Шмот 7:28 Мидраш: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tehillim & Shemot Rabbah

(Ib. b) R. Jose said: "Tudus of Rome instituted the custom among the Roman [Jewish] inhabitants of eating a G'di M'Kullas on Passover night. So the sages sent him the following message: 'Wert thou not Tudus, thou wouldst have been put under a ban because thou makest Israel eat consecrated meat outside Jerusalem.'" How can they say consecrated meat? Rather say, "similar to consecrated meat." The following question was submitted by the members of the academy: "Was Tudus of Rome really a great man or was he merely a man of influence [and for that reason the sages were afraid to put him under a ban]?" Come, listen! We are taught: And again, Tudus the Roman expounded: "What justified Chananyah, Misha'el and Azar'yah in suffering themselves to be thrown into the fiery kiln? [Since it is written in the Torah, And he shall live by it, (the Torah), and not die by it.] They drew their Justification," said he, "through a fortiori." If concerning the frogs, who were in no way obliged in like manner to sanctify the name of God, it is written (Ex. 7, 28) And they shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy sleeping chamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servant, and among thy people, and into thy ovens, and in thy kneading dough; (When is the kneading dough found in the ovens? Surely when it is hot!) and since the frogs did not take heed for their lives but went into hot ovens, how much more shall we (Chanauyah, Misha'el and Azar'yah) who are in duty bound and are commanded to sanctify God's name, do such a thing!" [Hence we infer that Tudus of Rome was really a great man.] R. Jose said: "The reason the sages respected Tudus was that he threw the profits of merchandise into the purse of scholars [in order that they might be able to make a living for themselves]; for R. Jochanan said: 'Whoever is accustomed to throw the profits of merchandise into the purse of a scholar [thus enabling the scholar to support himself], will be awarded the privilege of sitting in the Heavenly academy, as it is said (Ecc. 7, 12) For under the shadow of wisdom is he who is under the shadow of money.' "

Another thing about the death of Levan. Solomon said (Song of Songs 8:4): "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." I am sick with love, a love that is not of the bowels or of the head. From what do I suffer? "For I am love-sick" (Hosea 2:7). And not just love, but also death, as it says (Song of Songs 8:6), "For love is strong as death." As it says (Song of Songs 1:3), "Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, your name is like purified oil; therefore the maidens love you." What nation in the world did God tell to "descend to the sea"? Only the Jews, as David said (Psalms 27:10), "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." Similarly, Nebuchadnezzar said (Daniel 3:15), "And who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?" And it is written (Daniel 3:16), "We will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." But to deny God, Nebuchadnezzar and the dog are the same. They even have the same fate as the frogs, as it says (Exodus 8:3), "And the river shall swarm with frogs, and they shall go up and come into your house and into your bedchamber and onto your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls." And even if God does not save us, we will not abandon Him. What did Nebuchadnezzar say when they came out of the furnace? "Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him and set aside the king's command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God'" (Daniel 3:28). They did not give themselves up in order to be saved, but in order to be burned. Why "For love is strong as death" (Song of Songs 8:6)? A song to be sung over the death of Levan.

What is “behold, I will smite [nogef]”? The Holy One blessed be He said: Behold, I am forcing all the plagues upon you, as it is written: “If the ox of one man hurts [yigof]³The term nogef, translated generally “hurts,” means more specifically pushing or shoving. [another’s]” (Exodus 21:35). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Each and every plague that would come upon the Egyptians in Egypt, pestilence would accompany it, as it is stated: “Behold, I will smite.” Behold, this is the pestilence, as it is stated: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon your cattle” (Exodus 9:3).⁴According to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi nogef is in the sense of magefa, meaning plague.
“[I will smite] all your borders with frogs.” Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: The plagues that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians caused them to make peace between them. How so? There was a dispute between the Kushites and the Egyptians. The Egyptians claimed: Our borders are until here, and the Kushites claimed: Our borders are until here. Once the frogs came they made peace between them. The border within which the frogs would enter, it was known that the field was not his,⁵It did not belong to the Kushites. as it is stated: “All your borders”; “your borders,” but not those of others.
“The Nile will swarm with frogs that will ascend and come into your house, and into your bedchamber, and onto your bed, and into the house of your servants, and upon your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls” (Exodus 7:28).
“Will ascend and come into your house” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Shalom said: The most outstanding among them will be in your house. The way of the world is that when a king of flesh and blood enters a city, each one⁶Each member of the king’s party is given a residence according his status, with the higher-ranking officials residing in a more elevated residence. is given a residence in accordance with his status. However, the king resides in his palace on a flat area. If so, why is it stated: “Will ascend [ve’alu] and come into your house”?⁷Presumably Pharaoh’s residence was not on the top of a hill, which would have made it difficult to enter. Consequently, the term “ascend” seems out of place. It is because the most outstanding [hame’ulot] among them will be in Pharaoh’s house.
“And into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls” – when an Egyptian woman would knead dough and ignite the oven, the frogs would come, descend into the dough, eat the dough, descend into the oven, cool it, and adhere to the bread, as it is stated: “And into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls.” When is the time for the dough to be stuck to the oven [to bake]? When it is ignited. Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya drew an a fortiori inference for themselves from the frogs and descended into the fiery furnace.⁸Rather than worship idols; see Daniel, chap. 3.
What is “The Nile will swarm with frogs”? The Holy One blessed be He said to him [Pharaoh]: ‘You said: “My river is mine” (Ezekiel 29:3). I will show you whether it is mine or yours, as its plague will come from Me upon it, and when I decree it will produce frogs. Just as I have decreed regarding the water: At the outset, I said: “Let the water swarm” (Genesis 1:20), and it performed My command; so, too, the Nile will perform My decree.’