Chapter 11

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1And Hashem said to Moshe, “I will bring but one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; after that he shall let you go from here; indeed, when he lets you go, he will drive you out of here one and all.

אוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עוֹד נֶגַע אֶחָד אָבִיא עַל־פַּרְעֹה וְעַל־מִצְרַיִם אַחֲרֵי־כֵן יְשַׁלַּח אֶתְכֶם מִזֶּה כְּשַׁלְּחוֹ כָּלָה גָּרֵשׁ יְגָרֵשׁ אֶתְכֶם מִזֶּה׃

2Tell the people to borrow, each man from his neighbor and each woman from hers, objects of silver and gold.”

בדַּבֶּר־נָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ וְאִשָּׁה מֵאֵת רְעוּתָהּ כְּלֵי־כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב׃

3Hashem disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people. Moreover, Moshe himself was much esteemed in the land of Egypt, among Pharaoh's courtiers and among the people.

va-yi-TAYN a-do-NAI et KHAYN ha-AM b'-ay-NAY mitz-RA-yim GAM ha-EESH mo-SHEH ga-DOL m'-OD b'-E-retz mitz-RA-yim b'-ay-NAY av-DAY far-OH uv-ay-NAY ha-AM

גוַיִּתֵּן יְהֹוָה אֶת־חֵן הָעָם בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרָיִם גַּם הָאִישׁ מֹשֶׁה גָּדוֹל מְאֹד בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּעֵינֵי עַבְדֵי־פַרְעֹה וּבְעֵינֵי הָעָם׃

11:3 Hashem disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people

Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch (1808-1888)

What transpires at this time that causes the Egyptians to finally find value in the Jewish nation and Moshe? Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch posits that after the plague of darkness, when the Egyptians were able to see again, they finally acknowledge the morality of the people they have cruelly enslaved. For three days, Egypt was blind and immobilized; the Jews could have easily taken advantage of this situation. Yet, when the light returns at the conclusion of the plague, the Egyptians discover that nothing has been moved from its rightful place. At this juncture, the Egyptians stand in awe of the Jewish people and Moshe, their leader. The Jewish mission is to be a light unto the nations, an example of honesty, morality and closeness to Hashem. When the People of Israel live up to this mission, the world is in awe.

4Moshe said, “Thus says Hashem: Toward midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians,

דוַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה כַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה אֲנִי יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרָיִם׃

5and every first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the first-born of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; and all the first-born of the cattle.

הוּמֵת כָּל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל־כִּסְאוֹ עַד בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה אֲשֶׁר אַחַר הָרֵחָיִם וְכֹל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה׃

6And there shall be a loud cry in all the land of Egypt, such as has never been or will ever be again;

ווְהָיְתָה צְעָקָה גְדֹלָה בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֲשֶׁר כָּמֹהוּ לֹא נִהְיָתָה וְכָמֹהוּ לֹא תֹסִף׃

7but not a dog shall snarl at any of the Israelites, at man or beast—in order that you may know that Hashem makes a distinction between Egypt and Yisrael.

זוּלְכֹל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֶחֱרַץ־כֶּלֶב לְשֹׁנוֹ לְמֵאִישׁ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה לְמַעַן תֵּדְעוּן אֲשֶׁר יַפְלֶה יְהֹוָה בֵּין מִצְרַיִם וּבֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

8Then all these courtiers of yours shall come down to me and bow low to me, saying, ‘Depart, you and all the people who follow you!' After that I will depart.” And he left Pharaoh's presence in hot anger.

חוְיָרְדוּ כָל־עֲבָדֶיךָ אֵלֶּה אֵלַי וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ־לִי לֵאמֹר צֵא אַתָּה וְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶיךָ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן אֵצֵא וַיֵּצֵא מֵעִם־פַּרְעֹה בָּחֳרִי־אָף׃

9Now Hashem had said to Moshe, “Pharaoh will not heed you, in order that My marvels may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

טוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֹא־יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה לְמַעַן רְבוֹת מוֹפְתַי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃

10Moshe and Aharon had performed all these marvels before Pharaoh, but Hashem had stiffened the heart of Pharaoh so that he would not let the Israelites go from his land.

יוּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עָשׂוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַמֹּפְתִים הָאֵלֶּה לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה וַיְחַזֵּק יְהֹוָה אֶת־לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא־שִׁלַּח אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְצוֹ׃