I. The Impact of Darkness
(טו) וַיְכַ֞ס אֶת־עֵ֣ין כׇּל־הָאָ֘רֶץ֮ וַתֶּחְשַׁ֣ךְ הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ וַיֹּ֜אכַל אֶת־כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָ֗רֶץ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־פְּרִ֣י הָעֵ֔ץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹתִ֖יר הַבָּרָ֑ד וְלֹא־נוֹתַ֨ר כׇּל־יֶ֧רֶק בָּעֵ֛ץ וּבְעֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(15) They hid all the land from view, and the land was darkened; and they ate up all the grasses of the field and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left, so that nothing green was left, of tree or grass of the field, in all the land of Egypt.
(כא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה נְטֵ֤ה יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וִ֥יהִי חֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָמֵ֖שׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (כב) וַיֵּ֥ט מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־יָד֖וֹ עַל־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְהִ֧י חֹֽשֶׁךְ־אֲפֵלָ֛ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃ (כג) לֹֽא־רָא֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אָחִ֗יו וְלֹא־קָ֛מוּ אִ֥ישׁ מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וּֽלְכׇל־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָ֥יָה א֖וֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם׃
(21) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be touched.” (22) Moses held out his arm toward the sky and thick darkness descended upon all the land of Egypt for three days. (23) People could not see one another, and for three days no one could get up from where he was; but all the Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings.
Dr. Aviva Zornberg
“For the Egyptians, darkness is chaos, blindness, death. More strangely, for the Israelites, too, it is terror, imprisonment, blood as well as redemption.” In other words, the gloom of the night is not merely experienced by the enemy. Nor is the darkness in the Exodus story wholly virulent. There is a redemptive quality to the night."
“For the Egyptians, darkness is chaos, blindness, death. More strangely, for the Israelites, too, it is terror, imprisonment, blood as well as redemption.” In other words, the gloom of the night is not merely experienced by the enemy. Nor is the darkness in the Exodus story wholly virulent. There is a redemptive quality to the night."
How were the Israelites impacted by the darkness?
(כב) וּלְקַחְתֶּ֞ם אֲגֻדַּ֣ת אֵז֗וֹב וּטְבַלְתֶּם֮ בַּדָּ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בַּסַּף֒ וְהִגַּעְתֶּ֤ם אֶל־הַמַּשְׁקוֹף֙ וְאֶל־שְׁתֵּ֣י הַמְּזוּזֹ֔ת מִן־הַדָּ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּסָּ֑ף וְאַתֶּ֗ם לֹ֥א תֵצְא֛וּ אִ֥ישׁ מִפֶּֽתַח־בֵּית֖וֹ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר׃
(22) Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and to the two doorposts. None of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.
ואתם לא תצאו וגו'. מַגִּיד, שֶׁמֵּאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְּנָה רְשׁוּת לַמַּשְׁחִית לְחַבֵּל, אֵינוֹ מַבְחִין בֵּין צַדִּיק לְרָשָׁע (שם); וְלַיְלָה רְשׁוּת לַמְחַבְּלִים הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בּוֹ תִרְמֹשׂ כָּל חַיְתוֹ יָעַר" (תהלים ק"ד):
ואתם לא תצאו וגו׳ AND NONE OF YOU SHALL GO OUT etc. — This tells us that when once permission is given to the destroying angel to wound he makes no distinction between righteous and wicked (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:22:2) — and nighttime is the domain of the destroying agencies as it is said, (Psalms 104:20) “[Thou makest darkness and it is night], wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth”.
"Darkness as Threat and Haven" LAUREN EICHLER BERKUN , https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/darkness-as-threat-haven/
"Thus the Israelites, while.protected by their blood-soaked doors, are still subject to the demons of the night. This fright-filled evening is intensified by the purposeful dramatization of panic in the eating of the Pesach sacrifice. It is difficult to imagine eating at all during a night in which death-seeking angels brush by your door and loud screams emit from all corners of Egypt. Nevertheless, the Israelites are commanded to eat, and to eat in a frenzy: “This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste ( b’hipazon ). It is a Passover offering to the Lord. For that night I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every first-born in the land of Egypt..” (Exodus 12:11-13)."..Darkness has entrapped them both. However, in one house the darkness spells death and destruction, while in the other it spells the dream of a new future. The Israelites are poised on the verge of a journey. While darkness is a grave for Egypt, it also serves as the birthplace of a liberated people.
This night, pregnant with the promise of salvation, is described by the Torah as leyl shimurim , “a night of watching” (Exodus 12:42). As Ibn Ezra explains, God “watched over the Israelites and did not allow the destroyer to come into their homes.” God holds a vigil for the Israelites during this night of terror and panic. The night is, thus, redeemed. To this day, the traditional Jewish bedtime liturgy includes the comforting image of God’s constant vigil: “Behold the One Who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121: 4). Each night that holds the fear of darkness also holds the hope of God’s loving shelter."
"Thus the Israelites, while.protected by their blood-soaked doors, are still subject to the demons of the night. This fright-filled evening is intensified by the purposeful dramatization of panic in the eating of the Pesach sacrifice. It is difficult to imagine eating at all during a night in which death-seeking angels brush by your door and loud screams emit from all corners of Egypt. Nevertheless, the Israelites are commanded to eat, and to eat in a frenzy: “This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste ( b’hipazon ). It is a Passover offering to the Lord. For that night I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every first-born in the land of Egypt..” (Exodus 12:11-13)."..Darkness has entrapped them both. However, in one house the darkness spells death and destruction, while in the other it spells the dream of a new future. The Israelites are poised on the verge of a journey. While darkness is a grave for Egypt, it also serves as the birthplace of a liberated people.
This night, pregnant with the promise of salvation, is described by the Torah as leyl shimurim , “a night of watching” (Exodus 12:42). As Ibn Ezra explains, God “watched over the Israelites and did not allow the destroyer to come into their homes.” God holds a vigil for the Israelites during this night of terror and panic. The night is, thus, redeemed. To this day, the traditional Jewish bedtime liturgy includes the comforting image of God’s constant vigil: “Behold the One Who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121: 4). Each night that holds the fear of darkness also holds the hope of God’s loving shelter."
ור"ל האי קרא דר' יוחנן מאי דריש ביה מבעי ליה לכדדריש רבי חנינא בר פפא דדריש ר' חנינא בר פפא אותו מלאך הממונה על ההריון לילה שמו ונוטל טפה ומעמידה לפני הקב"ה ואומר לפניו רבש"ע טפה זו מה תהא עליה גבור או חלש חכם או טיפש עשיר או עני
The Gemara asks: And how does Reish Lakish interpret this verse cited by Rabbi Yoḥanan? The Gemara answers that he requires that verse for that which Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa taught. As Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa interpreted that verse in the following manner: That angel that is appointed over conception is called: Night. And that angel takes the drop of semen from which a person will be formed and presents it before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and says before Him: Master of the Universe, what will be of this drop? Will the person fashioned from it be mighty or weak? Will he be clever or stupid? Will he be wealthy or poor?
(לח) וְה֤וּא רַח֨וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֺן֮ וְֽלֹא־יַֽ֫שְׁחִ֥ית וְ֭הִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹא־יָ֝עִ֗יר כׇּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃
(38) But He, being merciful, forgave iniquity
and would not destroy;
He restrained His wrath time and again
and did not give full vent to His fury;
and would not destroy;
He restrained His wrath time and again
and did not give full vent to His fury;
Prof. Ismar Shorsch, https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/dread-of-darkness/
"Interestingly, the verse with which we open the ma’ariv service is taken from a dramatic retelling of the birth of ancient Israel. For the Psalmist, destiny came calling in a cascade of miracles that sprang Israel from slavery and sustained it through the wilderness and beyond. Yet time and again Israel repaid boundless grace with vile ingratitude and betrayal. Nevertheless as our verse makes clear, the covenant goes unruptured. Compassion tempers wrath. God is willing to try again. The location of our verse near the middle of the psalm seems to imply that the historic relationship between God and Israel turns on unrequited loyalty and love. Divine compassion makes up for human frailty. By the same token, the Talmud observes that our verse (78:38) constitutes the epicenter in terms of verses of the entire Psalter, the quintessential biblical expression of an I-Thou relationship (BT Kiddushin 30a). Nothing but God’s infinite mercy can bridge the gap between our need and merit.
That faith in a compassionate Creator, I believe also helps to account for the unconventional fact that in Judaism the day as a unit of twenty-four hours begins with nightfall. It is at dawn that we are in our diurnal prime. Yet we greet the new day as our strength wanes because in the darkness we detect the light to come. With God by our side, we can defy the obvious and affirm the mystery that informs all existence.
"Interestingly, the verse with which we open the ma’ariv service is taken from a dramatic retelling of the birth of ancient Israel. For the Psalmist, destiny came calling in a cascade of miracles that sprang Israel from slavery and sustained it through the wilderness and beyond. Yet time and again Israel repaid boundless grace with vile ingratitude and betrayal. Nevertheless as our verse makes clear, the covenant goes unruptured. Compassion tempers wrath. God is willing to try again. The location of our verse near the middle of the psalm seems to imply that the historic relationship between God and Israel turns on unrequited loyalty and love. Divine compassion makes up for human frailty. By the same token, the Talmud observes that our verse (78:38) constitutes the epicenter in terms of verses of the entire Psalter, the quintessential biblical expression of an I-Thou relationship (BT Kiddushin 30a). Nothing but God’s infinite mercy can bridge the gap between our need and merit.
That faith in a compassionate Creator, I believe also helps to account for the unconventional fact that in Judaism the day as a unit of twenty-four hours begins with nightfall. It is at dawn that we are in our diurnal prime. Yet we greet the new day as our strength wanes because in the darkness we detect the light to come. With God by our side, we can defy the obvious and affirm the mystery that informs all existence.
לְפִיכָךְ נִקְרְאוּ רִאשׁוֹנִים סוֹפְרִים שֶׁהָיוּ סוֹפְרִים כׇּל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים וָאו דְּגָחוֹן חֶצְיָין שֶׁל אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה דָּרֹשׁ דָּרַשׁ חֶצְיָין שֶׁל תֵּיבוֹת וְהִתְגַּלָּח שֶׁל פְּסוּקִים יְכַרְסְמֶנָּה חֲזִיר מִיָּעַר עַיִן דְּיַעַר חֶצְיָין שֶׁל תְּהִלִּים וְהוּא רַחוּם יְכַפֵּר עָוֹן חֶצְיוֹ דִּפְסוּקִים
Therefore, because they devoted so much time to the Bible, the first Sages were called: Those who count [soferim], because they would count all the letters in the Torah, as they would say that the letter vav in the word “belly [gaḥon]” (Leviticus 11:42) is the midpoint of the letters in a Torah scroll. The words: “Diligently inquired [darosh darash]” (Leviticus 10:16), are the midpoint of the words in a Torah scroll. And the verse that begins with: “Then he shall be shaven” (Leviticus 13:33), is the midpoint of the verses. Similarly, in the expression: “The boar out of the wood [miya’ar] ravages it” (Psalms 80:14), the ayin in the word wood [ya’ar] is the midpoint of Psalms, with regard to its number of letters. The verse: “But He, being full of compassion, forgives iniquity” (Psalms 78:38), is the midpoint of verses in the book of Psalms.
The Pregnant Darkness- Parallels to Birth Process ( from my students!)
- staying inside a dark place
-blood on the outside
- splitting of the sea/ birth canal
- Miriam as doula! Singing, encouraging.
II. Did B'nai Yisrael Steal from the Egyptians? ( Why does G-d command deceit and theft in the process of leaving Egypt...?)
(יח) וְשָׁמְע֖וּ לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ וּבָאתָ֡ אַתָּה֩ וְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֗יִם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ ה' אֱלֹקֵ֤י הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙ נִקְרָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה נֵֽלְכָה־נָּ֞א דֶּ֣רֶךְ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה לַֽה' אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ׃ (יט) וַאֲנִ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִתֵּ֥ן אֶתְכֶ֛ם מֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרַ֖יִם לַהֲלֹ֑ךְ וְלֹ֖א בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃ (כ) וְשָׁלַחְתִּ֤י אֶת־יָדִי֙ וְהִכֵּיתִ֣י אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹל֙ נִפְלְאֹתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן יְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (כא) וְנָתַתִּ֛י אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י תֵֽלֵכ֔וּן לֹ֥א תֵלְכ֖וּ רֵיקָֽם׃ (כב) וְשָׁאֲלָ֨ה אִשָּׁ֤ה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ֙ וּמִגָּרַ֣ת בֵּיתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֛סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּשְׂמָלֹ֑ת וְשַׂמְתֶּ֗ם עַל־בְּנֵיכֶם֙ וְעַל־בְּנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְנִצַּלְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(18) They will listen to you; then you shall go with the elders of Israel to the king of Egypt and you shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, manifested Himself to us. Now therefore, let us go a distance of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ (19) Yet I know that the king of Egypt will let you go only because of a greater might. (20) So I will stretch out My hand and smite Egypt with various wonders which I will work upon them; after that he shall let you go. (21) And I will dispose the Egyptians favorably toward this people, so that when you go, you will not go away empty-handed. (22) Each woman shall borrow from her neighbor and the lodger in her house objects of silver and gold, and clothing, and you shall put these on your sons and daughters, thus stripping the Egyptians.”
(ב) דַּבֶּר־נָ֖א בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיִשְׁאֲל֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ ׀ מֵאֵ֣ת רֵעֵ֗הוּ וְאִשָּׁה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת רְעוּתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֖סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃
(2) Tell the people to borrow, each man from his neighbor and each woman from hers, objects of silver and gold.”
(לה) וּבְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עָשׂ֖וּ כִּדְבַ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַֽיִּשְׁאֲלוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם כְּלֵי־כֶ֛סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּשְׂמָלֹֽת׃ (לו) וַֽה' נָתַ֨ן אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָעָ֛ם בְּעֵינֵ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם וַיַּשְׁאִל֑וּם וַֽיְנַצְּל֖וּ אֶת־מִצְרָֽיִם׃ {פ}
(35) The Israelites had done Moses’ bidding and borrowed from the Egyptians objects of silver and gold, and clothing. (36) And the LORD had disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people, and they let them have their request; thus they stripped the Egyptians.
(א) ונצלתם את מצרים אף על פי שתקבלו הכל מהם דרך השאלה, ותהיו חייבים להחזיר, הנה תקנו אחר כך את הכל בדין, ברדפם אחריכם להלחם בכם ולשלול את שללכם. כי אמנם כאשר מתו באותה המלחמה, כי ה' נלחם, היה בדין מדה כנגד מדה כל שלל הרודפים לנרדפים, כמנהג בכל מלחמה:
(1) ונצלתם את מצרים. Even though all that they will give you will be on loan and you will be obligated to return these items. The status of these “borrowed” articles underwent a legal change when these same Egyptians turned into pursuers of the departing Israelites with intent to kill them. From that moment on what had previously been on loan now became legitimate booty of war. Not only that, but the previous owners had died in a war fought against them by G’d Himself when the pursuers had become the pursued, something which happens in many wars.
רבינו חננאל
אין שאלה זו כשאלה האמורה בכלים (פ' משפטים כ"ב י"ג) שהוא שאלה על מנת להחזיר. אלא צוה שישאלו מהם במתנה. והקדוש ב"ה יתן להם חן בעיני המצרים ויתנו להם. ואין זה גנבת דעת שיצוה בה הקדוש ב"ה חס ושלום. אבל היה הדבר מותר להם שהרי העבודה שעשו להם אין לה ערך ואין לשכר המלאכה ולשוויה סוף ותכלית.
Rabenu Hananel ( North Africa, 1,000 years ago)
This does not mean to borrow the way one would borrow an item on condition to return it. Rather, God told them to request these items as gifts.
שוב פעם אחת באו בני מצרים לדון עם ישראל לפני אלכסנדרוס מוקדון אמרו לו הרי הוא אומר (שמות יב, לו) וה' נתן את חן העם בעיני מצרים וישאילום תנו לנו כסף וזהב שנטלתם ממנו אמר גביהא בן פסיסא לחכמים תנו לי רשות ואלך ואדון עמהן לפני אלכסנדרוס אם ינצחוני אמרו להם הדיוט שבנו נצחתם ואם אני אנצח אותם אמרו להם תורת משה רבינו נצחתכם נתנו לו רשות והלך ודן עמהן אמר להן מהיכן אתם מביאין ראייה אמרו לו מן התורה אמר להן אף אני לא אביא לכם ראייה אלא מן התורה שנאמר (שמות יב, מ) ומושב בני ישראל אשר ישבו במצרים שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה תנו לנו שכר עבודה של ששים ריבוא ששיעבדתם במצרים שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה אמר להן אלכסנדרוס מוקדון החזירו לו תשובה אמרו לו תנו לנו זמן שלשה ימים נתן להם זמן בדקו ולא מצאו תשובה מיד הניחו שדותיהן כשהן זרועות וכרמיהן כשהן נטועות וברחו ואותה שנה שביעית היתה
The Gemara relates: On another occasion, the people of Egypt came to judgment with the Jewish people before Alexander of Macedon. The Egyptian people said to Alexander: It says in the Torah: “And the Lord gave the people favor in the eyes of Egypt, and they lent them” (Exodus 12:36). Give us the silver and gold that you took from us; you claimed that you were borrowing it and you never returned it. Geviha ben Pesisa said to the Sages: Give me permission and I will go and deliberate with them before Alexander of Macedon. If they will defeat me, say to them: You have defeated an ordinary person from among us, and until you overcome our Sages, it is no victory. And if I will defeat them, say to them: The Torah of Moses, our teacher, defeated you, and attribute no significance to me. The Sages gave him permission, and he went and deliberated with them. Geviha ben Pesisa said to them: From where are you citing proof that you are entitled to the silver and gold? They said to him: From the Torah. Geviha ben Pesisa said to them: I too will cite proof to you only from the Torah, as it is stated: “And the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years” (Exodus 12:40), during which they were enslaved to Egypt, engaged in hard manual labor. Give us the wages for the work performed by the 600,000 men above the age of twenty (see Exodus 12:37) whom you enslaved in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years. Alexander of Macedon said to the people of Egypt: Provide Geviha ben Pesisa with a response to his claims. They said to him: Give us time; give us three days to consider the matter. The emperor gave them the requested time and they examined the matter and did not find a response to the claims. Immediately, they abandoned their fields when they were sown and their vineyards when they were planted, and fled. The Gemara adds: And that year was a Sabbatical Year.