Daily Chumash & Rashi – Parshas Bo Sheiyni: Plague of Locust and Darkness (Monday, 1st Shevat)

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Sheiyni

  • The locust come attack Egypt: Hashem told Moshe to stretch his hand over the land of Egypt and He will bring a storm of locust over the land. They will consume all the vegetation of the land that was left over from the plague of hail. Moshe did as he was instructed, and Hashem brought an eastern wind over Egypt which blew throughout that day and night. In the morning, the eastern wind carried the locust into Egypt and they swarmed the entire country like Egypt has never seen before and will never see again. They covered the land and the sky to the point that they darkened the land [preventing sunlight from passing]. They ate all the vegetation of the earth and all the fruits of the trees, to the point that no fruit or vegetation was left in the entire land of Egypt.
  • Pharaoh shows remorse: Pharaoh hurried to call Moshe and Aaron and told them that he has sinned against Hashem their G-d and against them. “Please forgive me for my sins one more time, and pray for me to your G-d, so that He should remove this death.”
  • Moshe prays, and Hashem ends the plague: Moshe left Pharaoh’s presence and prayed to Hashem. Hashem sent a very strong western wind that carried the locust swarm and dumped them into the river. Not one locust remained in Egypt.
  • Pharaoh refuses to let them go: Hashem hardened the heart of Pharaoh and he refused to let the people go.

Plague of darkness:

  • Hashem tells Moshe to perform the plague: Hashem told Moshe to stretch his hand towards the heavens, and there will be darkness in the land of Egypt.
  • The plague: Moshe did so, and the entire land of Egypt fell under complete darkness for three days. No man saw his friend, and no one could move from his place during the duration of those three days. However, the Jewish people had light in all their settlements.

Q&A on Rashi

Q1: Why was an east wind used to bring the locusts (10:13)?

A: Because Egypt lies southwest of the Land of Israel, so the east wind blew from Israel toward Egypt.

 

Q2: How was the plague of locusts unique (10:14)?

A: It was the most severe plague ever caused by a single species of locust. The plague in Joel’s time was worse only because it involved multiple species (arbeh, yelek, chasil, gazam).

 

Q3: What does “כָּל־יֶרֶק” mean (10:15)?

A: It means “green leaf” or “verdure” (Old French: verdure), referring to all greenery consumed by the locusts.

 

Q4: What did Pharaoh admit when he summoned Moses (10:16)?

A: He confessed: “I have sinned against God and against you,” acknowledging guilt and begging for forgiveness.

 

Q5: What happened to the locusts after Moses prayed (10:19)?

A: A strong west wind carried them into the Sea of Reeds, and not a single locust remained—not even those the Egyptians had salted for food.

 

Q6: What does “וְיָמֵשׁ חֹשֶׁךְ” mean (10:21)?

A:

  • Simple meaning: The darkness became thicker than night.
  • Aggadic meaning: It was so dense that it was palpable—people could feel it.
    Rashi also notes the missing א in “וְיָמֵשׁ,” showing examples where letters are dropped in similar words.

 

Q7: How long did the darkness last (10:22)?

A: Six days:

  • First three days—so dark that no one could see his brother.
  • Next three days—even more intense: no one could move from their place.

 

Q8: Why did God bring darkness upon Egypt?

A:

  1. To allow the death of wicked Israelites who refused to leave Egypt without Egyptians seeing and mocking.
  2. So Israelites could search Egyptian homes for valuables, ensuring they could later claim them when borrowing utensils.

 

Q9: What does “שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים” mean?

A: A “group of three days” (Old French: terzeyne), similar to “שִׁבְעַת יָמִים” meaning a “seteyne” (group of seven days).

 

Q10: What was the contrast between Egyptians and Israelites during the darkness (10:23)?

A: Egyptians were immobilized, but there was light for the Israelites in their dwellings.

 

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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