Tzfardeah - Frogs: Tz’fardeah, frogs, is written in the singular while kinim, lice, is written in the plural because there was one giant frog that attacked Egypt; when the Egyptians struck it, it broke up into many small frogs. A simpler explanation is that the word tzfardeah, though written in the singular, it refers to many frogs. We find this disagreement between Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Akiva.²¹⁷ It is also possible that kinim, lice is written in the plural because it refers to many different species of lice but there was only one type of frog that attacked Egypt so it is written in the singular. The Midrash says much more about this plague. We learn that frogs were the most deadly plague since they found their way into the Egyptians beds, attacked them, and mocked the them by saying their gods were destroyed!²¹⁸ The Torah says, “The frogs shall come among you and your people;”²¹⁹ literally this verse says, “in you and your people.” Rabbi Aha explained that Pharaoh drank a bit of water – it entered his heart and became a frog and burst forth there. Rabbi Yohanan said that where there was dust and water, it turned into a frog.²²⁰ There are many other explanations as well.

footnotes: ²¹⁷ Exodus Rabbah 10:4 ²¹⁸ Ha, Ha! Not only giant but talking frogs! This explanation, though fanciful, is based on statements in the Torah and a passage interpreting them in Exodus Rabbah, 15:27. See Exodus 8:8. The plague of frogs - the word, d’var, ‘plague’ can also mean ‘word.’ And Genesis 38:9 ²¹⁹ Exodus :29 ²²⁰ Exodus Rabbah 10:3