## Sforno on Exodus Chapter 9

###### Sforno on Exodus 9:7:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:7:1)

**וְהִנֵּה לֹא מֵת מִמִּקְנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד אֶחָד וַיִּכְבַּד לֵב פַּרְעֹה.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה זֶה פֶּלֶא מְבֹאָר, בִּלְתִּי מִתְיַחֵס בְּשׁוּם פָּנִים זוּלָתִי לָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי אֵין מִי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהַבְטִיחַ בְּחַיִּים זוּלָתוֹ.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:8:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:8:1)

**לְעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה.** לְמַעַן יִרְאֶה שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה מַכָּה מְסֻבֶּכֶת מֵעִפּוּשׁ בְּלַחוּת מִצַּד הָאֲוִיר אוֹ הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת, אֲשֶׁר מֵהֶם תָּבֹא לִפְעָמִים מַכַּת מְדִינָה טִבְעִית.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לעיני פרעה. In order that he would see that the plague was not the result of mixing something moist with something else, i.e. something subject to the influence of the sun or the atmosphere. Both of these phenomena sometimes produce what are known as “natural disasters.”


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:12:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:12:1)

**וַיְחַזֵּק ה'.** כִּי לֹא הָיָה סוֹבֵל זֶה בְּלִי סָפֵק, כְּעִנְיָן בְּאִיּוֹב (איוב ב:ה) "וְגַע אֶל עַצְמוֹ וְאֶל בְּשָׂרוֹ".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
.'ויחזק ה, G’d needed to reinforce Pharaoh’s heart as without this he would not have been able to endure this plague without his resistance collapsing. We know how Satan expected Job to react to the same affliction, from Job 2,5 “if You lay a hand on his bones and flesh he will surely blaspheme.”


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:14:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:14:1)

**כִּי בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת.** בְּזֶה הַמִּין הַשְּׁלִישִׁי מֵהַמַּכּוֹת בָּאֲוִיר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי בפעם הזאת, this time when I demonstrate My power over the third category of phenomena, the atmosphere and what it contains, אני שולח את כל מגפותי אל לבך ובעבדיך ובעמך, every plague which I am about to send will affect each one of you even after the plague itself departs. The damage caused by the plague while it was active will be felt long after the plague has departed. The after-effect could be felt because of the vegetables remaining having suffered damage from the hail. The unnatural type of darkness would also leave behind it unpleasant after-effects, as the whole atmosphere would have been affected during the period of no light. If we consider that for three days running no one could even rise from his chair or bed, we can imagine that this was not merely an absence of daylight. The plagues that had preceded the hail had not left behind them permanent after-effects.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:14:2
[Sforno on Exodus 9:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:14:2)

**אֲנִי שׁוֹלֵחַ אֶת כָּל מַגֵּפוֹתַי אֶל לִבְּךָ וּבַעֲבָדֶיךָ וּבְעַמֶּךָ.** כָּל אַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה שֶׁאֶשְׁלַח תִּהְיֶה בְּלֵב כֻּלְּכֶם גַּם אַחַר שֶׁתָּסוּר, כִּי גַם אַחֲרֵי כֵן תַּרְגִּישׁוּ בְּהֶזֵּק נִמְשָׁךְ מִמֶּנָּה בְּקִלְקוּל הַצְּמָחִים וְהַמְּזוֹנוֹת וּבָחֳלִי הַגּוּף, כְּמַכַּת הַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁקִּלְקְלָה מֶזֶג הָאֲוִיר בְּלִי סָפֵק, וְשֶׁלֹּא קָמוּ אִישׁ מִתַּחְתָּיו, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁכוּ אֲלֵיהֶם חֳלָאִים רָעִים בְּלִי סָפֵק. אֲבָל מֵהַמַּכּוֹת הַקּוֹדְמוֹת לֹא נִמְשַׁךְ הֶזֵּק מְבֹאָר אַחַר שֶׁסָּרוּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בעבור תדע כי אין כמוני בכל הארץ, this realisation will come to you when you observe how I enjoy complete mastery of the atmosphere. G’d reserved the demonstration that He also had complete control of all the phenomena in outer space, or in extra terrestrial regions for the time when He split the Sea of Reeds. When the Egyptians observed the movements of the pillars of fire and the columns of cloud, all of which moved in a manner which reflected that they were being directed by a higher power.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:14:3
[Sforno on Exodus 9:14:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:14:3)

**בַּעֲבוּר תֵּדַע כִּי אֵין כָּמֹנִי בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ.** כַּאֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶה יְכָלְתִּי גַּם בַּאֲוִיר הַמַּקִּיף. אָמְנָם יְכָלְתּוֹ בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים הוֹדִיעָם עַל יַם סוּף בְּעִנְיַן מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים וְעַמּוּד הֶעָנָן וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ, שֶׁכֻּלָּם דְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר מְצִיאוּתָם בִּלְתִּי טִבְעִי.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:16:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:16:1)

**בַּעֲבוּר הַרְאוֹתְךָ אֶת כֹּחִי.** כְּדֵי שֶׁתַּחֲזֹר בִּתְשׁוּבָה, כִּי לֹא אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הַמֵּת (יחזקאל יח:לא).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בעבור הראותך את כחי, so that you may finally display repentance. In the final analysis, I am not interested in the death of the sinner but in his rehabilitation through his own efforts. (Ezekiel 18,31)


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:16:2
[Sforno on Exodus 9:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:16:2)

**וּלְמַעַן סַפֵּר שְׁמִי.** וְרַבִּים תָּשִׁיב מֵעָוֹן.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ולמען ספר שמי, which will result in repentance by the multitude.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:19:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:19:1)

**וְעַתָּה שְׁלַח הָעֵז אֶת מִקְנְךָ.** כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּמָּלְטוּ הָעֲבָדִים אֲשֶׁר עִם הַמִּקְנֶה, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות ג:יח) "חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְּצֶלֶם".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ועתה שלח העז את מקנך, in order that also the servants supervising the cattle would escape the hail together with their herds.. If G’d cared about the beasts, He most certainly cared about the human beings, as we know from Avot 3,18 חביב אדם כי נברא בצלם, “man is beloved as he (alone) has been created in G’d’s image.”


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:20:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:20:1)

**הַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר ה' הֵנִיס.** וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי שְׁלַח הָעֵז, הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁרָאִיתִי בְּעִנְיַן הַדָּבָר שֶׁהַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר ה' הֵנִיס.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
הירא את דבר ה' הניס, G’d continues explaining to Moses that the reason He had told Moses to advise the Egyptians to bring their cattle under cover was that he knew that anyone genuinely afraid of G’d’s warnings would avail himself of this warning and save himself and his herds.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:21:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:21:1)

**וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׂם לִבּוֹ.** חָטָא וְיַעֲזוֹב, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁעִם חֶטְאוֹ הִפְסִיד, לְכָךְ אֲנִי מַזְהִיר עַתָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּת הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואשר לא שם לבו חטא ויעזוב, it would become clear that he who sinned paid with his life. This is why I warn you now to save your lives.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:23:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:23:1)

**וַתִּהֲלַךְ אֵשׁ אָרְצָה.** כִּי הָאֲוִיר הַנִּלְהָב יָרַד לָאָרֶץ בְּחֹזֶק תְּנוּעַת הַבָּרָד הַמַּכְבִּיד עָלָיו בְּרִדְתּוֹ לְמַטָּה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ותהלך אש ארצה, the atmosphere which had already been heated descended earthward with the same speed as the hail. [Normally, fire has a tendency to rise into higher levels of the atmosphere. Here, the reverse happened. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:24:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:24:1)

**וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּרָד.** בְּחֹזֶק תְּנוּעַת הַבָּרָד בְּרִדְתּוֹ נִלְהַב הָאֲוִיר וְנָתַן קוֹלוֹת, וְחֹזֶק תְּנוּעָתוֹ הָיָה בְּגָדְלוֹ לְקַלְקֵל הָרַךְ וְהַקָּשֶׁה, כַּאֲמָרוֹ וְאֵת כָּל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה הִכָּה הַבָּרָד, וְאֶת כָּל עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה שִׁבֵּר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ואש מתלקחת בתוך הברד. Driven by the immense velocity and pressure of the descending hailstones. The heat generated in the atmosphere resulted in unnatural sounds being heard everywhere. Both hard and soft plants were destroyed by the hail. Verse 25 spells all this out in detail.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:29:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:29:1)

**כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ **וְרַב מִהְיוֹת קֹלֹת אֱלֹהִים וּבָרָד**, לֹא יֶחְדַּל כָּל זֶה עַד שֶׁאֵצֵא מִן הָעִיר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כצאתי את העיר, even though you have said to me that you have endured already enough of this the plague will not cease until I have left the boundaries of the capital and only then הקולות יחדלון והברד לא יהיה עוד למען תדע כי לה' הארץ, all of these phenomena will occur simultaneously, in contrast to the natural order of things. This will not happen as a result of My thinking that you have already become a penitent, regretting his sins; on the contrary your education has not yet been completed, ידעתי כי טרם תיראון, I am fully aware that you still do not relate to the Creator with reverence and awe.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:29:2
[Sforno on Exodus 9:29:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:29:2)

**הַקּוֹלוֹת יֶחְדָּלוּן וְהַבָּרָד לֹא יִהְיֶה עוֹד לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי לַה' הָאָרֶץ.** כָּל זֶה יִהְיֶה יַחְדָּיו כְּמוֹ רֶגַע, שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִנְהַג הַטֶּבַע, וְזֶה לְמַעַן תֵּדַע, לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֶחְשֹׁב שֶׁכְּבָר שַׁבְתֶּם בִּתְשׁוּבָה, כִּי אָמְנָם.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:30:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:30:1)

**יָדַעְתִּי כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן.** עֲדַיִן לֹא תִירָאוּן:


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:31:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:31:1)

**וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה נֻכָּתָה.** אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה נֻכָּתָה, וְזֶה הֶזֵּק רַב בְּמִצְרַיִם, כַּאֲמָרוֹ "וּבֹשׁוּ כָּל עֹבְדֵי פִשְׁתִּים" (ישעיהו יט:ט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
והפשתה והשעורה, even though both the flax crop and the barley crop had been wiped out by the hail, something which caused tremendous damage to the Egyptian economy.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:32:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:32:1)

**וְהַחִטָּה וְהַכֻּסֶּמֶת.** בֹּא וּרְאֵה מַה רַב רִשְׁעָם שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה וַעֲבָדָיו, כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַחִטָּה וְהַכֻּסֶּמֶת לֹא נֻכּוּ, וּמֹשֶׁה הִתְפַּלֵּל, וְרָאָה פַרְעֹה כִּי חָדַל כָּל הָרָע בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, כִּי בְּאֹפֶן אַחֵר הָיָה כָלֶה גַּם יֶתֶר הַפְּלֵטָה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הוֹסִיף פַּרְעֹה לַחֲטֹא וְהִכְבִּיד לִבּוֹ בְּמֵזִיד הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
והחטה והכסמת, take note of the extent of the wickedness of Pharaoh and his servants. Even though the wheat and the spelt had not yet been destroyed, and Moses had prayed for the removal of the plague of hail, and Pharaoh had observed that all the destructive forces had ceased to be active as an immediate result of Moses’ prayer, something which made plain that but for Moses’ prayer the destruction would have continued, Pharaoh heaped more sins on top of the ones already committed, so as to make the ultimate retribution he would suffer even more terrible.


###### Sforno on Exodus 9:35:1
[Sforno on Exodus 9:35:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Exodus/r/9:35:1)

**וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה.** לא מֵעַצְמוֹ, אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה קֹדֶם שֶׁצֵּרַף אֶת אַהֲרֹן עִמּוֹ, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ "וַאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי לֹא יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַהֲלֹךְ" (שמות ג:יט), שֶׁלֹּא יַנִּיחֲכֶם לַהֲלֹךְ בִּרְצוֹנוֹ, "וְלֹא בְיָד חֲזָקָה" (שמות ג:יט), וְאֶרְצֶה שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה זֶה מִיִּרְאַת יָדִי הַחֲזָקָה, שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לְסָבְלָהּ. וְכֵן עָשָׂה בָּזֶה הַמָּקוֹם, כִּי אַחַר שֶׁהוֹסִיף לַחֲטֹא בְּמֵזִיד, וְהִכְבִּיד הוּא עַצְמוֹ אֶת לִבּוֹ נֶגֶד טִבְעוֹ, אֲבָל הָיָה מְסֻפָּק אִם יוּכַל לְסָבֹל, הִתְחַזֵּק לִבּוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹ הָאֹפֶן אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה, וְשָׂם בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף עוֹד לְהַכּוֹתוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויחזק לב פרעה, not without an assist from external forces. What happened was precisely as G’d had told Moses and Aaron at the time when G’d appointed Aaron as Moses’ helper; “and I know that the King of Egypt will not voluntarily allow you to leave Egypt.” G’d had even added: “ולא ביד חזקה, I do not want him to give his consent as a sign of his impotence against My strong hand.” G’d wanted Pharaoh to become a penitent while believing he could still offer resistance if he chose. Pharaoh had convinced himself after every plague that G’d had already exhausted the punitive means at His disposal, and that He could do no more to him. [When Maimonides in the third chapter of hilchot Teshuvah enumerates 24 categories of sins which result in the sinners either being unable to do teshuvah, or to face almost insurmountable obstacles in doing so, one of them is this belief that if G’d instead of liquidating them had stopped short of that, this is proof that He could not do any more than He had already done. Pharaoh made this fatal mistake out of his arrogance. Ed.]