הגדה ברורה

Haggadot and essays for Pesah and all year round

Hizkuni

Parshat Bo: Was there ever another plague of locusts like it?

By Leave a Comment

The Torah states that not only was the plague of locusts unprecedented, but that it will never be repeated. However, the prophet Yoel describes a plague of locusts during the first temple period and says that this too was unprecedented in its severity. For that to be true, it must have been greater than the plague of locusts in Egypt, but the Torah seems to rule that out in advance. Rashi points out that Yoel (chapter 2:2) describes four sub-species of locusts ארבה, ילק, חסיל and גזם and …

[Read more...] about Parshat Bo: Was there ever another plague of locusts like it?

Parshat Vaeira: The sorcerers and the lice

By Leave a Comment

Up until the plague of lice, the Egyptian sorcerers had been able to mimic God’s plagues in order to convince Pharaoh that they were not genuine miracles. However, when they tried to produce lice, they were unable. There are different explanations about why they were able to turn their staffs into crocodiles, turn water into blood, and make frogs emerge from the water, but were unable to turn dust into lice. The sorcerers could not turn dust into lice because all the dust in Egypt had already …

[Read more...] about Parshat Vaeira: The sorcerers and the lice

Parshat Va’eira: Where did Pharoah’s sorcerers find water

By Leave a Comment

Since Aharon had already turned the waters of Egypt into blood, it has to be explained where Pharaoh’s sorcerers found the water with which they performed their own tricks. Answers include: Aharon only turned the waters that were above the ground into blood. The Torah reports that the Egyptians dug up subterranean water to drink and it was this that the sorcerers used. (Ibn Ezra, Hizquni, Ralbag)The water in the rivers and lakes only remained as blood for a short time and the reason it was …

[Read more...] about Parshat Va’eira: Where did Pharoah’s sorcerers find water

Parshat Shemot: Who were the midwives?

By Leave a Comment

The vast majority of commentators accept that the midwives, Shifra and Puah, are alternative names for Moshe’s mother and sister, Yocheved and Miriam. However, there remains the question of why there are only two midwives for the entire Hebrew population. Answers to this problem include: Shifra and Puah were official representatives in charge of all the Hebrew midwives. (Hizkuni, Ibn Ezra)Shifra and Puah were the midwives in the Egyptian capital. After Pharaoh saw that he was unable to …

[Read more...] about Parshat Shemot: Who were the midwives?

Parshat Shemot: Why did the children of Israel cry out when Pharaoh died?

By Leave a Comment

The connection between the death of the Pharaoh and the children of Israel crying out is not clear. After years of suffering, why would they suddenly feel more desperate because their oppressor was dead? Ramban and Hizkuni argue that while the first Pharaoh was alive they retained hope that slavery would be a temporary decree limited to the lifespan of that king. Once a new king had come to the throne it became clear that it was permanent. Rabbeinu Bahya suggests that they were afraid that …

[Read more...] about Parshat Shemot: Why did the children of Israel cry out when Pharaoh died?