## Chizkuni, Exodus

###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:1:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:1:1)

[**ראה נתתיך אלהים לפרעה.** מנהיג ודבר].


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:1:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:1:2)

[**ואהרן אחיך יהיה נביאך.** בעל דברי השבח].


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:3:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:3:1)

**ואני אקשה.** פרש״‎י בחמש מכות ראשונות לא נאמר ויחזק ה׳‎ אלא ויחזק לב פרעה, ומה שכתוב במכת ברד ויחזק לב פרעה אעפ״‎י שהיא מחמש מכות אחרונות לפי שכתוב אבתריה כי אני הכבדתי את לבו, כלומר החזקתי כבר במכת ברד והרי הוא כאלו כתיב ביה ויחזק ה׳‎ את לב פרעה, והטעם כמו שפרש״‎י מאחר שלא נכנע בחמש ראשונות הקשה הקב״‎ה רוחו ולבבו בחמש אחרונות, ואם היה פרעה פטרן לישראל לא היה הקב״‎ה מקבלו עד שיראה גבורותיו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ואני אקשה, “and I (G-d) will toughen;” Rashi points out that during the first five plagues G-d actually did not yet harden Pharaoh’s heart, and the Torah only speaks about vayechezak lev paroh, meaning that Pharaoh “remained obstinate without any help from G-d.” When the Torah writes during the seventh plague, the plague of hail in chapter 9 verse 35, that vayechezak lev paroh, that “Pharaoh’s heart remained obstinate,” which appears to contradict what Rashi said, seeing that line occurs during the seventh plague, this line appears after in verse 34, G-d had already hardened his heart. In that instance, for the first time, Pharaoh had admitted being guilty, and after G-d had hardened his heart he was able to hold out still longer in his obstinate ways. In chapter 10,1, G-d explains to Moses that Pharaoh’s behaviour from then on was understandable only because He had already hardened his heart. He was already no longer a free agent. The reason is simple, as Rashi explains. Once a person has remained obstinate in the face of five plagues clearly orchestrated by G-d, he is deprived of his most precious attribute, that of freedom of choice. Even if Pharaoh had freed the Israelites at that stage, G-d would not have let him, until He had been able to demonstrate Hjs powers completely.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:4:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:4:1)

**ולא ישמע אלכם פרעה.** מקרא זה אינו להבא שהרי במכת בכורות שמע אלא פי׳‎ על תחלת המכות.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ולא ישמע אליכם פרעה, “and Pharaoh will not pay any heed to you.” This verse cannot be understood as a prediction of future events, as during the tenth plague Pharaoh did heed Moses’ and Aaron’s warnings, finally. It is a reminder to Moses of what G-d had told him already before the commencement of the plagues.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:6:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:6:1)

**כן עשו.** אעפ״‎י שהולכים על נפשם בדברם אל פרעה, לא נמנעו לעשות שליחותו של הקב״‎ה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כן עשו, “so they did.” The fact is repeated to remind us that Moses and Aaron put their lives in danger every time they threatened Pharaoh with another plague if he did not comply with their request.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:7:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:7:1)

[**בדברם.** בזמן דברם].


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:9:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:9:1)

**תנו לכם מופת.** פרש״‎י אות להודיעו שיש צרוך במי ששולח אתכם. צרוך לשון יכולת וממשלה כדאיתא באגדה למה נקראו עבודת כוכבים אלהים. רבי יוסי אומר שלא יהא פתחון פה לומר לא נקראו אלהים. שאלו נקראו אלהים היה בהם צרוך. יזבחו לשדים לא אלוה מתרגמינן דבחין לטעותא דלית בהון צרוך.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
תנו לכם מופת,”perform a miracle in order to legitimize yourselves!” According to Rashi, the word מופת refers to a miracle that would prove who it is that authorised Moses to become the redeemer of the Israelites. G-d would have to demonstrate not only being a Ruler, but also His capacity to enforce his decrees. We have a source for this Rashi in Devarim Rabbah 2,11, which while not exactly what Rashi says nevertheless approximates it. Basically, it explains why paganism in Jewish literature is called עבודת כוכבים אלהים, literally: “worshiping stars as gods,” the reason being that [(my choice of words), “G-d is indispensable in our universe.” Otherwise, the word elohim in that expression is superfluous. Ed.] Rabbi Yossi claims that these deities cannot be called elohim, for if they were, it would follow that such a force must be obeyed. This is why the Torah in Deuteronomy 32,17, quotes Moses as referring to these so called deities as שדים לא אלוה, “satyrs, non deities.” Onkelos translates it as “something that is misleading,” as there is absolutely no need for it. For if there had been a need for such phenomena why would G-d be jealous of them?”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:9:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:9:2)

**והשלך לפני פרעה יהי לתנין.** לפני פרעה שהיה פרעה מתגאה בעיניו וקורא לו תנין כד״‎א התנין הגדול אמר לו הקב״‎ה למשה לך אמור מה מטה זה נעשה תנין ובולע מטות וסופו לחזור ולהיותו עץ יבש אף אתה בולע שנים עשר מטות שבטי ישראל וסופך להיות כעץ יבש ומת.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
והשלך לפני פרעה יהי לתניו, “throw it in front of Pharaoh so that it will turn into a sea monster.” The reason for this was that Pharaoh boasted of his power to the extent that G-d in Ezekiel 29,3 called him “the great sea monster.” The prophet there ridicules the actual power of Pharaoh who people were afraid of. Moses’ performing the miracle, was to show him that awe-inspiring monsters are only an illusion and can be turned into a stick by merely taking hold of their tail. Similarly, Pharaoh’s power is also only an illusion. Even though it appears that at this time he is all-powerful, this can change in the time it takes to drop a stick to the ground.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:9:3
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:9:3)

**יהי לתנין.** פרשה זו נאמרה כבר בפרשת שמות ראה כל המופתים אשר שמתי בידך ועשיתם לפני פרעה ונשנית כאן בשביל דבר שנתחדש בה, ומה החדוש שלא לעשות לפני פרעה רק יהי לתנין.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
יהי לתנין, this paragraph has already appeared in parshat sh’mot 4,21 ראה כל המופתים אשר שמתי בידך ועשיתם לפני פרעה, “see that you perform all the miracles that I have put at your disposal and carry them out in the presence of Pharaoh;” the reason that this has been repeated here is that a new element has been added, that only the miracle of turning the staff into a sea monster is to be performed.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:11:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:11:1)

**ויקרא גם פרעה.** מהו **גם** אפילו התנוקות שבכאן יכולים לעשות כן.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויקרא גם פרעה, “also Pharaoh called upon etc.;” what is the meaning of the word: “also” here? After all, even little babies in Egypt can perform sorcery.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:13:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:13:1)

**ויחזק לב פרעה.** כסבור ע״‎י מכשפות עשה אהרן.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויחזק לב פרעה, “Pharaoh’s heart remained obstinate;” seeing that his sorcerers had been able to duplicate Aaron’s feat, he concluded that Aaron was another sorcerer.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:13:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:13:2)

**כאשר דבר ה'** ולא ישמע אליכם פרעה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כאשר דבר ה, “just as Hashem had said.” (when He had said: “Pharaoh will not pay heed to you.” Verse 4)


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:15:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:15:1)

**הנה יוצא המימה.** פרש״‎י לנקביו שהיה עושה עצמו אלהות ומשום שהוא מקום טינוף לא כתיב בא אל פרעה. דבא משמע בא עמי.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
הנה יוצא המימה, according to Rashi, Pharaoh went to the Nile every morning in order to have his bowel movement, as having declared himself a deity, he could not allow his subjects to think that he like they had to excrete his undigested food daily. Seeing that the area where he performed this rite was a dirty area, G-d had not told Moses “בא אל פרעה” as if he were to dress up for an interview at Pharaoh’s Palace. The meaning of בא when G-d speaks to Moses, always implies that He is accompanying him as He had promised in Exodus 3,12.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:15:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:15:2)

**הנה יוצא המימה** להעלות נלוס לרגלו. ד״‎א כדרך בני אדם המשכימים בבוקר על שפת הנהר ורוחצים ממימי הנהר להאיר עיניהם. ד״‎א **הנה יוצא המימה** לטייל ולצוד שם עופות על ידי גוונין שנושא על ידו כשאר מלכים, ושם תמצאנו פנוי לדבר עמו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
הנה יוצא המימה, here he is about to go out towards the Nile so as to attribute the waters of the Nile rising towards him proving that he was a deity. A different interpretation: Pharaoh would wash himself every morning in the waters of the Nile, especially in order to wash out any particles that had accumulated around his eyes during his sleep. Still another interpretation: he went for a stroll along the banks of the river every morning. He would also go hunting birds by means of trapping them in mud. [Maybe the reference is to chasing geese and ducks into traps. Ed.] The point of G-d’s instruction was for Moses to have a private talk with Pharaoh when he would not feel under pressure to show his ministers etc., that he could stand up to Moses.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:16:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:16:1)

**ואמרת אליו.** י״‎מ לפי שהוא יוצא המימה במקום טהור ושם תדבר עמו אבל לא בביתו שלא להזכיר שם שמים במקום גלולים וטנוף.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ואמרת אליו, “and you will say to him, etc.” some commentators believe that the purpose of this private talk and warning to Pharaoh near the river was that it was a ritually pure area, as opposed to his palace which was filled with abominations and therefore not a place where G-d’s sacred name is to be spoken.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:17:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:17:1)

**בזאת תדע.** מדה כנגד מדה. כנגד שאמרת לא ידעתי את ה', פירוש בזאת תתחיל לידע.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
בזאת תדע, “by the way the punishment fits the crime you will know;” seeing that you have said: “I don’t know a deity called Hashem, I will give you proof of the existence and power of such a deity.” The precise meaning of the word תדע here is: “you will begin to know.”


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:17:2
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:17:2)

**ונהפכו** הה״‎א בסגול.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ונהפכו, “and they will be turned (into blood);” the letter ה is written with the vowel segol.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:20:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:20:1)

**ויהפכו כל המים אשר ביאר לדם.** לא נעשה היאור דם כי אם לפי שעה ומיד מתה הדגה מחמת הדם ואח״‎כ חזר היאור לקדמותו, ומה שכתוב ולא יכלו מצרים לשתות ממימי היאור לא מפני שהיה דם שלא מצינו שבקשו להסיר המכה, אלא משום והדגה אשר ביאור מתה ויבאש היאור. וראיה לדבר ויעשו כן החרטומים, ואם לא חזר היאור לקדמותו היאך יכולים לעשות כן. וי״‎מ המכה שמשה רביע חדש במים הנראים לבריות והחרטומים עסקו באותם שתחת הקרקע. וראיה לדבר ויחפרו כל מצרים סביבות היאור כי אותן מים לא נהפכו לדם רק מימי היאור.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויהפכו כל המים אשר ביאור לדם, “all the water in the river had been turned into blood.” The river had been turned into blood only temporarily, and the fish died immediately on account of being unable to survive in a river of blood. As soon as all the fish had died, the river reverted to being water. As to the Torah having written that “the Egyptians could not drink water from the river,” this was not on account of the blood, for we do not find that they even tried to reverse the plague, but that was, as the Torah writes, because the stench of the water on account of all the dead fish. The proof of this is that the Torah writes: ויעשו כן כל חרטומי מצרים, “all of the sorcerers of Egypt performed a similar miracle;” if the waters had not first been restored, how could they have demonstrated their sorcery? Some commentators claim that the plague lasted for slightly over a week, a quarter of a month, for all waters visible to the people during that period. During that period, the sorcerers busied themselves with subterranean water. Their proof is that the Torah writes that “the Egyptians dug all around the river to find water as they could not drink the water from the river.” (verse 24). The subterranean waters had not been turned into blood.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:22:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:22:1)

**בלטיהם.** פרש״‎י בלחש שאומרים אותו בלט וחשאי, חז״‎ק: לעיל פרש״‎י עצמו בלטיהם, בלחשיהון וכו'.


###### Chizkuni, Exodus 7:29:1
[Chizkuni, Exodus 7:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Exodus/r/7:29:1)

**ובכה ובעמך.** (כן) [ובך] קרי.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ובכה ובעמך, “and against you as well as against your people, etc;” the word: ובכה is to be read as if it had been spelled as ובך.