Water turning into blood was the first of ten plagues that God wrought upon the Egyptians when Pharoah refused to let the enslaved Israelites go. It is described in Exodus 7:14—24
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The Comprehensive Plague of Blood
TANAKH
The book of Exodus describes how Moses and Aaron executed God's command to turn the Nile and all other waters in Egypt into blood. This first plague in Egypt was so comprehensive that it affected all bodies of water, demonstrating God's power over the Egyptian deities.
Gratitude in the Plague of Blood
COMMENTARY
Aaron, rather than Moses, was instructed to smite the river during the plague of blood. Rashi, the renowned medieval Jewish commentator, explains the significance of Aaron's involvement in initiating the first plague, highlighting the importance of gratitude and respect for benefactors in Jewish tradition.
The Economic Impact of the Plague of Blood
MIDRASH
The plague of blood not only caused suffering but also had significant economic repercussions. The Midrash Tehillim, a medieval collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Psalms, provides a detailed account of the economic impact of the first plague in Egypt.
The Limits of Pharaoh's Magicians
COMMENTARY
Pharaoh recognized that his magicians could replicate the miracle but could not alleviate it, leading him to call upon Moses. Ibn Ezra, a medieval Jewish commentator, explores the distinctions between divine miracles and human magic in his commentary on Exodus.
Mystical Challenges Unveiled
KABBALAH
The Zohar delves into the logistical and interpretative challenges of how Aaron could have physically reached all the different bodies of water in Egypt to turn them into blood. This mystical text also explores the significance of the seven-day duration of the first plague.
The First Plague and Egyptian Idolatry
MIDRASH
The first plague was a direct attack on the Egyptians' idolatry, demonstrating God's power over their deities. The Midrash Tanchuma, an early medieval collection of midrash, explains why the first plague targeted the Nile, emphasizing its significance as an Egyptian deity.
Divine Retribution and Ritual Purity
COMMENTARY
In th first plague the Nile's waters were transformed into blood. Rabbi Hayyim Joseph David Azulai (Chida), an 18th-century rabbi, connects this event to the ritual purity of Israelite women, offering a unique perspective on the biblical narrative.
The Heart of Pharaoh's Punishment
CHASIDUT
The tradition that Pharaoh's heart transformed into a liver symbolizes his moral and spiritual corruption, directly linking his sin to the first plague. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sudilkov, in his Hasidic commentary, offers a mystical interpretation of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart and its connection to the first plague.
The Dual Message of the First Plague
COMMENTARY
The first plague in Egypt serves as a powerful demonstration of God's dual capacity for loving kindness and judgment. Rabbi Yaakov Lorberbaum's commentary in Maaseh Nissim explores the deeper significance of this initial plague within the Exodus narrative.
The First Strike Against Idolatry
JEWISH THOUGHT
The Nile was targeted first because it was worshipped by the Egyptians as a god, and God punishes nations by punishing their gods first. The 16th-century scholar Maharal of Prague, in his work Gevurot Hashem, explains the theological reasoning behind the first plague in Egypt.
Blood and Pharaoh's Oppression
COMMENTARY
Pharaoh's exploitation of human lives is symbolized by Moses turning the Nile, a vital source of life, into blood. Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky in Karati Bekhol Lev (I Call with All My Heart), a collection of essays on the weekly Torah portion, connects the first plague to Pharaoh's cynical use of human lives.
Economic Gains from Blood
COMMENTARY
The economic repercussions of the plague of blood forced the Egyptians to buy water from the people of Israel, thereby enriching them. This 17th-century Midrash commentary by Rabbi Eliezer Foah, an eighth-century midrashic work, explores the economic impact of the plague of blood, highlighting how the Egyptians were forced to buy water from the people of Israel.
Blood's Deep Consequences
MIDRASH
The first plague in Egypt was not just a natural disaster but a profound symbolic act that affected every aspect of Egyptian life, including their idols and personal items. Shemot Rabbah, a medieval midrashic work on the book of Exodus, delves into the nature of Egyptian sorcery and the extensive impact of the first plague.
Fire Smoke and Blood
COMMENTARY
The transformation of water into blood also involved elements of fire and smoke, making it a more complex phenomenon. This 19th-century interpretation from the Pesach Haggadah, the guiding text of the Passover seder, offers a deeper understanding of the first plague, emphasizing its multifaceted nature.
Water is Changed Into Blood, James Tissot, 1896-1902
Water is Changed Into Blood, James Tissot, 1896-1902
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