וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאַהֲרֹ֜ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֗ה וַיָּ֤רֶם בַּמַּטֶּה֙ וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּיְאֹ֔ר לְעֵינֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיֵּהָֽפְכ֛וּ כָּל־הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֖ר לְדָֽם׃
모세와 아론이 여호와의 명하신 대로 행하여 바로와 그 신하의 목전에서 지팡이를 들어 하수를 치니 그 물이 다 피로 변하고
Shemot Rabbah
“The magicians of Egypt did so with their spells; and Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had spoken” (Exodus 7:22).
“The magicians of Egypt did so” – this teaches that they believed it was an act of sorcery. “With their spells [belateihem]” – Rabbi Aivo bar Nagrei said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Belateihem is an act of demons; belahateihem (Exodus 7:11) is an act of sorcery. Likewise it says: “And the flame [lahat] of the ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24), as all acts of sorcery are performed by angels of destruction.
“Pharaoh turned and came to his house, and he did not take this to heart either” (Exodus 7:23).
“Pharaoh turned” – he was not concerned, and did not take heed of God’s plague.
“All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, as they could not drink from the water of the Nile” (Exodus 7:24).
“All the Egyptians dug around the Nile” – Rabbi Yehuda says: Only [the water] in the Nile was afflicted. Rabbi Neḥemya says: [The water] above and below [the ground] was afflicted; the water of all of Egypt was afflicted with blood. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: ‘How do I interpret “All the Egyptians dug around the Nile.”’ He said to him: ‘Because the Egyptians were saying that all the water that Moses and Aaron saw were turned into blood, and they would dig to obtain water that their eyes had not seen.’16However, they did not actually find water, as even the water underground had turned to blood.
Rabbi Berekhya said: What is that which is written: “All the water that was in the Nile turned into [vayehafekhu] [blood]” (Exodus 7:20)? This is analogous to a servant who was being beaten by his master on his stomach, and he would turn himself around and receive the beatings on his back. So, too, the Nile would reverse [mehapekh] itself so that the plague would not affect it, but it was to no avail, as all of its water turned into blood.
Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: A generalization, a detail, and a generalization, you may infer only matters similar to the detail. “Over the water of Egypt” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a generalization; “over their rivers, over their streams, and over their ponds” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a detail; “and over all their pools of water” (Exodus 7:19) – this is another generalization. What do you include [in the inference]? Everything that is similar to them.17That is, the water in the vessels did not turn to blood. What is “and in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19)? Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: Even their idols were afflicted with blood, as it is stated: “They say to wood: You are my father” (Jeremiah 2:27).
Another interpretation: “And in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19) – the water that they would drink with a Jew in one vessel, in a wooden vessel or in a stone vessel, would be transformed into blood in his mouth. Some say that even their pedestals and their lavatories were afflicted with blood. When one of them would go and sit on a bed, on a stone, or on a boulder, they would ruin their garments with blood. Likewise, it says: “The blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:21.
“The magicians of Egypt did so” – this teaches that they believed it was an act of sorcery. “With their spells [belateihem]” – Rabbi Aivo bar Nagrei said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Belateihem is an act of demons; belahateihem (Exodus 7:11) is an act of sorcery. Likewise it says: “And the flame [lahat] of the ever-turning sword, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24), as all acts of sorcery are performed by angels of destruction.
“Pharaoh turned and came to his house, and he did not take this to heart either” (Exodus 7:23).
“Pharaoh turned” – he was not concerned, and did not take heed of God’s plague.
“All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, as they could not drink from the water of the Nile” (Exodus 7:24).
“All the Egyptians dug around the Nile” – Rabbi Yehuda says: Only [the water] in the Nile was afflicted. Rabbi Neḥemya says: [The water] above and below [the ground] was afflicted; the water of all of Egypt was afflicted with blood. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: ‘How do I interpret “All the Egyptians dug around the Nile.”’ He said to him: ‘Because the Egyptians were saying that all the water that Moses and Aaron saw were turned into blood, and they would dig to obtain water that their eyes had not seen.’16However, they did not actually find water, as even the water underground had turned to blood.
Rabbi Berekhya said: What is that which is written: “All the water that was in the Nile turned into [vayehafekhu] [blood]” (Exodus 7:20)? This is analogous to a servant who was being beaten by his master on his stomach, and he would turn himself around and receive the beatings on his back. So, too, the Nile would reverse [mehapekh] itself so that the plague would not affect it, but it was to no avail, as all of its water turned into blood.
Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: A generalization, a detail, and a generalization, you may infer only matters similar to the detail. “Over the water of Egypt” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a generalization; “over their rivers, over their streams, and over their ponds” (Exodus 7:19) – this is a detail; “and over all their pools of water” (Exodus 7:19) – this is another generalization. What do you include [in the inference]? Everything that is similar to them.17That is, the water in the vessels did not turn to blood. What is “and in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19)? Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: Even their idols were afflicted with blood, as it is stated: “They say to wood: You are my father” (Jeremiah 2:27).
Another interpretation: “And in the wood and in the stone” (Exodus 7:19) – the water that they would drink with a Jew in one vessel, in a wooden vessel or in a stone vessel, would be transformed into blood in his mouth. Some say that even their pedestals and their lavatories were afflicted with blood. When one of them would go and sit on a bed, on a stone, or on a boulder, they would ruin their garments with blood. Likewise, it says: “The blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:21.
Shemot Rabbah
“The fish that are in the Nile will die and the Nile will become foul; and the Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the Nile. The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron: Take your staff, and stretch your hand over the water of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, and they will become blood; and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt, and in the wood and in the stone vessels” (Exodus 7:18–19).
“The fish that are in the Nile will die.… The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron.” Rabbi Tanḥum said: Why was the water not afflicted by Moses? The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The water that protected you when you were cast into the Nile, it is not appropriate for it to be afflicted by you. By your life, it will be afflicted only by Aaron.’
“Stretch your hand over the water of Egypt” – everything that was in the Nile, in the ponds, and in the rivers; “and over all their pools of water, and they will become blood” – [including water] that was in a jug; “and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt” – even what an Egyptian spit was blood.
Why did the Holy One blessed be He bring blood upon them? It was measure for measure,14A punishment that fit the crime. as He said to Abraham: “The nation that they will serve I will judge…” (Genesis 15:14). It is because they did not allow Israelite women to immerse from their impurity, so they would not procreate; therefore, the water was afflicted with blood.15It is because they prevented the Israelite women from immersing to purify themselves from their menstrual blood. Consequently, it was prohibited for them to cohabit with their husbands.
“Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted the rod, and struck the water that was in the Nile, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and before the eyes of his servants; and all the water that was in the Nile turned into blood. The fish that were in the Nile died; and the Nile became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile; and the blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:20–21).
“Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded.… The fish that were in the Nile died” – Rabbi Avin HaLevi, son of Rabbi, said: Israel became wealthy from the plague of blood. How so? If an Egyptian and an Israelite were in one house and the tub was full of water, and the Egyptian went to fill the jug from it, he would remove it filled with blood, but the Israelite would drink water from the tub. The Egyptian would say: ‘Give me a little water with your hand.’ He would give it to him, and it would become blood. He would say to him: ‘Let you and I drink water from one bowl,’ and the Israelite would drink water and the Egyptian blood. But when he would purchase it from the Israelite with money, he would drink water. From this, Israel became wealthy.
“The fish that are in the Nile will die.… The Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron.” Rabbi Tanḥum said: Why was the water not afflicted by Moses? The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The water that protected you when you were cast into the Nile, it is not appropriate for it to be afflicted by you. By your life, it will be afflicted only by Aaron.’
“Stretch your hand over the water of Egypt” – everything that was in the Nile, in the ponds, and in the rivers; “and over all their pools of water, and they will become blood” – [including water] that was in a jug; “and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt” – even what an Egyptian spit was blood.
Why did the Holy One blessed be He bring blood upon them? It was measure for measure,14A punishment that fit the crime. as He said to Abraham: “The nation that they will serve I will judge…” (Genesis 15:14). It is because they did not allow Israelite women to immerse from their impurity, so they would not procreate; therefore, the water was afflicted with blood.15It is because they prevented the Israelite women from immersing to purify themselves from their menstrual blood. Consequently, it was prohibited for them to cohabit with their husbands.
“Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted the rod, and struck the water that was in the Nile, before the eyes of Pharaoh, and before the eyes of his servants; and all the water that was in the Nile turned into blood. The fish that were in the Nile died; and the Nile became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile; and the blood was throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:20–21).
“Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded.… The fish that were in the Nile died” – Rabbi Avin HaLevi, son of Rabbi, said: Israel became wealthy from the plague of blood. How so? If an Egyptian and an Israelite were in one house and the tub was full of water, and the Egyptian went to fill the jug from it, he would remove it filled with blood, but the Israelite would drink water from the tub. The Egyptian would say: ‘Give me a little water with your hand.’ He would give it to him, and it would become blood. He would say to him: ‘Let you and I drink water from one bowl,’ and the Israelite would drink water and the Egyptian blood. But when he would purchase it from the Israelite with money, he would drink water. From this, Israel became wealthy.
Midrash Tanchuma
It says: And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood (Exod. 7:20), but later the blood reverted back to water. Living flesh was turned into rancid flesh, and the dead were restored to life. The staff became a serpent, and the serpent was converted into a staff again. The sea was converted into dry land, and later the dry land became a sea once more. Likewise it says: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth; the Lord is His name (Amos 5:8). Thus it is said: And God spoke all these words.