שִֽׁירוּ־ל֭וֹ זַמְּרוּ־ל֑וֹ שִׂ֝֗יחוּ בְּכָל־נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃
Bernyanyilah bagi-Nya, bermazmurlah bagi-Nya; ceritakanlah segala perbuatan-Nya yang ajaib.
Kli Yakar
And what is said in this plague, and so that you may tell in the ears of your son and your son’s son more than in all the other plagues, here is a place for me to explain this based on what the Ramban wrote in this section in the name of Rabbeinu Chananel on the verse and after it there shall not be such (Exodus 10:14). And this is his language: “From Moses’ entreaty until now, locusts do not damage anything in the entire border of Egypt, and if they fall in the land of Israel and enter the border of Egypt, they do not eat anything from the produce of Egypt, and this is known to all, and about this it is said (Psalms 105:2), Speak of all His wonders.” End quote.
Look to the right and see that the verse Speak of all His wonders is very similar to the verse and so that you may tell in the ears of your son and your son’s son. The explanation of the matter is that in all the plagues that were in Egypt, no trace of them remained in Egypt after their removal that would cause future generations to ask “what is this and what is this about?” For their memory was forgotten among the masses as the days grew long and everything was forgotten. But with the plague of locusts, a trace remained for generations even after the removal of the plague, for over the course of time, generations would find something new and see that locusts would come but not eat anything from the produce of Egypt. Then surely the children would ask about this miracle, why they do not eat from the produce of Egypt but only from the produce of the land of Israel. And you would necessarily have to respond with the story of all that happened in the land of Egypt, and that Moses said upon the removal of the plague that no locusts would remain in all the territory of Egypt, and through this they would tell of the miracles of Egypt and recognize the power of His blessed kingdom.
This is what Rabbeinu Chananel concludes in his words with the verse Speak of all His wonders, for undoubtedly the Holy One, blessed be He, left this trace for generations so that through it they would remember the Exodus from Egypt and speak of all His wonders. This is what is meant by and so that you may tell in the ears of your son, etc. and you shall know that I am the Lord. For through this telling, future generations would know His blessed might and His wonders, and this explanation is precious and very correct.
And what is said about the locusts in Joel, Tell your children, etc. — this is not a difficulty, for certainly it is appropriate to tell future generations how much sin causes harm to Israel so that future generations might take moral instruction. But here, certainly the explanation is not like this, for if so, why did He command to tell his children specifically about the plague of locusts more than all the plagues? Rather, certainly the reason is as we have mentioned.
Look to the right and see that the verse Speak of all His wonders is very similar to the verse and so that you may tell in the ears of your son and your son’s son. The explanation of the matter is that in all the plagues that were in Egypt, no trace of them remained in Egypt after their removal that would cause future generations to ask “what is this and what is this about?” For their memory was forgotten among the masses as the days grew long and everything was forgotten. But with the plague of locusts, a trace remained for generations even after the removal of the plague, for over the course of time, generations would find something new and see that locusts would come but not eat anything from the produce of Egypt. Then surely the children would ask about this miracle, why they do not eat from the produce of Egypt but only from the produce of the land of Israel. And you would necessarily have to respond with the story of all that happened in the land of Egypt, and that Moses said upon the removal of the plague that no locusts would remain in all the territory of Egypt, and through this they would tell of the miracles of Egypt and recognize the power of His blessed kingdom.
This is what Rabbeinu Chananel concludes in his words with the verse Speak of all His wonders, for undoubtedly the Holy One, blessed be He, left this trace for generations so that through it they would remember the Exodus from Egypt and speak of all His wonders. This is what is meant by and so that you may tell in the ears of your son, etc. and you shall know that I am the Lord. For through this telling, future generations would know His blessed might and His wonders, and this explanation is precious and very correct.
And what is said about the locusts in Joel, Tell your children, etc. — this is not a difficulty, for certainly it is appropriate to tell future generations how much sin causes harm to Israel so that future generations might take moral instruction. But here, certainly the explanation is not like this, for if so, why did He command to tell his children specifically about the plague of locusts more than all the plagues? Rather, certainly the reason is as we have mentioned.
Ramban
NEITHER AFTER THEM SHALL BE SUCH [LOCUSTS]. Scripture informs us by way of prophecy that after them, there would never be such [locusts]. Now Rashi commented: “[The plague of locusts] which occurred during the days of Joel, of which it is said, There hath not been ever the like,37Joel 2:2. teaches us that it was greater38“Greater.” In our text of Rashi: “more grievous.” than that in the days of Moses. The one that happened in the days of Joel was caused by many species together: locust, caterpillar, canker-worm, palmer-worm.39Joel 1:4. But the one which occurred in the days of Moses consisted only of one species, the like of which there never was and never will be.”
I have found difficulty in understanding the explanation of the Rabbi [Rashi]. It is written [of the plague which happened in the days of Moses], He also gave their produce unto the caterpillar,40Psalms 78:46. and it is also written, He spoke, and the locust came, and the canker-worm without number.41Ibid., 105:34. Thus it is clear that in the plague which occurred in the days of Moses, there were also many species of locusts involved, unlike Rashi’s explanation above. Perhaps the Rabbi [Rashi] will answer by saying that in the days of Moses, locust proper was greater than that in the days of Joel, but all other species of locusts in the days of Joel were greater than those in the days of Moses. But these are useless arguments.42It is illogical to say that the Torah here attached such importance to the plague just because one of the species involved was greater than that in the days of Joel, although in the number of species, the plague of locusts which occurred in the days of the prophet was unparalleled. (Mizrachi in explanation of Ramban’s intent.) Instead, [we must say that the expression], in all the borders of Egypt, is connected with the end of the verse: before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such there [in Egypt, but in other places there may be].43There is thus no contradiction to the prophet Joel’s words. That plague of locusts did not occur in the land of Egypt. It is possible that because the land of Egypt is exceedingly moistened by the river, locusts are not abundant there, for these naturally come in years of drought, as is mentioned by the prophet Joel.44For the water brooks are dried up (Joel 1:20).
Now Rabbeinu Chananel45A Rabbi of Kairwan, North Africa, who flourished in the first half of the eleventh century, just when the Gaonic period in Babylon was about to come to a close. Rabbeinu Chananel’s commentaries on the Talmud are among the most important works in Rabbinic literature. He also wrote a commentary on the Torah, which has been lost in the course of time, except for important extracts from it which are found mostly in the commentary of Bachya ben Asher. Some extracts are found in the works of Ramban and in the Sermons of Yehoshua ibn Shuib, a pupil of Rashba. An edition of mine of these collected explanations of Rabbeinu Chananel has recently appeared through the Mosad Harav Kook, Jerusalem, and they indicate a wide spectrum of interests on the part of the author in Biblical themes. has written in his commentary on the Torah: “From the time that Moses our teacher prayed [for the removal of the locusts] till now, the locusts have not caused damage to the entire land of Egypt, and if an attack of them does occur in the Land of Israel and they proceed to enter within the border of Egypt, they do not devour the produce of the land. People say that this is known by all. Come and see! In the case of frogs, Moses said, Only in the river they will remain,46Above, 8:5. and therefore the altamtzach — [the Arabic word for frogs] — have remained in the river till now. However, in the case of the locusts it is written, There remained not one locust in all the border of Egypt.47Further, Verse 19. It is of a phenomenon of this kind that Scripture says, Speak ye of all His marvellous works. ”48Psalms 105:2. Thus the language of the Rabbi.
In my opinion, the plain meaning of the verse, [neither after them shall be such], is that because the plague of locusts is known to come in all generations, and moreover since this one [in the days of Moses] came in a natural way, it having been the east wind that brought the locusts,49Verse 13. [and there was thus reason to believe that such a plague would again come upon Egypt in a natural way], Scripture therefore states that such locusts were the greatest that ever occurred in the natural order of things. Neither before them were there such locusts as they, nor after them shall be such. Through the magnitude of the plague, the Egyptians thus knew that it was a special act of G-d, since the like never happened before. [The plague] that occurred in the days of Joel was likewise a special act of G-d, [and hence Scripture also describes it by saying, There hath never been the like].37Joel 2:2.
I have found difficulty in understanding the explanation of the Rabbi [Rashi]. It is written [of the plague which happened in the days of Moses], He also gave their produce unto the caterpillar,40Psalms 78:46. and it is also written, He spoke, and the locust came, and the canker-worm without number.41Ibid., 105:34. Thus it is clear that in the plague which occurred in the days of Moses, there were also many species of locusts involved, unlike Rashi’s explanation above. Perhaps the Rabbi [Rashi] will answer by saying that in the days of Moses, locust proper was greater than that in the days of Joel, but all other species of locusts in the days of Joel were greater than those in the days of Moses. But these are useless arguments.42It is illogical to say that the Torah here attached such importance to the plague just because one of the species involved was greater than that in the days of Joel, although in the number of species, the plague of locusts which occurred in the days of the prophet was unparalleled. (Mizrachi in explanation of Ramban’s intent.) Instead, [we must say that the expression], in all the borders of Egypt, is connected with the end of the verse: before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such there [in Egypt, but in other places there may be].43There is thus no contradiction to the prophet Joel’s words. That plague of locusts did not occur in the land of Egypt. It is possible that because the land of Egypt is exceedingly moistened by the river, locusts are not abundant there, for these naturally come in years of drought, as is mentioned by the prophet Joel.44For the water brooks are dried up (Joel 1:20).
Now Rabbeinu Chananel45A Rabbi of Kairwan, North Africa, who flourished in the first half of the eleventh century, just when the Gaonic period in Babylon was about to come to a close. Rabbeinu Chananel’s commentaries on the Talmud are among the most important works in Rabbinic literature. He also wrote a commentary on the Torah, which has been lost in the course of time, except for important extracts from it which are found mostly in the commentary of Bachya ben Asher. Some extracts are found in the works of Ramban and in the Sermons of Yehoshua ibn Shuib, a pupil of Rashba. An edition of mine of these collected explanations of Rabbeinu Chananel has recently appeared through the Mosad Harav Kook, Jerusalem, and they indicate a wide spectrum of interests on the part of the author in Biblical themes. has written in his commentary on the Torah: “From the time that Moses our teacher prayed [for the removal of the locusts] till now, the locusts have not caused damage to the entire land of Egypt, and if an attack of them does occur in the Land of Israel and they proceed to enter within the border of Egypt, they do not devour the produce of the land. People say that this is known by all. Come and see! In the case of frogs, Moses said, Only in the river they will remain,46Above, 8:5. and therefore the altamtzach — [the Arabic word for frogs] — have remained in the river till now. However, in the case of the locusts it is written, There remained not one locust in all the border of Egypt.47Further, Verse 19. It is of a phenomenon of this kind that Scripture says, Speak ye of all His marvellous works. ”48Psalms 105:2. Thus the language of the Rabbi.
In my opinion, the plain meaning of the verse, [neither after them shall be such], is that because the plague of locusts is known to come in all generations, and moreover since this one [in the days of Moses] came in a natural way, it having been the east wind that brought the locusts,49Verse 13. [and there was thus reason to believe that such a plague would again come upon Egypt in a natural way], Scripture therefore states that such locusts were the greatest that ever occurred in the natural order of things. Neither before them were there such locusts as they, nor after them shall be such. Through the magnitude of the plague, the Egyptians thus knew that it was a special act of G-d, since the like never happened before. [The plague] that occurred in the days of Joel was likewise a special act of G-d, [and hence Scripture also describes it by saying, There hath never been the like].37Joel 2:2.
Rabbeinu Chananel
לא נשאר ארבה אחד בכל גבול מצרים. From the time Moses prayed not a single locust caused damage in Egypt. If, by chance locusts would land in the land of Israel and would cross the border of the land of Egypt, they would not eat anything of the local harvest until now. [the “now” refers to the era of Rabbeinu Chananel. Ed.] It is common knowledge in my time that this is the correct interpretation, as in connection with the crocodiles (or frogs, depending on which interpretation we accept for the meaning of the word צפרדע), the Torah stated that these creatures remained only in the river Nile, not posing a threat to the urban areas, whereas here the Torah speaks of the total disappearance of all the locusts from the entire territory of Egypt. Concerning this latter phenomenon the psalmist writes in Psalms 105,2 שיחו בכל נפלאותיו, “speak of all His wondrous deeds.”