In Tehillim there is a Perek (136) which we recite on Shabbat in Pesukei DeZimra, which is also called Hallel HaGadol – the Great Hallel. It contains twenty-six pesukim, and in each section we give thanks to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
הוֹדוּ לַה' כִּי טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: הוֹדוּ לֵאלֹהֵי הָאֱ -לֹהִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: הוֹדוּ לַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים כִּי לְעֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: לְעֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְדֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: לְעֹשֵׂה הַשָּׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: לְרֹקַע הָאָרֶ ץ עַל הַמָּיִם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: לְעֹשֵׂה אוֹרִ ים גְדֹלִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת בַּיּוֹם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: אֶת הַיָרֵחַ וְכוֹכָבִים לְמֶמְשְׁלוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: לְמַכֵּה מִצְרַיִם בִּבְכוֹרֵיהֶם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ ...
Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for His kindness endures forever. Give thanks to the G-d of gods, for His kindness endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His kindness endures forever. To Him who alone does great wonders, for His kindness endures forever. To Him who made the heavens with understanding, for His kindness endures forever. To Him who spread the earth upon the waters, for His kindness endures forever. To Him who made great lights [the fourth day of creation], for His kindness endures forever. The sun to rule by day, for His kindness endures forever. The moon and stars to rule by night, for His kindness endures forever. To Him who struck Egypt through their firstborn, for His kindness endures forever...
The moon and stars to rule by night is the ninth verse corresponding to the ninth plague – darkness. The tenth verse then corresponds to the tenth plague – Makat Bechorot.
The sefer Maskil Lishlomo comes and asks a wonderful question. David HaMelech praises Hakadosh Baruch Hu from the beginning of Creation, but from the fourth day of Creation, he skips ahead 2448 years! 2,448 years were erased from the map – there's no "Give thanks to Hashem who created Adam HaRishon, for His kindness endures forever," no "Give thanks to Hashem who saved Noach from the flood," no "who saved Avraham Avinu from Ur Kasdim," no "who saved Yitzchak from the Akeida," no "who saved Yaakov Avinu,” or "who gave us the twelve shevatim" etc. 2448 years from the beginning of Creation are not found here in this Tehillim. From referencing the great lights and the moon and the stars, where does it skip ahead to? לְ מַ כֵּ ה מִ צְ רַ יִ ם בִּ בְ כוֹרֵ יהֶ ם – Who struck Egypt through their firstborn!
The truth is, the previous psalm also has this aspect in it.
הַלְלוּיָהּ הַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה' הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵי ה': שֶׁעֹמְדִים בְּבֵית ה' בְּחַצְרוֹת בֵּית אֱ -לֹהֵינוּ: הַלְלוּיָהּ כִּי טוֹב ה' זַמְּרוּ לִשְׁמוֹ כִּי נָעִים: כִּי יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִסְגֻלָּתוֹ: כִּי אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל ה' וַאֲדֹנֵינוּ מִכָּל אֱלֹהִים: כֹּל אֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ ה' עָשָׂה בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ בַּיַּמִּים וְכָל תְּהוֹמוֹת: מַעֲלֶה נְשִׂאִים מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה מוֹצֵא רוּחַ מֵאוֹצְרוֹתָיו: שֶׁהִכָּה בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם מֵאָדָם עַד בְּהֵמָה
First, we thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu for creating the world, then we thank Him for the plague of the firstborn, and afterwards we also thank Him for the plagues of Egypt – the signs and wonders upon Pharaoh and all his servants etc.
The question arises – why did David HaMelech skip so many years, apparently, until Makat Bechorot and not mention the other plagues, not to mention the holy Avot and the tribes? Why doesn't David HaMelech praise Hakadosh Baruch Hu for saving Noach form the flood and Avraham Avinu from the fiery furnace?
Another question needs clarification: In about three months, we will all sit around the Seder table and recite fifteen stanzas in the Haggadah thanking Hakadosh Baruch Hu for every detail of Yetziat Mitzrayim.
How many levels of goodness has the Omnipresent bestowed upon us: If He had brought us out of Egypt and not executed judgments upon them – it would have been enough for us. If He had executed judgments upon them and not done so upon their gods – it would have been enough ...
