When HaShem tells Moshe about makkas Arbeh, He makes the following intriguing statement. “I am bringing these makkos in order to tell your children all that I did when I brought you out of Mitzrayim.”
Why is this makkah specifically chosen to demonstrate to the children what HaShem did? Rav Yerachmiel Kram (quoted in the Kuntrus ‘Ohr Hahar’ 7, pg. 301) gives a remarkable answer. When Moshe demands that Paroh let Klal Yisroel leave, Paroh in principle agrees. The only requirement that Paroh had was that the children would have to stay behind. Moshe rejected this offer as all of Klal Yisroel had to leave, the children included.
It comes out, that the fight between Paroh and Moshe right before makkas Arbeh was in regards to the children specifically. Therefore, when we want to tell the children about what HaShem did for us, we choose the makkah of Arbeh, in order to highlight their importance.
The Mockery of the Mitzrim
The pasuk says that with this makkah you will tell your children how I “mocked” the Mitzrim. What does it mean that I mocked them?
Perhaps we can explain as follows. The Gemara (Shabbos 90b) tells us a remarkable piece of information; that the children used to play with grasshoppers as their toys.
Paroh did not want to let them Jewish children go out, so what does HaShem do? He lets the children fight this battle. The Mitzrim are punished not with sophisticated weaponry; but rather with the “weapons” of the kids. Indeed, this makkah was terribly embarrassing for the Mitzrim.
The Relationship of This Makkah to Future Generations
The Klei Yakar explain gives a different explanation to explain why this makkah was chosen to relate to future generations. He quotes the Ramban who brings the following observation from Rabbeinu Chananiah. Makkas Arbeh was unique in that it was the only makkah that had a lasting effect that could be seen even in our times. After the makkah is complete, Moshe says that the Arbeh will never return to Mitzrayim (Shmos 10,19). Although it might happen that the Arbeh would come to neighboring countries, they will never affect Mitzrayim. This is obviously an incredible neis; that the Arbeh will be able to differentiate between Mitzrim and its neighbors.
But not only is this an incredible neis, it is a neis that can be seen in our times. When we see the Arbeh skipping over Mitzrayim, we will see the greatness of HaShem. This is why this neis is chosen to relate to the children. Even those born many years after yetzias Mitzrayim will be able to see the great neis that happened then.
However, Rav Berel Soloveitchik (brought in the Sefer Talolei Oros) asks that this explanation is difficult to understand. He points out, that while it is most certainly a great neis that the Arbeh will have the ability to differentiate between countries, this was not the makkah. The makkah was the presence of the Arbeh; not the lack of them. Therefore, how can it be, that the intent of the posuk when it says, “You will tell your children”, refers to this neis, if this was not the makkah)?
