Daily Chumash & Rashi – Pasrhas Bo Rishon: Plague of Locust (Sunday, 29th Teves)

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Parshas Bo

Pesukim: 105 [Siman: ימנה]

Haftorah: Yermiyahu 46:13-28

 

 

Number of Mitzvos:

There are a total of Twenty Mitzvos in Parshas Bo. Nine positive commands and eleven negative commands.

 

A. Positive commands:

1.      Mitzvah 4/Positive 3: To sanctify the new moon.

2.      Mitzvah 5/Positive 4: To slaughter the Pesach offering on the 14th of Nissan.

3.      Mitzvah 6/Positive 5: To eat the meat of the Korban Pesach on the night of the 15th.

4.      Mitzvah 9/Positive 6: To destroy Chametz on the 14th day of Nissan.

5.      Mitzvah 10/Positive 7: To eat Matzah the night of the 15th.

6.      Mitzvah 18/Positive 8: To sanctify the firstborn son and animal towards G-d.

7.      Mitzvah 21/Positive 9: To tell over the story of the exodus on the night of the 15th.

8.      Mitzvah 22/Positive 10: To redeem the firstborn male donkey.

9.      Mitzvah 23/Positive 11: To break the neck of the first-born donkey if it is not redeemed.

 

B. Negative commands:

1.      Mitzvah 7/Negative 2: Not to eat the Pesach lamb raw or cooked, but only roasted.

2.      Mitzvah 8/Negative 3: Not to leave leftovers of the Pesach lamb.

3.      Mitzvah 11/Negative 4: To not have Chametz found [i.e. own] throughout all seven days of Pesach.

4.      Mitzvah 12/Negative 5: Not to eat a food that contains Chametz [i.e. Taaruvos Chametz].[1]

5.      Mitzvah 13/Negative 6: Not to feed the meat of the Pesach sacrifice to a heretic Jew.

6.      Mitzvah 14/Negative 7: Not to feed the Pesach lamb to a gentile [even] if he is a Toshev Vesachir.

7.      Mitzvah 15/Negative 8: Not to remove the meat of the Pesach offering from the Chaburah [i.e. group of people that it is being eaten with].

8.      Mitzvah 16/Negative 9: Not to break a bone from the Pesach sacrifice.

9.      Mitzvah 17/Negative 10: That an Aral [i.e. uncircumcised Jew] not eat from the meat of the Pesach offering.

10.  Mitzvah 19/Negative 11: Not to eat Chametz on Pesach.

11.  Mitzvah 20/Negative 12: Not to see [i.e. own] Chametz all the seven days of Pesach.

 

Rishon

  1. Plague of locust:
    • Hashem commands Moshe to approach Pharaoh: Hashem commanded Moshe to approach Pharaoh, as He has made his heart, and the heart of his servants, stubborn, in order to publicize His miracles amongst them. “In order for the Jewish people to tell over to their children about the plagues that occurred in Egypt, and the miracles that I performed, and so you will know that I am G-d.”
    • Moshe warns Pharaoh of the upcoming plague: Moshe and Aaron approached Pharaoh and related to him “So said G-d, the G-d of the Jewish people: Until when will you refuse to answer my requests? Let my people go free so they can serve me. If you continue refusing to send my people, tomorrow I will bring locust into your country.” The locust will cover the earth until the point that the earth will not be seen. They will eat all the leftover produce that remained after the plague of hail. They will fill your homes and the homes of all Egyptians, as you have never seen before. Moshe and Aaron then left Pharaoh’s presence.
    • Pharaoh initially agrees to send out the Jewish people and then retracts: The servants of Pharaoh said to him “Until when will this matter be a source of suffering for us. Send the people so they can serve Hashem, as do you not know that Egypt is in ruins?” Pharaoh summoned Moshe and Aaron to return and said to them “Go serve your G-d. Who will be going?” Moshe replied, “We will leave with our lads, and elders, our sons and daughters, our sheep and cattle, as it is a festival for G-d.” Pharaoh replied to them “Let G-d be with you if I were to send you and your children, as I see evil coming towards you. This is not how it should be. The men shall go and serve Hashem, as that is your request.” Pharaoh then had Moshe and Aaron banished from his presence.

 

[1] Listed by Rambam, Chinuch, Admur, however not by Ramban. See Chinuch ibid

Q&A on Rashi

Q1: Why does God say “Come to Pharaoh” (10:1)?

A: To warn him about the forthcoming plague of locusts.

 

Q2: What does “שִׁתִי” mean in this verse?

A: It means “that I may place,” similar to “שִׂימִי.”

 

Q3: What does “הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי” mean in 10:2?

A: It means “I mocked,” as in ridiculing the Egyptians—not “acted against them,” which would be expressed as “עוֹלַלְתִּי.”

 

Q4: What does “לֵעָנֹת” mean in 10:3?

A: It means “to humble oneself,” from the same root as “עָנִי” (poor), implying Pharaoh refuses to be lowly before God.

 

Q5: What does “אֶת־עֵין הָאָרֶץ” mean in 10:5?

A: It refers to the appearance of the land, which will be completely covered by locusts.

 

Q6: Why did Pharaoh’s courtiers plead with him (10:7)?

A: They said: “Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?”—urging him to release Israel before total destruction.

 

Q7: What does Pharaoh mean by “Who will be going?” (10:8)?

A: He wanted to restrict the exodus to adult men only, excluding children and livestock.

 

Q8: What is the meaning of “רְאוּ כִּי רָעָה נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶם” (10:10)?

A:

  • Simple meaning: “Beware—the evil you intend will turn against you.”
  • Aggadic explanation: Pharaoh saw through astrology a star named Ra’ah (evil) rising toward Israel, signifying bloodshed. Later, God transformed this omen into the blood of circumcision, as explained in Joshua 5:9: “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.”

 

Q9: Why did Pharaoh expel Moses and Aaron (10:11)?

A: Because they insisted on taking everyone—including children and livestock—contrary to Pharaoh’s demand that only men go.

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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