GO IN UNTO PHARAOH. Go in unto him this time⁴ and do not be astonished that he has hardened his heart until now,⁵ For I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants. God mentioned the heart of his servants because their hearts⁶ would mellow with the coming of the plague of the locusts.⁷

footnotes: ⁴ This last time of your own accord; henceforth Pharaoh shall ask you to come to him (Weiser). ⁵ Do not be discouraged by the fact that he has not as yet let Israel go. ⁶ Unlike Pharaoh’s heart. ⁷ See verse 7, And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him…Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God.

[FOR I HAVE HARDENED HIS HEART.] Its meaning is: I have hardened his heart that I might show these My signs in the midst of them. The Spanish scholars differ with regard to the word shiti (I might show).⁸ Some say that shiti is similar to binu⁹ (consider) (Deut. 32:7), simu (set)¹⁰ (Gen. 43:21), and other such words.¹¹ as their middle root letter. In other words, shiti is a kal from the root shin, yod, tav. The same is the case¹² having a yod as their middle root letter. with yashit (he will put), yasim (he will place), yavin (he will understand), and comparable words¹³ in all of their¹⁴ forms. Others hold that shiti is a hifil minus the sign of the form,¹⁵ Because it is a hifil the word should read hashiti. because they found the words yasum¹⁶ is a kal from the root sin, vav, mem. Now if shiti was a kal it should read yashut (like yasum), rather than yashit, in the third person imperfect form. Hence the form yashit must be a hifil. Similarly, if shiti were a kal it would read shuti. It should be noted that these grammarians assume that the root of shiti is shin, vav, tav (Weiser). (maketh) and la-sus (rejoice)¹⁷ is a kal infinitive from the root sin, vav, sin. Here too we see that such roots are vocalized in the kal with a shuruk, not with a chirik as shiti is. Hence shiti cannot be a kal. The point of these grammarians is that when we come across forms such as yasis, yashit and the like, we are dealing with hifils having a vav as a middle root letter. When we come across forms such as yasus, yashut, we are dealing with kals having a vav as a middle root letter. Hence the word shiti must be a hifil (Weiser). in who maketh a man dumb (Ex. 4:11) and for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers (Deut. 30:9), all of which are kals. Others say that yasis is similar to yasus (he will rejoice)¹⁸ is not a hifil; it is a kal. The reason it is pronounced yasis and not yasus is that yasis comes from the root sin, yod, sin, and yasus comes from the root yod, vav, sin (Weiser). and shiti to sumi (set).¹⁹, and one from the root sin, vav, mem. Compare, som tasim (thou shalt in any wise set) (Deut. 17:15). Som comes from the root sin, vav, mem, and tasim from the root sin, yod, mem. Both som and tasim are kals. It is the same with the words for put/set. One word comes from the root shin, vav, vav, and the other from the root shin, yod, tav. Shiti comes from the latter root, hence its vocalization. They are all kals. In Ex. 12:9 we find: “Behold, I the writer add to the words of this sage as I heard from his mouth.”

footnotes: ⁸ Literally, I might put. ⁹ The root of which is bet, yod, nun. ¹⁰ The root of which is sin, yod, mem. ¹¹ Words having a yod ¹² They are all kals ¹³ Words similarly vocalized. ¹⁴ Conjugational forms. ¹⁵ The heh. ¹⁶ Yasum ¹⁷ La-sus ¹⁸ In other words, yasis ¹⁹ There are two roots for the word set. One comes from the root sin, yod, mem

AND THAT THOU MAYEST TELL. God spoke to Moses, who is equivalent to all of Israel.²⁰ doesn’t only refer to Moses, to whom God was speaking, but to all of Israel. The point is that Israel might tell their children and grandchildren all that God did to Egypt. Similarly, that ye may know that I am the Lord ²¹ means that all Israel shall know the aforementioned. The Torah speaks in human terms when it says, I have wrought, for it pictures God as acting as a human being who arranges events in order to avenge himself upon another.

footnotes: ²⁰ And that thy mayest tell ²¹ Which closes our verse.

AND MOSES AND AARON WENT IN. We know that Moses would not come in unto Pharaoh unless Aaron was with him,²² as Aaron was his spokesman.²³ Scripture here mentions Moses and Aaron because now, unlike any of the other instances of the plagues, they were both returned to and finally expelled from the presence of Pharaoh.

footnotes: ²² Hence what need is there for Scripture to mention Aaron? ²³ Therefore Moses would not go to Pharaoh without Aaron. See I.E. on Ex. 4:30 and 7:2.

TO HUMBLE. Le’anot (to humble) is a nifal.²⁴ It comes from the same root as ani (humble).²⁵.

footnotes: ²⁴ Its meaning thus is, to be humbled. ²⁵ From the root ayin, nun, heh

LOCUSTS. Arbeh (locusts) is the name of a type of locust.²⁶ Perhaps it is so called because it is more numerous than other kinds of locusts.²⁷, meaning numerous. Scripture states, That which the palmer-worm (gazam)²⁸ hath left hath the locust (arbeh) eaten (Joel 1:4).²⁹, and chasil. We thus see that arbeh is a type of locust. Concerning it, Scripture states, My great army which I sent among you (Joel 2:25). If this be the case then the alef of arbeh is superfluous.³⁰

footnotes: ²⁶ Weiser. ²⁷ It comes from the root resh, bet, heh ²⁸ A type of locust. ²⁹ Joel mentions four types of locusts: gazam, arbeh, yelek ³⁰ It has no meaning.

AND THEY SHALL COVER. Metaphorically speaking.

THAT ONE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE.³¹ The word ish (a man) has been omitted.³² Yefet says that many days passed between the plague of hail and the plague of locusts, for Scripture states: which groweth for you out of the field.³³ (Ex. 9:25).

footnotes: ³¹ Literally, that shall not be able to see, hence I.E.’s comment. ³² The verse should be understood as if read: that a man shall not be able to see. ³³ Which indicates that the locusts ate new produce, as earlier the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the land

SHALL BE FILLED. This word³⁴ (filled) is a third person kal perfect plural. The vav changes it into an imperfect. is irregularly used in the Hebrew language.³⁵. The meaning of u-male’u (shall be filled) is that the houses were full of locusts.³⁶ is intransitive. However, mile’u is transitive. Both are kal forms. However, we also find mile’u (fill) in Fill four jars with water (I Kings 18:34) wherein mile’u is a transitive verb. It is as if it were vocalized with a pattach beneath the mem and a dagesh in the lamed³⁷. and belonged to the conjugational form that receives a dagesh.³⁸ is always transitive.

footnotes: ³⁴ Male’u ³⁵ I.E. goes on to point out that it is both transitive and intransitive in the kal ³⁶ In other words, here ma’le’u ³⁷ Malle’u ³⁸ As if it were a pi’el. Pi’el

[AND HE TURNED.] Rabbi Joshua says that va-yifen (and he turned) refers to Moses, who paid his respects to the throne by facing the king³⁹ means: and he faced. Compare, panim (face). and walking out backwards.⁴⁰ However, Yefet says that Moses finished his duties.⁴¹ means: and he was finished, i.e., finished his duties. Compare, panuy (unoccupied, disengaged). So too u-fanita (and thou shalt turn)⁴² means: and you will be finished. in and thou shalt turn in the morning (Deut. 16:7). However, what shall Yefet do with the word va-yifen (and he looked) in And he looked this way and that way (Ex. 2:12)?⁴³ Va-yifen is to be explained as coming from the same root as panim (face).⁴⁴. It should be noted that the same applies to the above interpretations. However, I.E. means that the word means to turn the face and look. According to I.E. the meaning of our verse is: and he looked (va-yifen); i.e., he turned his face and went out from Pharaoh. It has the same meaning as va-yar (and he saw). Now Moses left the presence of Pharaoh without his permission. Scripture notes this because Pharaoh asked that Moses and Aaron be brought back. After they were returned Pharaoh, in anger, commanded that they be driven out.⁴⁵

footnotes: ³⁹ According to Rabbi Joshua va-yifen ⁴⁰ Rather than turn his back to Pharaoh and leave. ⁴¹ According to Yefet va-yifen ⁴² According to Yefet u-fanita ⁴³ Here the word cannot be taken to mean he was disengaged, for what sense is there to a clause that reads: and he was finished this way and that way? ⁴⁴ Its root is peh, nun, heh ⁴⁵ This time Pharaoh did not want to give Moses the chance to insult him by leaving on his own.

AND PHARAOH’S SERVANTS SAID. The meaning of ha-terem⁴⁶ means before. See I.E. on Ex. 10:30 and the notes thereto. teda (knowest thou not yet) is: do you first want it to become clear to you that Egypt is destroyed.

footnotes: ⁴⁶ According to I.E. terem

WERE BROUGHT AGAIN. The word et indicates the thing itself.⁴⁷ because our text reads, va-yushav et moshe ve-et aharon, (and Moses and Aaron were brought again). Now whether one says ha-adam ohavi (the man loves me), in which the yod is a first person pronominal suffix, or he says ha-adam ohev oti (the man loves me),⁴⁸ is a form of et. the reference being to my very self,⁴⁹ refers to the very persona. the meaning is one and the same. Therefore, if someone says re’uven harag et shimon (Reuben killed Simeon) he is telling us that Simeon has been slain. However, the same is the case if he says, re’uven harag shimon (Reuben killed Simeon).⁵⁰ does not make a difference. Re’uven harag et shimon means the same as re’uven harag shimon. Ve-rav ya’avod tza’ir (and the elder shall serve the younger) (Gen. 25:23)⁵¹. and asher bara Elohim adam (that God created man) (Deut. 4:32)⁵². are similar. Do not think that et indicates the direct object because it is often found to be so used.⁵³ It is also found before the subject, as in u-va ha-ari ve-et ha-dov (and when there came a lion, or a bear) (I Sam. 17:34)⁵⁴ and many other similar cases. Rabbi Judah the grammarian says that Scripture reads, va-yushav (were brought again) rather than va-yushevu (were brought again)⁵⁵ is in the singular. Its literal meaning is, was brought again. Since Scripture speaks of Moses and Aaron we would expect the plural, va-yushevu. because of the word et.⁵⁶ is connected to the word et, which does not take on a different form before a plural, it too does not take on a plural form (Filwarg). However, I believe that Scripture reads, va-yushav because Moses was the most important one. Scripture similarly reads, va-tedabber miriam ve-aharon⁵⁷ is a feminine singular. Since Scripture speaks of Miriam and Aaron we would expect a plural masculine. (And Miriam and Aaron spoke) (Num. 12:1) because Miriam was the main speaker.

footnotes: ⁴⁷ It is used for emphasis. I.E. goes on to explain the meaning of et ⁴⁸ Oti ⁴⁹ Oti ⁵⁰ In other words, the et ⁵¹ It has the same meaning as ve-rav ya’avod et ha-tza’ir ⁵² It has the same meaning as asher bara Elohim et ha-adam ⁵³ It is so found most often in Scripture. ⁵⁴ Here it emphasizes the subject rather than the object. ⁵⁵ Va-yushav ⁵⁶ Since va-yushav ⁵⁷ Va-tedabber

FOR WE MUST HOLD A FEAST UNTO THE LORD. All of us are obligated to sacrifice unto the Lord.⁵⁸ (feast) means a sacrifice, and our clause is to be translated: for we must sacrifice unto the Lord.

footnotes: ⁵⁸ In other words, the term chag

SO BE THE LORD WITH YOU. Whom you say is with you.⁵⁹

footnotes: ⁵⁹ Pharaoh was not recognizing the Lord as God. What he was saying was: So be the Lord whom you claim as your God with you (Weiser).

[SEE YE THAT EVIL IS BEFORE YOUR FACE.] The evil is close to you and is before your face. This meaning is also to be connected to for that is what ye desire (v. 11).⁶⁰ refers to the evil mentioned in our verse; i.e., the clause is to be understood: for it is evil that you desire. Hence it is only right that I so act. At this point Pharaoh surmised that they wanted to flee.⁶¹ Note that our Master Moses did not go so far as to lie and say that Israel would return. He merely said that they would travel a three days’ journey (Ex. 9:23). However, the Egyptians thought that they would return. Hence they let them have what they asked.⁶² (Ex. 12:35). They would not have given these objects to Israel if they had not believed that Israel would return. Moses had another reason for acting in this manner.⁶³ Had Pharaoh given Israel permission to go⁶⁴ and Israel did not return, Pharaoh would not have pursued them. However, God commanded Moses to act in this manner so that Pharaoh would chase after them and drown. Behold, this is clearly stated, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth (Ex. 14:2).⁶⁵ (Ex. 14:3, 4). One should not question the acts of God,⁶⁶ as He does everything with wisdom, though it be hidden from the eyes even of wise men. We find a similarity in the account of David, viz., And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is the Lord gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines (II Sam. 5:24).⁶⁷ (II Sam. 5:23, 24). Here too God instructed David to lead the Philistines into a trap so that God would destroy them. The Lord acted in this manner even though He could have destroyed them without employing this strategy.

footnotes: ⁶⁰ For that is what ye desire ⁶¹ Hence he threatened them with evil. ⁶² Jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment ⁶³ Not telling Pharaoh that they would return. ⁶⁴ That is, to leave Egypt permanently. ⁶⁵ Scripture goes on to say, And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel: They are entangled in the land…and he shall follow after them ⁶⁶ Why did God mislead Pharaoh into thinking that Israel was lost in the desert so that he would pursue them? He could have drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea without employing military strategy. ⁶⁷ David too was told by God to use strategy in fighting the Philistines. David inquired of the Lord how to attack the Philistines. The Lord answered him, Thou shalt not go up; make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees. And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is the Lord gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines

NOT SO; GO NOW YE THAT ARE MEN. The word gever (man), unlike the word adam (man),⁶⁸ can refer to both a male or a female. Compare, Gen. 1:27. always refers to a man in Scripture.

footnotes: ⁶⁸ Adam

FOR THAT IS WHAT YE DESIRE. The above-noted evil.⁶⁹

footnotes: ⁶⁹ Mentioned in verse 10.

FOR THE LOCUSTS. Rabbi Moses Ha-Kohen says that ba-arbeh (for the locusts) indicates that Moses placed a locust on the rod.⁷⁰ of ba-arbeh to mean with. Compare, the bet in be-tuppim u-vimcholot (with timbrels and with dances) (Jud. 11:34). Rabbi Moses interprets our verse as follows: Stretch out thy hand with the locust over the land of Egypt. However, this is incorrect. The correct interpretation of ba-arbeh is: so that the locusts would come.⁷¹ has the meaning of because. Compare, ish be-chet’o (each because of his own sin) (Deut. 24:16).

footnotes: ⁷⁰ Rabbi Moses takes the bet ⁷¹ In other words, the bet

AN EAST WIND. Kadim (east) is an adjective, since kedemah mizrachah (the east side) is a noun.⁷² is a noun and kadim an adjective. Kadim⁷³ is so called because it is the first of the sides⁷⁴ because the sun begins to shine there. Hence the west is termed achor (hinder side).⁷⁵ Compare, Behold, I go forward (kedem), but He is not there, And backward (achor), but I cannot perceive Him (Job 23:8).

footnotes: ⁷² In other words, kedemah ⁷³ Meaning be in front, before. ⁷⁴ To see the sun. ⁷⁵ It is the last side to see the sun.

BROUGHT THE LOCUSTS. From its place and deposited them in all the kingdom of Egypt.

WENT UP. Neither after them shall be such was prophetically written.⁷⁶

footnotes: ⁷⁶ The Torah prophesies that there will never be an exact duplication of this plague again.

FOR THEY COVERED THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. The meaning of so the land was darkened is that the locusts intervened between the sun and the land. The land is always dark.⁷⁷

footnotes: ⁷⁷ The earth gets its light from the sun; hence without sunlight it is dark.

THEN PHARAOH CALLED FOR MOSES AND AARON IN HASTE. Via his messengers.⁷⁸ Pharaoh added, I have sinned, because he drove them away from his presence in disgrace.

footnotes: ⁷⁸ Pharaoh did not personally call them.

NOW THEREFORE FORGIVE, I PRAY THEE. I will explain the term sa na (forgive, I pray thee) in the Torah portion Ki Tissa.⁷⁹

footnotes: ⁷⁹ See Ex. 34:4, where I.E. explains that the phrase has two meanings, to forgive or to bear sin. Here it means to forgive.

[ONLY THIS ONCE.] Because I will not sin again by rebelling against the Lord. Pharaoh did not promise to free the people because Moses was angry.⁸⁰ Moses went out of the city as was his wont⁸¹ and prayed.⁸²

footnotes: ⁸⁰ And Pharaoh did not want to engage him any further in conversation (Weiser). ⁸¹ When he prayed. ⁸² Moses could not pray within the city because of the idols therein. See I.E. on Ex. 9:29.

AND THE LORD TURNED AN EXCEEDING STRONG WEST WIND. West is termed yam⁸³ in the holy tongue because the great sea⁸⁴ which goes out from Spain and passes by the land of Egypt and goes on to the Land of Israel lies in the west. This sea is not to be identified with the Atlantic Ocean because Israel did not inherit that much territory.⁸⁵ The Spanish Sea is called the great sea because it is three hundred Persian miles wide, whereas none of the seas in the Land of Israel such as the Sea of Reeds, the Kineret, and the Salt Sea is even thirty Persian miles wide.

footnotes: ⁸³ Sea. ⁸⁴ The Mediterranean. Scripture refers to the sea which borders the Land of Israel on the west as the “great sea.” Cf. Num. 34:6; Jos. 1:4; 9:1. ⁸⁵ The Land of Israel was not that vast as to reach the Atlantic.

BUT THE LORD HARDENED. This is to be understood à la the words of our sages of blessed memory who said, “The door is opened for one who comes to defile himself.”⁸⁶ 104a; Yoma 38b.

footnotes: ⁸⁶ Sabbath

AND THE LORD SAID. We may logically assume although it is not so stated that Moses’ staff was in his hand.⁸⁷

footnotes: ⁸⁷ When he stretched out his hand towards heaven. See I.E. on Ex. 9:22.

EVEN DARKNESS WHICH MAY BE FELT. Yefet says that ve-yamesh (which may be felt) is like ve-yamish (and it shall depart);⁸⁸, meaning to depart or remove. Compare, lo yamish amud he-anan, (the pillar of cloud by day departed not) (Ex. 13:22). its meaning is: that the darkness to which they have become accustomed shall depart and another type of darkness, thicker than it, shall come. Others say that ve-yamesh is missing an alef.⁸⁹, spelled vav, yod, mem, shin, is a form of emesh. According to him ve-yamesh choshekh (even darkness which may be felt) means: and the darkness of the night shall be even more dark (Cohen). Now the word emesh in the holy tongue refers to the previous night, like emesh (yesternight) in spoke unto me yesternight (Gen. 31:29). It is the same case with the Arabic ams, as the shin and samekh interchange in most of the words.⁹⁰ Now their interpretation makes no sense.⁹¹ means yesternight. Thus ve-yamesh choshekh has to be translated: and yesterday shall be dark. This makes no sense. I believe that ve-yamesh comes from the same root as yemashesh (gropeth) (Deut. 28:29).⁹², meaning to feel, to grope. One cannot argue that yemashesh comes from a double root⁹³, which has one shin, at first glance does not. because with regard to something very similar Scripture uses the term yemishun (handle)⁹⁴ in They have hands but handle not (Ps. 115:7).⁹⁵, yet its meaning is to feel. As to the root of ve-yamesh and yemishun, they either come from the root mem, vav, shin, which is a variant of the root mem, shin, shin, or they come from the root mem, shin, shin and are conjugated with only one of the double letters. There are a number of other such words. Compare, asev (I will turn around) (root, samekh, bet, bet) and achel (I will begin) (root chet, lamed, lamed). Cf. Weiser. Ve-yamesh refers to Egypt, Egypt being in the singular,⁹⁶ is a singular. If ve-yamesh refers to Egypt the plural form should have been used, hence I.E.’s comment. as in so Egypt said I will flee⁹⁷ (I will flee) is in the singular. (Ex. 14:25). Now the meaning of ve-yamesh choshekh (even darkness which may be felt) is that the Egyptians will feel the darkness with their hands,⁹⁸ means: and he shall feel. Thus ve-yamesh choshekh means: and he (Egypt) shall feel the darkness. for the darkness shall be so thick that neither a candle nor a fire shall give off light. They saw not one another (v. 23) neither by the light of day nor by candlelight is proof of the aforementioned.⁹⁹.

footnotes: ⁸⁸ From the root mem, vav, shin ⁸⁹ Cf. Rashi. According to Rashi ve-yamesh ⁹⁰ That are cognate to Hebrew and Arabic. ⁹¹ For emesh ⁹² From the root mem, shin, shin ⁹³ While ve-yamesh ⁹⁴ Or feel. ⁹⁵ It too has only one shin ⁹⁶ Ve-yamesh ⁹⁷ Anusah ⁹⁸ According to I.E. ve-yamesh ⁹⁹ I.E. takes literally, They saw not one another

AND MOSES STRETCHED FORTH. The Egyptians had no way of knowing that three days passed except through the Israelites, who had light. Now there are times when a thick darkness¹⁰⁰ comes over the Atlantic Ocean during which time it is impossible for a person to distinguish between day and night. The aforementioned occasionally lasts for as long as five days. I myself have been there many times.

footnotes: ¹⁰⁰ I.E. is obviously referring to a thick fog.

NEITHER ROSE ANY FROM HIS PLACE. From his house, as in abide ye every man in his place (Ex. 16:29). For where could they go without light?

AND PHARAOH CALLED. After three days when they saw light.

ONLY LET YOUR FLOCKS AND YOUR HERDS BE STAYED. Pharaoh wanted to know what was in Moses’ mind. He wanted to learn whether Moses planned to escape.¹⁰¹. If they intended to return they wouldn’t mind leaving the latter behind. Pharaoh said, let your little ones also go with you because Moses had earlier told him, We will go with our young and with our old (v. 9).

footnotes: ¹⁰¹ Hence he said, only let your flocks and your herds be stayed

THOU MUST ALSO GIVE INTO OUR HAND SACRIFICES AND BURNT-OFFERINGS. You are obligated to give into our hands sacrifices and burnt offerings to be brought on the altar on your behalf.

THERE SHALL NOT A HOOF BE LEFT BEHIND. Of any kind that are among our cattle, as we do not know which kind we are to choose¹⁰² and how many of them we will sacrifice. This is the meaning of we know not with what we must serve.

footnotes: ¹⁰² For offerings.

BUT THE LORD HARDENED PHARAOH’S HEART. In a manner similar to for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate (Deut. 2:30).

THOU SHALT DIE. You will deserve to be put to death for rebelling against the king.

THOU HAST SPOKEN WELL. Ken (well) here has the same meaning as ken (right) in The daughters of Zelophehad speak right (Num. 27:6).¹⁰³ as meaning true or correct. Our clause may thus be rendered: thou hast spoken truthfully; or, thou hast spoken correctly.

footnotes: ¹⁰³ I.E. there explains ken

I WILL SEE THY FACE AGAIN NO MORE. For I will never come to you again.