Our Story is Written in Blood

The 10 plagues begin with blood and they end with blood. They begin with the plague of blood(Shemot 7), and they end with the blood of the Pascal lamb spread across the doorjambs(Shemot 12).
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יד וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, כָּבֵד לֵב פַּרְעֹה; מֵאֵן, לְשַׁלַּח הָעָם.  טו לֵךְ אֶל-פַּרְעֹה בַּבֹּקֶר, הִנֵּה יֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה, וְנִצַּבְתָּ לִקְרָאתוֹ, עַל-שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר; וְהַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר-נֶהְפַּךְ לְנָחָשׁ, תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ.  טז וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר, שַׁלַּח אֶת-עַמִּי, וְיַעַבְדֻנִי בַּמִּדְבָּר; וְהִנֵּה לֹא-שָׁמַעְתָּ, עַד-כֹּה.  יז כֹּה, אָמַר יְהוָה, בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה:  הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מַכֶּה בַּמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר-בְּיָדִי, עַל-הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר--וְנֶהֶפְכוּ לְדָם.  יח וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר-בַּיְאֹר תָּמוּת, וּבָאַשׁ הַיְאֹר; וְנִלְאוּ מִצְרַיִם, לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִן-הַיְאֹר.  {ס}  יט וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, אֱמֹר אֶל-אַהֲרֹן קַח מַטְּךָ וּנְטֵה-יָדְךָ עַל-מֵימֵי מִצְרַיִם עַל-נַהֲרֹתָם עַל-יְאֹרֵיהֶם וְעַל-אַגְמֵיהֶם וְעַל כָּל-מִקְוֵה מֵימֵיהֶם--וְיִהְיוּ-דָם; וְהָיָה דָם בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, וּבָעֵצִים וּבָאֲבָנִים.  כ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ-כֵן מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה, וַיָּרֶם בַּמַּטֶּה וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר, לְעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה, וּלְעֵינֵי עֲבָדָיו; וַיֵּהָפְכוּ כָּל-הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר-בַּיְאֹר, לְדָם.  כא וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר-בַּיְאֹר מֵתָה, וַיִּבְאַשׁ הַיְאֹר, וְלֹא-יָכְלוּ מִצְרַיִם, לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִן-הַיְאֹר; וַיְהִי הַדָּם, בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.  כב וַיַּעֲשׂוּ-כֵן חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, בְּלָטֵיהֶם; וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב-פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא-שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה.  כג וַיִּפֶן פַּרְעֹה, וַיָּבֹא אֶל-בֵּיתוֹ; וְלֹא-שָׁת לִבּוֹ, גַּם-לָזֹאת.  כד וַיַּחְפְּרוּ כָל-מִצְרַיִם סְבִיבֹת הַיְאֹר, מַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת:  כִּי לֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת, מִמֵּימֵי הַיְאֹר.  כה וַיִּמָּלֵא, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, אַחֲרֵי הַכּוֹת-יְהוָה, אֶת-הַיְאֹר.  {פ}

ז וְלָקְחוּ, מִן-הַדָּם, וְנָתְנוּ עַל-שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת, וְעַל-הַמַּשְׁקוֹף--עַל, הַבָּתִּים, אֲשֶׁר-יֹאכְלוּ אֹתוֹ, בָּהֶם.  ח וְאָכְלוּ אֶת-הַבָּשָׂר, בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה:  צְלִי-אֵשׁ וּמַצּוֹת, עַל-מְרֹרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ.  ט אַל-תֹּאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נָא, וּבָשֵׁל מְבֻשָּׁל בַּמָּיִם:  כִּי אִם-צְלִי-אֵשׁ, רֹאשׁוֹ עַל-כְּרָעָיו וְעַל-קִרְבּוֹ.  י וְלֹא-תוֹתִירוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, עַד-בֹּקֶר; וְהַנֹּתָר מִמֶּנּוּ עַד-בֹּקֶר, בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרֹפוּ.  יא וְכָכָה, תֹּאכְלוּ אֹתוֹ--מָתְנֵיכֶם חֲגֻרִים, נַעֲלֵיכֶם בְּרַגְלֵיכֶם וּמַקֶּלְכֶם בְּיֶדְכֶם; וַאֲכַלְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בְּחִפָּזוֹן, פֶּסַח הוּא לַיהוָה.  יב וְעָבַרְתִּי בְאֶרֶץ-מִצְרַיִם, בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה, וְהִכֵּיתִי כָל-בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, מֵאָדָם וְעַד-בְּהֵמָה; וּבְכָל-אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים, אֲנִי יְהוָה.  יג וְהָיָה הַדָּם לָכֶם לְאֹת, עַל הַבָּתִּים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם שָׁם, וְרָאִיתִי אֶת-הַדָּם, וּפָסַחְתִּי עֲלֵכֶם; וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה בָכֶם נֶגֶף לְמַשְׁחִית, בְּהַכֹּתִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.

The question that follows is "Why?" Why this framing of the 10 plagues in blood? What message lies in this pronounced use of parallelism?

The Plague of Blood

We recently discussed the Plague of Blood as symbolizing the blood of the Israelite children Pharaoh ordered thrown into the Nile. This comes within the broader context of events meant to elicit foreboding and even Horror on the part of Pharaoh and his servants. We have covered the plague of blood pretty well. What of the blood of the Pascal lamb, though?

Moshe at the Malon

Before we get there, lets first discuss the first reference to blood in Sefer Shemot. I'm referring, of course, to the incident at the inn when Moshe and his family are on their way to Egypt(Shemot 4).

 כד וַיְהִי בַדֶּרֶךְ, בַּמָּלוֹן; וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ יְהוָה, וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ. כה וַתִּקַּח צִפֹּרָה צֹר, וַתִּכְרֹת אֶת-עָרְלַת בְּנָהּ, וַתַּגַּע, לְרַגְלָיו; וַתֹּאמֶר, כִּי חֲתַן-דָּמִים אַתָּה לִי. כו וַיִּרֶף, מִמֶּנּוּ; אָז, אָמְרָה, חֲתַן דָּמִים, לַמּוּלֹת.

After circumcising her son and thus saving Moshe's life from God's Angel, Tzipora calls God "Groom of Blood to the Circumcised".

We already noted previously the parallel between this passage and Yaakov wrestling with the Angel, but now let us note the difference between the passages. Here Moshe fails to overcome his heavenly attacker. Instead, he is only saved by the blood of his son's circumcision, by continuing to pass on Abraham's covenant with God.

Circumcision and Pesach

So why talk about Moshe at the inn? The reason is that this passage is itself connected to the blood of the Pascal lamb in a few ways:

1. Both portray Jews being saved from God's angel by ritually spilled blood
2. Moshe's own arc parallels that of the plagues. Like many less fortunate infants, he is left in the waters of the Nile(blood), he emerges from them alive(frogs-locusts), he kills an Egyptian(locusts-killing of firstborn). As such, Moshe's experience at the inn is a fitting parallel for the pascal lamb.
3. As Rav Yoel Ben-Nun points out( איזה ילד לא נימול ומדוע, תורת עציון על ספר שמות), the mitzva of the Passover sacrifice is related to the mitzva of circumcision. There is a rule that that the uncircumcised may not partake of the Passover sacrifice(Shemot 12)

מח וְכִי-יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר, וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח לַיהוָה--הִמּוֹל לוֹ כָל-זָכָר וְאָז יִקְרַב לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ, וְהָיָה כְּאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ; וְכָל-עָרֵל, לֹא-יֹאכַל בּוֹ. 

What emerges from this association is the idea that, like Moses at the malon, Israel's firstborn are only saved from the 10th plague due to their continued participation in Abraham's covenant with God i.e. by partaking of the Pascal Lamb in Egypt, and presumably because they are themselves circumcised.

 

 Blood of Retribution, Blood of Redemption

Having now thoroughly dissected blood as it appears in the first plague and the last, let us return to our original question. What message lies within this gory framing of the 10 plagues.

One answer that comes to mind is a message of reward and punishment. Blood that is spilled in sin awakens God's awful punishment, as experienced by the Egyptians. Blood spilled in God's service awakens Gods glorious redemption, as experienced by the Children of Israel.

That's if we merely contrast the two bloods, but I would claim the text also invites us to draw a comparison. The children of Israel showed their allegiance to the God of Abraham through circumcision and the highly public sign of smearing the blood of the pascal lamb on their doorposts. In doing so, they are giving meaning to the otherwise senseless deaths of their infants, thrown into the Nile by order of the Pharaoh. In declaring publicly our commitment to God, the epitome of our oppression in Egypt becomes an essential part of the story of Israel's Redemption, the story of how God's holy nation was born.

On a final note, Yechezkel refers to these two bloods that bore us when he says(chapter 16)

ה לֹא חָסָה עָלַיִךְ עַיִן לַעֲשׂוֹת לָךְ אַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה לְחֻמְלָה עָלָיִךְ וַתֻּשְׁלְכִי אֶל פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה בְּגֹעַל נַפְשֵׁךְ בְּיוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת אֹתָךְ. ו וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי

Amphibious Horrors and Zombie Moses

We recently discussed the Plague of Blood as symbolizing the blood of the Israelite children Pharaoh ordered thrown into the Nile. Now let's move on to the next plague, the Plague of Frogs.

God's Hand in Events

The plague of frogs is also centered around the Nile. The frogs come out of the Nile and fill the land(Shemot 7)

  כח וְשָׁרַץ הַיְאֹר, צְפַרְדְּעִים, וְעָלוּ וּבָאוּ בְּבֵיתֶךָ, וּבַחֲדַר מִשְׁכָּבְךָ וְעַל-מִטָּתֶךָ; וּבְבֵית עֲבָדֶיךָ וּבְעַמֶּךָ, וּבְתַנּוּרֶיךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶיךָ.

This, the leading verb שרץ, recalls the verse in the first chapter of Shemot that describes Israel's rapid propagation despite Egypt's mistreatment of them.

ז וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ--בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד; וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ, אֹתָם.

The basic message here for Pharaoh and the Egyptians is clear. Just as the frogs bursting forth from the bloody Nile is God's doing, so too Bnei Israel's resilience in the face of Pharaoh's decrees is his work. This is in answer to Pharaoh's statement in Chapter 5 that he doesn't know who God is:

ב וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה--מִי יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע בְּקֹלוֹ, לְשַׁלַּח אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל:  לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת-יְהוָה, וְגַם אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ.

The two subsequent plagues, those of Lice and Wild animals, seem to be along the same lines, with Hashem sending swarms of other unwanted animals throughout Egypt.

Day of the Frogs

That's said, there's another level. When the plague of Frogs is withdrawn(Shemot 8), all of them die and the smell of death and decay fills the land.

י וַיִּצְבְּרוּ אֹתָם, חֳמָרִם חֳמָרִם; וַתִּבְאַשׁ, הָאָרֶץ

This is similar to the stink of dead water animals from the Plague of Blood in the previous chapter.

כא וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר-בַּיְאֹר מֵתָה, וַיִּבְאַשׁ הַיְאֹר, וְלֹא-יָכְלוּ מִצְרַיִם, לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִן-הַיְאֹר; וַיְהִי הַדָּם, בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.

The picture that emerges reminds us of a classic Gothic Horror novel. A terrible past, thought long buried, remains alive, fermenting, waiting to reemerge in all it's Horror. Each plague carries with it reminders of Pharaoh's victims, as of yet unavenged, and a sense of foreboding that hangs over Egypt.

To quote Gothic Literature professor Jack W. Shear:

The Present is Haunted by the Past
When Hamlet's father tells him that "the time is out of joint," he essentially codified the most important convention of Gothic literature: something horrible happened in the past and the reverberations from that event continue to haunt the present. The idea of haunting is central to the first Gothic novel, Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto: the usurpation of the throne generations ago has resulted in both a tyrant acting as prince and the intrusion of specters from the past into the present. The fictions that followed Walpole's Gothic mode applied that convention as a tenet of faith. 

Zombie Moses

It's also worth noting that Moshe's own personal arc reflects these two plagues. Isn't it strange that Moshe's loving sister puts him in a basket in the very river Pharaoh's decree would have him thrown into? She is fulfilling the decree in a literal sense, if not in spirit.

Then Pharaoh's own daughter saves the baby, pulling him alive from the waters of the Nile, waters that have seen the deaths of so many similar infants. And what does she call him? She names him after this very fact that he was tossed in the river but then saved from death's clutches.

י וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד, וַתְּבִאֵהוּ לְבַת-פַּרְעֹה, וַיְהִי-לָהּ, לְבֵן; וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ, מֹשֶׁה, וַתֹּאמֶר, כִּי מִן-הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ.

How ominous must it be for Pharaoh that these plagues, hinting doom for him because of his Evil decrees, are brought on by one named "From Out of the Waters I Drew Him". Moshe is the original Revenant, left for dead by Pharaoh's decree, yet coming back to deliver a message of unavoidable retribution.

Three Signs for Two Peoples

Let's take a look at the signs Moshe is instructed to give Israel as proof of his divine mandate(שמות ד):

א וַיַּעַן מֹשֶׁה, וַיֹּאמֶר, וְהֵן לֹא-יַאֲמִינוּ לִי, וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי:  כִּי יֹאמְרוּ, לֹא-נִרְאָה אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה.  ב וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יְהוָה, מזה (מַה-זֶּה) בְיָדֶךָ; וַיֹּאמֶר, מַטֶּה.  ג וַיֹּאמֶר הַשְׁלִיכֵהוּ אַרְצָה, וַיַּשְׁלִכֵהוּ אַרְצָה וַיְהִי לְנָחָשׁ; וַיָּנָס מֹשֶׁה, מִפָּנָיו.  ד וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, שְׁלַח יָדְךָ, וֶאֱחֹז בִּזְנָבוֹ; וַיִּשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיַּחֲזֶק בּוֹ, וַיְהִי לְמַטֶּה בְּכַפּוֹ.  ה לְמַעַן יַאֲמִינוּ, כִּי-נִרְאָה אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתָם:  אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק, וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב.  ו וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לוֹ עוֹד, הָבֵא-נָא יָדְךָ בְּחֵיקֶךָ, וַיָּבֵא יָדוֹ, בְּחֵיקוֹ; וַיּוֹצִאָהּ, וְהִנֵּה יָדוֹ מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג.  ז וַיֹּאמֶר, הָשֵׁב יָדְךָ אֶל-חֵיקֶךָ, וַיָּשֶׁב יָדוֹ, אֶל-חֵיקוֹ; וַיּוֹצִאָהּ, מֵחֵיקוֹ, וְהִנֵּה-שָׁבָה, כִּבְשָׂרוֹ.  ח וְהָיָה, אִם-לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לָךְ, וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ, לְקֹל הָאֹת הָרִאשׁוֹן--וְהֶאֱמִינוּ, לְקֹל הָאֹת הָאַחֲרוֹן.  ט וְהָיָה אִם-לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ גַּם לִשְׁנֵי הָאֹתוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּן לְקֹלֶךָ--וְלָקַחְתָּ מִמֵּימֵי הַיְאֹר, וְשָׁפַכְתָּ הַיַּבָּשָׁה; וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר תִּקַּח מִן-הַיְאֹר, וְהָיוּ לְדָם בַּיַּבָּשֶׁת.

The three signs given are:

1. Staff turned to snake and back again
2. The leprous hand and it's healing
3. Pouring Nile water to blood

Now let us consider Moshe's second meeting with Pharaoh, before which he is commanded to give a sign to the King of Egypt(שמות ז):

ח וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר.  ט כִּי יְדַבֵּר אֲלֵכֶם פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר, תְּנוּ לָכֶם מוֹפֵת; וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל-אַהֲרֹן, קַח אֶת-מַטְּךָ וְהַשְׁלֵךְ לִפְנֵי-פַרְעֹה--יְהִי לְתַנִּין.  י וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה; וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אַהֲרֹן אֶת-מַטֵּהוּ, לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה וְלִפְנֵי עֲבָדָיו--וַיְהִי לְתַנִּין.  יא וַיִּקְרָא, גַּם-פַּרְעֹה, לַחֲכָמִים, וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים; וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם-הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם--כֵּן.  יב וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ אִישׁ מַטֵּהוּ, וַיִּהְיוּ לְתַנִּינִם; וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה-אַהֲרֹן, אֶת-מַטֹּתָם.  יג וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה, וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם:  כַּאֲשֶׁר, דִּבֶּר יְהוָה.  {ס}  יד וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, כָּבֵד לֵב פַּרְעֹה; מֵאֵן, לְשַׁלַּח הָעָם.  טו לֵךְ אֶל-פַּרְעֹה בַּבֹּקֶר, הִנֵּה יֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה, וְנִצַּבְתָּ לִקְרָאתוֹ, עַל-שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר; וְהַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר-נֶהְפַּךְ לְנָחָשׁ, תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ.  טז וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר, שַׁלַּח אֶת-עַמִּי, וְיַעַבְדֻנִי בַּמִּדְבָּר; וְהִנֵּה לֹא-שָׁמַעְתָּ, עַד-כֹּה.  יז כֹּה, אָמַר יְהוָה, בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה:  הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מַכֶּה בַּמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר-בְּיָדִי, עַל-הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר--וְנֶהֶפְכוּ לְדָם.  יח וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר-בַּיְאֹר תָּמוּת, וּבָאַשׁ הַיְאֹר; וְנִלְאוּ מִצְרַיִם, לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִן-הַיְאֹר.  {ס}  יט וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, אֱמֹר אֶל-אַהֲרֹן קַח מַטְּךָ וּנְטֵה-יָדְךָ עַל-מֵימֵי מִצְרַיִם עַל-נַהֲרֹתָם עַל-יְאֹרֵיהֶם וְעַל-אַגְמֵיהֶם וְעַל כָּל-מִקְוֵה מֵימֵיהֶם--וְיִהְיוּ-דָם; וְהָיָה דָם בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, וּבָעֵצִים וּבָאֲבָנִים.  כ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ-כֵן מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה, וַיָּרֶם בַּמַּטֶּה וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר, לְעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה, וּלְעֵינֵי עֲבָדָיו; וַיֵּהָפְכוּ כָּל-הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר-בַּיְאֹר, לְדָם.  כא וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר-בַּיְאֹר מֵתָה, וַיִּבְאַשׁ הַיְאֹר, וְלֹא-יָכְלוּ מִצְרַיִם, לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִן-הַיְאֹר; וַיְהִי הַדָּם, בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.  כב וַיַּעֲשׂוּ-כֵן חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, בְּלָטֵיהֶם; וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב-פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא-שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה.  כג וַיִּפֶן פַּרְעֹה, וַיָּבֹא אֶל-בֵּיתוֹ; וְלֹא-שָׁת לִבּוֹ, גַּם-לָזֹאת.  כד וַיַּחְפְּרוּ כָל-מִצְרַיִם סְבִיבֹת הַיְאֹר, מַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת:  כִּי לֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת, מִמֵּימֵי הַיְאֹר.  כה וַיִּמָּלֵא, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, אַחֲרֵי הַכּוֹת-יְהוָה, אֶת-הַיְאֹר.

 The first and third signs are repeated again, in slightly different form, for Pharaoh:

1. Staff turned to crocodile. Eats magicians' crocodiles
2. (no second sign)
3. Entire Nile turned to blood(the first of 10 plagues)

What is the meaning of these signs? What is the reason for the discrepancies between the Children of Israel's version of the signs and Pharaoh's version?

The First Sign

The first sign shown to Pharaoh, turning the staff to a crocodile, is parallel to the first sign shown to the Children of Israel, turning the staff to a snake. Rashi clearly understood it as such, so much so that he equates the word for "crocodile" to the word for "snake":

ויהי לתנין - נחש

The pasuk also seems to use the two words interchangeably. After turning the staff to a Crocodile in front of Pharaoh, it is referred to as .הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר-נֶהְפַּךְ לְנָחָשׁ

So assuming both signs turned the staff into the same animal, which was it? What we call a "snake" or what we call a "crocodile"?

I tend to think it was a crocodile. For one, the pasuk in Ezekiel 29 is suggestive of such.

 ג דַּבֵּר וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה-אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, הִנְנִי עָלֶיךָ פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ-מִצְרַיִם, הַתַּנִּים הַגָּדוֹל, הָרֹבֵץ בְּתוֹךְ יְאֹרָיו:  אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לִי יְאֹרִי, וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִנִי.

Sobek

Secondly, it may be that the Crocodile was a fitting symbol for for Pharaoh in the Egytian cultural context(see Josh Waxman's recent post in parshablog about the crocodile god Sobek.)

So let's go back and focus on the differences between the two signs. When the Children of Israel are shown the staff changing into a crocodile, it is referred to as a "snake", a symbol that should recall for them the primordial serpent of Eden, a sign for temptation and sin. Not only that, but it is a terrifying serpent, which Moshe flees from when he first sees it. What happens next? Hashem commands Moshe to overcome his terror and grab it by the tail, a surefire way to get bitten, but instead, as soon as Moshe grasps it, it returns to a harmless staff. This sign contains a dual message for the Children of Israel:

1. Though they have fallen into sin, Hashem calls them to "grab the snake by the tail" and repent
2. With God's help the terrifying Pharaoh may become as tame and inert as a stick

With Pharaoh's version of the first sign, on the other hand, the crocodile is simply called a crocodile, because the message of tshuva is not relevant to him. Not only that, but the second part of this sign is quite different from the one performed before the Children of Israel. Here, the Egyptian Magicians perform the same trick, but Moshe's crocodile devours theirs. Pharaoh and his servants are being given a different double message:

1. Egypt's Magic is no match for Hashem's Power
2. Kingship belongs to Hashem. Hashem put Pharaoh on the throne. He can just as easily bring another more powerful king who will devour him

The Third Sign

Since there is no parallel to the second sign, let's skip to the third for now, that of the waters of the Nile turning to blood. At the burning bush, the pasuk distinguishes between the first two signs and the third in it's ability to convince Bnei Israel:

ט וְהָיָה אִם-לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ גַּם לִשְׁנֵי הָאֹתוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּן לְקֹלֶךָ--וְלָקַחְתָּ מִמֵּימֵי הַיְאֹר, וְשָׁפַכְתָּ הַיַּבָּשָׁה; וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר תִּקַּח מִן-הַיְאֹר, וְהָיוּ לְדָם בַּיַּבָּשֶׁת

Whereas the first two signs were meant to convince Bnei Israel of Hashem's willingness to accept their repentance, this third sign makes a more passionate appeal. It is as if to say "Here is the blood of your sons who were thrown into the Nile. If you won't listen to Moshe for your own sake, listen to him for the sake of your slaughtered children!"

Compare this powerful, but small-scale symbol with the plague of Blood, performed in front of Pharaoh. All the water in Egypt is turned to blood, all life in the Nile dies, and the Egyptians are reduced to digging for ground water. The message here to Pharaoh is that the very blood of the infants he ordered thrown in the Nile will be his undoing.

The Second Sign

Finally let us return to the second sign, that of the Leprous Hand, which has no parallel among the signs shown to Pharaoh. We already mentioned that the first sign contained overtures to Bnei Israel to do tshuva. They may feel discouraged, however, by how far they have fallen. The answer to this is the sign of the Leprous Hand and it's healing. This miracle demonstrates that Hashem has the power to heal us from our impurity.

This understanding also tells us why Pharaoh received no parallel sign in this case. The option of Repentance that is being extended to the Children of Israel is not being extended to Pharaoh and his nation, in this instance. Therefore his first sign was not called nachash and his second sign is absent completely. Rather, the message of tshuva is for Israel alone, while Pharaoh and his nation must be paid back in full for all the blood they have spilled.