thick where no one was able to rise from his place. If he was sitting he could not stand and if he was standing he could not sit. Why did He bring darkness on them? Because there were among the Israelites of that generation evil people who did not wish to leave, and they died out during the three days of darkness so that the Egyptians not see their demise thereby saying, “They are being struck as we are.” Furthermore, [during the darkness] the Israelites searched and saw their [the Egyptians’ valuable] vessels and when they left [Egypt] and asked them [for the valuable vessels] and they (the Egyptians) responded, “We have nothing [to give you],” he (the Israelite) would say to him, “But I did see it in your house and it is in that particular place.”
לֹֽא־רָאוּ אִישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו וְלֹא־קָמוּ אִישׁ מִתַּחְתָּיו שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וּֽלְכׇל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה אוֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם׃
Man could not see his fellow man, nor could anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the B’nei Yisrael had light in their dwellings.
Man could not see his fellow man, nor could anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the B’nei Yisrael had light in their dwellings.
וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ עִבְדוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה רַק צֹאנְכֶם וּבְקַרְכֶם יֻצָּג גַּֽם־טַפְּכֶם יֵלֵךְ עִמָּכֶֽם׃
Pharaoh called to Moshe, and he said, “Go! Worship Adonoy. Just let your sheep and cattle stay behind. Even your little ones can go with you.”
Pharaoh called to Moshe, and he said, “Go! Worship Adonoy. Just let your sheep and cattle stay behind. Even your little ones can go with you.”
Rashi
יצג. יהא מוצג במקומו:
Stay behind. [יֻצָּג means] shall remain in its place.
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה גַּם־אַתָּה תִּתֵּן בְּיָדֵנוּ זְבָחִים וְעֹלֹת וְעָשִׂינוּ לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
Moshe said, “You too will give us sacrifices and burnt-offerings that we will make [offer] to our God.
Moshe said, “You too will give us sacrifices and burnt-offerings that we will make [offer] to our God.
Rashi
גם אתה תתן. לא דייך שמקננו ילך עמנו, אלא גם אתה תתן:
You too will give. It will not be sufficient for you that our cattle go with us but, rather, “you too” will give of yours.
וְגַם־מִקְנֵנוּ יֵלֵךְ עִמָּנוּ לֹא תִשָּׁאֵר פַּרְסָה כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ נִקַּח לַעֲבֹד אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ לֹֽא־נֵדַע מַֽה־נַּעֲבֹד אֶת־יְהֹוָה עַד־בֹּאֵנוּ שָֽׁמָּה׃
Our own flocks will also go with us. Not a single hoof will remain. We must take from them to worship Adonoy our God; since we do not know with what [animals] we will worship Adonoy until we get there.”
Our own flocks will also go with us. Not a single hoof will remain. We must take from them to worship Adonoy our God; since we do not know with what [animals] we will worship Adonoy until we get there.”
Rashi
פרסה. פרסת רגל פלנט"א בלע"ז
Hoof. [פַּרְסָה means] the hoof of the foot, plante in Old French.
לא נדע מה נעבד. כמה תכבד העבודה, שמא ישאל יותר ממה שיש בידינו:
We do not know with what we will worship. [I.e.,] We do not know the magnitude of the service. “Perhaps He will ask of us more than we have in our possession.”
וַיְחַזֵּק יְהֹוָה אֶת־לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא אָבָה לְשַׁלְּחָֽם׃
Adonoy hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he was [no longer] willing to send them away.
Adonoy hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he was [no longer] willing to send them away.
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לוֹ פַרְעֹה לֵךְ מֵעָלָי הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ אַל־תֹּסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי כִּי בְּיוֹם רְאֹתְךָ פָנַי תָּמֽוּת׃
Pharaoh said to him [Moshe] “Leave my presence. Beware! Do not see my face again; for on the day you see my face you will die.”
Pharaoh said to him [Moshe] “Leave my presence. Beware! Do not see my face again; for on the day you see my face you will die.”
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה כֵּן דִּבַּרְתָּ לֹא־אֹסִף עוֹד רְאוֹת פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ {פ}
Moshe said, “As you say. I will not see your face again.”
Moshe said, “As you say. I will not see your face again.”
Rashi
כן דברת. יפה דברת ובזמנו, דברת אמת שלא אוסיף עוד ראות פניך (שמו"ר יד, ד):
As you say. [I.e.,] “You have spoken properly and you have spoken at the right time. It is true that I will never see your face again.”
וימש חשך. ויחשיך עליהם חשך יותר מחשכו של לילה, וחשך של לילה יאמיש ויחשיך עוד:
The darkness will be tangible. [וְיָמֵשׁ חֹשֶׁךְ means:] There will be upon them a darkness greater then the darkness of night, [i.e.,] the darkness of night will become even more black and dark.