“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand toward the heavens, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, and the darkness will be tangible” (Exodus 10:21). “The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand toward the heavens.” That is what is written: “He sent darkness, and it was dark; and they did not defy [maru] His word” (Psalms 105:28). Our Rabbis said: It is because they did not accept the authority [marut] of the word of the Holy One blessed be He over them. Alternatively, the Holy One blessed be He said to the angels: ‘The Egyptians deserve to be afflicted with darkness,’ and they all immediately agreed as one, and did not defy. What is: “He sent darkness, and it was dark”? To what is this matter similar? It is similar to a master whose servant sinned against him. He said to someone: ‘Go and strike him fifty beatings.’ He went and struck him one hundred beatings, adding some of his own. So, the exalted Holy One blessed be He sent darkness upon the Egyptians, and the darkness added on its own; that is: “He sent darkness, and it was dark [vayaḥshikh].”1This could be translated as “and it made it dark.” “And the darkness will be tangible.” What were the dimensions of the darkness? Our Rabbis said: It was as thick as a dinar,2A coin. as it is stated: “And the darkness will be tangible [veyamesh],” that it had substance [mamash].
“Moses extended his hand toward the heavens, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another, and no one rose from his place for three days; but for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwellings” (Exodus 10:22-23). “Moses extended his hand toward the heavens, and there was a thick darkness.” From where did this darkness come? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: From the heavenly darkness, as it is stated: “He made darkness His secret place, His pavilion around Him” (Psalms 18:12). Rabbi Neḥemya said: From the darkness of Gehenna, as it is stated: “A land of darkness, like blackness, the shadow of death3This is a reference to Gehenna. and disorder, [where the light is like darkness]” (Job 10:22). Woe to a house whose windows open into darkness, as it is stated: “Where the light is like darkness.” And so it says: “On the day he descended to the grave I caused the deep to mourn [he’evalti], and cover itself for him” (Ezekiel 31:15), hovalti4Because mourning has little to do with depths, the midrash interprets the word he’evalti as hovalti, meaning: I led him into the depths. is written. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi said: With what are the wicked covered in Gehenna? With darkness. Ḥizkiyya said: This tub, with what does one cover it? With an earthenware vessel, with the same substance; just as it is of earthenware, so too, one covers it with an earthenware vessel. The same is true of the wicked, as it is stated: “Their deeds are in the dark” (Isaiah 29:15); therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, covers them with the depths, which is dark, as it is stated: “And darkness on the surface of the depths” (Genesis 1:2). One may [therefore] say: The darkness that came upon Egypt was from within Gehenna.
Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed is His name, before whom there is no favoritism and who examines the innermost thoughts and feelings, bring darkness upon them? It is because there were sinners among the Israelites who had Egyptian patrons, had wealth and honor, and did not want to leave. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I bring a plague upon them publicly and they die, the Egyptians will say: Just as it5The plague of the firstborn befell us, so it befell them. Therefore, He brought darkness upon the Egyptians for three days so they6The Israelites could bury their dead and their enemies would not see them, and they would praise the Holy One, blessed be He, for it. What is thick darkness? Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa said: It was darkness many times over.7It was exceptionally dark. Our Rabbis said: There were seven days of darkness. How so? The first three days, one who was sitting and sought to stand, stood, and one who was standing and sought to sit, sat. Regarding those days, it is stated: “There was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another” (Exodus 10:23). Three other days, one who was sitting was unable to stand, one who was standing was unable to sit, and one who was crouching was unable to straighten up. In their regard it is stated: “and no one rose from his place three days.” [Through the events that transpired] during the three days of thick darkness,8At the conclusion of the three days of thick darkness, the Israelites would ask the Egyptians to borrow the items. the Holy One, blessed be He, granted the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians and they lent them. For [during these days] Israelites would enter the houses of Egyptians, and would see in them silver vessels, gold vessels, and garments. [When the Egyptians were asked to lend these items,] if they would say: ‘We do not have anything to give you,” the Israelites would say to them: ‘Behold, it is in such and such place.’ At that moment, the Egyptians would say: Had they sought to deceive us, they would have taken them during the days of darkness and we would not have sensed it, as they had already seen them. Since they did not touch them without our knowledge, likewise, they will not keep them. They lent to them, in fulfillment of what is stated: “Then they will emerge with great property” (Genesis 15:14). That is what is written: “But for all the children of Israel there was light…” It is not stated [that there was light] in the land of Goshen, but rather “in their dwellings,” as everywhere that a Jew would enter, light would enter and illuminate for him what was in the barrels, the boxes, and the treasure chests. And in their regard it is stated: “Your word is a lamp to my feet [and a light to my path]” (Psalms 119:105). These are six days of darkness that were in Egypt. The seventh [day] of darkness was the day of darkness at the sea, as it is stated: “There was the cloud and the darkness and it illuminated the night” (Exodus 14:20). So, the Holy One, blessed be He, dispatched a cloud and darkness and darkened for Egypt and illuminated for Israel, as He had done in Egypt, and in this regard it is stated: “The Lord in my light and my salvation” (Psalms 27:1). Likewise, in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring darkness, as it is stated: “For, behold, darkness will cover the earth…” (Isaiah 60:2).
“Pharaoh summoned Moses and said: Go serve the Lord, only let your flocks and your herds remain; even your children will go with you. Moses said: You, too, will give into our hand feast offerings and burnt offerings, and we will sacrifice to the Lord our God” (Exodus 10:24-25). “Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said: Go serve the Lord…Moses said: You, too, will give into our hand feast offerings and burnt offerings.” Moses said to him: ‘Do not think that we will sacrifice anything of ours; rather, you, too, will give into our hand feast offerings and burnt offerings that we will sacrifice to the Holy One blessed be He in your name.’ “Our livestock, too, will go with us” (Exodus 10:26).9You will give us animals for immediate sacrifice on your behalf, and we will take our livestock for the purpose of any additional offerings. “Pharaoh said to him: Go from me, beware, do not see my face anymore, the moment you look upon my face you shall die. Moses said: You have spoken well; I will not see your face anymore” (Exodus 10:28-29). “Pharaoh said to him: Go…. Moses said: You have spoken well.” You have projected the truth, as “I will not see your face anymore,” as the Holy One blessed be He said to me as you have said.
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה נְטֵה יָדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קה, כח): שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁךְ וְלֹא מָרוּ אֶת דְּבָרוֹ, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ עַל שֶׁלֹא קִבְּלוּ בְּמָרוּת דְּבָרוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַמַּלְאָכִים, הַמִּצְרִיִּים רְאוּיִין לִלְקוֹת בְּחשֶׁךְ, מִיָּד הִסְכִּימוּ כֻּלָּן כְּאַחַת וְלֹא הִמְרוּ. מַהוּ שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁךְ, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאָדוֹן שֶׁסָּרַח עָלָיו עַבְדּוֹ, אָמַר לְאֶחָד לֵךְ וְהַכֵּהוּ חֲמִשִּׁים מַגְלְבִין, הָלַךְ וְהִכָּהוּ מֵאָה וְהוֹסִיף לוֹ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִתְעַלֶּה שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְהוֹסִיף הַחשֶׁךְ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, הֱוֵי: שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁךְ. וְיָמֵשׁ חשֶׁךְ, כַּמָּה הָיָה אוֹתוֹ חשֶׁךְ, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ עָבֶה כְּדִינָר הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְיָמֵשׁ חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ.
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand toward the heavens, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, and the darkness will be tangible” (Exodus 10:21).
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand toward the heavens.” That is what is written: “He sent darkness, and it was dark; and they did not defy [maru] His word” (Psalms 105:28). Our Rabbis said: It is because they did not accept the authority [marut] of the word of the Holy One blessed be He over them. Alternatively, the Holy One blessed be He said to the angels: ‘The Egyptians deserve to be afflicted with darkness,’ and they all immediately agreed as one, and did not defy. What is: “He sent darkness, and it was dark”? To what is this matter similar? It is similar to a master whose servant sinned against him. He said to someone: ‘Go and strike him fifty beatings.’ He went and struck him one hundred beatings, adding some of his own. So, the exalted Holy One blessed be He sent darkness upon the Egyptians, and the darkness added on its own; that is: “He sent darkness, and it was dark [vayaḥshikh].”1This could be translated as “and it made it dark.”
“And the darkness will be tangible.” What were the dimensions of the darkness? Our Rabbis said: It was as thick as a dinar,2A coin. as it is stated: “And the darkness will be tangible [veyamesh],” that it had substance [mamash].
וַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת יָדוֹ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם וַיְהִי חשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה, מֵהֵיכָן הָיָה הַחשֶׁךְ הַהוּא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מֵחשֶׁךְ שֶׁל מַעְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יח, יב): יָשֶׁת חשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר מֵחשֶׁךְ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב י, כב): אֶרֶץ עֵפָתָה כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל צַלְמָוֶת וְלֹא סְדָרִים וגו', אוֹי לוֹ לַבַּיִת שֶׁחַלּוֹנוֹתָיו פְּתוּחִין לְתוֹךְ חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב י, כב): וַתֹּפַע כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל. אוֹר שֶׁלָּה מִתּוֹךְ חשֶׁךְ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל לא, טו): בְּיוֹם רִדְתּוֹ שְׁאֹלָה הֶאֱבַלְתִּי כִּסֵּתִי עָלָיו אֶת תְּהוֹם, הוֹבַלְתִּי כְּתִיב. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי אָמַר בַּמֶּה הָרְשָׁעִים מִתְכַּסִּים בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם, בַּחשֶׁךְ. חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר הַגִּיגִית הַזּוֹ בַּמֶּה מְכַסִּין אוֹתָהּ, בִּכְלִי חֶרֶס, מִינָהּ וּבָהּ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִיא שֶׁל חֶרֶס כָּךְ מְכַסִּין אוֹתָהּ בִּכְלִי חָרֶס. כָּךְ הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כט, טו): וְהָיָה בְּמַחְשָׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְכַסֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הַתְּהוֹם שֶׁהוּא חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, ב): וְחשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם, זֶה גֵּיהִנֹּם. הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר חשֶׁךְ שֶׁבָּא עַל הַמִּצְרִים מִתּוֹךְ גֵּיהִנֹּם הָיָה.
“Moses extended his hand toward the heavens, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another, and no one rose from his place for three days; but for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwellings” (Exodus 10:22-23).
“Moses extended his hand toward the heavens, and there was a thick darkness.” From where did this darkness come? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: From the heavenly darkness, as it is stated: “He made darkness His secret place, His pavilion around Him” (Psalms 18:12). Rabbi Neḥemya said: From the darkness of Gehenna, as it is stated: “A land of darkness, like blackness, the shadow of death3This is a reference to Gehenna. and disorder, [where the light is like darkness]” (Job 10:22). Woe to a house whose windows open into darkness, as it is stated: “Where the light is like darkness.” And so it says: “On the day he descended to the grave I caused the deep to mourn [he’evalti], and cover itself for him” (Ezekiel 31:15), hovalti4Because mourning has little to do with depths, the midrash interprets the word he’evalti as hovalti, meaning: I led him into the depths. is written.
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi said: With what are the wicked covered in Gehenna? With darkness. Ḥizkiyya said: This tub, with what does one cover it? With an earthenware vessel, with the same substance; just as it is of earthenware, so too, one covers it with an earthenware vessel. The same is true of the wicked, as it is stated: “Their deeds are in the dark” (Isaiah 29:15); therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, covers them with the depths, which is dark, as it is stated: “And darkness on the surface of the depths” (Genesis 1:2). One may [therefore] say: The darkness that came upon Egypt was from within Gehenna.
חשֶׁךְ לָמָּה הֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן, יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵין לְפָנָיו מַשֹּׂוֹא פָנִים וְהוּא חוֹקֵר לֵב וּבֹחֵן כְּלָיוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹשְׁעִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶן פַּטְרוֹנִין מִן הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְהָיָה לָהֶן שָׁם עשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד וְלֹא הָיוּ רוֹצִים לָצֵאת, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן מַכָּה בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא וְיָמוּתוּ, יֹאמְרוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָבַר עָלֵינוּ כָּךְ עָבַר עֲלֵיהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ הֵבִיא עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים אֶת הַחשֶׁךְ שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ קוֹבְרִין מֵתֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִהְיוּ רוֹאִין אוֹתָן שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם וְיִהְיוּ מְשַׁבְּחִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל כָּךְ. מַהוּ חשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבְדִּימֵי דְמִן חֵיפָה, אוֹתוֹ חשֶׁךְ כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל הָיָה, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ הָיוּ, כֵּיצַד שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מִי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וּבִקֵּשׁ לַעֲמֹד עוֹמֵד, וְהָעוֹמֵד בִּקֵּשׁ לֵישֵׁב יוֹשֵׁב, וְעַל אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים נֶאֱמַר (שמות י, כב): וַיְהִי חשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים לֹא רָאוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו. שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים אֲחֵרִים מִי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד וְהָעוֹמֵד אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵישֵׁב, וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה רוֹבֵץ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִזְקֹף, עֲלֵיהֶן נֶאֱמַר (שמות י, כג): וְלֹא קָמוּ אִישׁ מִתַּחְתָּיו שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים. וּבִשְׁלשֶׁת יְמֵי אֲפֵלָה נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חֵן הָעָם בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרַיִם וְהִשְׁאִילוּם, שֶׁהָיָה יִשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנַס לְתוֹךְ בָּתֵּיהֶן שֶׁל מִצְרִים וְהָיוּ רוֹאִין בָּהֶן כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלוֹת, אִם הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים אֵין לָנוּ לְהַשְׁאִיל לָכֶם הָיוּ יִשְרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לָהֶן הֲרֵי הוּא בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים אִם הָיוּ אֵלּוּ רוֹצִים לְשַׁקֵּר בָּנוּ הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין אוֹתָן בִּימֵי הַחשֶׁךְ וְלֹא הָיִינוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין, שֶׁהֲרֵי רָאוּ אוֹתָן כְּבָר אַחַר שֶׁלֹא נָגְעוּ חוּץ מִדַּעְתֵּנוּ כְּמוֹ כֵן לֹא יַחֲזִיקוּ, וְהָיוּ מַשְׁאִילִין לָהֶן, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, יד): וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות י, כג): וּלְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה אוֹר וגו', בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָם, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה יְהוּדִי נִכְנַס הָיָה אוֹר נִכְנַס וּמֵאִיר לוֹ מַה שֶּׁבַּחָבִיּוֹת וּבַתֵּבוֹת וּבַמַּטְמוֹנִיּוֹת. וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (תהלים קיט, קה): נֵר לְרַגְלִי דְבָרֶךָ וגו'. הֲרֵי שִׁשָּׁה יָמִים שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ שֶׁהָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְהַשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ, זֶה יוֹם חשֶׁךְ שֶׁל יָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כ): וַיְהִי הֶעָנָן וְהַחשֶׁךְ וַיָּאֶר אֶת הַלָּיְלָה, כָּךְ הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹלֵחַ עָנָן וְחשֶׁךְ וּמַחְשִׁיךְ לְמִצְרַיִם וּמֵאִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (תהלים כז, א): ה' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי וגו'. וְכֵן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא יָבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ס, ב): כִּי הִנֵּה הַחשֶׁךְ יְכַסֶּה אֶרֶץ וגו'.
Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed is His name, before whom there is no favoritism and who examines the innermost thoughts and feelings, bring darkness upon them? It is because there were sinners among the Israelites who had Egyptian patrons, had wealth and honor, and did not want to leave. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I bring a plague upon them publicly and they die, the Egyptians will say: Just as it5The plague of the firstborn befell us, so it befell them. Therefore, He brought darkness upon the Egyptians for three days so they6The Israelites could bury their dead and their enemies would not see them, and they would praise the Holy One, blessed be He, for it.
What is thick darkness? Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa said: It was darkness many times over.7It was exceptionally dark. Our Rabbis said: There were seven days of darkness. How so? The first three days, one who was sitting and sought to stand, stood, and one who was standing and sought to sit, sat. Regarding those days, it is stated: “There was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another” (Exodus 10:23). Three other days, one who was sitting was unable to stand, one who was standing was unable to sit, and one who was crouching was unable to straighten up. In their regard it is stated: “and no one rose from his place three days.”
[Through the events that transpired] during the three days of thick darkness,8At the conclusion of the three days of thick darkness, the Israelites would ask the Egyptians to borrow the items. the Holy One, blessed be He, granted the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians and they lent them. For [during these days] Israelites would enter the houses of Egyptians, and would see in them silver vessels, gold vessels, and garments. [When the Egyptians were asked to lend these items,] if they would say: ‘We do not have anything to give you,” the Israelites would say to them: ‘Behold, it is in such and such place.’ At that moment, the Egyptians would say: Had they sought to deceive us, they would have taken them during the days of darkness and we would not have sensed it, as they had already seen them. Since they did not touch them without our knowledge, likewise, they will not keep them. They lent to them, in fulfillment of what is stated: “Then they will emerge with great property” (Genesis 15:14). That is what is written: “But for all the children of Israel there was light…” It is not stated [that there was light] in the land of Goshen, but rather “in their dwellings,” as everywhere that a Jew would enter, light would enter and illuminate for him what was in the barrels, the boxes, and the treasure chests. And in their regard it is stated: “Your word is a lamp to my feet [and a light to my path]” (Psalms 119:105).
These are six days of darkness that were in Egypt. The seventh [day] of darkness was the day of darkness at the sea, as it is stated: “There was the cloud and the darkness and it illuminated the night” (Exodus 14:20). So, the Holy One, blessed be He, dispatched a cloud and darkness and darkened for Egypt and illuminated for Israel, as He had done in Egypt, and in this regard it is stated: “The Lord in my light and my salvation” (Psalms 27:1). Likewise, in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring darkness, as it is stated: “For, behold, darkness will cover the earth…” (Isaiah 60:2).
וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה אֶל משֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ עִבְדוּ, וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה גַּם אַתָּה תִּתֵּן בְּיָדֵנוּ זְבָחִים וְעֹלֹת, אָמַר לֵיהּ משֶׁה לֹא תְהֵא סָבוּר שֶׁאָנוּ נִזְבַּח מִשֶּׁלָּנוּ כְּלוּם, אֶלָּא גַּם אַתָּה תִּתֵּן בְּיָדֵינוּ זְבָחִים וְעֹלֹת שֶׁנַּקְרִיב לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל שְׁמֶךָ. וְגַם מִקְנֵנוּ יֵלֵךְ עִמָּנוּ. וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ פַרְעֹה לֵךְ, וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה כֵּן דִּבַּרְתָּ, יָפֶה כִּוַּנְתָּ, שֶׁלֹא אוֹסִיף עוֹד רְאוֹת פָּנֶיךָ, שֶׁכֵּן אָמַר לִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר.
“Pharaoh summoned Moses and said: Go serve the Lord, only let your flocks and your herds remain; even your children will go with you. Moses said: You, too, will give into our hand feast offerings and burnt offerings, and we will sacrifice to the Lord our God” (Exodus 10:24-25).
“Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said: Go serve the Lord…Moses said: You, too, will give into our hand feast offerings and burnt offerings.” Moses said to him: ‘Do not think that we will sacrifice anything of ours; rather, you, too, will give into our hand feast offerings and burnt offerings that we will sacrifice to the Holy One blessed be He in your name.’ “Our livestock, too, will go with us” (Exodus 10:26).9You will give us animals for immediate sacrifice on your behalf, and we will take our livestock for the purpose of any additional offerings.
“Pharaoh said to him: Go from me, beware, do not see my face anymore, the moment you look upon my face you shall die. Moses said: You have spoken well; I will not see your face anymore” (Exodus 10:28-29).
“Pharaoh said to him: Go…. Moses said: You have spoken well.” You have projected the truth, as “I will not see your face anymore,” as the Holy One blessed be He said to me as you have said.