Tanach
Shemot 8:16-28 שמות ח׳:ט״ז-כ״ח
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה הַשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וְהִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה הִנֵּה יוֹצֵא הַמָּיְמָה וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה שַׁלַּח עַמִּי וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Rise up early in the morning and set yourself before Pharaoh, when he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘This is what Adonoy has said, ‘Send out My people so they may worship Me.
Adonoy said to Moshe, “Rise up early in the morning and set yourself before Pharaoh, when he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘This is what Adonoy has said, ‘Send out My people so they may worship Me.
כִּי אִם־אֵינְךָ מְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת־עַמִּי הִנְנִי מַשְׁלִיחַ בְּךָ וּבַעֲבָדֶיךָ וּֽבְעַמְּךָ וּבְבָתֶּיךָ אֶת־הֶעָרֹב וּמָלְאוּ בָּתֵּי מִצְרַיִם אֶת־הֶעָרֹב וְגַם הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר־הֵם עָלֶֽיהָ׃
For if you do not send out My people, behold, I will send against you and your servants, and your nation, and your houses, swarms of wild animals. The houses of Egypt will be full of the wild animals, and so too the ground upon which they stand.
For if you do not send out My people, behold, I will send against you and your servants, and your nation, and your houses, swarms of wild animals. The houses of Egypt will be full of the wild animals, and so too the ground upon which they stand.
Rashi
את הערב. כל מיני חיות רעות ונחשים ועקרבים בערבוביא, והיו משחיתים בהם. ויש טעם בדבר באגדה בכל מכה ומכה למה זו ולמה זו, בטכסיסי מלחמות מלכים בא עליהם, כסדר מלכות, כשצרה על עיר, בתחלה מקלקל מעיינותיה, ואחר כך תוקעין עליהם ומריעין בשופרות ליראם ולבהלם, וכן הצפרדעים מקרקרים והומים וכו', כדאי' במדרש רבי תנחומא (בא ד):
Swarms of wild animals. All kinds of wild beasts, snakes and scorpions, en masse (בְעִרְבוּבִיָא from עָרֹב — a mixture), who caused devastation among them. There is a reason in aggadic writings for each and every plague why this particular one and why that particular one. With similar strategies of war as employed by kings did He (Hashem) come against them — as does a kingdom that besieges a city. First it ruins its springs (water supply) and afterwards they sound trumpets against them in order to frighten and terrify them: the frogs thus croaked and made loud noises, etc., as is recorded in Midrash Rabbi Tanchuma.
וְהִפְלֵיתִי בַיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת־אֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן אֲשֶׁר עַמִּי עֹמֵד עָלֶיהָ לְבִלְתִּי הֱיֽוֹת־שָׁם עָרֹב לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה בְּקֶרֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃
On that day, I will set apart the land of Goshen upon which My people stand [dwell], so that there will not be any wild animals there, so that you will know that I am Adonoy in the midst of the earth.
On that day, I will set apart the land of Goshen upon which My people stand [dwell], so that there will not be any wild animals there, so that you will know that I am Adonoy in the midst of the earth.
Rashi
והפליתי. והפרשתי, וכן וְהִפְלָה ה' (שמות ט, ד), וכן לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִיא מִמְּךָ (דברים ל, יא), לא מובדלת ומופרשת היא ממך:
I will set apart. [וְהִפְלֵיתִי means] I will set apart. Similarly: וְהִפְלָה ה' — “Hashem will set apart.” Similarly: “It is not נִפְלֵאת from You,” [meaning] it is not set apart nor separated from You.
למען תדע כי אני ה' בקרב הארץ. אע"פ ששכינתי בשמים, גזרתי מתקיימת בתחתונים:
So that you will know that I am Adonoy in the midst of the earth. Though My Divine Presence is in the heavens, My decree is fulfilled in the lower worlds.
וְשַׂמְתִּי פְדֻת בֵּין עַמִּי וּבֵין עַמֶּךָ לְמָחָר יִהְיֶה הָאֹת הַזֶּֽה׃
I will set a [sign of] deliverance (distinction) between My people and between your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.”
I will set a [sign of] deliverance (distinction) between My people and between your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.”
Rashi
ושמתי פדות. שיבדיל בין עמי ובין עמך:
I will set a [sign of] deliverance — which will set apart My nation from your nation.
וַיַּעַשׂ יְהֹוָה כֵּן וַיָּבֹא עָרֹב כָּבֵד בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה וּבֵית עֲבָדָיו וּבְכׇל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם תִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵי הֶעָרֹֽב׃
Adonoy did so. Huge throngs of wild animals came to the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants. Throughout the whole land of Egypt the land was devastated by the wild animals.
Adonoy did so. Huge throngs of wild animals came to the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants. Throughout the whole land of Egypt the land was devastated by the wild animals.
Rashi
תשחת הארץ. נשחתה הארץ, אִתְחַבָּלַת אַרְעָא:
The land was devastated. [תִשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ means:] the land was devastated; [as Onkelos translates it] אִתְחַבָּלַת אַרְעָא (past tense).
וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וּֽלְאַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ זִבְחוּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aharon, and he said, “Go! Sacrifice to your God [here] in the land.”
Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aharon, and he said, “Go! Sacrifice to your God [here] in the land.”
Rashi
זבחו לאלהיכם בארץ. במקומכם, ולא תלכו במדבר:
“Sacrifice to your God [here] in the land.” [I.e.] “where you are, and do not go into the wilderness.”
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לֹא נָכוֹן לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן כִּי תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם נִזְבַּח לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הֵן נִזְבַּח אֶת־תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ׃
Moshe said, “It would not be proper to do so. For that which is abominable [sacred] to Egypt we intend to sacrifice to Adonoy, our God. Could we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and not have them stone us?
Moshe said, “It would not be proper to do so. For that which is abominable [sacred] to Egypt we intend to sacrifice to Adonoy, our God. Could we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and not have them stone us?
Rashi
תועבת מצרים. יראת מצרים, כמו וּלְמִלְכֹּם תֹּועֲבַת בְּנֵי עַמֹּון (מלכים־ב כג, יג), ואצל ישראל קורא אותם תועבה. ועוד יש לומר בלשון אחר תועבת מצרים, דבר שנאוי הוא למצרים זביחה שאנו זובחים, שהרי יראתם אנו זובחים:
Abominable to Egypt. [Actually] that which Egypt reveres (i.e., its idols) as in “and for Milkom the (תוֹעֲבַת) abomination of B’nei Ammon” but only when speaking to Israel is it called abominable. תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם can also be explained another way: It would be despicable to Egypt [to witness] the sacrifice which we are sacrificing for it is their god that we sacrifice.
ולא יסקלנו. בתמיה:
And not have them stone us? [Meant as] a wondrous question.
דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים נֵלֵךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְזָבַחְנוּ לַֽיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר אֵלֵֽינוּ׃
We must make a three day trip into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Adonoy, our God, in the manner that He will tell us.”
We must make a three day trip into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Adonoy, our God, in the manner that He will tell us.”
וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אָנֹכִי אֲשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם וּזְבַחְתֶּם לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר רַק הַרְחֵק לֹא־תַרְחִיקוּ לָלֶכֶת הַעְתִּירוּ בַּעֲדִֽי׃
Pharaoh, said, “I will send you out so that you may sacrifice to Adonoy, your God in the wilderness, as long as you do not go too far away. Pray for me.”
Pharaoh, said, “I will send you out so that you may sacrifice to Adonoy, your God in the wilderness, as long as you do not go too far away. Pray for me.”
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יוֹצֵא מֵֽעִמָּךְ וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי אֶל־יְהֹוָה וְסָר הֶעָרֹב מִפַּרְעֹה מֵעֲבָדָיו וּמֵעַמּוֹ מָחָר רַק אַל־יֹסֵף פַּרְעֹה הָתֵל לְבִלְתִּי שַׁלַּח אֶת־הָעָם לִזְבֹּחַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃
Moshe said, “Behold, when I leave your presence I will pray to Adonoy, and the wild animals will depart from Pharaoh, and from his servants and from his people, tomorrow. But let Pharaoh never again deceive us [by] refusing to send the people to sacrifice to Adonoy.”
Moshe said, “Behold, when I leave your presence I will pray to Adonoy, and the wild animals will depart from Pharaoh, and from his servants and from his people, tomorrow. But let Pharaoh never again deceive us [by] refusing to send the people to sacrifice to Adonoy.”
Rashi
התל. כמו להתל:
Deceive us. [הָתֵל is] the same as לְהָתֵל .
וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה וַיֶּעְתַּר אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃
Moshe went out from Pharaoh[’s presence] and prayed to Adonoy.
Moshe went out from Pharaoh[’s presence] and prayed to Adonoy.
Rashi
ויעתר אל ה'. נתאמץ בתפלה, וכן אם בא לומר ויעתיר, היה יכול לומר, ומשמע וירבה בתפלה, עכשיו כשהוא אומר בלשון ויפעל, משמע וירבה להתפלל:
And prayed to Adonoy. [וַיֶּעְתַּר means] he exerted himself in prayer. Similarly, had he wished to say וַיַּעְתִּיר he could have said so and it would mean he used many [words] of prayer. Now that he says it in terms of וַיִּפְעַל it means he increased [the intensity] of the prayer.
וַיַּעַשׂ יְהֹוָה כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה וַיָּסַר הֶעָרֹב מִפַּרְעֹה מֵעֲבָדָיו וּמֵעַמּוֹ לֹא נִשְׁאַר אֶחָֽד׃
Adonoy did as Moshe spoke [requested]. He caused the wild animals to depart from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people. Not a single one remained.
Adonoy did as Moshe spoke [requested]. He caused the wild animals to depart from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people. Not a single one remained.
Rashi
ויסר הערוב. ולא מתו כמו שמתו הצפרדעים, שאם מתו יהיה להם הנאה בעורות:
He caused the wild animals to depart. They did not die as did the frogs, for had they died they would have benefitted from the skins.
וַיַּכְבֵּד פַּרְעֹה אֶת־לִבּוֹ גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת וְלֹא שִׁלַּח אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ {פ}
But Pharaoh hardened his heart again, this time and he did not send out the people.
But Pharaoh hardened his heart again, this time and he did not send out the people.
Rashi
גם בפעם הזאת. אע"פ שאמר אנכי אשלח אתכם, לא קיים הבטחתו:
Again this time. [Once more,] though he said, “I will send you out,” he did not keep his promise.
משליח בך. מגרה בך, וכן וְשֶׁן בְּהֵמֹת אֲשַלַּח בָּם (דברים לב, כד), לשון שסוי אינציט"ר בלע"ז:
I will send against you. [Meaning] incite against you. Similarly, it is said, (Devorim 32:24) “And the teeth of the animals will I send [אֲשַׁלַּח] against them,” [אֲשַׁלַּח] being a term of incitement. Enticier in Old French — to incite.