I will pass through the land of Egypt on this night: I and not an angel…nor a seraf…nor a messenger…I and not another: This is somewhat difficult. The original Passover would have fallen on a Thursday night at midnight. The tenth of Nisan, when the people were commanded to set aside a lamb for a sacrifice occurred on Shabbat. The 15th of Nisan would have been on Thursday. According to astrological calculation, this is when the star of recompense (kokhav hatzedek) would have risen…. It would have been a messenger bringing retribution to the world. That is why it was necessary for the text to say “I and not a messenger.” This is to point out that it is not through the stars but through the hand of God that the plague was carried out.¹⁸⁵

footnotes: ¹⁸⁵ This is another one of those passages that left me a bit confused. There are complicated calculations based on astrology. Since ancient time there was an acknowledgment of the veracity of astrology in Jewish life. We have the signs of the zodiac in ancient synagogues and even Maimonides paid tribute to these ideas.

I and not another: There are those who believed in the existence of two competing powers in the world: one good and one evil. Therefore the Haggadah makes a point of saying that there is only one power in the world: I and not another. Similarly, we read in scripture, “I deal death and give life; I wound and heal – none can deliver from My hand.”¹⁸⁶ Everything is in the hands of the One. God showed this to Israel and to the other nations by destroying the firstborn and passing over the houses of the Israelites. That is why, God, Himself and with His own glory chose to carry out the final plague in Egypt. Why did God do it this way: to show that it is I and not another.

footnotes: ¹⁸⁶ Deuteronomy 32:39

I passed through the land of Egypt and smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt: The first “In the land of Egypt” in this verse is superfluous. This phrase is an allusion to the way in which God brought vengeance on the land of Egypt. According to the Rokeakh when the Holy One descended to take vengeance upon the Egyptians, 900,000 angels of destruction descended with him: some were angels of fire (eish), other angels of hail (barad) and still others were angels of terror (ratat). Anyone who saw them was seized with terror and trembling. They said: “Master of the universe – when a king goes to battle, he surrounds himself with soldiers to protect his person. How much more so should the King of kings do so! Isn’t it enough that we should do so who are your servants and the followers of your covenant – let us go and wreak vengeance upon the Egyptians!” God answered: “Stand aside! My feelings shall not be appeased until I go down by myself and bring vengeance with my own strong hand!” B’eretz mitzraim, is an abbreviation for “900,000 came to Egypt.” Bau(the letters bet alephspell comes*) revivot*(ten thousand) tzadi(x90) mitzraim. It can also be an abbreviation for barad, esh, ratat, tzadi (90 ten thousands) in Egypt. Even so I struck them by my own person. “I and not an angel - an angel of hail; I and not a seraf- an angel of fire; I and not a messenger - an angel of terror.” Only God would carry out this act.