The Plague Of Blood:

The Plague of Blood ushered in the decline of Pharaoh’s honor and glory in the eyes of the Jews.  When Aharon was able to change the waters of Egypt into blood, it disproved Pharaoh’s claim of “I made the Nile and it is mine!”  In addition, with this plague the Jews were unable to continue their work because they didn’t have water to make the bricks.  Even prior to the actual plague, Moshe and Aharon told the Jews about it and assured them that as soon as they see the blood, they should cease working and have no fear, but rather be joyous because of this wondrous sign.  Indeed, the Jews did trust what they said and left their work, in great joy, to return home after a long absence.  Now we can understand the great love that Hashem revealed to the Jews with this first plague brought about through water.  Originally, when Moshe and Aharon first went to Pharaoh to ask for the Jewish People’s release, he became extremely angry. In response, Pharaoh punished the Jews even more by demanding the same daily quota of bricks but no longer providing them with straw.  The Egyptians took advantage of the situation by greatly inflating the price of straw that they sold to the Jews — many Jews became impoverished by this action.  However, the situation changed with the advent of the first Plague of Blood.  Now it was the Egyptians who needed water and the Jewish People were able to get back their money in exchange for water. 

Rashi explains that each plague occurred over a period of one month — three weeks of warning and instilling fear and one week of the actual plague.  The first Plague of Blood was in the month of Tamuz.

One purpose of this Plague was to rid the Egyptians of their false belief that the Nile River was a “god.”  Furthermore, it was retribution for a terrible act against the Jewish women — the Egyptians prevented the Jewish women from purifying themselves in the rivers and streams after their monthly cycle.  This act certainly caused great distress and particularly to Aharon who was a great proponent of Shalom Bayit. Therefore, the Egyptians were punished “measure for measure” with this plague and Aharon was the one to initiate it. (Ahavat Haim)

 

Plague Of Frogs:

The Plague of Frogs occurred in the month of Av.  The Egyptians did not learn fear of Hashem from the first plague.  Instead, they said that Hashem’s strength is only demonstrated through water.  To negate this and prove that Hashem rules over everything, the Plague of Frogs was brought against them.  Hashem removed the frogs from their natural habitat of water and brought them to dry land — a supernatural demonstration, thereby proving the sovereignty of Hashem over all His creations. 

Only one month before, the Nile had been changed into blood and now countless frogs emerged from that very place.  Furthermore, the Egyptians wanted the Jews to return to their servitude, after the first plague, because now they had water.  However, Hashem brought the Plague of Frogs from that very source of water to remind them how they were stricken.  In addition, the frogs entered their homes, yards, ovens, etc., all the places where the Egyptians subjugated the Jews.  This was to demonstrate as strongly as possible that such behavior was unacceptable.  (Ahavat Haim) 

The frogs also were found in the Egyptians’ food to punish them for starving the Jewish People.  Now it was their turn to experience hunger.

The Plague of Frogs affected whatever the Egyptians drank — every drop of water that they drank would turn into a frog. In the Egyptian ministers’ homes, which were made from impenetrable marble, Hashem made another miracle — the frogs could penetrate any material and enter their homes. 

The frogs also prevented the men from having the ability to reproduce by lodging in their internal organs.  This punishment was in retribution for what the Egyptians did to the Jewish People in preventing them from reproducing. 

The frogs croaked constantly, even when they were inside the Egyptians.  Normal conversations could not take place because of all the noise. 

Many Egyptian women who were pregnant died as a result of this plague. 

The frogs infested the dough of the Egyptians and were baked inside their bread. 

The frogs revived after being baked in the bread and croaked continuously inside the Egyptians’ stomachs.  The great distress caused by this event resulted in the death of many Egyptians. 

Measure for measure the Egyptians were punished — because they caused the Jews to eat their bread with filthy hands from their work with bricks, they, too, had to eat with hands contaminated by the frogs’ blood.  (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of Lice:

The Plague of Lice was the third plague and occurred in the month of Elul. One reason why the Egyptians were punished with this particular plague was because they forced the Jews to sweep their streets and paths.  Therefore, all the dust of the ground turned into lice.  Even when they dug the ground, lice would emerge. This plague gave the Jews respite from this type of toil. There were fourteen types of lice, some commentators say there were twenty-four.  The smallest were the size of a chicken egg. Another reason given for this plague was to punish the Egyptians for not permitting the Jews to bathe when they became dirty from all their labor. The lice were everywhere — even in their eyes. Bathing did not help relieve the effects of the plague in any way.  (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of Wild Animals:

The fourth plague, the Plague of Wild Animals, occurred in the month of Tishrei. 
The reason for this particular punishment was that the Egyptians used to send the Jews into forests and wilderness to hunt for wild animals.  This act placed the Jews in very great danger and distress, which was the Egyptians’ intention.  Measure for measure, they now were punished with the Plague of  ערוב.

One miraculous aspect of this plague was that Hashem changed the very earth of the Land of Egypt so it would match that of the wild animals’ natural habitat.  Consequently, the wild animals felt strengthened and were extremely powerful.

Another miracle with the ערוב was that generally wild animals stay with their own kind because they fear those who are stronger or more dangerous.  Birds also do not associate with them.  However, in this plague, all the animals and birds came together and were not segregated. 

The Egyptians saw that the wild animals did not attack the Jews.  Many of them asked the Jews to accompany them, or their children, from the fields to go home.  This was to no avail because, as agents of Hashem, the wild animals could distinguish between Jew and Egyptian and therefore, killed the Egyptians. 

At first, the Egyptians thought they would be safe if they securely locked their windows and doors.  However, Hashem sent certain creatures from the sea, who slightly resembled human beings and had ten foot-long arms.  These sea creatures would go up to the roofs, destroy the roof and reach inside with their long arms to open the doors and snatch the children. This plague caused great destruction. (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of Pestilence:

The fifth plague, the Plague of Pestilence, occurred in the month of Heshvan. 
This plague only affected the animals of Egypt — first afflicting the horses and donkeys and then the sheep, the god of Egypt. 
We see Hashem’s mercy — He did not want to kill the Egyptians, rather He wanted to subdue the Egyptians’ hard-heartedness and change generations of injustice directed against the Jews. 

All the animals belonging to the Jews, including the very sick ones, were saved. This miracle occurred so the Egyptians could not say that this pestilence also harmed the Jews. 

One reason for this plague was that the Egyptians forced the Jews to graze their flocks in the deserts and mountains.  The Egyptians would also use the Jews to plow their fields instead of using their animals.  These measures were taken to afflict the Jews and cause them great fatigue.  Their intention was to prevent the Jews from procreating. The Egyptians also stole the Jewish People’s flocks.  Therefore, Hashem punished them with pestilence.  (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of Boils:

The sixth plague, the Plague of  Boils, occurred in the month of Kislev.

One reason for this plague was that the Egyptians did not permit the Jews to bathe.  In retribution, Hashem afflicted the Egyptians with terrible boils that prevented them from bathing in warm or cold water.  Afterwards, the Jews were permitted to bathe. 

This plague was also a punishment against the Egyptians for preventing the Jews from procreating.  After the Egyptians were stricken with boils, they, too, could not have marital relations. 

The sorcerers were ashamed to appear before Moshe because they were afflicted with boils that they could not cure.  Even after the plague, when the other Egyptians were cured, the sorcerers did not recover.  The reason they were punished most severely was because they were the ones who advised Pharaoh to kill all the Jewish baby boys because they knew, through their astrological calculations, that a Jewish boy would save the Jews.  They also advised putting Moshe to death, when as a young child, he put Pharaoh’s crown on his head.  In other instances as well they schemed to kill Moshe.  (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of Hail:

The seventh plague, the Plague of  Hail,  occurred in the month of Tevet. One reason for this plague was that the Egyptians whipped and stoned the Jews, causing them to cry out.  In retribution, the Egyptians were punished with hail stones that resembled the stoning they had inflicted.

Another reason is that the Egyptians forced the Jews to plant vineyards, trees and gardens for them.  As a result, the plague of hail was sent to destroy all these plantings so the Egyptians would not benefit from what was achieved through the Jewish People’s suffering.

There were three miracles associated with this plague: 

1. Fire and water combined to form the hailstones — they “made peace” to fulfill the will of the Creator. 

2. The hail was very thick — six handfuls. 

3. The fire was inside the hailstone and was not extinguished by the water. 

The hail was similar to a lamp filled with water and oil with the flame in the middle, which can be viewed from the outside.  The fire inside the hailstone could be viewed the same way. 

The Egyptians, who did not heed the warning to remain inside and were struck by the hail, would first freeze to death and then the fire inside the hailstones burned them. (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of Locusts:

The eighth plague, the Plague of Locusts, occurred in the month of Shevat.

Generally, locusts appear a few at a time and multiply after a while.  Once they finish eating the vegetation in one area, they move on to another place.  In this instance, they arrived in one huge swarm and devoured everything, even though Egypt was a very large country. 

Additionally, these locusts were so plentiful and packed together that they actually seemed connected to one and other.  They were so great in number that they blocked the light of the sun, and it was difficult to distinguish between day and night. 

Even though the fields of the Jews were close to the Egyptian fields, the locusts only devoured the Egyptians’ crops. 

When the locusts finished eating everything, instead of flying somewhere else, as they usually did, they penetrated the Egyptians’ homes instead. 

All of these extraordinary things happened to prove to the Egyptians that the plague was from Hashem and not a natural occurrence.  (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of Darkness:

The ninth plague, the Plague of Darkness, occurred in the month of Adar. 
There were several miraculous features associated with this plague.

1. The sun, moon, and stars did not shine, causing complete darkness. 

2. A dark heavy cloud descended from heaven that caused the darkness to be felt with one’s hands. 

3. Candles and torches could not penetrate the darkness and were immediately extinguished.

The first three days of the plague, they could not see one another because the darkness was so thick.  During the last three days of the plague, it quadrupled in intensity — whoever was sitting could not stand and vice versa, forcing them to remain in the position that they were in. 

Four fifths of the Jewish People died during the Plague of Darkness. Those who were punished did not deserve freedom because there was no hope of their returning to Judaism since they were so assimilated.  Hashem provided the darkness so the Egyptians could not claim that their deaths were caused by the plagues. 

The Egyptians thought that the sun was a god and worshipped it. Therefore, Hashem sent this plague to prove that the sun did not have power, but was controlled by Hashem. 

A reason for this plague was to punish the Egyptians with darkness in retribution for their treatment of the Jews.  They forced the Jews to do slave labor from early in the morning, which necessitated their  arrival before daylight. Their departure was well after nightfall, so the Jews had to carry torches to illuminate their paths. 

The seventh day of darkness was reserved for (קריעת ים סוף— the splitting of the sea, so that the Egyptian army could not see to attack the Jews.  (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

Plague Of The Death Of The Firstborn:

The tenth plague, the Plague of the Death of the Firstborn, occurred in the month of Nissan. 

Unlike the previous plagues, Hashem “personally” carried out this plague and did not send an angel or messenger.  Only Hashem could definitely know who was and who was not the firstborn in each family. 

This plague struck not only the Egyptian firstborn but also the firstborn of   foreigners who were in Egypt at that time. Firstborn animals were also killed. 

In addition, Egyptian idols were destroyed in this plague.  The metal ones made from gold and silver melted, while those made from stone broke.  Idols made from clay cracked and fragmented.  The wooden idols rotted.  Through all this, the Egyptians saw the power of Hashem. 

The Egyptians who tried to hide their firstborn and protect them from the plague by placing their trust in idols of wood and metal were left completely defenseless. (Me’am Lo’ez)

 

The Great Mockery of Egypt 

When informing Moshe of the imminent plague of locusts, Hashem said that He has hardened Pharaoh’s heart “in order to place these wonders of Mine in his midst, and in order that you tell your son and grandson about how I made a mockery out of Egypt...” In what way did Hashem make a mockery of Egypt? 

The Alshich explains that the plague of “arov” (wild animals) did not eradicate all the cattle in Egypt.  Hashem ensured that some animals would be spared so that the following plague, the pestilence, would kill the remnants of the “arov.”  However, the pestilence did not eliminate all the animals, either – some were spared in anticipation of the seventh plague, hail.  Prior to this plague, Moshe warned the Egyptians to move their animals into their homes so they would not perish during the storm.  These animals were spared so that the Egyptians would have horses to ride and chase after Bnei Yisrael, and then they were drowned in the sea.

In other words, throughout the entire process of the plagues, Hashem always spared something.  However, this “mercy” did not work to the benefit of the Egyptians, but to the contrary – in order to facilitate more destruction.  This is the “mockery” to which Hashem refers. 

Indeed, the pasuk states (Tehillim 92), “When the wicked blossom like grass...to destroy them forever.”  It often seems that the wicked prosper and are blessed with great success. Ultimately, however, this prosperity will lead to their destruction. Thus, their blessings prove to be to their detriment, rather than to their benefit. 

Unfortunately, in today’s day and age this phenomenon occurs all too often.  Perhaps a most glaring example involves substance and alcohol abuse.  People amass great wealth, and appear to live safely and securely.  However, sometimes this wealth is spent on drugs and alcohol, resulting in addiction or, in some cases, illness and death.  For the wicked, blessing is not always a blessing; specifically their success and prosperity are the very source of their eventual downfall.