פירוש על שמות 8:28

Again this time. [Once more,] though he said, “I will send you out,” he did not keep his promise.

גם בפעם הזאת, just as G’d had stiffened Pharaoh’s heart after the relief experienced when the frogs had died, so that he had reneged on his promise.

גם בפעם הזאת, as he had done after the plague of the crocodiles had been removed. Seeing that the wild beasts had only retreated to their lairs and had not died, so that they still represented a potential threat, Pharaoh toughened his resolve and refused to send off the people.

גם בפעם הזאת, “also on this occasion.” During the first three plagues, which were summarized by Rabbi Yehudah as דצ'ך, the sorcerers appeared before Pharaoh each time. Their presence had exerted a psychological pressure on Pharaoh to remain steadfast in his refusal. This time he remained obstinate without the presence of his sorcerers exerting such pressure on him. They had already concluded that they were up against a higher power when they could not reproduce the lice. Seeing that on this occasion Pharaoh was politically isolated, the Torah wrote the words “also on this occasion,” in order to draw our attention to the fact that this occasion was different from previous ones.

ויכבד פרעה את לבו גם בפעם הזאת, “and Pharaoh hardened his heart again on this occasion.” The word גם, “also,” is justified, as Pharaoh had done the same during the plague of the frogs. (verse 11).