We often focus on the miracles, the parting of the Red Sea, the giving of the Torah. But nestled within that incredible narrative are moments of sheer, unadulterated divine power...and the devastation that came with it.
Shemot Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, gives us a glimpse into the night of the final plague, the slaying of the firstborn. It’s a stark reminder that liberation came at a heavy cost.
The Torah tells us, "The Lord will pass to smite Egypt" (Exodus 12:23). But how did this happen? Some say an angel was the instrument of God’s wrath. Others, according to Shemot Rabbah 17, suggest that the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself, carried out the act. And the impact was…unfathomable.
The text asks, “To smite [lingof]?” What does this seemingly simple word imply? According to the Midrash, it teaches us that the plague's impact went far beyond just the firstborn sons. Lingof, the text argues, is connected to pregnant women. It says that even pregnant women miscarried and mothers died, and the destroyer emerged and harmed everything it found. The verse “And they strike [venagefu] a pregnant woman” (Exodus 21:22) becomes a chilling echo.
While the Holy One, blessed be He, was destroying the firstborn of Egypt, what were the Israelites doing? They were doing everything God commanded through Moses and Aaron, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron” (Exodus 12:28). Obedience, in the face of such overwhelming power, was their act of faith.
Shemot Rabbah uses a powerful analogy to illustrate the scene: Imagine a king traveling by sea with his sons, surrounded by pirate ships. The king, instead of cowering, proclaims, "Here are my giant spears, all prepared, with which I pass over the sea waves and do battle!" This is how the Holy One, blessed be He, was with His children in Egypt. The Egyptian camps plotted against them all night, but God declared, "Such wicked ones, are you plotting against My children? My giant spears are prepared!" As it is stated: “He saved them for His name’s sake” (Psalms 106:8).
Think about this: The Israelites were busy with their own preparations – roasting the Paschal offering, sprinkling blood on their doorposts, reciting Hallel (psalms of praise), and learning the laws of Passover. All the while, the Holy One, blessed be He, was unleashing the final plague.
The Midrash then makes a profound statement: God was distinguishing so that the blood of the impure would atone for the blood of the pure. The death of the Egyptian firstborn atoned for the firstborn of Israel. It cites Psalms 34:23, “The Lord redeems the soul of His servants.”
Even as they were grinding and kneading their matzot (unleavened bread), a symbol of their haste to leave Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, was “uprooting the plants” of Egypt. The Midrash connects this to Psalm 7:7: “Arise, Lord, in your anger [lift Yourself up in indignation [be’avrot] against my adversaries].” Be’avrot, indignation, is expounded as though it were be’ubarot, meaning fetuses. A truly devastating image of complete and utter destruction.
So, what does this all mean? The Exodus wasn't just a simple story of freedom. It was a cataclysmic event, a moment when divine justice and mercy were intertwined in a way that's both awe-inspiring and terrifying. It challenges us to consider the true cost of liberation and the immense power of the God who brought it about. It reminds us that even in moments of profound joy and celebration, like Passover, we must remember the depth of suffering that paved the way.