Midrash for Exodus 12:19
שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים שְׂאֹ֕ר לֹ֥א יִמָּצֵ֖א בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י ׀ כָּל־אֹכֵ֣ל מַחְמֶ֗צֶת וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַהִוא֙ מֵעֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּגֵּ֖ר וּבְאֶזְרַ֥ח הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses; for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a sojourner, or one that is born in the land.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Numb. 22:20:) THEN GOD CAME UNTO BALAAM AT NIGHT. This text is related (to Exod. 12:42): THAT WAS FOR THE LORD A NIGHT OF VIGIL TO BRING THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, THAT WAS THIS VERY NIGHT. All miracles which were done for Israel and which involved exacting retribution for them from the wicked took place at night.29Tanh., Numb. 7:8; Numb. R. 20:12. (Gen. 31:24:) AND GOD CAME UNTO LABAN THE ARAMEAN IN A DREAM AT NIGHT. (Gen. 20:3:) BUT GOD CAME UNTO ABIMELECH [IN A DREAM AT NIGHT]. (Exod. 12:29:) AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. (Exod. 14:20:) THUS THERE WAS THE CLOUD AND THE DARKNESS WHICH LIT UP THE NIGHT. (Gen. 14:15:) AND THE NIGHT WAS DIVIDED AGAINST THEM.30This translation is necessary to provide a miracle. A more common translation would be THEN HE DEPLOYED <HIS FORCES> AGAINST THEM BY NIGHT. And <so it was with> all of them (as in Exod. 12:42): A NIGHT OF VIGIL.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy