ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף שמות 8:4

למתי אעתיר FOR WHAT PERIOD SHALL I ENTREAT FOR THEE — With reference to the entreaty which I shall make to-day regarding the destruction of the frogs, by what period do you wish that they should be destroyed, and you will see whether I can carry out my promise by the time which you will set me. If the text said מתי אעתיר (without ל), it would signify “when shall I pray?” but now that it is said למתי, it signifies I will pray to-day for you that the frogs should be destroyed by the time which you will set for me. Tell me, then, by what day you wish that they shall be destroyed. The words here, אעתיר and העתירו (v. 4) and העתרתי (v. 25) are Hiphil forms, and it does not say אֶעְתַּר and עִתְרוּ and וְעָתַרְתִּי (Kal forms) because wherever the root עתר is used it denotes to pray much (more lit. Rashi’s words signify “to multiply praying”, “to make much praying”), and just as one says אַרְבֶּה and הַרְבּוּ and וְהִרְבֵּתִי which all have the meaning of “causing an action to happen” (in this case, causing a thing to be much — our Hiphil conjugation), so one says אַעְתִּיר and הַעְתִּירוּ and וְהֵעְתַּרְתִּי “I increase”, “increase ye” and “I will increase” i. e. I will increase words. The passage which serves as evidence of the meaning of all these words is (Ezekiel 35:13) “וְהֵעְתַּרְתֶּם your words against Me” — which can only mean “Ye have multiplied” (being a transitive verb; cf. Rashi on Genesis 25:21).

והעבירו, the vocalisation ve-he-eviru means that it is a modified version of the future tense known as vav hahipuch, the letter ו reversing the tense. Had the vocalisation been veha-aviru it would have been an imperative mode, just as in Exodus 8,4 העתירו אל ה', “plead with the Lord!”

4. צָרָ֑ה “Troubles” (Ps. 78:49) The frogs would enter their stomachs while still alive and croak while in their bodies, as Scripture states, “The frogs shall go up in you and in your people,” (Ex. 7:29) The sages state this was the most difficult thing of all. It was because of this that Pharaoh asked Moses, “Plead with HaShem to remove the frogs from me and my people,” (Ex. 8:4)