I love books that feature elemental magic. They remind me of personality typing- because every magic user has an affinity with a particular element- typically air, earth, fire and water. The kind of magic one has speaks to one’s personality. (If you’ve never stopped to think about it, consider it now- which would yours be? Why?)
Anyway, it occurred to me that it would be interesting to look at the ten plagues as a demonstration of God’s dominion over the earth. This is a subject that has been explored in a variety of ways and through a variety of midrashim, but I want to look at it within the context of elemental magic. Especially since Egypt’s magicians feature prominently in the initial episodes of the plagues, a large piece of what God is doing here is asserting dominion over the entire world- because, of course, He is the Creator of the world. To assert this, He must prove that He is master of the elements- water, earth, fire and air. He will also demonstrate that He is master of death, the magic greater than any of these. (Recall that much ancient magic revolved around death, especially necromancy.)
What follows is my analysis of the ten plagues and the different elements God is demonstrating He controls through each plague.
Before any of the plagues commence, God has Moses and Aaron perform a demonstration featuring snakes. I think this is meant to hark back to the Garden of Eden episode. The snake seemingly challenged God’s authority in the garden- after all, it was the creature that caused Eve and subsequently Adam to sin. This demonstration shows that this creature is under God’s dominion as well; God can nullify it, turn it back into wood, and have that wood consume the magicians’ serpents. Though the snake may have seemed to have gotten away with thwarting God, this is not so- God rules over the snake as well. (I think one can argue that this is actually a metaphor for Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh may seem able to thwart God and harden his heart, but actually God is permitting him to do this, just as God permitted the snake to attempt (and even succeed) leading Eve astray.)
This will also explain why the “staff that was turned into a serpent” (Exodus 7:15) plays such a prominent role in the story. God controls the serpent, just as God will ultimately prove He controls Pharaoh.
A) Blood- The element in play is obviously WATER. God controls all sources of water, but we also see God’s control of the earth, because blood rather than water will even be found inside wood and stone.
19The Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch forth your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their canals, over their ponds, and over all their bodies of water, and they will become blood, and there will be blood throughout the entire land of Egypt, even in wood and in stone.' " יטוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֣ר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֡ן קַ֣ח מַטְּךָ֣ וּנְטֵה־יָֽדְךָ֩ עַל־מֵימֵ֨י מִצְרַ֜יִם עַל־נַֽהֲרֹתָ֣ם | עַל־יְאֹֽרֵיהֶ֣ם וְעַל־אַגְמֵיהֶ֗ם וְעַ֛ל כָּל־מִקְוֵ֥ה מֵֽימֵיהֶ֖ם וְיִֽהְיוּ־דָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה דָם֙ בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָֽעֵצִ֖ים וּבָֽאֲבָנִֽים:
B) Frogs- The element in play is once again WATER. As stated in Exodus 8:1, the frogs arise after Aaron stretches out his hand over the water.
The Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, stretch forth your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals, and over the ponds, and bring up the frogs on the land of Egypt." אוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁה֒ אֱמֹ֣ר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן נְטֵ֤ה אֶת־יָֽדְךָ֙ בְּמַטֶּ֔ךָ עַל־הַ֙נְּהָרֹ֔ת עַל־הַיְאֹרִ֖ים וְעַל־הָֽאֲגַמִּ֑ים וְהַ֥עַל אֶת־הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֖ים עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
C) Lice- The element in play is EARTH. As stated in Exodus 8:12
12The Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch forth your staff and strike the dust of the earth, and it shall become lice throughout the entire land of Egypt.' " יבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁה֒ אֱמֹר֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן נְטֵ֣ה אֶת־מַטְּךָ֔ וְהַ֖ךְ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה לְכִנִּ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
This is also where the magicians experience failure. They try to replicate this act but cannot (Exodus 8:14). This seems to suggest the magicians were unable to perform earth magic. The magicians refer to their failure and God’s success as “the finger of God”- because earth magic is only one of the five powers God controls, as I will argue.
D) Wild Beasts- I think this is once again EARTH magic. You may wonder why I say this given that these are wild beasts that are running amok. The answer is because I hark back to the story of Creation, and God is very clear in the creation story that beasts are formed from the ground. See Genesis 1:24.
כד וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ, בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ-אֶרֶץ, לְמִינָהּ; וַיְהִי-כֵ24 And God said: 'Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.' And it was so.
E) Death of the Livestock- This is once again EARTH magic for the same reason as above; it’s animals that are being affected, and animals are created from the earth.
F) Boils- This is FIRE magic. We see it is fire magic because God has Moses & Aaron use ashes and furnace soot to create the boils. This is clear in Exodus 9:8.
8The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take yourselves handfuls of furnace soot, and Moses shall cast it heavenward before Pharaoh's eyes. חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֒ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מְלֹ֣א חָפְנֵיכֶ֔ם פִּ֖יחַ כִּבְשָׁ֑ן וּזְרָק֥וֹ משֶׁ֛ה הַשָּׁמַ֖יְמָה לְעֵינֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה:
G) Hail- This is FIRE magic once again. This is clear from Exodus 9:23-24.
23So Moses stretched forth his staff heavenward, and the Lord gave forth thunder and hail, and fire came down to the earth, and the Lord rained down hail upon the land of Egypt. כגוַיֵּ֨ט משֶׁ֣ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֘הוּ֘ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֒יִם֒ וַֽיהֹוָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן קֹלֹת֙ וּבָרָ֔ד וַתִּֽהֲלַךְ־אֵ֖שׁ אָ֑רְצָה וַיַּמְטֵ֧ר
יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּרָ֖ד עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:24And there was hail, and fire flaming within the hail, very heavy, the likes of which had never been throughout the entire land of Egypt since it had become a nation. כדוַיְהִ֣י בָרָ֔ד וְאֵ֕שׁ מִתְלַקַּ֖חַת בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּרָ֑ד כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־הָיָ֤ה כָמֹ֨הוּ֙ בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵאָ֖ז הָֽיְתָ֥ה לְגֽוֹי:
H) Locusts- This is about the element of AIR. This is clear from Exodus 10:13 and 10:19.
13So Moses stretched forth his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord led an east wind in the land all that day and all the night. [By the time] it was morning, the east wind had borne the locusts. יגוַיֵּ֨ט משֶׁ֣ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֘הוּ֘ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ וַֽיהֹוָ֗ה נִהַ֤ג רֽוּחַ־קָדִים֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ כָּל־הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וְכָל־הַלָּ֑יְלָה הַבֹּ֣קֶר הָיָ֔ה וְר֨וּחַ֙ הַקָּדִ֔ים נָשָׂ֖א
and the Lord reversed a very strong west wind, and it picked up the locusts and thrust them into the Red Sea. Not one locust remained within all the border[s] of Egypt. יטוַיַּֽהֲפֹ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֤ה רֽוּחַ־יָם֙ חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּשָּׂא֙ אֶת־הָ֣אַרְבֶּ֔ה וַיִּתְקָעֵ֖הוּ יָ֣מָּה סּ֑וּף לֹ֤א נִשְׁאַר֙ אַרְבֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֥וּל מִצְרָֽיִם:
I) Darkness- This is also about the element of AIR. See Exodus 10:22-23.
22So Moses stretched forth his hand toward the heavens, and there was thick darkness over the entire land of Egypt for three days. כבוַיֵּ֥ט משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־יָד֖וֹ עַל־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְהִ֧י חֽשֶׁךְ־אֲפֵלָ֛ה בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם שְׁל֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים:
23They did not see each other, and no one rose from his place for three days, but for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwellings. כגלֹֽא־רָא֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אָחִ֗יו וְלֹא־קָ֛מוּ אִ֥ישׁ מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וּלְכָל־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָ֥יָה א֖וֹר בְּמֽוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם:
The very quality of the air changes. It is dark but it is also thick (the texture shifts). It is so thick that the Egyptians are unable to rise from their place for three days, as the midrash explains.
J) Death of the Firstborn- This is the most powerful magic, more powerful than the elemental magic we have explored until now. This is DEATH magic. And there is no stronger magic than death magic. See Exodus 12: 29-30.
29It came to pass at midnight, and the Lord smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who is in the dungeon, and every firstborn animal.
כטוַיְהִ֣י | בַּֽחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה וַֽיהֹוָה֘ הִכָּ֣ה כָל־בְּכוֹר֘ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ מִבְּכֹ֤ר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשְּׁבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית הַבּ֑וֹר וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה:
30And Pharaoh arose at night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great outcry in Egypt, for there was no house in which no one was dead. לוַיָּ֨קָם פַּרְעֹ֜ה לַ֗יְלָה ה֤וּא וְכָל־עֲבָדָיו֙ וְכָל־מִצְרַ֔יִם וַתְּהִ֛י צְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־אֵ֣ין בַּ֔יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־שָׁ֖ם מֵֽת:
(Note God’s control. He begins with power over WATER (which the magicians can replicate), moves on to EARTH (which they cannot), then FIRE, then AIR. It’s interesting to consider that the Israelites were protected from the final plague of DEATH magic by BLOOD magic, another potent form of protection. By smearing blood on their doorposts, they demonstrated their faith and belief in God- similar to another blood rite which they also needed to perform, that of brit milah, circumcision- and thus God spared them.)
When the Israelites ultimately leave Egypt, God involves every form of elemental magic. There is air in the form of the cloud that guides them, fire in the form of the fire that guides them, water in that they go through the Sea of Reeds, and earth in that the seabed is dry for them. Thus, the ultimate and last act of God is to combine all the forms of elemental magic to prove His dominion over the entire earth- and the four elements.
Here are the verses that prove everything I just said.
The pillar of cloud and fire is shown in Exodus 13:21.
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to cause it to lead them on the way and at night in a pillar of fire to give them light, [they thus could] travel day and night. כאוַֽיהֹוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה:
Also see Exodus 14:19-21.
19Then the angel of God, who had been going in front of the Israelite camp, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them. יטוַיִּסַּ֞ע מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַֽהֹלֵךְ֙ לִפְנֵי֙ מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֵאַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּסַּ֞ע עַמּ֤וּד הֶֽעָנָן֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מֵאַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽם:
20And he came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, and there were the cloud and the darkness, and it illuminated the night, and one did not draw near the other all night long. כוַיָּבֹ֞א בֵּ֣ין | מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֗יִם וּבֵין֙ מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְהִ֤י הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַח֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶר אֶת־הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְלֹֽא־קָרַ֥ב זֶ֛ה אֶל־זֶ֖ה כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה:
21And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord led the sea with the strong east wind all night, and He made the sea into dry land and the waters split. כאוַיֵּ֨ט משֶׁ֣ה אֶת־יָדוֹ֘ עַל־הַיָּם֒ וַיּ֣וֹלֶךְ יְהֹוָ֣ה | אֶת־הַ֠יָּ֠ם בְּר֨וּחַ קָדִ֤ים עַזָּה֙ כָּל־הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם לֶחָֽרָבָ֑ה וַיִּבָּֽקְע֖וּ הַמָּֽיִם:
Just in this passage we see air, fire, water and earth all controlled by God.
Then there’s Exodus 14:29.
29But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the water was to them like a wall from their right and from their left. כטוּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָֽלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיָּ֑ם וְהַמַּ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ חֹמָ֔ה מִֽימִינָ֖ם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם:
Earth magic and water magic again.
Of course, there’s also death magic- because God ensures that the Egyptians die and the Israelites do not. See Exodus 14:28-29. Once again God has been able to differentiate - before He did it between firstborn and non-firstborn. Now He does it between Egyptian and Israelite.
28And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, the entire force of Pharaoh coming after them into the sea; not even one of them survived. כחוַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ הַמַּ֗יִם וַיְכַסּ֤וּ אֶת־הָרֶ֨כֶב֙ וְאֶת־הַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים לְכֹל֙ חֵ֣יל פַּרְעֹ֔ה הבָּאִ֥ים אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם בַּיָּ֑ם לֹֽא־נִשְׁאַ֥ר בָּהֶ֖ם עַד־אֶחָֽד:
29But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the water was to them like a wall from their right and from their left. כטוּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָֽלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיָּ֑ם וְהַמַּ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ חֹמָ֔ה מִֽימִינָ֖ם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם:
Here’s a suggestion- when the Egyptian magicians said “it is the finger of God,” they referred to God’s control over earth magic. When the hand of God appears by the sea (Exodus 14: 31) , it refers to God’s control over WATER, EARTH, FIRE, AIR and DEATH- these are the five areas in which God has proved his total dominion- His five ‘fingers.’ And He has demonstrated His power over every single one of them when the Israelites crossed through the Sea of Reeds.
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.- Psalm 24:1
~
(If you enjoyed this Dvar Torah, you may appreciate knowing it was inspired by my reading the new adult book ‘A Promise of Fire’ by Amanda Bouchet. Like I’ve said before, everything is Torah if you’ve got the eyes to see it. For those for whom that book is not an appropriate read, you can find elemental magic in Tamora Pierce’s books and Victoria Schwab’s Shades of Magic series.)
My friend Yair pointed out I was mechavenes (understood the idea) that other commentators had mentioned and brought down as well. See these sources-
1. https://dafyomi.co.il/parsha/pesach4.htm
2. http://pshat.com/סדר-במכות/
He also thinks the Abarbanel says something about this.
I love when I come up with something that others also said- Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik notes that if you've come upon something correct, chances are you will meet others on the road on which you are walking, and that seems to have been the case here. :)
Thanks, Yair!