Daily Chumash Wednesday, Vaeira: The staff turns into a snake

Revi’i

1. The staff turns into a snake:

• Hashem instructs Moshe and Aaron to throw the staff: Hashem told Moshe and Aaron that when Pharaoh asks them to show him a wonder, then you Moshe should tell Aaron to throw the staff in front of Pharaoh and it will miraculously turn into a snake.
• Moshe and Aaron did as they were instructed, and they appeared before Pharaoh. Aaron threw the staff in front of Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a snake. Pharaoh summoned his sages and sorcerers, and they too did the above using witchcraft. They threw their staff and it turned into a serpent. Aaron’s staff then went ahead and swallowed their staff. Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not agree to let the people go, as Hashem predicted.
• Moshe returned to Hashem and Hashem said to him that Pharaoh has refused to grant permission for the people to go. Hashem then instructed Moshe to perform the first plague, the plague of blood.

2. The plague of blood:

• Hashem’s instructions to Moshe to warn Pharaoh and perform the plague: Hashem told Moshe: Go to Pharaoh in the morning while he is going down to the river and meet him at the river banks. Bring your staff that was turned into a snake, with you. Tell him that Hashem, the G-d of the Hebrews has sent me to you to demand that you let his people go serve him in the desert, and since you have thus far refused, He will now prove to you that He is G-d. “I will smite the river using my staff and it will turn into blood. The fish contained in the river will die and pollute the river. Egypt will not be able to drink water from the river.” Hashem then told Moshe to tell Aaron to take the staff and stretch it over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, wells, lakes and ponds, and it will turn into blood. All of Egypt will be filled with blood including wood and rocks.
• Moshe and Aaron turn the water into blood: Moshe and Aaron did as G-d instructed them and he lifted the staff and struck the water in front of Pharaoh and his servants, and all the water in the river turned into blood. The fish in the river died and the river became polluted. The Egyptians could not drink from the river. There was blood in the entire land of Egypt.
• Egyptian sorcerers do the same and Pharaoh remains stubborn: Egyptian sorcerers used witchcraft to do the same, and likewise turn water into blood. [As a result] Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not adhere their request, as predicted by Moshe. Pharaoh went home and ignored the plague.
• The effect on Egypt: All the Egyptians dug around the river in search for water, as they could not drink from the river. The river remained in its state of blood for seven days.

3. The plague of frogs:

• Hashem’s instructions to Moshe to warn Pharaoh and perform the plague: Hashem told Moshe to go to Pharaoh and tell him that G-d has commanded him to free His nation, so they can serve Him, and if you refuse to send them, your entire country will be struck by a plague of frogs. The river will become infested with frogs and they will enter your home, your bedrooms, your bed, the homes of your servants and people, your ovens and your dough. Hashem told Moshe to tell Aaron to stretch the staff over the rivers, ponds and lakes and bring the frogs over the land of Egypt.
• Moshe and Aaron infest Egypt with frogs: Aaron stretched his hand over the waters of Egypt and the frog emerged from the river, and they covered the land
• Egyptian sorcerers do the same: The Egyptian sorcerers used witchcraft to do the same, and likewise brought frogs onto the land of Egypt.
• Pharaoh capitulates to the demands: Pharaoh summoned Moshe and Aaron and asked them to Daven to Hashem to remove the frogs from him and his nation, and I will agree to let the people go to serve Hashem. Moshe asked Pharaoh as to when he wants him to pray to G-d to remove the frogs from amongst his nation, and Pharaoh replied [that he should pray for them to be removed] the [very] next day. Moshe agreed.