חשך The Ninth Plague
- No warning
- Brought by Moshe
- Lasted six days: three of darkness and three very dark
- The Jews had light and were able to extract the treasures of Egypt to fulfil the promise to Avrohom that the Jews would go out with wealth
- Demonstrated the ability of G-d to operate in any place without restrictions
Darkness
Egypt was first hit with 3 days absence of light, followed by 3 days of a tangible manifestation of darkness. The Egyptians were glued to their spot - standing, sitting, or lying down for 3 straight days. They couldn't eat, drink, sleep, or relieve themselves. (Midrash) Measure for measure: The Egyptians threw the Jews into damp dungeons and chained them to their spots in the dinky basement for years!
During the plague of darkness, for the Jews there was light - enjoying the original light of creation. (Kabbalists)
During this plague, the Jews searched the homes of the Egyptians to see exactly where they kept their valuables, but they didn't take anything. When they later asked the Egyptians for back wages - compensation for years of forced labor - the Egyptians pleaded poverty: "We would love to help you, our dear former slaves. But unfortunately, our economy is a mess, and times are tough, so we can't pay a thing!"
"Oh Yeah? How about the diamonds we noticed in the back of the closet? Or the money hidden under the bed??" The Egyptians said: "Take all our money and leave!!"
Tosfos Hasha'leim quotes the Rashbam as saying that those Jews who did not believe that there would be a mass exodus died. The Medrash Tanchuma says that they died on the 13th of Adar, first day of the darkness, not over three days. This is the same date that was decreed by Haman to be a day of slaughter ch"v of the Bnei Yisrael. Because so many of the Bnei Yisrael died on this day it is a most appropriate day for fasting, although the main reason is because Esther instituted the fast, as indicated by its name, "Taanis Esther."
Rabbeinu Bachyei says that the darkness was actually such an intense light that it blinded the Egyptians. This might be similar to staring directly into sunlight, which blinds a person. If so, we now understand the need for the removal of darkness. Standard light is not intense, as there is an element of its being subdued. This can be considered a bit of darkness in the light itself. HaShem sent a plague of such intense light that the element of darkness in light was removed, resulting in a powerfully blinding light.
The Torah T'mimah, says that the plague of darkness was that the Egyptians contracted cataracts. He bases this on the M.R. 14:1 which says that the darkness was as thick as a dinar.
כב וַׁיֵט מֹשֶה אֶת -יָדוֹ, עַׁל-הַׁשָמָיִּם; וַׁיְהִּי חֹשֶךְ-אֲפֵלָה בְכָל-אֶרֶץ מִּצְרַׁיִּם, שְלֹשֶת יָמִּים.
10,22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;
כג לֹא-רָאוּ אִּיש אֶת -אָחִּיו, וְלֹא -קָמוּ אִּיש מִּתַׁחְתָיו --שְלֹשֶת יָמִּים; וּלְכָל -בְנֵי יִּשְרָאֵל הָיָה אוֹר, בְמוֹשְבֹתָם.
23 they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Two Sets of Three Days
Rashi states that the six days of darkness were of two intensities. The first three days there was a regular darkness and the second three had a thick palpable darkness that kept the Egyptians from moving. Rashi then asks why did Hashem bring darkness, and he answers that the first three days allowed them to bury their own dead who were wicked and did not want to leave Egypt who died during this plague. The darkness allowed the Bnei Yisrael to bury them unbeknownst to the Egyptians and the second group of three days was a more intense punishment.
Why here does Rashi ask why this particular plague was brought upon the Egyptians? As well, why does he first detail the intensities of the darkness and only then ask why darkness was brought upon them?
The Tur O.Ch. #430 explains that the Shabbos before Pesach is called Shabbos HaGadol because of the great miracle that took place. The Bnei Yisrael were commanded to take lambs and goats for the Paschal offering on the 10th of Nisan, which was a Shabbos, and the Egyptians, notwithstanding that the sheep were their gods, miraculously stood by and did nothing to the Bnei Yisrael. This BIG miracle is recounted by the appellation Shabbos HaGadol.
Now if the Egyptians were in the dark what was the great miracle? The darkness ended on the night of the 14th of Nisan (Berachos 4a) and counting back six days of darkness included the 10th, the day of taking the Paschal offerings. Since the first three days of darkness included Shabbos, and Rashi explains that during this time (assuming they buried them the day of their death, i.e. during the first set of three days) the Bnei Yisrael buried their dead, obviously on Shabbos they did not do so, so there was no darkness on that day. This is why it was a miracle.
This explains Rashi's offering the two levels of darkness and then the reason for the plague of darkness, so that we understand how the taking of the Paschal offering was a miracle. (Pnei Yehoshua ksav yad)
There remains an issue. The verses each say "shloshes yamim," meaning a SET of three days. If so, the first three days must also be a continuum without a Shabbos gap. Yet the Gemara cited earlier says that plague ended on the night of the 14th of Nisan. If we were to say that since before Matan Torah the days were a day and the following night and the Gemara expresses itself with today's terms, a night and then the following day, the night of the 14th was actually the end of the 13th and the Shabbos fell out between the two sets of three days.
Compassion and the Plague of Darkness
The Chid"a offers a new insight into the plague of darkness. The Egyptians turned their eyes away from the colossal benefits they received through Yosef and his father Yaakov. Retribution was in kind, that they could not see anything during this plague. He adds that the letters of "CHoSHeCH" (darkness) are the same as "SHoKaCH" (forgetting) indicative due forgetting the kindness they received the plague of darkness.
The Netziv adds something astonishing. If during this time only the Jewish people were not affected by the darkness, it must be that they went out and gave food and water to the Egyptians while they were unable to move. How else would the Egyptians have survived?
This life-saving act shows the unbelievable compassion of the Jewish people, coming to the aid of a people who had caused them nothing but pain.
Upon leaving Egypt the Jews are told to ask the Egyptians for compensation in return for the years of slavery without payment. "Let them ask every man of his friend, and every woman of her friend silver vessels and golden vessels..." (Shmos 11,2).
The Egyptians, their tormentors, are described as "friends"?
The Netziv explains that a change has occurred. Previously there was no way they could find a friend amongst the Egyptians to go and ask valuables from, but now things are different.
The Egyptians who are earlier described as ‘neighbors’ now recognize that their lives were saved by the Jews during the Plague of Darkness, and are now are described as ‘friends’.
From here we learn the beauty and importance of compassion especially during the time of great turmoil. To strive to overcome our natural instincts, and to help even when we feel that the recipient does not deserve it. To move past grudges, and give unconditionally. And the transformative nature of giving. That giving can be used as an antidote to animosity. As a tool to break down barriers, and change ‘neighbors’ to ‘friends.’
