EXODUS VI:2-IX:35

THE SIGNS AND MIRACLES THAT GOD SENT THE EGYPTIANS

Through a series of Otot umoftim, “signs and miracles”, usually referred to as plagues, God delivered the Hebrew people from Egypt. Each of these plagues was meant to demonstrate God’s superiority over idolatrous worship. Starting with the Nile River, which was worshipped by the Egyptians, who were aware that their agricultural production depended on this source of water. And also continuing with the animals that were deified as well, the plagues proved that there was a supreme force, the God of the Hebrews, who was also the One God who ruled the destiny of the Egyptians and the universe created by Him.

These events could not be explained as natural phenomena because the Hebrew population did not suffer the same ravages. The pests had selective recipients. The severest plague, no doubt, was the last: the death of the firstborn, which convinced Pharaoh to finally allow the Exodus of the Hebrew people. In this case, the firstborn Hebrews were absolved of death, but only those who had the audacity to sacrifice a lamb and paint with its blood the lintels of their homes.

In this way they identified themselves before God so that the angel of death would pass over their homes and demonstrated their courage before the Egyptians. Not all the Hebrews took risks, and indeed, those who did not paint the thresholds of their homes with the blood of the Paschal sacrifice perished, as did the Egyptian firstborn.

Some biblical commentators divide the first 9 plagues, which did not achieve the desired goal, into three groups of 3 plagues each. According to their nature, pests can be grouped into pairs. Some plagues attacked the beasts of the field, blood and frogs emerged from the Nile. Plague and rashes are diseases, hail and locusts destroyed agriculture, plagues of darkness and the firstborn are related to death.

According to the Midrash, the infamous Hebrews perished during the plague of darkness so that the Egyptians would not witness their punishment. The decisive plague was the death of the firstborn, which included the home of Pharaoh. Only in this last plague did the Hebrews have a stake, placing the blood of the Paschal sacrifice on their thresholds. To leave Egypt and not return later, the Hebrews had to prove to the Egyptians and to themselves that they had lost their fear of their enslavers by sacrificing one of their gods: the sheep.

Although the worship of God formally began with the revelation at Mount Sinai, when the Hebrews received the Ten Commandments, its origin lies in Egypt. The offering of the Paschal sacrifice is the first Mitsvah the Hebrews fulfilled.Therefore, the great commentator Rashi questions why the Bible did not begin with the chapter that refers to this Mitsvah,since the Torah is all about the instructive rituals and morals that should govern the people.

While Mosheh and Aharon produced the miracles that resulted in the 10 Makot, “plagues”, that served to convince Pharaoh, Egyptian sorcerers and magicians duplicated these feats. In such a way that Gåod’s “strong hand” was not apparent. ¿What was the difference between the miracles produced by Moshehand Aharon and the sorcery of the Egyptian magicians?

Rabbi Yaacov Kaminetzky believes that for it to have moral validity, Pharaoh’s decision would have to be the result of his free will. Therefore, God allowed the Egyptian magi to imitate the results obtained by Mosheh and Aharon. In this way, Pharaoh would not act because he was facing an invincible power, but allowed, or perhaps expelled the Hebrews from Egypt, because he finally recognized the existence of the One and Only åGod for all peoples.