שמות רבה י׳Shemot Rabbah 10

Section 1א׳

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה, אִם מָאֵן אַתָּה לְשַׁלֵּחַ הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נֹגֵף וגו', הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (קהלת ה, ח): וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הוּא, וְכָל הַמִּדְרָשׁ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה וּבְזֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרִין מַהוּ וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הוּא, אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן כְּאִלּוּ הֵם מְיֻתָּרִין בָּעוֹלָם, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִים וּפַרְעוֹשִׁים וְיַתּוּשִׁין, הֵן הָיוּ בִּכְלַל בְּרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, לא): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. וְרַבִּי אַחָא בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן כְּאִלּוּ הֵן מְיֻתָּרִין בָּעוֹלָם, כְּגוֹן נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים, הֵן הָיוּ בִּכְלַל בְּרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַנְּבִיאִים מָה אַתֶּם סְבוּרִים אִם אֵין אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִין בִּשְׁלִיחוּתִי וְכִי אֵין לִי שָׁלִיחַ, וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הִיא, אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה שְׁלִיחוּתִי אֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי נָחָשׁ אֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי עַקְרָב וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל יְדֵי צְפַרְדֵּעַ, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי הַצִּרְעָה הֵיאַךְ הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פּוֹרֵעַ מִן הָאֱמוֹרִיִּים, וְאִלּוּלֵי הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ הֵיאַךְ הָיָה פּוֹרֵעַ מִן הַמִּצְרִיִּים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נוֹגֵף וגו'.

“The Lord spoke to Moses: Come to Pharaoh, and say to him: So said the Lord: Let My people go, and they will worship Me. If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your borders with frogs” (Exodus 7:26–27). “The Lord spoke to Moses: Come to Pharaoh.… If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite…” – that is what is written: “But the advantage of a land is in every way” (Ecclesiastes 5:8), and the entire midrash as it is written in Vayikra Rabba and in “This is the statute of the law” (Numbers 19:2): Our Rabbis say: “But the advantage of a land is in every way” – even items that you view as extraneous in the world, like flies, fleas, and mosquitos, they were included in the creation of the world, regarding which it is stated: “God saw everything that He had made [and behold, it was very good]” (Genesis 1:31). Rabbi Aḥa son of Rabbi Ḥanina said: Even items that you view as extraneous in the world, like snakes and scorpions, they were included in the creation of the world. The Holy One blessed be He said to the prophets: ‘What do you think, that if you do not go on My mission I will have no emissary? “But the advantage of a land is in every way” – I will accomplish My mission even by means of a snake, or even by means of a scorpion, or even by means of a frog.’ Know that it is so, as were it not for the hornet, how would the Holy One blessed be He exact retribution against the Emorites, and were it not for the frogs, how would He exact retribution from the Egyptians? That is what is written: “Behold, I will smite [all your borders with frogs].”

Section 2ב׳

מַהוּ הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נֹגֵף, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי דּוֹחֵק עָלֶיךָ אֶת הַמַּכּוֹת, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב (שמות כא, לה): וְכִי יִגֹּף שׁוֹר אֶת אִישׁ. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר כָּל מַכָּה וּמַכָּה שֶׁהָיְתָה בָּאָה עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים בְּמִצְרַיִם הָיָה הַדֶּבֶר מְמַשְׁמֵשׁ וּבָא עִמָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נוֹגֵף, הִנֵּה זֶה הַדֶּבֶר, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות ט, ג): הִנֵּה יַד ה' הוֹיָה בְּמִקְנְךָ. אֶת כָּל גְּבוּלְךָ בַּצְפַרְדְּעִים, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ, הַמַּכּוֹת שֶׁהֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים גָּרַם לָהֶם שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם, כֵּיצַד הָיָה מַחְלֹקֶת בֵּין בְּנֵי כּוּשׁ וּבֵין בְּנֵי הַמִּצְרִיִּים, הַמִּצְרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים עַד כָּאן תְּחוּמֵנוּ, וְהַכּוּשִׁים אוֹמְרִים עַד כָּאן תְּחוּמֵנוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים עָשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם, הַגְּבוּל שֶׁהָיוּ נִכְנָסוֹת לְתוֹכוֹ הַדָּבָר יָדוּעַ שֶׁאֵין הַשָֹּׂדֶה שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֶת כָּל גְּבוּלְךָ, גְּבוּלְךָ וְלֹא שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים. וְעָלוּ וּבָאוּ בְּבֵיתֶךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם, הַמְעֻלּוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶם יִהְיוּ בְּבֵיתֶךָ, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁל עוֹלָם מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם נִכְנַס בַּמְדִינָה כָּל אֶחָד נוֹתְנִין לוֹ מָדוֹר לְפִי כְבוֹדוֹ אֲבָל הַמֶּלֶךְ לְתוֹךְ הַפַּלְטֵרִין שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא דָר בִּמְקוֹם מִישׁוֹר, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר: וְעָלוּ וּבָאוּ בְּבֵיתֶךָ, הַמְּעֻלּוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן הָיוּ בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה. וּבְתַנּוּרֶיךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶיךָ, כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה הַמִּצְרִית לָשָׁה אֶת הָעִסָּה וּמַסֶּקֶת אֶת הַתַּנּוּר, בָּאִין הַצְפַרְדְּעִים וְיוֹרְדִין לְתוֹךְ הָעִסָּה וְאוֹכְלִין אֶת הַבָּצֵק וְיוֹרְדִין לְתוֹךְ הַתַּנּוּר וּמְצַנְּנִין אוֹתוֹ וְנִדְבָּקוֹת בַּפַּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּבְתַנּוּרֶיךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶיךָ, וְאֵימָתַי עוֹנָתָהּ שֶׁל עִסָּה לְהִדָּבֵק בַּתַּנּוּר, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא מֻסָּק, מִן הַצְפַרְדְּעִים נָשְׂאוּ חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּעַצְמָן, וְיָרְדוּ לְתוֹךְ כִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ. וּמַהוּ וְשָׁרַץ הַיְאֹר צְפַרְדְּעִים, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ (יחזקאל כט, ג): לִי יְאֹרִי, אַרְאֶה אוֹתְךָ אִם הוּא שֶׁלִּי אוֹ שֶׁלְךָ, שֶׁמַּכָּתוֹ מִמֶּנִּי תָּבוֹא עָלָיו וַאֲנִי גּוֹזֵר עָלָיו וְהוּא יַעֲלֶה צְפַרְדְּעִים, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁגָּזַרְתִּי עַל הַמַּיִם, שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה אָמַרְתִּי (בראשית א, כ): יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם וְעָשׂוּ צִוּוּיִי, כֵּן הַיְאוֹר יַעֲשֶׂה גְּזֵרָתִי.

What is “behold, I will smite [nogef]”? The Holy One blessed be He said: Behold, I am forcing all the plagues upon you, as it is written: “If the ox of one man hurts [yigof] [another’s]” (Exodus 21:35). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Each and every plague that would come upon the Egyptians in Egypt, pestilence would accompany it, as it is stated: “Behold, I will smite.” Behold, this is the pestilence, as it is stated: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon your cattle” (Exodus 9:3). “[I will smite] all your borders with frogs.” Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: The plagues that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians caused them to make peace between them. How so? There was a dispute between the Kushites and the Egyptians. The Egyptians claimed: Our borders are until here, and the Kushites claimed: Our borders are until here. Once the frogs came they made peace between them. The border within which the frogs would enter, it was known that the field was not his, as it is stated: “All your borders”; “your borders,” but not those of others. “The Nile will swarm with frogs that will ascend and come into your house, and into your bedchamber, and onto your bed, and into the house of your servants, and upon your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls” (Exodus 7:28). “Will ascend and come into your house” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom said: The most outstanding among them will be in your house. The way of the world is that when a king of flesh and blood enters a city, each one is given a residence in accordance with his status. However, the king resides in his palace on a flat area. If so, why is it stated: “Will ascend [ve’alu] and come into your house”? It is because the most outstanding [hame’ulot] among them will be in Pharaoh’s house. “And into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls” – when an Egyptian woman would knead dough and ignite the oven, the frogs would come, descend into the dough, eat the dough, descend into the oven, cool it, and adhere to the bread, as it is stated: “And into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls.” When is the time for the dough to be stuck to the oven [to bake]? When it is ignited. Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya drew an a fortiori inference for themselves from the frogs and descended into the fiery furnace. What is “The Nile will swarm with frogs”? The Holy One blessed be He said to him [Pharaoh]: ‘You said: “My river is mine” (Ezekiel 29:3). I will show you whether it is mine or yours, as its plague will come from Me upon it, and when I decree it will produce frogs. Just as I have decreed regarding the water: At the outset, I said: “Let the water swarm” (Genesis 1:20), and it performed My command; so, too, the Nile will perform My decree.’

Section 3ג׳

וּבְכָה וּבְעַמְּךָ, פַּרְעֹה הִתְחִיל בַּעֲבֵרָה תְּחִלָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות א, ט י): וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ, וּבוֹ הִתְחִילָה הַמַּכָּה תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּבְכָה, וְאַחַר כָךְ וּבְעַמְּךָ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ וּבְכָל עֲבָדֶיךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא וּבְכָה רְאָיָה שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹתֶה מַיִם וְטִפָּה אַחַת יוֹרֶדֶת עַל לִבּוֹ וְנַעֲשָׂה צְפַרְדֵּעַ וְנִבְקַעַת שָׁם. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה שָׁם עָפָר וְהָיָה טִפָּה שֶׁל מַיִם בּוֹ הָיָה נַעֲשָׂה צְפַרְדֵּעַ. חִזְקִיָּה בְּרַבִּי אָמַר אִם כַּשִּׁיטָה הַזּוֹ לֹא לָקוּ בָּתֵּיהֶם שֶׁל גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁהָיוּ עֲשׂוּיִין בְּשַׁיִשׁ וּבִפְסִיפַס, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ עוֹלָה מִן הַתְּהוֹם וְאוֹמֶרֶת לַשַּׁיִשׁ עֲשֵׂה לִי מָקוֹם שֶׁאֶעֱלֶה וְאֶעֱשֶׂה רְצוֹן בּוֹרְאִי, וְהָיָה נִבְקַע הַשַּׁיִשׁ וְעוֹלָה וְנוֹטֶלֶת בֵּית הַסְּתָרִים שֶׁלָּהֶם וּמְסָרְסָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עח, מה): וּצְפַרְדֵּעַ וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא כב, כה): כִּי מָשְׁחָתָם בָּהֶם.

“Upon you, upon your people, and upon all your servants, the frogs will ascend” (Exodus 7:29). “Upon you, upon your people” – Pharaoh began with the transgression first, as it is stated: “He said to His people…” (Exodus 1:9), and the plague began with him first, as it is stated: “Upon you,” then “upon your people,” and then “and upon all your servants.” Rabbi Aḥa said: “Upon you” – this is an indication that he would drink water and one drop would descend onto his heart and would become a frog, and it would split there. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every place where there was soil and a drop of water, a frog would be created there. Ḥizkiya son of Rabbi said: If it were in accordance with this opinion, the houses of the prominent people, which were made of marble and tiles, would not have been afflicted. Rather, it teaches that a frog would ascend from the depths and say to the marble: ‘Make room for me so I can ascend and perform the will of my Creator.’ The marble would split, and [the frog] would [then] ascend and remove their genitals and neuter them, as it is stated: “And frogs that destroyed them [vatashḥitem]” (Psalms 78:45), as it is stated: “Because their corruption [moshḥatam] is in them” (Leviticus 22:25).