Three deaths

Synopsis

We hear that at the time of the first Passover, there were three revengeful deaths performed against Egypt: the one that related to the deaths of the firstborn, the one that God killed at midnight, and the one when Pharaoh saw the death in his own house. Rabbi Shimon says that Pharaoh himself killed all the ministers and advisers who counseled him to refuse to send out the children of Yisrael. Then he called Moses and Aaron and told them to leave, "and bless me also." Then he accompanied them out of the country.

Death Death and the Afterlife Egypt Firstborn Midnight Nukva Pharaoh, The Revenge Torah

28. "And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go." It is written before, "And Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants" (Shemot 12:30). Come and behold, recognize the supernal revenge that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed against Egypt. There were three deaths, one that related to the first born in Egypt, as they killed whoever was in their way; one that the Holy One, blessed be He, killed at midnight; and one when Pharaoh saw the death in his house, among his children and servants. He arose and emboldened himself and killed the ministers, the rulers, and all those who advised him to refuse TO SEND OUT the people, until the Torah bore witness against him. He arose actually at night, MEANING WITH THE JUDGMENTS OF THE NUKVA, THAT IS CALLED 'NIGHT.' As the night, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, slew the first born and took revenge, so did Pharaoh arise in the land of Egypt, slay and take revenge against his rulers, ministers, his appointees and all types of officers. This is the meaning of, "And Pharaoh arose in the night." He arose to kill and destroy.

28. וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם, מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא, וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה לַיְלָה הוּא וְכָל עֲבָדָיו. תָּא חֲזֵי, נוּקְמָא עִלָּאָה דְּעָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם. תְּלַת מוֹתָנֵי הֲווֹ. חַד, דְּעָבְדוּ בּוּכְרִין בְּמִצְרַיִם, דְּקָטִילוּ כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַשְׁכָּחוּ. וְחַד, דְּקָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא. וְחַד, כַּד חָמָא פַּרְעֹה מוֹתָנָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ בִּבְנוֹי וּבְעַבְדוֹי, קָם וְזָרִיז גַּרְמֵיהּ, וְקָטִיל אֲפַרְכִין וְסַרְכִין, וְכָל דְּאַמְלִיכוּ לֵיהּ לְסָרְבָא בְּעַמָּא עַד דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אַסְהִידַת עָלֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ קָם בְּלֵילְיָא מַמָּשׁ. כְּמָה דְּלֵילְיָא קָטַל בּוּכְרִין וְעָבֵד נוּקְמִין, הָכִי קָם פַּרְעֹה בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם, וְקָטַל וְעָבֵד נוּקְמִין בְּסַרְכוֹי, וְאָפַרְכוֹי, וַאֲמַרְכְּלוֹי, וּבְכָל אִינּוּן רַבְרְבִין הה"ד וַיָּקָם פַּרְעֹה לַיְלָה, דְּקָם לְקַטָלָא וּלְשֵׁיצָאָה.

Aaron Dogs Moses Pharaoh, The Stone

29. The nature of a dog is that when you hit him with a stone, he goes and bites its neighbor. Pharaoh did likewise. Afterwards, he went out in the marketplaces and announced, "Rise up, and get you out from among my people" (Shemot 12:31) - you killed all the inhabitants of the city, you killed the rulers and ministers and all the members of my household. Hence, it is written, "And he called Moses and Aaron by night" (Ibid.). Since everything was caused by you, "And bless me also" (Ibid. 32), by not killing me. Afterwards, he himself accompanied them and took them out of the country. This is what is written, "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go..."

29. אוֹרְחוֹי דְּכַלְבָּא, כַּד מַחְיָין לֵיהּ בְּאַבְנָא, אִיהוּ אָתֵי וְנָשִׁיךְ לְחַבְרֵיהּ, כַּךְ פַּרְעֹה, לְבָתַר אִיהוּ הֲוָה אָזִיל בַּשְּׁוָקֵי, וַהֲוָה מַכְרִיז וְאָמַר, קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי, אַתּוּן קָטַלְתּוּן לְכָל בְּנֵי מָתָא, אַתּוּן קָטַלְתּוּן סַרְכֵי וְאָפַרְכֵי וְכָל בְּנֵי בֵּיתִי, הה"ד וַיִּקְרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן לַיְלָה. כֵּיוָן דְּבִידְכוֹן הֲוָה כֹּלָּא, וּבֵרַכְתֶּם גַּם אוֹתִי, דְּלָא תִּקְטְלוּן לִי. לְבָתַר אִיהוּ בְּגַרְמֵיהּ אוֹזִיף לוֹן, וְאַפִּיק לוֹן מֵאַרְעָא, הה"ד וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעָם וְגוֹ.'