וַיֵּ֨ט מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶת־מַטֵּהוּ֮ עַל־הַשָּׁמַיִם֒ וַֽיהוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קֹלֹת֙ וּבָרָ֔ד וַתִּ֥הֲלַךְ אֵ֖שׁ אָ֑רְצָה וַיַּמְטֵ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה בָּרָ֖ד עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
E Moshe estendeu seu cajado para o céu, e o Eterno fez soar trovões e granizo, e fogo desceu à terra, e o Eterno fez chover granizo sobre a terra de Mitzrayim.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Rabbi Papis expounded: “To a mare [lesusati] in Pharaoh's chariots”—lesisati is written.243The word lesusati is written without a vav such that it can also be read lesisati. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Just as I was gladdened [sasti] to eliminate the Egyptians at the sea, so I would have been gladdened to eliminate the enemies of Israel.’244The “enemies of Israel” is used here as a euphemism for the people of Israel themselves. Who caused them to be saved? “On their right and on their left” (Exodus 14:22); due to the merit of the Torah thay they were destined to receive from the right of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “From His right, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2). “And on their left,” this is mezuza.245The mezuza is situated to the left of the door when one is leaving the house. They were saved partially in the merit of their future fulfillment of the mitzva of mezuza. Alternatively, on their right, this is reciting Shema, “and on their left,” this is [the Amida] prayer.246Like the right, reciting Shema is superior because in it one does not request fulfillment of his own needs. By contrast, in the Amida prayer we request fulfillment of our own needs. This is exemplified in the verse: “Length of days is on its right; on its left is wealth and honor” (Proverbs 3:16) (Midrash HaMevoar). Rabbi Akiva said to him: ‘Enough, Papis. Every place that gladness [sisa] is stated, it is written with a sin, and here with a samekh.’ He said to [Rabbi Akiva]: ‘How do you interpret [the phrase] “to a mare in Pharaoh's chariots”?’ [Rabbi Akiva answered:] ‘Pharaoh mounted a stallion, and the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, revealed Himself on a stallion. That is what is written: “He mounted a cherub and flew” (Psalms 18:11). Pharaoh said: ‘A stallion kills its owners in war;247This is because its conduct is more aggressive. rather, I will ride on a mare.’ That is what is written: “To a mare in Pharaoh's chariots.” Pharaoh then rode on a red horse, on a white horse, or on a black one. As it were, the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on a red, white, and black horse. That is what is written: “You trampled in the sea with Your horses” (Habakkuk 3:15), interchanging horses.
The wicked Pharaoh emerged with armor and a helmet; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated; “He donned righteousness like armor [and a helmet of salvation on His head]” (Isaiah 59:17). [Pharaoh] brought naphtha;248A flammable liquid, which he brought in order to use in battle. as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Hail and coals of fire passed through His clouds” (Psalms 18:13). [Pharaoh] brought catapult stones; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “And the Lord provided thunder and hail” (Exodus 9:23). [Pharaoh brought] swords and spears; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Many bolts of lightning” (Psalms 18:15). [Pharaoh] brought arrows; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “He shot His arrows” (Psalms 18:15). Rabbi Levi said: “He shot his arrows and dispersed them” (Psalms 18:15) [teaches] that the arrows would scatter them; “many bolts of lightning and they confounded them” (Psalms 18:15) teaches that they would confuse them and confound them. He removed their banners249Without the banners, the formation of their camp disintegrated. and they did not know what they were doing.
Pharaoh emerged in full armor; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord will emerge like a mighty man” (Isaiah 42:13). [Pharaoh] thundered with his voice; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord would thunder from the heavens” (II Samuel 22:14). [Pharaoh] heartened them [his soldiers] with his voice; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated]: The Most High would project His voice” (II Samuel 22:14). Pharaoh emerged with fury; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “With fury You trod the earth” (Habakkuk 3:12). [Pharaoh emerged] with a bow; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “Your bow will be bared” (Habakkuk 3:9). [Pharaoh emerged] with shield and armor; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “Grasp Your shield and armor” (Psalms 35:2). [Pharaoh emerged] with a flashing spear; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “The glow of the flash of Your spear” (Habakkuk 3:11).
Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: When Paharaoh exhausted all his weapons, the Holy One blessed be He began exalting over him. He said to him: ‘Wicked one, do you have wind, do you have a cherub, do you have wings?’ From where did the Holy One blessed be He cause them to fly [to the sea]? Rabbi Yudan said: The Holy One blessed be He removed them from between the wheels of the Divine Chariot and flew them at the sea. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: One who is flesh and blood rides upon something that carries him, and it is an item that has substance; however, the Holy One blessed be He is not so; He carries what He rides upon, and He rides upon an item that has no substance. That is what is written: “He mounted a cherub and flew, and He soared on wings of wind” (Psalms 18:11).
One verse says: “He soared [on wings of wind]” and one verse says: “He was seen on wings of wind” (II Samuel 22:11). In what sense can both verses be reconciled? Rabbi Aḥa said: From here [it may be derived] that the Holy One blessed be He has had many worlds and He emerges to be seen in them.
The wicked Pharaoh emerged with armor and a helmet; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated; “He donned righteousness like armor [and a helmet of salvation on His head]” (Isaiah 59:17). [Pharaoh] brought naphtha;248A flammable liquid, which he brought in order to use in battle. as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Hail and coals of fire passed through His clouds” (Psalms 18:13). [Pharaoh] brought catapult stones; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “And the Lord provided thunder and hail” (Exodus 9:23). [Pharaoh brought] swords and spears; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Many bolts of lightning” (Psalms 18:15). [Pharaoh] brought arrows; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “He shot His arrows” (Psalms 18:15). Rabbi Levi said: “He shot his arrows and dispersed them” (Psalms 18:15) [teaches] that the arrows would scatter them; “many bolts of lightning and they confounded them” (Psalms 18:15) teaches that they would confuse them and confound them. He removed their banners249Without the banners, the formation of their camp disintegrated. and they did not know what they were doing.
Pharaoh emerged in full armor; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord will emerge like a mighty man” (Isaiah 42:13). [Pharaoh] thundered with his voice; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord would thunder from the heavens” (II Samuel 22:14). [Pharaoh] heartened them [his soldiers] with his voice; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated]: The Most High would project His voice” (II Samuel 22:14). Pharaoh emerged with fury; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “With fury You trod the earth” (Habakkuk 3:12). [Pharaoh emerged] with a bow; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “Your bow will be bared” (Habakkuk 3:9). [Pharaoh emerged] with shield and armor; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “Grasp Your shield and armor” (Psalms 35:2). [Pharaoh emerged] with a flashing spear; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “The glow of the flash of Your spear” (Habakkuk 3:11).
Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: When Paharaoh exhausted all his weapons, the Holy One blessed be He began exalting over him. He said to him: ‘Wicked one, do you have wind, do you have a cherub, do you have wings?’ From where did the Holy One blessed be He cause them to fly [to the sea]? Rabbi Yudan said: The Holy One blessed be He removed them from between the wheels of the Divine Chariot and flew them at the sea. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: One who is flesh and blood rides upon something that carries him, and it is an item that has substance; however, the Holy One blessed be He is not so; He carries what He rides upon, and He rides upon an item that has no substance. That is what is written: “He mounted a cherub and flew, and He soared on wings of wind” (Psalms 18:11).
One verse says: “He soared [on wings of wind]” and one verse says: “He was seen on wings of wind” (II Samuel 22:11). In what sense can both verses be reconciled? Rabbi Aḥa said: From here [it may be derived] that the Holy One blessed be He has had many worlds and He emerges to be seen in them.
Shemot Rabbah
“Moses extended his staff toward the heavens and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the ground, and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt” (Exodus 9:23).
“Moses extended his staff toward the heavens.” These plagues – three by Aaron, three by Moses, three by the Holy One blessed be He, and one by means of all of them. Blood, frogs, and lice, which were on the earth, were by Aaron. Hail, locusts, and darkness, by Moses, because they were in the air, as Moses had control over the earth and the heavens. Swarms, pestilence, and the plague of the firstborn by the Holy One blessed be He. And boils were by all of them.5See above, Shemot Rabba 11:5.
“And the Lord [vaY-H-V-H] sent thunder and hail.” Every place that vaY-H-V-H is stated, it is He and His heavenly court, as it is stated: “And the Lord [vaY-H-V-H] remembered Sarah” (Genesis 21:1), He and His advisory council. And the Lord [vaY-H-V-H] sent thunder and hail, He and His advisory council.
“And fire ran down to the ground.” They were sentenced to the judgment of the wicked in Gehenna. If he was sitting, he was burned by the hail;6There was“fire flaming within the hail” (Exodus 9:24). if he was standing, he was burned by the fire.
“There was hail, and fire flaming within the hail, very severe, that there had not been in Egypt since it became a nation” (Exodus 9:24).
“There was hail, and fire flaming within the hail” – a miracle within a miracle. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, one said: Like the seed of a pomegranate, whose pit can be seen from the outside; and one said: Like that lantern in which water and oil are mixed as one, and the fire burns within. To what is this matter comparable? To two hardened legions that were fighting each other. Eventually, the time arrived for the king’s war, and the king made peace between them, and they performed the king’s mission together. Fire and hail are hostile to each other, but when the time for the war with Egypt arrived, the Holy One blessed be He made peace between them and they struck Egypt. That is: “There was hail, and fire flaming [mitlakaḥat] within the hail.” What is mitlakaḥat? It means “to take the dead [met lakaḥat].” After the hail would strike him, the fire would take him and burn him.
“The hail struck throughout the land of Egypt, everything that was in the fields, both man and animal; and the hail struck all the vegetation in the fields, and broke every tree of the fields” (Exodus 9:25).
“The hail struck throughout the land of Egypt.” The hail fell and it was arranged in piles surrounding their livestock, so they were unable to go out. An Egyptian would come with a knife and slaughter [one of] them and a bird would descend upon it from above and eat it, as it is stated: “He consigned [vayasger]7Vayasger can also mean to hand over to be imprisoned. their cattle to the hail, and their livestock to fiery bolts [lareshafim]” (Psalms 78:48). What is “and their livestock lareshafim? These are birds, as it is stated: “As the sparks [uvnei reshef] fly upward” (Job 5:7).
“And the hail struck all the vegetation in the fields, and broke every tree of the fields”Midrash Tehilim.> “He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost [baḥanamal]” (Psalms 78:47). Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Shalom said: What is baḥanamal? It came [ba], rested [ḥana], cut [mal]. Rabbi Pinḥas said: It would descend like an axe and would hew the trees.
“Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail” (Exodus 9:26).
“Only in the land of Goshen” – why was it spared? It is because its patron protected it; that is what is written: “Where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.”
“Moses extended his staff toward the heavens.” These plagues – three by Aaron, three by Moses, three by the Holy One blessed be He, and one by means of all of them. Blood, frogs, and lice, which were on the earth, were by Aaron. Hail, locusts, and darkness, by Moses, because they were in the air, as Moses had control over the earth and the heavens. Swarms, pestilence, and the plague of the firstborn by the Holy One blessed be He. And boils were by all of them.5See above, Shemot Rabba 11:5.
“And the Lord [vaY-H-V-H] sent thunder and hail.” Every place that vaY-H-V-H is stated, it is He and His heavenly court, as it is stated: “And the Lord [vaY-H-V-H] remembered Sarah” (Genesis 21:1), He and His advisory council. And the Lord [vaY-H-V-H] sent thunder and hail, He and His advisory council.
“And fire ran down to the ground.” They were sentenced to the judgment of the wicked in Gehenna. If he was sitting, he was burned by the hail;6There was“fire flaming within the hail” (Exodus 9:24). if he was standing, he was burned by the fire.
“There was hail, and fire flaming within the hail, very severe, that there had not been in Egypt since it became a nation” (Exodus 9:24).
“There was hail, and fire flaming within the hail” – a miracle within a miracle. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, one said: Like the seed of a pomegranate, whose pit can be seen from the outside; and one said: Like that lantern in which water and oil are mixed as one, and the fire burns within. To what is this matter comparable? To two hardened legions that were fighting each other. Eventually, the time arrived for the king’s war, and the king made peace between them, and they performed the king’s mission together. Fire and hail are hostile to each other, but when the time for the war with Egypt arrived, the Holy One blessed be He made peace between them and they struck Egypt. That is: “There was hail, and fire flaming [mitlakaḥat] within the hail.” What is mitlakaḥat? It means “to take the dead [met lakaḥat].” After the hail would strike him, the fire would take him and burn him.
“The hail struck throughout the land of Egypt, everything that was in the fields, both man and animal; and the hail struck all the vegetation in the fields, and broke every tree of the fields” (Exodus 9:25).
“The hail struck throughout the land of Egypt.” The hail fell and it was arranged in piles surrounding their livestock, so they were unable to go out. An Egyptian would come with a knife and slaughter [one of] them and a bird would descend upon it from above and eat it, as it is stated: “He consigned [vayasger]7Vayasger can also mean to hand over to be imprisoned. their cattle to the hail, and their livestock to fiery bolts [lareshafim]” (Psalms 78:48). What is “and their livestock lareshafim? These are birds, as it is stated: “As the sparks [uvnei reshef] fly upward” (Job 5:7).
“And the hail struck all the vegetation in the fields, and broke every tree of the fields”
“Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail” (Exodus 9:26).
“Only in the land of Goshen” – why was it spared? It is because its patron protected it; that is what is written: “Where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.”
Midrash Tanchuma
And Moses stretched forth his rod unto heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail (ibid., v. 23). Wherever Scripture says and the Lord it refers to Him and to His heavenly court. And the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Gen. 21:1), that is, He and His court. And the Lord caused it to rain on Sodom (ibid. 20:24), that is, He and His court. And the Lord sent thunder and hail (Exod. 9:23), that is, He and His court. So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail (ibid., v. 24). The words fire flashing indicate that after the hail, the fire flashed and consumed it, as is said: But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, for they ripen late (ibid., v. 32). R. Phinehas and R. Judah the son of Shalum discussed this matter. R. Phinehas said: What is the meaning of ripen late? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed Be, performed a miracle with them. R. Judah, however, insisted that they were merely late in ripening. R. Phinehas maintained: It is written: And the hail smote every herb of the field (ibid., v. 25), and yet you insist that they were not smitten because they were still young. Obviously that is not so. The Holy One, blessed be He, performed a miracle with them.17Word-play interpreting afilot (“late”) in Exod. 9:32 as pelaim (“wonders”).