In Search of the Miraculous

Lunch 'N Learn Rabbi Greg Wall

In the Egyptian collection of the Museum of

Leyden, Holland, there is an early Egyptian
papyrus that was translated into English by the
Egyptologist Alan Gardiner and given the title
Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage. The papyrus
describes a condition of desolation and
destruction and, in Gardiner’s opinion, this is an
account of the destruction that befell the Early
Egyptian Kingdom.

Yehoshua Etzion (1935-2006), The Lost Tanach

Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage, c. 1,300 Sefer Shemot
BCE, Museum of Leyden, Holland.
.‫ ַּבי ְא ֹר לְדָ ם‬-‫ ַה ַּמי ִם ֲאׁשֶר‬-‫ ַוּי ֵ ָהפְכּו ּכָל‬...‫ַוּי ֶָרם ַּב ַּמּטֶה‬
Plagues throughout the land, blood everywhere Moshe held the staff aloft … and all the water
… (p. 2, lines 5-6). that was in the River turned to blood (Shemot
7:20).

‫וְֹלא יָכְלּו ִמצ ְַרי ִם ִלׁשְּתֹות ַמי ִם מִן ַהי ְא ֹר‬

The river is blood, men thirst for water … (p. 2, Egypt could not drink water from the River
line 10). (ibid. 7:21).

.‫ ּדֶ בֶר ָּכבֵד ְמא ֹד‬... ‫ִהּנֵה י ַד ה' הֹוי ָה ְּב ִמ ְקנְָך ֲאׁשֶר ַּבּׂשָדֶ ה‬
All the beasts cry in their hearts, the cattle low The hand of God is on your livestock that are in
(p. 5, line 5). the field … a very severe epidemic (ibid. 9:3).

‫ וְֹלא נֹותַ ר ּכָל י ֶֶרק ָּבעֵץ‬... ‫ַָארּבֶה‬

ְ ‫אֶרץ ִמצ ְַרי ִם ּב‬
ֶ ‫נְטֵה י ָדְ ָך עַל‬
.‫אֶרץ ִמצ ְָרי ִם‬
ֶ ‫ׂשב ַהּׂשָדֶ ה ְּבכָל‬
ֶ ‫ּו ְב ֵע‬
Verily, everything is ruined that yesterday was Stretch out your hand over the Land of Egypt
yet seen; the land is left as after the flax harvest for the locust swarm … No greenery remained
(p. 5, line 12). on the trees or the grass of the field in the entire
land of Egypt (ibid. 10:12-15).

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 ‫ וַּתְ הִי ְצ ָע ָקה גְדֹלָה‬... ‫ַויְהִי ַּב ֲחצִי ַה ַּליְלָה וַיהוָה ִהּכָה כָל ּבְכֹור‬
...‫ וַּי ֹא ֶמר קּומּו ּצְאּו מִּתֹוְך ַעּמִי‬... ‫ּבְמִ צ ְָרי ִם‬
The prisons were destroyed [and slaves let It was at midnight that God smote every
free]; there was a great outcry in Egypt … (p. firstborn … and there was a great outcry in
12, line 12). Egypt … [Pharaoh] said “Rise up, go out from
among my people!” (ibid. 12:29-31).

1. Maharal (R' Yehuda LoewGevuros Hashem, Ch. 57, p. 254

Each plague would increase in severity, such ‫ ואין להביא מכה‬,‫תמיד המכה שהיא מלמעלה יותר קשה‬
that a harsh plague would not be followed by a ‫ ולפיכך היו עולים מלמטה‬,‫קשה ואח"כ שאינה קשה כל כך‬
lighter one. Therefore, the plagues ascended in .‫למעלה‬
severity from lowest to highest.

2. Shemot 7:17, Malbim ibid. (R' Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser 1809 – 1879)
[God told Moshe to say to Pharaoh:] “So says ‫ּכ ֹה ָאמַר ה' ּבְז ֹאת ּתֵ דַ ע ּכִי אֲ נִי ה' ִהּנֵה ָאנֹכִי מַ ּכֶה‬
God, ‘Through this shall you know that I am
‫ּבַּמַ ּטֶה אֲ ׁשֶר ְּבי ָדִ י עַל הַּמַ י ִם אֲ ׁשֶר ַּבי ְא ֹר ְונֶ ֶהפְכּו‬
God. Behold, with the staff that is in my hand I
shall strike the waters that are in the River, and .‫לְדָ ם‬
they shall change to blood.’”

Malbim:
The first set of three plagues [blood, frogs, and
lice] was to demonstrate the reality and ‫מלבי"ם‬
existence of God [alluded to in the verse: “Know ‫הסדר הראשון בא לברר מציות ה' שפרעה כחש‬
that I am God”]. This was due to the fact that ‫בו ויאמר לא הוא כמ"ש מי ה' אשר אשמע‬
Pharaoh denied God’s existence when he said,
...‫בקולו‬
“Who is God, that I should listen to His voice?”
(Shemot 5:2)

3. Ibid. 8:18, with Malbim

And on that day I shall set apart the land of ‫אֶרץ ּג ֹׁשֶן אֲ ׁשֶר עַּמִי ע ֹמֵ ד‬
ֶ ‫ְו ִה ְפלֵיתִ י בַּיֹום הַהּוא אֶת‬
Goshen upon which My people stands, that there
'‫ָעלֶי ָה ְל ִבלְּתִ י הֱיֹות ׁשָם עָר ֹב לְמַ עַן ּתֵ דַ ע ּכִי אֲ נִי ה‬
shall be no swarm [of wild animals] there. So
that you shall know that I am God in the midst .‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ְקֶרב ה‬ ֶ ‫ּב‬
of the land.

Malbim: ‫מלבי"ם‬
The second set of three plagues [wild animals, ‫ובאשר סדר הזה השני של עד"ש בא לברר פנת‬
epidemic, and boils] demonstrated God’s
‫ שפרעה לא האמין שה' העליון משגיח‬,‫ההשגחה‬
Providence. Pharaoh did not believe that the
Supreme God supervises each person and event ‫ וכמ"ש לְמַ עַן‬,‫"בקרב הארץ" בהשגחה פרטית‬
individually – “in the midst of the land.” This .‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ְקֶרב ה‬
ֶ ‫ּתֵ דַ ע ּכִי אֲ נִי ה' ּב‬
demonstration of God’s Providence is alluded to
in the verse, “So that you shall know that I am
God in the midst of the land.”

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4. Ibid. 9:14, with Malbim
For this time I will send all My plagues against ‫ּכִי ַּב ַּפעַם הַּז ֹאת אֲ נִי ׁש ֹ ֵל ַח אֶת ּכָל מַ ּגֵפ ֹתַ י אֶ ל ִלּבְָך‬
your heart, and upon your servants, and your
‫ּו ַב ֲעבָדֶ יָך ּו ְבעַּמֶָך ַּבעֲבּור ּתֵ דַ ע ּכִי אֵין ּכָמֹנִי ְּבכָל‬
people, so that you will know that there is none
like Me in the entire world. .‫ָָארץ‬ ֶ ‫ה‬

Malbim: ‫מלבי"ם‬
Moshe was being instructed to tell Pharaoh that
‫הודיע לו שזה הסדר השלישי של המכות שיביא‬
the purpose of the third set of plagues [hail,
locusts, and darkness] was to demonstrate that '‫ תכליתו הוא לברר לו פנה השלישית שה‬,‫עליו‬
God has absolute and unparalleled power and ‫ שהגם שכבר‬,‫לו היכולת המוחלט מאין כמוהו‬
ability. Even though God’s existence and ‫ היה‬,‫ברר מציות ה' ושה' משגיח בקרב הארץ‬
Providence were already demonstrated, Pharaoh
‫פרעה חושב שנמצאו עוד אלוהים זולתו‬
still thought that there existed other gods and
powers, who might sometimes overpower God ‫ כדי‬... ‫השולטים בארץ ושלפעמים ינחצו אותו‬
… This point is alluded to in the verse, “So that ‫לברר הפנה הזאת " ַּבעֲבּור ּתֵ דַ ע ּכִי אֵין ּכָמֹנִי ְּבכָל‬
you will know that there is none like Me in all ."‫ָָארץ‬
ֶ ‫ה‬
the world.”

5. Rabbi Yosef Deutsch, Let My Nation Go , pp. 190-191

Plague Attribute of God Physical Location God’s Power Warning to Pharaoh
over
1. Blood (‫)דם‬ Of the first nine plagues, The first set of plagues Water Warning
2. Frogs (‫)צפרדע‬ the first set of three came from below, Aquatic Warning
demonstrated the existence from the water and the creatures
3. Lice (‫)כִִנם‬ of God – in response to earth, and being a Dust of the No warning.
Pharaoh’s denial of God lesser form of plague, earth (The three plagues about which
(Shemot 7:17, Malbim) they were performed Pharaoh was not warned caused
by Aharon (Shemot pain and inconvenience, but no
7:17, 7:28, 8:12; threat to life –
Tosafos on the Ramban/Nachmanides 8:15).
Haggadah)
4. Wild Animals (‫ֹער‬ The second set The second set of Land animals Warning
‫)ב‬ demonstrated God’s plagues came from
5. Epidemic (‫)דבר‬ Providence and control of above the ground and Life of land Warning
all the world’s details – in from the air, and being animals
6. Boils (‫)שחין‬ response to Pharaoh’s a higher form of Humans No warning
claim that even if God plague they were
exists He has no authority performed by Moshe
over the world (Shemot (Shemot 8:17, 9:3,
8:18, Malbim). 9:9; Tosafos on the
Haggadah)
7. Hail (‫)ברד‬ The third set demonstrated The last four came Nature Warning
8. Locusts (‫)ארבה‬ that God’s power is from the sky, being the Flying creatures Warning
9. Darkness (‫)חֹשך‬ absolute and unparalleled highest form of Day and night No warning
– in response to Pharaoh’s plague, they were
claim that even if God has performed by God
powers, other gods have Himself (Shemot 9:18,
equal powers (Shemot 10:4, 10:21, 12:12;
9:14, Malbim). Tosafos on the
10. Death of the The tenth plague signifies Haggadah) Life and death Warning
firstborn ( ‫מכת‬ God’s direct control over
‫)בכורות‬ life and death (Chaye Olam
Vol. I, 15).

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6. Shemot 8:17; Rabbi Yosef Salant (1885-1981), Sefer Be’er Yosef, ibid.
For if you do not send out My people, behold, ‫יז‬:‫שמות ח‬
I shall incite against you … the swarm [of
‫ּכִי אִם אֵינְָך מְׁשַ ֵּל ַח אֶת עַּמִי ִהנְנִי מַ ׁשְ לִי ַח ּבְָך‬
wild animals]. The houses of Egypt will be
filled with the swarm, and even the ground ‫ אֶת ֶהעָר ֹב ּומָ לְאּו ּבָּתֵ י מִ צ ְַרי ִם אֶת ֶהעָר ֹב‬...
upon which they are. .‫ְוגַם הָאֲ דָ מָ ה אֲ ׁשֶר הֵם ָעלֶי ָה‬
Be’er Yosef
Q 1. Why was the plague of wild animals
referred to as “swarm” (arov) referring to the ‫באר יוסף‬
mixture of animals that came in this plague? ‫צריך טעם למה נקראת מכה זו של משלחת‬
Especially since the name “swarm” does not ?‫החיות דוקא על שם הערבוביא של חיות‬
refer to the essence of the plague, the way the
,‫שהשם "ערוב" אינו מבטא את עיקר המכה‬
names “blood, frogs and lice” do …
... '‫ כינים וכו‬,‫ צפרדע‬,‫כמו דם‬
Q 2. Also, what is the meaning of the phrase
“And even the ground upon which they are”? ‫וגם מהי כוונת מש"כ " ְוגַם הָאֲ דָ מָ ה אֲ ׁשֶר הֵם‬
…
... ?"‫ָעלֶי ָה‬
A 1. This plague consisted of different species
of animals from all over the world. Of course, ‫כיון שכאן היו חיות ורמשים מכל המינים‬
some of these animals can only live and ‫ וידוע הוא‬,‫ כמבואר במדרש‬,‫שונים שבעולם‬
survive in a very cold climate. Others,
‫שישנם מיני חיות שאינם יכולים לחיות‬
however, like snakes, can only live in a hot
climate. Nevertheless, during this plague all ‫ ולעומת זה‬.‫ולהתקיים אלא באקלים קר מאוד‬
the species were able to co-exist. This ‫ישנם חיות ומיני נחשים שאינם מתקיימים‬
demonstrated conclusively that it was a ‫ ובכל זאת היו כולם‬... ‫אלא בארצות החום‬
miracle and not just a natural phenomenon [as
‫ והיה בזה להראות‬,‫מתקיימים כאן ביחד‬
would sometimes occur]. To allude to this
miraculous co-existing of different species ‫ כ"א‬,‫בבירור גמור שאין זו מכה בדרך הטבע‬
together, the plague was called “swarm” … ,"‫ ולכן נקרא מכה זו "ערוב‬,‫בדרך נס ופלא‬
... ‫על שם הפלא הזה‬
A 2. When God caused the appearance of all
‫ שכשהביא הקב"ה במצרים את‬,‫עוד יותר‬
the different species of animals, he caused
each animal to be accompanied by the specific ‫ הביא‬,‫החיות והרמשים מכל המינים השונים‬
weather and ground conditions suited to it … ‫גם כן עם כל מין ומין את מזג האויר ותכונת‬
... ‫האדמה הדרוש לו‬
Therefore, when the verse states “[a severe
swarm of wild animals came] … and the land
was being destroyed because of the swarm” ,‫ תשחת "הארץ" מפני הערוב‬,‫ולכן אמר ג"כ‬
[Shemot 8:20], it is referring to the suddenly ‫היינו ששינוי האויר המשתנה בכל שעה‬
changing weather and temperatures that ‫ היא השחתה‬,‫ורגע מקור לחום ומחום לקור‬
accompanied each animal, from cold to hot,
‫ וכידוע ששינוי האויר הפתאומי‬,‫הארץ‬
and hot to cold. This caused the “destruction
of the land,” since drastic changes in climate ‫והתחלפתו התדירית מזיק להביא חליים‬
conditions, from one extreme to the other, .‫רעים ומשחית את הארץ‬
cause the spread of disease and physical
damage to the soil and ground.

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Another miracle

7. Tur (R' Yaakov ben Asher, 1269 - 1343) Orach Chaim 430
The reason it is called Shabbat HaGadol ‫והטעם לפי שנעשה בו נס גדול שפסח מצרים‬
is because a great miracle took place on
‫מקחו בעשור כדכתיב בעשור לחודש הזה ויקחו‬
it: the Jews took the Pesach sacrifice in
Egypt on the 10th of Nissan, as the verse .)‫ג‬:‫ (שמות יב‬.‫להם שה לבית אבות שה לבית‬
states, “On the tenth of this month you ‫ופסח שיצאו ישראל ממצרים היה ביום חמישי‬
shall take for yourselves a sheep for each ‫כדאיתא בסדר עולם (פ"ה) ונמצא שעשרה‬
family, a sheep for each house” (Shemot
.‫בחודש היה שבת‬
12:3). When the Jews left Egypt it was a
Thursday, as it says in Seder Olam (Ch.
5), so the tenth of the month was Shabbat.
Each person took a sheep for the Pesach ‫ולקחו להם כל אחד שה לפסחו וקשרו אותו‬
offering and tied it to the foot of his bed. ‫בכרעי מטתו ושאלום המצריים למה זה לכם‬
The Egyptians asked what they were ‫והשיבום לשחטו לשם פסח במצות השם עלינו‬
doing, and they answered that they were
going to slaughter the sheep as a Pesach
‫והיו שיניהם קהות על ששוחטין את אלהיהם ולא‬
offering because God had commanded ‫היו רשאין לומר להם דבר ועל שם אותו הנס‬
them to do so. The teeth [of the .‫קורין אותו שבת הגדול‬
Egyptians] were set on edge over the fact
that the Jews were slaughtering their
gods, but they were unable to say
anything. Because of this great miracle
we call this Shabbat “Shabbat HaGadol”
– the Great Shabbat.

8. Rambam (1138–1204), Guide for the Perplexed 3:46

Scripture tells us, according to the Version of ‫ואומר כבר אמרה ה'תורה' כפי מה שפרש‬
Onkelos, that the Egyptians worshipped Aries,
‫אונקלוס שהמצרים היו עובדים מזל טלה‬
and therefore abstained from killing sheep, and
held shepherds in contempt. ‫ומפני זה היו אוסרים לשחוט הצאן והיו‬
"Behold we shall sacrifice the abomination of ‫ אמר "הן נזבח את‬- ‫מואסים רועי צאן‬
the Egyptians," etc. (Exod. 8:26); "For every ‫תועבת מצרים" ואמר "כי תועבת מצרים‬
shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians"
‫ וכן היו כיתות מן הצאבה‬."‫כל רועה צאן‬
(Gen. 46:34). Some sects among the Sabeans
worshipped demons, and imagined that these ‫עובדים לשדים והיו חושבים שהם ישובו‬
assumed the form of goats, and called them ‫ ולזה היו קוראים לשדים‬- ‫בצורת העזים‬
therefore "goats" [se‘irim]. This worship was ‫ וכבר התפשט הדעת הזה מאד‬- '‫'שעירים‬
widespread “and that they may offer their
‫בימי 'משה רבינו' "ולא יזבחו עוד את‬
sacrifices no more to the goat-demons after
whom they stray.” (Lev. 17:7). For this reason ‫ ולזה היו אוסרים‬."'‫זבחיהם לשעירים וגו‬
those sects abstained from eating goats' flesh. ‫הכיתות ההם גם כן אכילת העיזים; אכל‬
Most idolaters objected to killing cattle, holding ‫שחיטת הבקר כמעט שהיו מואסים אותו‬
this species of animals in great estimation.
‫רוב 'עובדי עבודה זרה' וכולם היו מגדילים‬
Therefore the people of Hodu [Indians] up to .‫זה המין מאד‬
this day do not slaughter cattle even in those
countries where other animals are slaughtered. ‫ולזה תמצא אנשי הודו עד היום לא ישחטו‬
In order to eradicate these false principles, the
‫הבקר כלל ואפילו בארצות אשר ישחטו‬
Law commands us to offer sacrifices only of

5
these three kinds: "Ye shall bring your offering ‫ ובעבור שימחה זכר‬.‫שאר 'מיני בעלי חיים‬
of the cattle [viz.], of the herd and of the flock"
‫אלו הדעות אשר אינם אמיתיות צוינו‬
(Lev. 1:2). Thus the very act which is considered
by the heathen as the greatest crime, is the ‫להקריב אלו השלושה מינים לבד מן‬
means of approaching God, and obtaining His ‫הבהמה "מן הבקר ומן הצאן תקריבו את‬
pardon for our sins. In this manner, evil ‫קרבנכם" עד שיהיה המעשה אשר‬
principles, the diseases of the human soul, are
‫חשבוהו תכלית המרי בו יתקרבו אל האלוה‬
cured by other principles which are
diametrically opposite. ‫ וכן‬.‫ובמעשה ההוא יכופרו העוונות‬
‫מרפאים הדעות הרעות אשר הם חליי‬
This is also the reason why we were commanded .‫הנפש האנושית בהפך אשר בקצה האחר‬
to kill a lamb on Passover, and to sprinkle the
blood thereof outside on the gates. We had to
free ourselves of evil doctrines and to proclaim
the opposite, viz., that the very act which was ‫ומפני זאת הכונה בעצמה צוינו לשחוט 'כבש‬
then considered as being the cause of death ‫הפסח' ולהזות דמו ב'מצרים' על השערים מחוץ‬
would be the cause of deliverance from death.
‫ לנקות עצמנו מן הדעות ההם ולפרסם שכנגדם‬-
"And the Lord will pass over the door, and
will not suffer the destroyer to come unto ‫ולהביא להאמין שהמעשה אשר תחשבו בו‬
your houses to suite you" (Exod. 12:23). Thus ‫שהוא סיבה ממיתה הוא המציל מן המות "ופסח‬
they were rewarded for performing openly a ‫יי על הפתח ולא יתן המשחית לבוא אל בתיכם‬
service every part of which was objected to by
‫ גמול פרסום העבודה בעשות כל מה‬- "‫לנגוף‬
the idolaters. 
‫'שהיו מרחיקים אותו 'עובדי עבודה זרה‬. 

9. Rabbi Yeruchom Levovitz (1873-1936), Da’as Torah, Shemot p. 75

The truth is that the main purpose for the ‫ כי התכלית העיקרית בכל ענין‬,‫האמת היא‬
whole Exodus from Egypt is belief in the
,‫יציאת מצרים היא האמונה בכלל הנסים‬
concept of miracles. The main idea is to know
and recognize that at the heart of existence is ‫ועיקר הענין הוא להאמין ולהכיר בעצם‬
a spiritual core. ,‫מציאות רוחניות הבריאה‬
One should know that existence is not just
‫לידע כי הבראיה אינה זאת אשר הוא רואה‬
that which we see with our physical eyes, or
sense with our physical senses. The ‫ זאת אשר הוא חש בחושיו‬,‫בעיניו הבשריות‬
physicality that we see in Creation is only ‫ החומר והגשם שאנו רואים‬,‫הגשמיים‬
clothing for the true existence. .‫בבריאה הוא רק לבוש להבריאה האמיתית‬
What is the true core to existence [which the
Egyptian experience demonstrates]? It is ‫ היא הרוחניות שהיא המקור לכל‬,‫ומהי באמת‬
spirituality, which is the source of all .‫היצור‬
Creation.

10. Rabbi Avigdor Miller (1908-2001), A Nation is Born, p. 81

The Ten Plagues were Ten Tests of Israel, whether they would properly learn the lessons of the
plagues. All the plagues had common lessons, in addition to the individual purpose of each
plague. Among the general lessons of all the plagues were the following:
l In order to know God, meaning: to gain more awareness of God
l In order to demonstrate that Israel was God’s chosen people, “set apart” from Egypt and all
the nations

6
 l In order to demonstrate the emptiness of the worship of false gods that were unable to
protect even themselves
l In order to engender in Israel a powerful emotion of gratitude so that they would eagerly
accept the Torah at Sinai and remain loyal to it forever

11. Rabbi Akiva Tatz, Living Inspired, p. 152

The Sfas Emes expresses the connection between the miracles commemorated at the Seder
and the rest of Jewish history in the most beautiful manner. He asks why we call the procedure
of Seder Night a “seder” – the word “seder” means “order,” a regular, predictable series of
events. Strange that we celebrate the most potent series of miracles, the sharpest departures
from the natural order, with the name seder, “order”!

His answer is unforgettable. For the Jewish people, our natural order is the miraculous! We
have a seder of miracles. We were forged in impossible circumstances, conceived in a blaze of
miracles, born beyond time. We can never descend into the natural; for us to do so would be
souring of the worst kind, transforming matzah to chametz; lethal in the extreme.

12. David Ben-Gurion 1886-1973

“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”