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Protected in GoshenTANAKH
Protected in Goshen
TANAKH
The distinction between the Israelites and Egyptians during the plague of wild animals demonstrates God's favor and protection towards the people of Israel. The Torah describes how God spared the region of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived, from the plague of wild animals that ravaged Egypt.
Divine Retribution in the Plague of Wild AnimalsMIDRASH
Divine Retribution in the Plague of Wild Animals
MIDRASH
The plague of wild animals in Egypt was not just a random event but a calculated divine retribution targeting Pharaoh and the Egyptians for their wickedness and idolatry. The medieval midrash Shemot Rabbah, a medieval midrashic work on the book of Exodus, offers a detailed account of the afflictions during the plague of wild animals, including the rationale behind the plague and the differing views of Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya.
Spiritual Disarray and Wild AnimalsKABBALAH
Spiritual Disarray and Wild Animals
KABBALAH
According to the Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, the chaos among the wild animals was a reflection of spiritual disarray in the heavenly realms. Wordplay is used to explain the deeper spiritual implications of the biblical plagues.
Which Wild Animals?COMMENTARY
Which Wild Animals?
COMMENTARY
Ibn Ezra offers a unique interpretation of the fourth plague, suggesting it involved a mixture of dangerous wild animals rather than just swarms of flies. The medieval commentator Ibn Ezra provides a philological and contextual analysis of the term 'arov' in the biblical account of the plagues in Egypt.
Rashi's Insight on SkinsCOMMENTARY
Rashi's Insight on Skins
COMMENTARY
Rashi explains that the swarm of wild animals was removed without dying to prevent the Egyptians from benefiting from their skins. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French biblical commentator, provides insights into the practical implications and textual nuances of the biblical plagues.
Divine Protection in GoshenCOMMENTARY
Divine Protection in Goshen
COMMENTARY
During the plague of wild animals, God ensured that the Israelites in Goshen were protected, even if they encountered the wild beasts that were devouring the Egyptians. Ramban, a 13th-century Spanish scholar, provides a detailed commentary on the Book of Exodus, highlighting the divine distinction and protection of the Israelites during the plagues.
The Miraculous Cessation of the Fourth PlagueMIDRASH
The Miraculous Cessation of the Fourth Plague
MIDRASH
The miraculous nature of the fourth plague's cessation ensured that the Egyptians could not benefit from the hides and flesh of the dead animals. Louis Ginzberg’s early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, provides a narrative expansion on the biblical plagues, incorporating midrashic and talmudic sources.
The Moral Lessons of the PlaguesCHASIDUT
The Moral Lessons of the Plagues
CHASIDUT
The plagues in Egypt were not random acts of divine punishment but were directly correlated to specific sins committed by the Egyptians. Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica, in his Hasidic commentary Mei HaShiloach, delves into the moral implications of each plague, offering profound insights into their spiritual significance.
The Lingering Threat of the Wild BeastsCOMMENTARY
The Lingering Threat of the Wild Beasts
COMMENTARY
Pharaoh's resolve was hardened by the fact that the wild beasts had merely retreated to their lairs rather than dying, leaving them as a lingering threat. Sforno, a 16th-century Italian rabbi and commentator, explains that Pharaoh's reaction to the plague of wild beasts was influenced by their continued presence, contrasting it with the earlier plague of frogs where the threat had been removed.
Pharaoh's PleaCOMMENTARY
Pharaoh's Plea
COMMENTARY
Pharaoh, for the first time, shows a willingness to negotiate and even asks Moses to pray for him during the plague of wild animals. Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar’s 18th-century commentary, Or HaChaim, delves into the dynamics of Pharaoh's changing attitude during the fourth plague.
Fear and Darkness UnleashedCOMMENTARY
Fear and Darkness Unleashed
COMMENTARY
The plague of wild animals not only brought physical danger but also created an atmosphere of darkness and fear, affecting the environment and the people’s psyche. In his 17th-century commentary on the Pesach Haggadah, the guiding text of the Passover seder, Rabbi Eliezer Foah explores the environmental and psychological impact of the plague of wild animals.
Fleeing to GoshenCOMMENTARY
Fleeing to Goshen
COMMENTARY
The invasion of wild beasts was so severe that it forced the Egyptians to flee even from uninhabited lands to the land of Goshen. The 19th-century Torah commentary Haamek Davar by Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin offers a detailed analysis of the plague's impact on both inhabited and uninhabited areas of Egypt.
The Three Realms of the Ten PlaguesJEWISH THOUGHT
The Three Realms of the Ten Plagues
JEWISH THOUGHT
The ten plagues are categorized into three distinct realms, each representing different aspects of the world and culminating in the plague of the firstborn, which affects the supernal soul of man. The Maharal of Prague, in his work Gevurot Hashem, offers a profound categorization of the ten plagues, providing deeper insight into their significance and impact.
Why the Beasts SurvivedCOMMENTARY
Why the Beasts Survived
COMMENTARY
Unlike the frogs, the wild beasts did not die after the plague ended because God did not want the Egyptians to benefit from their carcasses. Rabbeinu Bahya, a medieval Jewish commentator, offers a unique perspective on the plague of wild beasts in Egypt, highlighting the divine intention behind their survival.
The Inescapable PlagueCOMMENTARY
The Inescapable Plague
COMMENTARY
The plague of wild animals was so severe that even locked homes were not safe from their invasion. In this 18th-century German Haggadah, the guiding text of the Passover seder, Yedidiah Tiah Weil describes how wild animals bored holes into roofs, allowing birds of prey to enter Egyptian homes.
Disproving False Beliefs Through the PlaguesREFERENCE
Disproving False Beliefs Through the Plagues
REFERENCE
The plagues in Egypt were designed to negate the Egyptians' false beliefs and demonstrate God's unique control over the world. Rabbi Hayyim Joseph David Azulai's commentary, Devash LeFi, explores how each plague served to disprove the Egyptians' erroneous views about the divine.
The Swarms of Wild AnimalsTARGUM
The Swarms of Wild Animals
TARGUM
The swarms of wild animals were so comprehensive and pervasive that they filled the houses of Egypt and covered the ground. The Targum Onkelos, an Aramaic translation and commentary on the Torah, provides a vivid depiction of the fourth plague in the narrative of the Ten Plagues.
