פרשת בא תש"י - המכות האחרונות

And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs in the midst of them;

And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs in the midst of them;

and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers’fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day.’ And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only.’

And Moses said: ‘Thou must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

You too will give. Moshe did not expect that Pharaoh would actually comply with this admonition, nor do we find that he did so. All he meant was that Hashem’s hand would be so heavy upon the Egyptians that they would be willing to give sacrifices or whatever else was required to save their souls. Indeed, when Pharaoh later said to them, “bless me too” (12:32), he would have gladly given all his flocks to save himself. In practice, though, Moshe would never have offered sacrifices on Pharaoh’s behalf because he knew that Hashem wished to humble him and then to drown him in the sea, not to grant him atonement. According to the Sages, Pharaoh’s later entreaty, “Take your sheep … as you have said” (ibid.), was an allusion to Moshe’s reproof in this verse, but there, too, all that is meant is that Pharaoh was willing to give them sacrifices. Alternatively, perhaps Pharaoh actually did give them animals to sacrifice, but for their own use, not on his behalf.

And Moses said: ‘Thou must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

גם אתה תתן THOU MUST GIVE ALSO — It will not be enough for you that our cattle will go with us but you will give also of yours.

And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them: ‘Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are they that shall go?’