Darkness – The Plague and its Meaning
Review the brief text about the Plague: Exodus 10:21-23.
If you can, read the text in Hebrew. Note any unusual words or constructions.
Our first interpretive text for study is from the Wisdom of Solomon. This Greek-Jewish text is part of the Apocrypha, Greek additions to the Hebrew Bible, some originally written in Hebrew, which were used by the Alexandrian Jewish community. They were retained as part of the Christian Bible but not as part of the Tanach. The book is thought to have been written by a Jew in Alexandria, early in the first century C.E.
A substantial part of the book describes the plagues and discusses the reasons for them. Peter Enns in his book Exodus Retold (Atlanta, Scholars Press, 1997) describes how the Wisdom of Solomon contains many concepts that are also found in Hebrew Midrash. He posits that similar traditions of Biblical interpretation circulated orally in both Hebrew and Greek speaking Jewish communities in the first century.
1. Wisdom of Solomon 17:1-18:4
[1] For great are Your judgments, and cannot be expressed: therefore un-nurtured souls have erred. [2] For when unrighteous men thought to oppress the holy nation; they being shut up in their houses, the prisoners of darkness, and fettered with the bonds of a long night, lay [there] exiled from the eternal providence. [3] For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being horribly astonished, and troubled with [strange] apparitions. [4] For neither might the corner that held them keep them from fear: but noises [as of waters] falling down sounded about them and sad visions appeared unto them with heavy countenances. [5] No power of the fire might give them light: neither could the bright flames of the stars endure to lighten that horrible night. [6] Only there appeared unto them a fire kindled of itself, very dreadful: for being much terrified, they thought the things which they saw to be worse than the sight they saw not. [7] As for the illusions of art magic, they were put down, and their vaunting in wisdom was reproved with disgrace. [8] For they, that promised to drive away terrors and troubles from a sick soul, were sick themselves of fear, worthy to be laughed at. [9] For though no terrible thing did fear them; yet being scared with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents, [10] They died for fear, denying that they saw the air, which could of no side be avoided. [11] For wickedness, condemned by her own witness, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, always forecasts grievous things. [12] For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succors which reason offers. [13] And the expectation from within, being less, count the ignorance more than the cause which brings the torment. [14] But they sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottoms of inevitable hell, [15] Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly fainted, their heart failing them: for a sudden fear, and not looked for, came upon them. [16] So then whoever there fell down was straitly kept, shut up in a prison without iron bars, [17] For whether he were husbandman, or shepherd, or a laborer in the field, he was overtaken, and endured that necessity, which could not be avoided: for they were all bound with one chain of darkness. [18] Whether it were a whistling wind, or a melodious noise of birds among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water running violently, [19] Or a terrible sound of stones cast down, or a running that could not be seen of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most savage wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the hollow mountains; these things made them to swoon for fear. [20] For the whole world shone with clear light and none were hindered in their labor: [21] Over them only was spread an heavy night, an image of that darkness which should afterward receive them: but yet were they unto themselves more grievous than the darkness.
[1] Nevertheless your saints had a very great light, whose voice they hearing, and not seeing their shape, because they also had not suffered the same things, they counted them happy. [2] But for that they did not hurt them now, of whom they had been wronged before, they thanked them, and besought them pardon for that they had been enemies. [3] Instead whereof You gave them a burning pillar of fire, both to be a guide of the unknown journey, and a harmless sun to entertain them honorably. [4] For they were worthy to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness, who had kept Your sons shut up, by whom the uncorrupt light of the law was to be given unto the world.
How is the experience of the Egyptians described?
What made the plague of darkness so terrible according to this text?
How is the Israelite experience contrasted? How do they respond to the plague of darkness?
How are the metaphors of darkness and light extended to other parts of the Exodus story?
2. Exodus Rabbah 14:1
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה נְטֵה יָדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קה, כח): שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁךְ וְלֹא מָרוּ אֶת דְּבָרוֹ, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ עַל שֶׁלֹא קִבְּלוּ בְּמָרוּת דְּבָרוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַמַּלְאָכִים, הַמִּצְרִיִּים רְאוּיִין לִלְקוֹת בְּחשֶׁךְ, מִיָּד הִסְכִּימוּ כֻּלָּן כְּאַחַת וְלֹא הִמְרוּ. מַהוּ שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁךְ, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאָדוֹן שֶׁסָּרַח עָלָיו עַבְדּוֹ, אָמַר לְאֶחָד לֵךְ וְהַכֵּהוּ חֲמִשִּׁים מַגְלְבִין, הָלַךְ וְהִכָּהוּ מֵאָה וְהוֹסִיף לוֹ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִתְעַלֶּה שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְהוֹסִיף הַחשֶׁךְ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, הֱוֵי: שָׁלַח חשֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁךְ. וְיָמֵשׁ חשֶׁךְ, כַּמָּה הָיָה אוֹתוֹ חשֶׁךְ, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ עָבֶה כְּדִינָר הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְיָמֵשׁ חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ.
“G-d said to Moses: Stretch out your hand toward the heavens…” (Exodus 10:21). This is what was said, (Psalm 105:28) “He sent darkness; it was very dark; they did not defy (lo maru) his word.” Our rabbis said, they did not accept the lordship (marut) of the word of the Holy Blessed One upon themselves. Another interpretation: The Holy Blessed One said to the angels, the Egyptians deserve to have darkness upon them, immediately all the angels agreed as one and did not resist/defy. What does it mean, “he sent darkness, it was very dark”? What is this like? Like a master whose servant disobeyed him. He said to one [of his servants], go and give him 50 lashes. He went and hit him 100 times and added to him from his own. Thus the Holy Blessed One may He be exalted, sent darkness on the Egyptians and added his own darkness, that is what it means, “he sent darkness; it was very dark.” “A darkness that can be touched,” (Exodus 10:21) how much was that darkness? Our rabbis said, “it was thick as a dinar (a coin),” as it is said, “a darkness that can be touched (vayamesh)” – it was tangible (mamash).
What aspects of the Hebrew text does this Midrash emphasize? Does this midrash relate to the Wisdom of Solomon text above? How?
If you have time, read Psalm 105:27-44. Does it differ from the Exodus narrative? How? Why do you think the authors of the Midrash chose to reference this Psalm? How does the Psalm add to our understanding of the Torah text?
3. Exodus Rabbah 14:2
(ב) וַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת יָדוֹ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם וַיְהִי חשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה, מֵהֵיכָן הָיָה הַחשֶׁךְ הַהוּא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מֵחשֶׁךְ שֶׁל מַעְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יח, יב): יָשֶׁת חשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר מֵחשֶׁךְ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב י, כב): אֶרֶץ עֵפָתָה כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל צַלְמָוֶת וְלֹא סְדָרִים וגו', אוֹי לוֹ לַבַּיִת שֶׁחַלּוֹנוֹתָיו פְּתוּחִין לְתוֹךְ חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב י, כב): וַתֹּפַע כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל. אוֹר שֶׁלָּה מִתּוֹךְ חשֶׁךְ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל לא, טו): בְּיוֹם רִדְתּוֹ שְׁאֹלָה הֶאֱבַלְתִּי כִּסֵּתִי עָלָיו אֶת תְּהוֹם, הוֹבַלְתִּי כְּתִיב. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי אָמַר בַּמֶּה הָרְשָׁעִים מִתְכַּסִּים בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם, בַּחשֶׁךְ. חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר הַגִּיגִית הַזּוֹ בַּמֶּה מְכַסִּין אוֹתָהּ, בִּכְלִי חֶרֶס, מִינָהּ וּבָהּ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִיא שֶׁל חֶרֶס כָּךְ מְכַסִּין אוֹתָהּ בִּכְלִי חָרֶס. כָּךְ הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כט, טו): וְהָיָה בְּמַחְשָׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְכַסֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הַתְּהוֹם שֶׁהוּא חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, ב): וְחשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם, זֶה גֵּיהִנֹּם. הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר חשֶׁךְ שֶׁבָּא עַל הַמִּצְרִים מִתּוֹךְ גֵּיהִנֹּם הָיָה.
“Moses stretched his hand to heaven and thick darkness descended,” (Exodus 10:22). Where did this darkness come from? Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah: Rabbi Yehudah said from the darkness that is above, as it is said, (Psalm 18:12): “He made darkness His screen.” Rabbi Nehemiah said, “from the darkness of Gehinnom, as it is said, (Job 10:22): “A land whose light is darkness, all gloom and disarray.” Oy to the person whose home has windows that open onto darkness, as it says, “light is darkness” (Job), light that he sent in the midst of darkness, as it is written (Ezekiel 31:15), “On the day it went down to Sheol, I closed the deep over it and covered it.”… Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi said, with what do the evil ones cover themselves in Gehinnom? Darkness. Hezekiah said, this tub with what do we cover it? With a pottery vessel? From it and on it – just as it is made of pottery, so do we cover it with pottery. Such are the evil ones, as it is written, (Isaiah 29:15) “They do their work in dark places,” therefore the Holy Blessed One covers them with the deep, which is darkness, as it is written, (Genesis 1:2), “And darkness was over the face of the deep.” This is Gehinnom, therefore say that the darkness that came over Egypt was from Gehinnom.
In this argument about the origin of the darkness brought in the plague, Rabbi Yehudah does not seem to stand a chance in his stance that it comes from above. What is the force of the overwhelming arguments that it came from Gehinnom? Why is it important for the rabbis to make this case? How do the proof texts shed light on deeper meanings in the Exodus story?
4. Exodus Rabbah 14:3
This source is very long. I have divided it into three sections for ease of learning.
(ג) חשֶׁךְ לָמָּה הֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן, יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵין לְפָנָיו מַשֹּׂוֹא פָנִים וְהוּא חוֹקֵר לֵב וּבֹחֵן כְּלָיוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹשְׁעִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶן פַּטְרוֹנִין מִן הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְהָיָה לָהֶן שָׁם עשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד וְלֹא הָיוּ רוֹצִים לָצֵאת, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן מַכָּה בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא וְיָמוּתוּ, יֹאמְרוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָבַר עָלֵינוּ כָּךְ עָבַר עֲלֵיהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ הֵבִיא עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים אֶת הַחשֶׁךְ שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ קוֹבְרִין מֵתֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִהְיוּ רוֹאִין אוֹתָן שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם וְיִהְיוּ מְשַׁבְּחִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל כָּךְ.
Why did G-d bring darkness on them? May the name of the Holy One be blessed, there is no favoritism before him, and he searches the heart and tests the kidneys [a symbol for the inner workings of a person]. Because there were criminals in Israel who had patrons among the Egyptians and they had there wealth and honor and did not want to leave. The Holy Blessed One said, if I smite them in public and they die, the Egyptians will say, “just as we are plagued so they are plagued.” Therefore, he brought darkness on the Egyptians for three days so that they could bury their dead and the ones who hated them could not see and they would praise the Holy Blessed One for this.
The implication of this Midrash is that the darkness had to serve a human purpose, and that it served a purpose for the Israelites. Is this consistent with what we learned above? What aspects of the Exodus story does this Midrash about darkness illuminate?
מַהוּ חשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבְדִּימֵי דְמִן חֵיפָה, אוֹתוֹ חשֶׁךְ כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל הָיָה, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ הָיוּ, כֵּיצַד שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מִי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וּבִקֵּשׁ לַעֲמֹד עוֹמֵד, וְהָעוֹמֵד בִּקֵּשׁ לֵישֵׁב יוֹשֵׁב, וְעַל אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים נֶאֱמַר: וַיְהִי חשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים לֹא רָאוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו. שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים אֲחֵרִים מִי שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד וְהָעוֹמֵד אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵישֵׁב, וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה רוֹבֵץ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִזְקֹף, עֲלֵיהֶן נֶאֱמַר: וְלֹא קָמוּ אִישׁ מִתַּחְתָּיו שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים. וּבִשְׁלשֶׁת יְמֵי אֲפֵלָה נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חֵן הָעָם בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרַיִם וְהִשְׁאִילוּם, שֶׁהָיָה יִשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנַס לְתוֹךְ בָּתֵּיהֶן שֶׁל מִצְרִים וְהָיוּ רוֹאִין בָּהֶן כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלוֹת, אִם הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים אֵין לָנוּ לְהַשְׁאִיל לָכֶם הָיוּ יִשְרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לָהֶן הֲרֵי הוּא בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים אִם הָיוּ אֵלּוּ רוֹצִים לְשַׁקֵּר בָּנוּ הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין אוֹתָן בִּימֵי הַחשֶׁךְ וְלֹא הָיִינוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין, שֶׁהֲרֵי רָאוּ אוֹתָן כְּבָר אַחַר שֶׁלֹא נָגְעוּ חוּץ מִדַּעְתֵּנוּ כְּמוֹ כֵן לֹא יַחֲזִיקוּ, וְהָיוּ מַשְׁאִילִין לָהֶן, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, יד): וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וּלְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה אוֹר וגו', בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָם, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה יְהוּדִי נִכְנַס הָיָה אוֹר נִכְנַס וּמֵאִיר לוֹ מַה שֶּׁבַּחָבִיּוֹת וּבַתֵּבוֹת וּבַמַּטְמוֹנִיּוֹת. וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (תהלים קיט, קה): נֵר לְרַגְלִי דְבָרֶךָ וגו'.
What is thick darkness (hoshech afela) (Exodus 10:22)? Rabbi Avdimi said: this darkness was doubled. Our rabbis said: there were seven days of darkness. How? In the first three days, someone who was sitting and wanted to stand, stood, and one who stood and wanted to sit, sat. About these three days it was said, “Thick darkness descended on the land and for three days people could not see each other.” (Exodus 10:22-23). The three next days, someone who sat could not stand and someone who stood could not sit, and someone who crouched could not straighten up. About them it is written, “For three days no one could get up from where he was.” (Exodus 10:23).
Compare this Midrash with the Wisdom of Solomon chapter 18 quoted above. How did the darkness affect the relationship between the Jews and the Egyptians? See also Aviva Zornberg’s teaching below.
הֲרֵי שִׁשָּׁה יָמִים שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ שֶׁהָיָה בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְהַשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ, זֶה יוֹם חשֶׁךְ שֶׁל יָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כ): וַיְהִי הֶעָנָן וְהַחשֶׁךְ וַיָּאֶר אֶת הַלָּיְלָה, כָּךְ הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹלֵחַ עָנָן וְחשֶׁךְ וּמַחְשִׁיךְ לְמִצְרַיִם וּמֵאִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (תהלים כז, א): ה' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי וגו'. וְכֵן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא יָבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ס, ב): כִּי הִנֵּה הַחשֶׁךְ יְכַסֶּה אֶרֶץ וגו'.
This makes six days of darkness that were in Egypt and the seventh day of darkness was the darkness at the sea as it is written, (Exodus 14:20), “The cloud and the darkness lit up the night” thus the Holy Blessed One sends the cloud and the darkness and darkened the Egyptians and lit up the Israelites just as he had done for them in Egypt, and about this is written, (Psalm 27:1), “The Lord is my light and my salvation,” and thus in the future the Holy Blessed One will bring darkness as it is written, (Isaiah 60:2), “Darkness will cover the earth and thick clouds the peoples, but upon you the Lord will shine…”
This conclusion fully explains the seven days of darkness described above. What do you think motivates this Midrash? Why do they connect the plague of darkness with the events at the sea? If you have time, look at Isaiah’s vision for the future in chapter 60. Do these images of darkness and light continue to resonate? Is this how you view the messianic future?
5. Avivah Zornberg, The Particulars of Rapture (New York, Doubleday, 2001), pages 166-167
In addition, Rashi (10:22) cites the midrash that has the plague of darkness endure for two three-day periods: in the first, the Egyptians merely “could not see one another”: in the second, there was a “double darkness” of absolute immobility – those who sat could not stand, those who stood could not sit…This is a depiction of a dehumanized rigidity, a “hardness,” that mimics the rigidity of Pharoah’s heart throughout the narrative. There is a horror – even a moral repulsiveness- in such a condition. One can detect in Rashi’s account of this darkness a similar sense of bafflement: Why did He bring darkness upon them?” Rashi asks. The very question is unusual; on no other of the plagues does he ask such a question. There is something about the plague of darkness, about the way it reduces the human being to a blind and paralyzed vulnerability, that defies rational or moral explanation. And, indeed, Rashi’s answers to his own question withdraw narrative interest from the Egyptians to the Israelites. In this kind of darkness, one might say, repentance – teshuva – becomes impossible. There is no possible response to the terror of such a condition.
[This passage is part of a longer section, The Narrative of the Night, pages 164 to 176.]
How does Dr. Zornberg’s teaching shed light on our Midrashim? How does it help explain the first text from the Wisdom of Solomon?
Concluding question: How are these teachings about darkness relevant to us today? What will you take away from these texts?