Ten Plagues Pattern

PATTERNS

The Kli Yakar offers that the Plagues are a response to the actions of the Egyptians:

1. The Nile was smitten in response to Paroh's saying that the Nile was his and he created himself (Yechezkel 29:3). The death of the fish was a response to the Egyptians restraining the bnei Yisroel from multiplying as fish.
2. The frogs are a response to Paroh's saying that he does not recognize HaShem. Lowly frogs, however, did recognize HaShem and did His bidding by entering heated ovens and the like. This also negated Paroh's claim that he created the Nile, and here we find the Nile spewing forth legions and legions of frogs.
3. Lice were a response to the Egyptians forcing the bnei Yisroel to work so hard that they sweated profusely. This brings on lice, especially when bathing facilities were not available. The lice came from the earth since the Egyptians forced the bnei Yisroel to work the land very hard.
4. The mixture of wild animals was a response to enslaving the bnei Yisroel who are likened to animals, "Ki chayos heinoh" (Shmos 1:19).
5. The pestilence that killed the Egyptians' livestock was a response to the Egyptians forcing the bnei Yisroel to forsake their former occupation of herding livestock, changing it to creating clay bricks. In response all their livestock died.
6. Boils and other skin afflictions were a response to the Egyptians restraining the bnei Yisroel from reproducing. Cohabiting when one has these skin afflictions is very painful and deleterious for the skin condition. This concept is mentioned in Bereshis Rabbah 41:2, where Paroh was afflicted with this skin condition after he took Sarah. Although this should have served as a warning for the future, once again history bears out that it is a study of mankind not learning a lesson from history.
7. Hail and the accompanying deafening sounds were in response to Paroh's saying that he would not hearken to the voice of HaShem. Paroh now suffered not only the damage inflicted by the fiery balls of hail, but also the "Kol HaShem al hamoyim kol HaShem chotzeiv lahavos aish."
8. Locust, "Arbeh," came upon the Egyptians in response to Paroh's attempting to stem the blessing of, "Harbeih Arbeh es zar'eich" (Breishis 22:17) with his saying "pen yirbeh."
9. Darkness came upon the Egyptians in response to their causing the bnei Yisroel to hide their newborn males in the depths of dark.
10. The killing of the Egyptian firstborn was in response to their planning to destroy HaShem's firstborn, the bnei Yisroel. He ends by saying that the destruction the Egyptians met at Yam Suf was not an eleventh plague, as nothing was visited upon them. Rather, they ran into the sea and met their doom.

The Undoing of Creation – Maharal of Prague

G-d created the world with His speech; to be precise, with 10 utterances. But Paroh denied these 10 Divine utterances. And so, the 10 plagues corresponded with the various elements that G-d created in the world, each one demonstrating that a seemingly stable and independent aspect of creation—something that could easily be attributed to “nature”—was entirely in G-d’s hands. Thus, the plagues proved that G-d truly is the omniscient, all-powerful Creator.

1. Blood
   The first plague eliminated drinkable water, established that G-d rules over the water.
2. Frogs
   During the plague of frogs, the creatures even got into the stone ovens, which proved that G-d rules over all physical man-made creations.
3. Lice
   With the third plague, lice, which was accomplished by striking the dirt, it became known that G-d rules over all the dust of the land.
4. Wild Animals
   The fourth plague, where the wild animals destroyed anything in their way, demonstrated that G-d rules over all of the animals of the land.
5. Pestilence
   Through spreading disease amongst the animals, it became known that G-d controls all of the air we breathe.
6. Boils
   The boils all over the Egyptian bodies established that G-d can cause any living person or animal to suffer or to be healed.
7. Hail
   The plague of hail, which rained in the form of fire in ice, declared that G-d controls the element of fire.
8. Locust
   When locusts consumed all the crops, it became clear that G-d rules over the earth’s vegetation.
9. Darkness
   By dropping thick darkness over the Egyptians for several days, G-d demonstrated that only He can change that which is found in the sky
10. Death of the Firstborn
    Through the death of only the Egyptian firstborn, it became known that G-d rules over the angels and the spiritual worlds.