Adjusting After Interactions = Lesson Learned!

Parshat Bo 

 by Rabbi Avi Billet 

 Four of the plagues involve living creatures coming to disturb the lives of the Egyptians: Frogs, Lice, Arov (purposely not translating as this one is complicated to identify), and the locusts. During the plagues of frogs and Arov, as well as before and after the locusts come, does Pharaoh admit wrongdoing or offer to let the Israelites go. There is no communication with Moshe and Aharon before, during or immediately after the lice. [He also offers to let them leave during the plagues of hail and darkness, changing his mind after each plague ended.]

 If we pay careful attention to the language in the Torah, we see lessons being learned by Pharaoh, Moshe and Aharon, and even God. How so?



 In the plague of frogs, Pharaoh says, "Let Him get the frogs away from me and my people" as he promises to "let the people leave and sacrifice to God." (8:4)

 He is told "The frogs will depart from you… and your people. They will remain only in the Nile." (8:7) 

Moshe cries out to God to remove the frogs, "And the frogs in the houses, courtyards and fields died" (8:8-9), leading Pharaoh to “not listen to them” (8:11), essentially going back on his word.

 During the plague of Arov, Pharaoh said, "Go, sacrifice to your God here in [our] land." (8:21) After Moshe explains that they need to go on a 3-day journey into the wilderness, Pharoah says "I will let you leave as long as you do not go too far away. You can sacrifice to God your Lord in the desert…" (8:24)

 Moshe tells Pharaoh he’ll pray once he leaves the palace, as he declares, “The creatures will go away from Pharaoh… and his people. But let Pharaoh never again deceive us, refusing to let the people sacrifice to God.” (8:24) After his prayer, “God caused the creatures to leave…Not a single one remained.” (8:27) But this time again, Pharaoh made himself obstinate, and he would not let the people leave. (8:28)

 After the plague of pestilence, during which there was no new conversation about leaving, “Pharaoh remained obstinate and would not let the people leave.” (9:7)

 During the hailstorm, Pharaoh sent word, saying, “This time I am guilty! God is Just! It is I and my people who are in the wrong!... I will let you leave. You will not be delayed again.' (9:27-28) However, “When Pharaoh saw that there was no longer any rain, hail…. He did not let the Israelites leave.” (9:34-35)

 During the warnings leading up to the plague of locusts, Pharaoh tells Moshe and Aharon, “Go serve God your Lord, but exactly who will be going?” (10:8) Everyone, of course. But Pharaoh would only allow the males to go (10:11), rendering the offer off the table. As the locusts were doing their damage, Pharaoh once again admits his guilt, “'I have committed a crime 'both to God your Lord and to you.” (10:16) as he asks them to end the plague. “God turned the wind around, [transforming it into] a very strong west wind. It carried away the locusts…Not a single locust remained within all Egypt's borders.” (10:19) And Pharaoh “would not let the Israelites leave.” (10:20)

 During darkness, Pharaoh says “Go, worship God! Even your children can go with you. Just leave your sheep and cattle behind.” (10:24) Moshe explains and describes the need to bring animals. How can you sacrifice without animals? “God made Pharaoh obstinate, and he was no longer willing to let [the Israelites] leave. “ (10:27)

 After the plague of the firstborn’s first round (there wasn’t a second round), Pharaoh came to Moshe and said “Get up and go out from my nation, you as well as the Israelites, to serve your God as you have said. (12:31)

 When Moshe says to Pharaoh, “let Pharaoh never again deceive us” in 8:24, he is really saying, “Look. You lied to us about leaving during the plague of frogs. I have been truthful to you, as when I told you the plague would end, I followed through with that promise. Couldn’t we expect that you’ll be straight with us?”

 This is what sets the lesson-learning in motion. Because from this point, Pharaoh never says “I’ll send the entire nation.” He sometimes says “I’ll send you” – which might imply the nation, but could also be taken to mean “only you, Moshe and Aharon” – or he says which groups he’ll allow to leave, knowing what the demands are and that Moshe and Aharon won't accept his conditions. In this way, Pharaoh never again looks like a liar, even though he remains full of deception [This is similar to a method employed by Lavan]. Note how he says in 12:31, at the moment when he does let the nation go – "You" (meaning, Moshe and Aharon) AND the Israelites will leave!

 Moshe learns to play Pharaoh’s game and to never trust him again. All of Pharaoh’s promises are empty, and that this entire ride of plagues is meant to play itself out. After all, God told him to have patience.

 And God, as it were, learns that a plague is only fully effective if the Egyptians derive no benefit from it. After the plague of frogs, they remain in the Nile, and the Egyptians can pile them up to use however they want. Of course, there are far too many, so the dead frogs end up stinking. But one could imagine that Egyptian restaurants featured frogs legs (fried, sautéed, chocolate covered, and a la mode) for several weeks after the plague. Not so after the other plagues involving animals that disrupted life (which does not include the plague of pestilence – an economic disaster).

 Arov - “God caused the creatures to leave…Not a single one remained.” (8:24)

 Locusts – “the wind… It carried away the locusts…Not a single locust remained within all Egypt's borders.” (10:19)

 I guess no one had any use for dead lice as nothing is mentioned of their fate.

 In all dealings, if we have our antennas out and can get a read of a situation or the people with whom we are dealing, we should be blessed to adjust and either get the most out of our encounters, or, at the very least, protect ourselves from those who would seek to take advantage of us. God and Moshe had to adjust to deceitful Pharaoh. And while Pharaoh adjusted too – to not be an outright liar – it seems his adjustment just dug him deeper into a hole that destroyed his nation, as well as his family. Being deceitful only comes back to bite those most important to you.