Rashi on TanakhExodus 10

Adonoy said to Moshe “Go in to Pharaoh — and warn him.”

I will be able to set. שִׁתִי is the same as שׂוּמִי (another version: שִׂימִי), [meaning:] “that I will set.”

I made a mockery. [הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי means] I have mocked, as in: “For (הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ) you have mocked me;” [or:] “Is it not so, when (הִתְעַלֵּל) he mocked them?” which is said regarding the Egyptians. It does not mean doing and acting for if that were the case it should have been written עֹולַלְתִּי, as in: “(וְעוֹלֵל) Do to them as (עוֹלַלְתָּ) you have done to me,” [or:] “which (עֹולַל) he has done to me.”

To be humbled. [לֵעָנֹת is] as Onkelos translates it לְאִתְכְּנָעָא — to be humbled which is from the root עָנִי — poor. [The question: עַד מָתַי וכו' conveys:] “you have refused to be poor and humble before Me.”

The visible surface of the land. [אֶת עֵין הָאָרֶץ means] the illumination of the land.

One (lit. he) will be unable, etc. I.e., הָרוֹאֶה [וְלֹא יוּכַל] — The one who looks [will be unable] to see the land. The Torah expresses itself in an abbreviated way.

Did you not yet realize. [הַטֶרֶם תֵּדַע means:]. “Did you as yet not realize that Egypt is lost?”

Were brought back. They were brought back by a messenger that they (Pharaoh’s servants) sent after them who then brought them back to Pharaoh.

Just as I will send you and your little ones. [I.e.,] “Surely were I to send the sheep and cattle as you have requested.”

Beware, for evil confronts you. This should be translated as Onkelos does. An aggadic explanation that I heard [states:] There is a star by the name of “Evil”; Pharaoh said to them: “I see by my astrological calculations that that star is rising towards you in the wilderness and it is a sign of blood and killing.” When [eventually] the Israelites sinned by [worshipping] the calf and God wished to kill them, Moshe said in his prayer, “Why should the Egyptians speak, saying: ‘He took them out with (רָעָה) the star “Evil,’” for this is meant by what he said, ‘Beware, for “Evil” confronts you’.” Immediately “God reconsidered the ‘Evil’” and turned the blood to blood of circumcision for Yehoshua circumcised them. This is meant by what is said: (Yehoshua said:) “Today I have removed the shame of Egypt from you” for they had been saying to you, “We see blood upon you in the wilderness.”

This is not right — as you have said to take the children along with you, but, rather, let the men go and serve God.”

For this is what you desire. “This (service) is what you requested till now: ‘Let us slaughter to our God’ and it is not customary for children to slaughter.

He had them expelled. This is a shortened statement and does not state who expelled them.

For the locusts. [The prefix letter ב' denotes:] “On account of the locust plague.

The east wind The east wind carried the locusts because it (the wind) comes from opposite it (Egypt). For Egypt was southwest [relative to Eretz Yisrael] as has been explained elsewhere.

And never again after them. The [locusts] that were in the days of Yoel about which it is said: “There was never one like it,” which teaches us that it was more serious than [the one in the days of] Moshe! It was so [only] in regard to multiple species, for, simultaneously, there were [the species called] אַרְבֶּה, יֶלֶק, חָסִיל, גָּזָם — Arbeh, Yelek, Chasil, Gazam. But [the one in the days] of Moshe was of only one species (the אַרְבֶּה), the likes of which never had been and never would be.

No greenery. [יֶרֶק here means] a green leaf. Verdure in Old French.

Westerly wind. [רוּחַ יָם means] a westerly wind.

Into the Reed sea It is my opinion that the Reed Sea was partially to the west [of Eretz Yisrael] opposite the entire southern side, and was also on the eastern side of Eretz Yisrael. Therefore, a westerly wind blew the locusts into the Reed Sea opposite [the east of Egypt] so, too, we find regarding boundaries [of Eretz Yisrael,] that it (the Reed Sea) veers to the east [of Eretz Ysrael,] for it is said: “from the Reed Sea to the Philistine Sea,” [referring to the extent of the land] east to west, since the Philistine Sea was to the west; as is said regarding the Philistines: “Those who inhabit the sea-coast, the Kereisi (Philistine) nation.”

Not a single locust remained. Not even a salted one that they had salted.

The darkness will be tangible. [וְיָמֵשׁ חֹשֶׁךְ means:] There will be upon them a darkness greater then the darkness of night, [i.e.,] the darkness of night will become even more black and dark.

וְיָמֵשׁ (will be tangible) — is the same as וְיַאֲמֵשׁ (He will darken). We have many words missing the letter א' . Since the enunciation of the א' is not very noticeable Scripture is not particular if it is omitted. For example: וְלֹא יַהֵל שָׁם עֲרָבִי [וְלֹא יַהֵל] being the same as לֹא יַאֲהִיל (with an א') [meaning:] “[An Arab] will not pitch his tent [there].” Similarly, וַתַּזְרֵנִי חָיִל (“you have girded me with strength”) the same as וַתְּאַזְרֵנִי — (with an א'). Onkelos translates [וְיָמֵש] as having the meaning of removing as in לֹא יָמוּשׁ — “It will not depart.” [Onkelos’ understanding of וְיָמֵשׁ חְשֶׁךְ is:] “After the darkness of night has departed” [i.e.,] when the light of day will approach. However, this statement does not fit the letter ו' of the word וְיָמֵשׁ because it is written after וִיהִי חֹשֶׁך . A Midrash Aggada explains it (וְיָמֵשׁ) from the term (מְמַשֵּׁשׁ) feeling his way in the afternoon,” for [the darkness] was doubled and redoubled and so thick that it was tangible.

Three days. [שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים means:] a threesome of days. Terzaine in Old French — a threesome. Similarly, wherever it says: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, it is septaine [in Old French] — a group of seven days.

There was total darkness. For three days, etc., [חֹשֶׁךְ אֲפֵילָה means:] darkness of gloom so that one person did not see another during those three days, and for another three days afterwards [there was] a darkness twice as thick where no one was able to rise from his place. If he was sitting he could not stand and if he was standing he could not sit. Why did He bring darkness on them? Because there were among the Israelites of that generation evil people who did not wish to leave, and they died out during the three days of darkness so that the Egyptians not see their demise thereby saying, “They are being struck as we are.” Furthermore, [during the darkness] the Israelites searched and saw their [the Egyptians’ valuable] vessels and when they left [Egypt] and asked them [for the valuable vessels] and they (the Egyptians) responded, “We have nothing [to give you],” he (the Israelite) would say to him, “But I did see it in your house and it is in that particular place.”

Stay behind. [יֻצָּג means] shall remain in its place.

You too will give. It will not be sufficient for you that our cattle go with us but, rather, “you too” will give of yours.

Hoof. [פַּרְסָה means] the hoof of the foot, plante in Old French.

We do not know with what we will worship. [I.e.,] We do not know the magnitude of the service. “Perhaps He will ask of us more than we have in our possession.”

As you say. [I.e.,] “You have spoken properly and you have spoken at the right time. It is true that I will never see your face again.”