וַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַטֵּ֔הוּ וַיִּהְי֖וּ לְתַנִּינִ֑ם וַיִּבְלַ֥ע מַטֵּֽה־אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶת־מַטֹּתָֽם׃
각 사람이 지팡이를 던지매 뱀이 되었으나 아론의 지팡이가 그들의 지팡이를 삼키니라
Midrash Tanchuma
And Aaron forthwith cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent (Exod. 7:10). Whereupon Pharaoh said: “Is this the full power of your God? Why, my magicians travel throughout the world performing such feats.” Then Pharaoh called also (ibid., v. 11) the youths, and babes of five, yea, even of four years, and each of them cast his rod. It is written: Pharaoh called also because he disdained at first to summon his magicians and sorcerers. Our sages of blessed memory said: He actually performed a great miracle with that rod. When one serpent is able to swallow other serpents, that is not unusual, but this serpent turned itself back into a rod again, as it is written: But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods (ibid., v. 12). If a man made bundles out of the rods that were cast to the ground to become serpents, there would have been more than ten bundles, yet Aaron’s rod swallowed them all and it became no larger than it was previously. When Pharaoh beheld that, he was amazed and exclaimed: “Surely if he should command the rod to swallow Pharaoh and his throne, it could swallow them.” That was the sign that He had given to Moses at the bush when He said: This which is in thy hand, cast it to the earth (ibid. 4:2). The word this alludes to Pharaoh, who is compared to a snake, as is said: The Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent (Isa. 27:1). When Moses withdrew from Pharaoh’s presence, the wicked one said: “If this son of Amram comes near me again, I will slay him, I will hang him, I will burn him.” That is why, when Moses returned, Pharaoh became like a rod. And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he harkened not unto them, as the Lord had spoken (Exod. 7:13). With reference to the first five plagues, the words Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, etc., are written, but after the fifth plague occurred and he still would not permit them to leave, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Henceforth, even if he desires to send them away, I will not allow it. Hence, with reference to the last five plagues it is written: But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart (ibid. 10:20). Moses decreed what was to transpire, and the Holy One, blessed be He, executed it, as it is said:: Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee (Job 22:28).
Midrash Tanchuma
What is meant by Thou shalt overlay it with gold, within and without? He said to him: Even though the wooden casket is to be inserted between them, handle it with the utmost care. Why? Because the Torah, the tablets, and even the broken tablets will be placed within it. Hence treat it with honor, since it is said: Thou shalt put them in the ark (Deut. 10:2); that is, both the (second) tablets and the broken tablets shall be placed inside it. And thou shalt put them in the ark. That is to say, even if you should see students of the Torah who are poor and unfortunate, treat them with respect, for the law is stored within them. And make a crown of gold (Exod. 37:2). Why? Because the Torah rests therein. There are three crowns, the crown of the Torah, the crown of priesthood, (and) the crown of kingship, but there is an additional crown, the crown of a good name, that excels them all. How do we know abut the crown of the Torah? It is said: That wisdom preserveth the life of him who has it (Exod. 7:12) both in this world and the world-to-come. Hence it is written: And made a crown of gold.
Shemot Rabbah
“Each man cast his staff, and they became serpents, and Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs” (Exodus 7:12).
“Each man cast his staff” – Yoḥani and Mamre6These were two of the head sorcerers. said to Moses: ‘Are you taking straw to Ofriyim?’7This is the agricultural equivalent of taking coals to Newcastle. He said to them: ‘To a city of vegetables take vegetables.’8It is because people go there to purchase vegetables.
“Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs” – that is what is written: “A fool expends all his spirit; but a wise man stills it within him” (Proverbs 29:11). The fool expresses his claims all at once when he comes to quarrel with another, while the wise man ultimately marginalizes him. Alternatively: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this wicked one, after he finishes expressing his entire counsel, the Wise One of the world “stills it within him.”
As you find with Aḥashverosh, who stood and abrogated work on the Temple; that is why he ruled over only half the world. What is written in his regard? “With his display of the wealth of his glorious kingdom [and the honor of his splendid majesty, for many days; one hundred and eighty days]” (Esther 1:4). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: He would show them six hidden treasures9This is based on six Hebrew expressions in the verse: The wealth [osher] of his glorious [kevod] kingdom [malkhuto] and the honor [yekar] of his splendid [tiferet] majesty [gedulato]. on each and every day, one unlike the other, and then he would send them to all the prominent members of the kingdom. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: He showed the various expenditures. Rabbi Levi says: He showed then the priestly vestments; here it is stated: “His splendid majesty” (Esther 1:4), and there it is stated: “You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother [for glory and for splendor]” (Exodus 28:2). Just as splendor stated there refers to the vestments of the High Priest, so too, splendor stated here refers to the vestments of the High Priest. “But a wise man stills it within him” – the Holy One blessed be He subverted his counsel, and he killed Vashti.
Another interpretation: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh, who was mocking the Holy One blessed be He, as he believed that what Moses and Aaron had done was [achieved by] sorcery, and he called all the members of his household to do what they had done. That is “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh. “But a wise man stills it within him” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Wise of heart and mighty in strength” (Job 9:4). At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said: If the serpent will swallow the serpents of the Egyptians, it is the way of the world, a serpent swallowing a serpent. Rather, let it return to its original state and swallow the serpents. What is “And Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs”? Rabbi Elazar said: It was a miracle within a miracle; it teaches that the staff returned to its original form of a staff and swallowed them. When Pharaoh saw this, he was astonished and said: What if he were to say to the staff: Swallow Pharaoh and his throne; would it then swallow him?
Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: A great miracle was performed to the staff, as even though it swallowed all the staffs that they had cast, which were numerous enough to fill ten omer, it did not thicken. Anyone who saw it would say: This is Aaron’s staff.10This is derived from the language of the verse: “And Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.” From here on, Aaron’s staff was a positive sign with which to perform miracles and wonders throughout the generations.
“Each man cast his staff” – Yoḥani and Mamre6These were two of the head sorcerers. said to Moses: ‘Are you taking straw to Ofriyim?’7This is the agricultural equivalent of taking coals to Newcastle. He said to them: ‘To a city of vegetables take vegetables.’8It is because people go there to purchase vegetables.
“Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs” – that is what is written: “A fool expends all his spirit; but a wise man stills it within him” (Proverbs 29:11). The fool expresses his claims all at once when he comes to quarrel with another, while the wise man ultimately marginalizes him. Alternatively: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this wicked one, after he finishes expressing his entire counsel, the Wise One of the world “stills it within him.”
As you find with Aḥashverosh, who stood and abrogated work on the Temple; that is why he ruled over only half the world. What is written in his regard? “With his display of the wealth of his glorious kingdom [and the honor of his splendid majesty, for many days; one hundred and eighty days]” (Esther 1:4). Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: He would show them six hidden treasures9This is based on six Hebrew expressions in the verse: The wealth [osher] of his glorious [kevod] kingdom [malkhuto] and the honor [yekar] of his splendid [tiferet] majesty [gedulato]. on each and every day, one unlike the other, and then he would send them to all the prominent members of the kingdom. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: He showed the various expenditures. Rabbi Levi says: He showed then the priestly vestments; here it is stated: “His splendid majesty” (Esther 1:4), and there it is stated: “You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother [for glory and for splendor]” (Exodus 28:2). Just as splendor stated there refers to the vestments of the High Priest, so too, splendor stated here refers to the vestments of the High Priest. “But a wise man stills it within him” – the Holy One blessed be He subverted his counsel, and he killed Vashti.
Another interpretation: “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh, who was mocking the Holy One blessed be He, as he believed that what Moses and Aaron had done was [achieved by] sorcery, and he called all the members of his household to do what they had done. That is “A fool expends all his spirit” – this is Pharaoh. “But a wise man stills it within him” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Wise of heart and mighty in strength” (Job 9:4). At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said: If the serpent will swallow the serpents of the Egyptians, it is the way of the world, a serpent swallowing a serpent. Rather, let it return to its original state and swallow the serpents. What is “And Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs”? Rabbi Elazar said: It was a miracle within a miracle; it teaches that the staff returned to its original form of a staff and swallowed them. When Pharaoh saw this, he was astonished and said: What if he were to say to the staff: Swallow Pharaoh and his throne; would it then swallow him?
Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: A great miracle was performed to the staff, as even though it swallowed all the staffs that they had cast, which were numerous enough to fill ten omer, it did not thicken. Anyone who saw it would say: This is Aaron’s staff.10This is derived from the language of the verse: “And Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.” From here on, Aaron’s staff was a positive sign with which to perform miracles and wonders throughout the generations.