From: CFRQC@CUNYVM.BITNET (ToraByte Int'l)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: A Byte Of Torah II,XV Bo
Date: 28 Jan 93 05:23:56 GMT
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center


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                                     A                                   BS"D
   Volume II                      B Y T E     The Electronic
     Issue XV                       O F          Torah Weekly
                                 T O R A H
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                           Dvar Torah of the Week
                           ----------------------

"And the locusts rose up on all the land of Egypt,
  and rested within all the Egyptian borders.
   It was very severe. Never before had there been locusts as such,
    and neither will there be in the future." (Exodus 10:14)

  Why is the term "rested" used for the locusts? To teach us that the locusts
"rested" on the Sabbath and did not eat from the vegetation on that day (Baal
HaTurim).
  In the times of the Prophets, a horde of locusts descended upon the Land
of Israel. In that context as well, the prophet says that there never was a
plague of locusts as large or as devastating as that multitude, nor will
there ever be such a calamity in the future (see Joel 2:2 and commentaries
ad loc). Is the verse in the Prophets contradicting the verse in Exodus?
There are seven species of locusts (Rabbeinu Bachya). The swarm of locusts
that is mentioned in the Prophets consists of all seven types of locusts.
However, the horde of locusts that descended upon Egypt, was all of one kind.
This kind was the 'Arbeh'; there never was nor will there ever be as great
a swarm of 'Arbeh' locusts as there was in Egypt during the Ten Plagues
(Rashi). Alternatively, all seven kinds of locusts were found in the plague
in Egypt. However, the most numerous type was the 'Arbeh' locust. Never will
one find a swarm of 'Arbeh' locusts in such great numbers as was found during
the plague of locusts in Egypt (Rabbeinu Bachya). Another possible
explanation is that the plague of locusts never was nor will ever be as great
in Egypt as it was during the Ten Plagues. However, a horde of locust could
swarm to similar proportions of multitude and can cause similar amounts of
devastation in other countries (Ramban).


                            Midrash of the Week
                            -------------------

"And Moses stretched out his hand towards the sky,
  and there was a thick darkness in all of Egypt for three days.
   People were unable to see one another,
    and neither were they able to rise for three days.
     But all the Israelites had light wherever they lived." (Exodus 10:22-23)

  For three days, no Egyptian was able to see anyone else due to the intense
darkness. The darkness then intensified for another three days. During this
time period, none of the Egyptians were able to move; those who were sitting
and those who were standing remained frozen in their positions.
  One of the reasons that the Egyptians were struck with the plague of
darkness, is that Hashem did not want the Egyptians to see the death of the
wicked Israelites who did not want to leave Egypt. If the Egyptians would
have witnessed the deaths of the Israelites they would have said that the
Israelites were also afflicted by the plagues (Midrash Rabah, Rashi).

Please direct any comments, questions, etc. to bytetorah@israel.nysernet.org,
which will be forwarded to me. Please pass it on to a friend. If you want to
subscribe, please send e-mail to listserv@israel.nysernet.org with the msg:
SUB bytetorah <first name> <last name>.  --Zev Itzkowitz        Copyright 1993
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