Comentario sobre Exodo 11:8

וירדו כל עבדיך AND ALL THY SERVENTS SHALL COME DOWN [UNTO ME] — He showed respect to the king, for as a matter of fact ultimately Pharaoh himself came down to him at night, (Exodus 12:31) “And he said, Arise, go out from the midst of my people”; but Moses did not at the outset say to him, “And thou shalt come down to me and shalt prostrate thyself”, out of respect for the king, (Exodus Rabbah 7:3)

ואחרי כן אצא, I will not leave Egypt at once, as you have requested from me, but afterwards, in the morning.

וירדו כל עבדיך, Even at this point Moses respected royalty, and, when referring to something undignified for a king, instead of describing the indignity as being something the king had to endure, described it as something his servants would have to endure. Let us look at the facts reported in the Torah: While the dying was in progress, the Torah reports Pharaoh as rising from his sleep in 12,30-31 calling in Moses and Aaron and doing exactly what Moses had predicted at the time Pharaoh had expelled him from his presence. (10,29)

וירדו כל עבדיך אלה אלי, “and all these servants of yours will be coming down to me, etc.” According to Rashi, this is a form of courtesy to Pharaoh, as the King. Moses had in mind that Pharaoh would come down to where he lived, but he used a euphemism in order not to sound as if he meant to insult him. Although the Torah had described Moses’ as leaving Pharaoh for the last time in a state of “burning fury”, meaning that he had slapped Pharaoh so that at that point Moses certainly did not treat Pharaoh deferentially, we may accept the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish who says that instead of replying to Pharaoh’s insolent refusal, he slapped Pharaoh. [there are numerous explanations as to what Resh Lakish meant with his statement. Ed.] Others say that Pharaoh had slapped Moses prior to his leaving. [the basic problem is that the Talmud feels that every expression of anger must have a tangible symbol, and here none such has been spelled out. Ed.]

צא אתה וכל העם אשר ברגלך , “leave! You and all the people that follow you.” Moses predicted that prior to his and Israel leaving the land of Egypt Pharaoh himself would have to issue the order to do so. Our verse tells us that when this point would be reached the Israelites would cease being subjects of human masters, i.e. Pharaoh, and begin to become subjects of a higher power, i.e. G’d. This is the reason why this verse is invoked to help women about to become mothers who experience difficulty in giving birth. The power of this verse is very strong. The baby struggling to exit from its mother’s womb is considered like a prisoner in a cell in need to be released from its prison in order to enter the world and study Torah. [If I understand it correctly, the whole verse is part of the name of G’d just as the whole Torah is an elongated name of G’d. By isolating this name (verse) and invoking it on behalf of the baby and its mother G’d is likely to respond to the difficulty experienced by both parties concerned. Ed.]

Together with all the people. Rashi is answering the question: Why should Pharaoh care if only Moshe leaves? Furthermore, even if he leaves with all the people, but they only leave the city to worship and then return, [why should Pharaoh care]? Therefore Rashi [further] explains, “From your land.”

וירדו כל עבדיך, "and all your servants will come down, etc." This was a promise by G'd that the servants referred to would all survive this plague. Perhaps this was because none of them were firstborns and Moses knew this through his prophetic vision. Alternatively, even though some of these servants may have been firstborns, Moses exempted them from the effects of this plague. This was not because of their righteousness but so that they would get their deserts for having been present and silent when Pharaoh used abusive language against Moses and Aaron. The principle of the punishment fitting the crime demanded that these servants would themselves be demeaned when they would beg Moses and Aaron to leave the land in order that not all the Egyptians would die. They would have to ask public forgiveness for their previous conduct. We know that Moses had felt insulted by their behaviour since the Torah told us at the end of this verse that Moses left the palace in a very angry frame of mind. Actually, Moses included Pharaoh himself in his warning that all his servants would get up at night, etc.; he only maintained a degree of respect for Royalty and that is why he did not refer to Pharaoh by name.

V. 8. צא. Auch dieser Ausdruck weist mehr auf ein definitives Fortziehen als auf eine Wiederkehr voraussetzendes in die Wüste gehen, um ein Fest zu feiern.

אשר ברגליך (lit., who are at thy feet) — who go after (follow) thy counsel and ways.

But only after concluding his words. Moshe left after concluding the whole section of “About the time of midnight. . .” Although Pharaoh had told Moshe to leave [earlier], Moshe did not leave.

והשתחוו לי לאמור, "they will bow down to me saying, etc." The reason that Moses said לאמור instead of ויאמרו לי, was that he implied that the mere fact they would prostrate themselves would convey their intent to beg Moses to leave the country with his people. Inasmuch as Moses was superior to them why would he need their permission to leave altogether?

ואחרי כן אצא AND AFTER THAT I WILL GO OUT, with all my people, from thy land.

Because Pharaoh had said to him, “Do not see my face again!” Rashi is answering the question: On the contrary, should not Pharaoh have been angry with Moshe, for warning him and speaking harshly to him? Therefore Rashi explains, “Because he had said to him. . .”

In addition the Torah tells us that the servants treated Moses like a king. Just as it is not customary for a citizen to approach the king and begin to speak without having received permission, Pharaoh's servants prostrated themselves as a sign that they asked for permission to speak. The Torah makes this plain by quoting Moses as saying: "they will bow down to me to say, etc;" the bowing was a form of asking permission to speak. While it is true that the Torah does not report these details as having occurred when the events of that night are described in chapter twelve, the fact that the Torah does report that Pharaoh himself arose during that night is sufficient proof that whatever Moses had predicted did in fact occur.

ויצא מעם פרעה AND HE WENT OUT FROM PHARAOH — After he had concluded his words he went forth from his presence.

בחרי אף IN FIERCENESS OF WRATH because he (Pharaoh) had said to him, (Exodus 10:28) “Do not again see my face.