Because, according to some traditions, even the ten plagues weren't enough to soften the hearts of the Egyptians. The oppression of the Hebrews continued relentlessly, right up to the very moment of their freedom. In fact, the Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg) tells a heartbreaking tale of a woman named Rachel, daughter of Shuthelah.
Imagine this: on the very day of the Exodus, as Rachel and her husband toiled, making bricks from clay, she went into labor. In the midst of this grueling work, the baby slipped from her womb and vanished into the clay. A truly devastating moment.
But then, something extraordinary happened.
Gabriel, the archangel, appeared. He molded that very clay, the clay that had swallowed the child, into a brick. And what did he do with this brick? He carried it all the way to the highest heavens, placing it as a footstool before the Divine throne. Can you picture that? A symbol of unimaginable suffering transformed into something that literally supports the glory of God.
It was on that very night, the Legends of the Jews continues, that God finally looked upon the suffering of Israel, and the tenth and final plague – the slaying of the firstborn – was unleashed upon Egypt. This night, according to tradition, is one of four nights so significant that God inscribed them in the Book of Memorial.
So, what are the other three?
The first, unsurprisingly, is the night God appeared to create the world. Imagine the scene: utter chaos, emptiness, darkness covering the abyss. Then, the Lord's word bursts forth, and light floods everything. (Ginzberg, Legends).
The second night commemorates God's appearance to Abraham at the brit bein ha-betarim (ברית בין הבתרים), the covenant of the pieces. This is a pivotal moment in our history, marking the beginning of God's special relationship with Abraham and his descendants.
And the third? Well, we've already touched on it: the night in Egypt when God struck down the firstborn of the Egyptians with His right hand, while simultaneously protecting the firstborn of the Israelites with His left. It's a night of both destruction and salvation, forever etched in the memory of our people (Midrash Rabbah).
But the story doesn't end there. The fourth night, the Legends of the Jews tells us, is yet to come. It will be the night when the final redemption is accomplished, when the iron yoke of the wicked kingdom is broken, and evildoers are destroyed. In this future, Moses will emerge from the desert, and the Messiah will come from Rome – each leading their respective flocks. And the word of God, the ultimate mediator, will guide them both to walk together in harmony.
It’s a powerful vision, isn't it? A reminder that even in the midst of suffering and oppression, hope remains. That even the darkest moments can be transformed into something sacred. And that the story of redemption is not just a thing of the past, but a promise for the future.