We often focus on the miraculous nature of it all, but sometimes, the Rabbis of the Midrash offer us insights into the why behind the what.

Take the plague of locusts, for instance. In Exodus 10:12, God tells Moses to stretch out his hand so that locusts would swarm over Egypt and devour everything left by the hail. But, Shemot Rabbah, the collection of Midrashic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, asks a compelling question: Why this plague? Why locusts?

The answer, according to the Midrash, lies in the Egyptians' treatment of the Israelites. They forced the Israelites to sow wheat and barley. So, what did God do? He sent locusts to eat everything that the Israelites had sown! There's a powerful sense of divine justice at play here.

And what about the timing? Exodus 10:13 tells us, "Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land..." But why did God give Pharaoh a warning beforehand, a chance to repent, instead of unleashing the plagues immediately? The Midrash tells us it was "so they would relent and repent." God, even in the midst of these devastating plagues, offered Pharaoh and the Egyptians a chance to turn back. Even when dealing with such stubbornness and cruelty, there’s a chance given for teshuvah, for repentance.

Then, faced with the overwhelming swarm, Pharaoh finally cracks. He "hastened to call Moses and Aaron," admitting, "I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you" (Exodus 10:16). But what exactly does he mean by that? The Midrash unpacks Pharaoh’s confession. "I have sinned against the Lord your God," he acknowledges, "in that I did not let Israel go." And, "against you," Pharaoh admits, "in that I drove you out from before me and I thought to curse you." He's referring back to his earlier arrogance, when he flippantly said, "So let the Lord be with you" (Exodus 10:10), a statement dripping with sarcasm.

Finally, Pharaoh begs, "Now, please, forgive my sin [just this once, and entreat the Lord your God, and He will remove this death only from me]." And Moses, ever the intercessor, leaves Pharaoh’s presence to plead with God.

What does this all tell us? It's not just about a miraculous escape. It's about justice, about the consequences of oppression, and about the enduring possibility of repentance, even for someone as hardened as Pharaoh. It reminds us that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, there is always an opportunity to choose a different path. And perhaps, that's a message that resonates just as powerfully today.