## Sforno on Exodus Chapter 10

###### Sforno on Exodus 10:1:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:1:1)

**כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה "יָדַעְתִּי כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן" (שמות ט:ל), חָשַׁב שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנַע לָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ מִיִּרְאַת גָּדְלוֹ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם יִשְׁמַע בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בִּלְתִּי יָכוֹל עוֹד לִסְבּוֹל אֶת רָעַת הַמַּכּוֹת, וְזֶה חָשַׁב כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה שֶׁמִּכֹּחַ הַמַּכָּה אָמַר "ה' הַצַּדִּיק" (שמות ט:כז). אָמְנָם כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה שֶׁעִם כָּל זֶה לֹא שָׁמַע, חָשַׁב מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהָיְתָה הַהַתְרָאָה בּוֹ לָרִיק, כִּי גַּם שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לִסְבּוֹל לֹא יִשְׁמַע. וּלְכֵן אָמַר לוֹ ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעַתָּה גַּם הוּא הִכְבִּיד לִבּוֹ, הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי כְּבָר הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ בַּשְּׁחִין (שמות ט:יב), וְזֶה לְהַרְבּוֹת הָאוֹתוֹת בְּקֶרֶב מִצְרַיִם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּשׁוּב אֵיזֶה מֵהֶם בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וּלְמַעַן יְסַפְּרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדוֹרוֹת וְיַכִּירוּ גָּדְלִי וְטוּבִי. לְפִיכָךְ הַהַתְרָאָה רְאוּיָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי אני הכבדתי, even though Moses had said; “I know that you do not yet relate with awe and reverence to G’d,” (9,30) he thought that even if he does not humble himself to G’d because of G’d’s greatness, at least he should do what G’d says seeing that he has no choice, and can no longer withstand the cumulative effect of the plagues. He had arrived at this conclusion when he noted the words ה' הצדיק, “the Lord is the Just One.” However, when he found out that all these pious words notwithstanding Pharaoh continued to oppose G’d’s will in spite of the fact that he found it impossible to cope with the plagues, Moses had come to the conclusion that warning Pharaoh of an impending plague was an exercise in futility. This is why G’d had to tell him at this stage that already during the sixth plague (9,12) He had stiffened Pharaoh’s heart so that ordinary rules of psychology could no longer be applied to this man. The purpose was to enable G’d to demonstrate more miracles so that maybe some Egyptians would be moved by what they experienced to become penitents. If so, the Israelites in the future would be able to tell their children of the greatness of G’d’s miracles. This in turn would convince mankind that G’d loved His creatures and was very patient with them, giving them opportunities to mend their ways. This is why the warning to Pharaoh was in place although it would prove ineffectual. G’d’s plan was


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:1:2
[Sforno on Exodus 10:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:1:2)

**לְמַעַן שִׁיתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ.** כְּדֵי שֶׁבָּהֶם יַכִּיר הָעָם אֶת גָּדְלִי וְיָשׁוּב מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
למען שיתי אותותי אלה אלה בקרבו, so that I can demonstrate these miracles of Mine in its midst, so that the people realise My greatness and return in contriteness.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:2:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:2:1)

**וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר.** לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ דוֹרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת כָּל אֵלֶּה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ולמען תספר, and so that you Israelites will be able to tell about My attributes and remember this throughout future generations.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:2:2
[Sforno on Exodus 10:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:2:2)

**וִידַעְתֶּם.** אַתָּה וְדוֹרוֹתֶיךָ וְהַמִּצְרִים:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
(2) AND SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW. You, and your generations, and the Egyptians.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:3:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:3:1)

**עַד מָתַי מֵאַנְתָּ.** הִנֵּה מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינְךָ נִכְנָע אֲפִלּוּ עַתָּה שֶׁרָאִיתָ יְכָלְתִּי עַל הָאֲוִיר הַמַּקִּיף, אֲשֶׁר לֹא תוּכַל לִחְיוֹת בִּלְעָדָיו אֲפִלּוּ כְּרֶגַע, אֵין לְקַוּוֹת שֶׁתָּשׁוּב מִכֹּחַ שׁוּם גֹּדֶל מַכּוֹת. אֲבָל אוּלַי תָּשׁוּב מִכֹּחַ הַתְמָדָתָם זְמַן אָרֹךְ, לְכָךְ רָאוּי לִשְׁאוֹל עַד אֵיזֶה זְמַן יִהְיֶה גְּבוּל הַתְמָדַת הַמֵּאוּן עִם הַתְמָדַת הַמַּכּוֹת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
עד מתי מענת, seeing that in the meantime I have demonstrated to you My dominance even in the atmosphere, how much longer will you refuse to humble yourself seeing that I control the very air you need to breathe? Seeing that you were not impressed, there is no sense in hoping that you will be impressed by the overwhelming show of strength represented by the plagues. However, perhaps if the impact of the miracle itself did not make an impression on you, perhaps the drawn out duration of the effect of the plagues may finally have the desired effect. This is why the question “how long must a plague continue before it will have the desired effect?” is not out of place.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:5:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:5:1)

**וְאָכַל אֶת כָּל הָעֵץ.** יְקַלְקְלֵהוּ, כְּמוֹ "וְהָיָה לֶאֱכֹל" (דברים לא:יז). "כִּי אָכַל אֶת יַעֲקֹב" (תהלים עט:ז).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואכל את כל העץ, it will destroy it. The word אכל here is used in the same sense as in Psalms 79,7 כי אכל את יעקב, “for he has consumed Yaakov,” i.e. destroyed him. Deuteronomy 31,17 והיה לאכול also means “that it may be destroyed.”


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:10:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:10:1)

**כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת טַפְּכֶם.** כָּל שֶׁכֵּן הַמִּקְנֶה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כאשר אשלח אתכם ואת טפכם, even less your livestock.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:10:2
[Sforno on Exodus 10:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:10:2)

**רְאוּ כִּי רָעָה נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶם.** רְאוּ כִּי אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים בְּעִסְקְכֶם זֶה אֶל הָרַע לָכֶם וְתִמְצָאוּהוּ, כְּעִנְיַן "הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת" (בראשית כה:לב), "רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת" (משלי ה:ה), וְכִדְבָרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה "וְהֵם רָצִים לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת" (ברכות כח:).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ראו כי רעה נגד פניכם. I warn you that what you have in mind will boomerang on you and instead of improving your lot will worsen it. Pharaoh used this expression in a sense similar to Esau rejecting his birthright saying הנה אנכי הולך למות, “I am pursuing a path which will lead to my premature death, anyway” (Genesis 25,32). A similar meaning is Solomon saying in Proverbs 5,5 of the immoral woman: רגליה יורדות מות “her feet go down to death.” Our sages in Berachot 28 described the same thought as והם רצים לבאר שחת.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:12:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:12:1)

**עַל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בָּאַרְבֶּה.** בְּצַד הָאַרְבֶּה, וְהוּא הַדְּרוֹמִי, כְּמוֹ מְצַוֶּה לָאַרְבֶּה שֶׁיָּבֹא, כְּעִנְיַן (ישעיהו ה:כו) "וְנָשָׂא נֵס לַגּוֹיִם וְשָׁרַק לוֹ מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ, וְהִנֵּה מְהֵרָה קַל יָבֹא".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
על ארץ מצרים בארבה. A reference to the region from which the locusts generally came, i.e from the southern part of the continent. We have references of this kind in Isaiah 5,26 describing that these locusts traveled long distances before arriving in Egypt.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:16:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:16:1)

**וַיְמַהֵר פַּרְעֹה.** בְּטֶרֶם יֹאכַל הָאַרְבֶּה אֶת שָׁרְשֵׁי הַחִטָּה וְהַכֻּסֶּמֶת וּשְׁאָר הָעֲשָׂבִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
על ארץ מצרים בארבה, before the locust could destroy also the roots of the wheat and spelt and other plants they had been devouring. 10,20-23. נטה ידך על השמים, “in the direction of the atmosphere referred to as “heaven.” We have explained this in connection with Genesis 1,7.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:21:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:21:1)

**נְטֵה יָדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם.** עַל אוֹתוֹ הַחֵלֶק מֵהָאֲוִיר הַנִּקְרָא שָׁמַיִם, כִּמְבֹאָר בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית (בראשית א:ז).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
נטה ידך על השמים, “in the direction of the atmosphere referred to as “heaven.” We have explained this in connection with Genesis 1,7.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:21:2
[Sforno on Exodus 10:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:21:2)

**וְיָמֵשׁ חֹשֶׁךְ.** וְיָסִיר אֶת הַחֹשֶׁךְ הַטִּבְעִי שֶׁל לַיְלָה. כִּי אָמְנָם חֹשֶׁךְ הַלַּיְלָה הוּא אֲוִיר מוּכָן לְקַבֵּל הָאוֹר, וְהוּא חָשׁוּךְ בְּהֶעְדֵּר הָאוֹר בִּלְבַד. אֲמָנָּם זֶה הַחֹשֶׁךְ יִהְיֶה אֲוִיר בִּלְתִּי מוּכָן לְקַבֵּל הָאוֹר לְרֹב עָבְיוֹ, וְלֹא יִפּוֹל עָלָיו הֶעְדֵּר הָאוֹר בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בִּלְתִּי מוּכָן אֵלָיו, וּלְפִיכָךְ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וימש חשך, this will remove the normal darkness called “night.” The reason this was necessary was that the night consists of air ready and capable to absorb light in the morning. The darkness that would occur now was something unable to interact with light at all. The reason for this inability to interact with light was the density of the texture of this darkness. As a result of this totally different kind of darkness לא ראו איש את אחיו, for even a lit up flare would not be able to make a “dent” in that darkness.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:23:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:23:1)

**לֹא רָאוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו.** כִּי לֹא הִסְפִּיק לָזֶה אוֹר נֵר וַאֲבוּקָה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לא ראו איש את אחיו, for even a lit up flare would not be able to make a “dent” in that darkness.


###### Sforno on Exodus 10:29:1
[Sforno on Exodus 10:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/10:29:1)

**לֹא אוֹסִף עוֹד רְאוֹת פָּנֶיךָ.** כִּי תָמוּת, כְּעִנְיַן "לֹא תוֹסִיפוּ לִרְאוֹתָם עוֹד עַד עוֹלָם" (שמות יד:יג). אָמְנָם כַּאֲשֶׁר קָרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן לַיְלָה, קָרָא אוֹתָם עַל יְדֵי עֲבָדָיו בִּלְבַד, כַּאֲמָרוֹ "וְיָרְדוּ כָל עֲבָדֶיךָ אֵלֶּה אֵלַי" (שמות יא:ח).