The Plague of the Firstborn
When the firstborn heard of the impending plague upon Egypt, they demanded their fathers allow the Israelites to leave. The fathers refused, leading the firstborn to battle and kill 600,000 of them.
- צוריאל גביזון
- פורסם כ"ג חשון התשע"ד
#VALUE!
- The Plague of the Firstborn was measure for measure: the Egyptians threw Jewish infants into the Nile, hence Egyptian children died in the plague of the firstborn.
- The firstborn of Egypt were killed by Hashem, not by an angel, seraph, or messenger. Hashem Himself executed the plague.
- All firstborn in Egypt died, both male and female, regardless of being the firstborn of the father or mother. Additionally, the firstborn of the cattle also died.
- The death of the firstborn was not instantaneous. In fact, the firstborn suffered excruciating pain, their tortured bodies writhing in severe agony until their death (Haamek Davar on Exodus 11:6).
- When the firstborn heard about the impending plague on Egypt, they demanded their fathers allow the Israelites to leave. The fathers refused, prompting the firstborn to battle them, killing 600,000. This is hinted in Psalms: "He struck Egypt through their firstborn" meaning by their own firstborn.
- Despite Pharaoh's promise to Moses after the plague of darkness that "you will die on the day you see my face," on the night of the Plague of the Firstborn, Pharaoh awoke to the sounds of wailing throughout Egypt and started searching the city, shouting, "Moses and Aaron, where are you?" (Rashi on Exodus 12:31).
- Together with the firstborn, all stone and metal idols of Egypt were melted (Mekhilta Bo, 12).
- However, not all firstborn of Egypt died. Two unique firstborn survived: Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and his daughter Batya, who saved Moses from the Nile.
