Daily Chumash Monday, Bo: Plague of Locust

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.