a. Rabbeinu Bachya writes that each of the makkos were middah k'neged middah. Makkas Bechoros is k'neged the killing of the Jews. (Shmos 12:29)
b. Maharal asks: In all of the other makkos, the Jews were spared. The Midrash even states that during Makkas Dam, a Jew and an Egyptian would be drinking from the same cup and the Jew would drink water while the Egyptian drank blood. Why then, was there a need for special protection during Makkas Bechoros? He answers that the other makkos were calibrated such that they only took effect on people at a certain level. Those who were on a higher level, were not affected (perhaps this explains the midrash that many Jews died during Makkas Choshech). However, Makkas Bechoros was performed personally by HaShem and there was no calibration. The only reason why the Jewish firstborn were spared was because they were a kinyan of HaShem. The korban Pesach was their way of becoming the nation of HaShem. (Gevuras HaShem Chapter 60)
c. R. Yitzchak Hutner (1906-1980) notes the different language that we use for Makkas Bechoros at Shacharis את בכוריהם הרגת ובכורך גאלת and at Maariv המכה בעברתו כל בכורי מצרים ויוצא את עמו וכו'. He explains that there were two aspects to Makkas Bechoros. The first is the exacting of justice. The second is the redemption of the Jewish people, the bechor of HaShem. Maariv, which represents the middas hadin, mentions the justice that was exacted on the Egyptians המכה בעברתו. Shacharis, which represents middas hachesed, mentions the redemption brought about through Makkas Bechoros את בכוריהם הרגת ובכרך גאלת. (Pachad Yitzchak Pesach 64)
d. The Vilna Gaon (1720-1797) notes that the Torah uses the word פדך to describe our redemption. He explains that there was an actual pidyon that took place the night of yetzias Mitzrayim. The Jewish bechoros were redeemed in place of the Egyptian bechoros. (Aderes Eliyahu Devarim 13:6)
e. Based on the comment of Maharal R. Hutner, and the Vilna Gaon, one can take R. Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik's comments one step further. We specifically mention Makkas Bechoros in Dayeinu and in Hallel HaGadol because Makkas Bechoros was an integral part of the redemption. It was what made us a kinyan of HaShem and established us as bni bechori Yisrael.
f. While Makkas Bechoros affected the Egyptians, who were not bechor other than from the mother, there was something unique about the way it affected bechoros from the mother.
i. This is true whether one follows R. Akiva Eger that the mashchis only attacked the bechor from the mother, or whether one follows Beis HaLevi that the main makkah was on the bechoros from the mother. As such, Makkas Bechoros served as a collective redemption for bni bechori Yisrael and a unique redemption of the bechoros from the mother.
ii. R. David Cohen notes (article) that perhaps we could explain the unique kedusha of the bechoros based on the comments of R. Avraham Borenstein (1838-1910). R. Borenstein notes the midrash that while we were in Egypt, we were like a fetus in a womb and HaShem took us out. The halacha is that if a pregnant animal becomes a treifah, its fetus is also considered a treifah even though the fetus has no physical signs of disease. This is because the fetus' life-force is dependent on the mother. When the mother becomes a treifah, its life-force is taken away and so too, the fetus' life-force is affected. If the Jewish people were not redeemed and taken out of the womb of Egypt, when Makkas Bechoros took place, the life-force of the Jewish bechoros would have been affected.
If only the firstborn were slain, why did every home have a dead person?
- This should not be taken literally. Most homes had a dead person. (Ibn Ezra)
- If there was no firstborn present, then the head of the household was considered as a firstborn, and was slain. (Rashi)
- There was an abundance of adultery among the Egyptians, and there were many children who were firstborn to the men who sired them, even though the mother had given birth previously. (Rashi in the name of the Mechilta, ch. 33)
- The Egyptians had a custom that when a firstborn died, they made a form (icon) similar to the appearance of the firstborn and displayed it in their homes. At the time of "makas b'choros" these forms melted. This greatly distressed the Egyptians and they felt as if their firstborn had just died. (Mechilta Pis'cha, ch. 13)
- All Egyptian firstborn who had previously died were dragged out of their graves by mice and brought to the homes of their families. (Mechilta Pis'cha, ch. 13)
- The firstborn insisted that the bnei Yisroel be sent out before the plague would come. Those who were not firstborn, and Paroh in spite of being a firstborn, did not agree. The firstborn then slayed 600,000 Egyptians, including their own parents. (Medrash Shochar Tov 136:6)
- Since so many first-borns were slain, their dead bodies brought on an epidemic, similar to the bubonic plague, which caused the death of many Egyptians. (Beis Halevi)
