The verse in Exodus 9:10 tells us, "They took soot of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it heavenward; and it became boils erupting into blisters upon man and upon beast.” But it’s that word "erupting" – pore’aḥ in Hebrew – that catches the Rabbis' attention. What exactly does pore’aḥ mean? Shemot Rabbah makes a connection to Leviticus 13:12, where we find the phrase "paro’aḥ tifraḥ" which refers to a skin eruption associated with leprosy. So, according to this interpretation, the boils weren't just boils. They were accompanied by something akin to leprosy, adding another layer of suffering and defilement to the Egyptian population!
And then there’s Exodus 9:11: "The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, as the boils were upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.” Now, why couldn’t these magicians, who had previously been able to mimic some of Moses's miracles, suddenly stand before him? Shemot Rabbah offers a powerful explanation. It wasn't just the physical discomfort of the boils. The Rabbis argue that these very magicians had advised Pharaoh to cast every newborn Israelite son into the Nile, hoping to eliminate Moses (as we see referenced in Shemot Rabbah 1:24). Furthermore, they had even condemned Moses to death for a childhood incident where he removed Pharaoh's crown and placed it on his own head (Shemot Rabbah 1:26). Talk about poetic justice! The very people who plotted against Moses were now brought low, unable to even face him because of their own suffering. The plague, therefore, becomes a form of divine retribution.
Finally, the text touches on the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. "The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not heed them; as the Lord had spoken to Moses" (Exodus 9:12). This is a complex and often debated point. Shemot Rabbah explains that after the first five plagues, God saw that Pharaoh was unyielding. From that point on, God declared that even if Pharaoh wanted to repent, his heart would be hardened so that he would receive his full punishment. This echoes God's earlier statement in Exodus 7:3, "But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart." It's a difficult concept, suggesting that at a certain point, Pharaoh's fate was sealed.
What does this tell us? Perhaps it highlights the importance of seizing opportunities for repentance and change before it's too late. It also underscores the idea that our actions have consequences, and that those who inflict suffering on others may ultimately face suffering themselves. And, it reminds us that even within a seemingly straightforward narrative like the story of the Exodus, layers of meaning and interpretation await, inviting us to engage with the text on a deeper, more personal level.