Parashat Bo – Rabbi Yamin Goldstein quotes Rabbi Simcha Bounim
In Parashat Vaera we learn about the first 7 Makkot that Hashem
brought upon the Egyptians and in Parashat Bo we hear the last 3
Makkot.
The first Makka in Parashat Bo Arbe/Locusts is introduced in the
very beginning of Parashat Bo.
Hashem tells Moshe in Exodus Chapter 10:1 ותֹמְ שׁ
א וַיּ ֹאמֶ ר ה אֶ ל-מֹשֶׁ ה, בּ ֹא אֶ ל-פַּרְ עֹה: כִּ י-אֲ נִי הִ כְ בַּדְ תִּ י אֶ ת-לִבֹּו, וְ אֶ ת-לֵב עֲבָ דָ יו,
לְמַ עַ ן שִׁ תִ י אֹתֹתַ י אֵ לֶּה, בְּ קִ רְ בֹּו.
1 And the Hashem said to Moshe: ‘COME to Pharaoh; for I have
hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, so that I can show
them My signs in the midst of them; So, these miracles shall be
passed down from generation to generation.
Many Meforshim are questioning the wording. Why did Hashem tell
Moshe “BO EL Pharaoh – COME to Pharaoh?”
In the beginning of Parashat Bo it sounds almost like Hashem is
telling Moshe come to Pharaoh instead of GO to Pharaoh! That
expression was previously in last week’s Parasha!
But the question is the same question. Why does Hashem say, “BO
EL Pharaoh” and not “Lech El Pharaoh”? Furthermore, in all the
other Makkot, Hashem tells Moshe and Aaron what the next Makka
is going to be before Moshe would warn Pharaoh, but with this eight
Makka Arbe-Locusts, Hashem didn’t tell Moshe & Aaron what the
Makka would be. All we see is that in chapter 10:3 Moshe and Aaron are telling Pharaoh in the name of Hashem, “How long
Pharaoh will you refuse to our people go?”
ג וַיָּב ֹא מֹשֶׁ ה וְ אַ הֲ רֹן, אֶ ל-פַּרְ עֹה, וַיּ ֹאמְ רוּ אֵ לָיו כֹּה-אָ מַ ר ה אֱ ֹלקֵ י הָ עִ בְ רִ ים, עַ ד-
מָ תַ י מֵ אַ נְתָּ לֵעָנֹת מִ פָּנָי; שַׁ לַּח עַ מִּ י, וְ יַעַ בְ דֻנִי.
3 And Moshe and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and said to him: ‘So says
Hashem, the God of the Jews: How long will you refuse to humble
yourself before God? Let My people go, that they may serve God.
And then in the very next possuk, 10:4, Moshe again tells Pharaoh
in the name of Hashem, “If you do not let Beni Israel leave Egypt I
will bring down tomorrow Arbe-Locusts in all your borders.”
ד כִּ י אִ ם-מָ אֵ ן אַ תָּ ה, לְשַׁ לֵּחַ אֶ ת-עַ מִּ י–הִ נְנִי מֵ בִ יא מָ חָ ר אַ רְ בֶּ ה, בִּ גְ בֻלֶָך.
4 If you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring
locusts into thy border.
The question is how could Moshe say that? Hashem didn’t tell
Moshe he was going to Bring Arb-Locusts for Makka #8! He never
told Moshe what the Makka was going to be!
And we can ask one more question, when the plague of ArbeLocusts comes to Egypt, Pharaoh can’t take it anymore and he says
something that he had never said before in Chapter 10:16
שְׁ מֹות 10 Chapter Exodus
טז וַיְמַ הֵ ר פַּרְ עֹה, לִקְ ר ֹא לְמֹשֶׁ ה וּלְאַ הֲ רֹן; וַיּ ֹאמֶ ר, חָ טָ אתִ י לַה אֱ ֹלקֵ יכֶם–וְ לָכֶם.
16 Then Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aaron in haste; and he said:
‘I have sinned against Hashem your God, and against you. I have sinned to Hashem and to you! With all the other Makkot
Pharaoh had never said that the closes he had come was at the
Plague of Barad Hail, Pharaoh had said
שְׁ מֹות 9 Chapter
כז ַוִיּ ְשַׁלח ַפְּר ֹעה, ַוִיּ ְקָרא ְל ֹמ ֶשׁה וּ ְל ַאֲה ֹרן, ַויֹּא ֶמר ֲאלֵהֶ ם, חָ טָ אתִ י הַ פָּעַ ם: ה,
הַ צַּ דִּ יק, וַאֲ נִי וְ עַ מִּ י, הָ רְ שָׁ עִ ים.
27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moshe and Aaron, and said to
them: ‘I have sinned this time; Hashem is righteous, and I and my
people are wicked.
I have sinned to your God. But in the Makka of Arbe Pharaoh says,
I” have sinned to your God and to you! “WHY?
This question was asked by Rabbi Simcha Bounim, who died in
1827.
In the Sefer Kol Simcha, quoted by Rabbi Yamin Goldsmith from
Bnei Brak, he answers;
Says Rabbi Bounim, the Makkot were not brought only on the
Egyptians to punish them but also to teach Bnei Yisrael of that
generation and all other generations, the greatness of Hashem and of
His power to control the whole entire universe. And not only that,
the Makkot were brought down to teach Bnei Yisrael of Hashem’s
infinite kindness. And Rabbi Bounim says that one of the ways that
Hashem showed Bnei Yisrael of His infinite kindness is through this
Makka, the Makka Of Arbe-Locusts
Hashem Told Moshe, “YOU pick the Makka this time! Whatever
Makka you pick, I will do it”, said Hashem. Rabbi Simcha Bounim says that if all the Makkot that Hashem
Himself picked, so to speak, there would be room for some people
to make a mistake and think that Hashem brought the Makkot for
some other reason. But now that Moshe was picking the Makka. it
was absolutely clear that this Makka and all the other Makkot were
brought for the sake of Bnei Yisrael.
Now that explains why our Parasha begins and opens with the
Hashem telling Moshe, “BO EL Pharaoh-COME to Pharaoh” and
not “Lech El Pharaoh”. Lech El Pharaoh means that Moshe was a
messenger of God and agent of Hashem of course he was indeed a
Shaliach/Messenger of Hashem, but when Hashem says BO El
Pharaoh, the focus is more on Moshe.
“Moshe and Aaron, go, you do what you think is best for Bnei
Yisrael and I will listen to you”, says Hashem. And this also
explains why Pharaoh says in Chapter 10:16. “I sinned to your God
and to you!” This was your idea Moshe & Aaron and God himself
listens to you! He did what you told him to do! This is unheard of.
This specific plague of Arbe/Locusts teaches us that everything
Hashem does from the most incredible miracles in Egypt to the most
incredible everyday miracles in our own lives each and every
moment of our life is not only a miracle but it’s a miracle given to
us by Hashem, by God Himself, for our own GOOD.
Edited By Rabbi from Torahs Emes of NMB, FL

Shabbat Shalom