Bo: Why Ten Plagues?

There was once a family with two sisters, both gifted bakers who took great pleasure in creating a variety of baked goods.

The first sister, however, kept things simple. She baked only for her family, focusing on the cakes and cookies they loved. There was no need for great variety in her kitchen; the familiar was enough.

The second sister, on the other hand, was ambitious and enterprising. She opened a bakery, filling her shop with an assortment of breads, cakes, cookies, pies, and pastries, all to satisfy the diverse tastes of the townspeople. She took great pride in the variety of her offerings.

A Diversity of Plagues

One might ask: Why did God send ten plagues upon Egypt? Surely, the final and most devastating plague—the death of the firstborn—would have sufficed. Why so many different plagues?

The answer lies in the deeper purpose of these miracles. Beyond the immediate goal of freeing the Israelites, the plagues had a second, more profound purpose. As God Himself declared, they were "so that you will tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt wantonly with the Egyptians" (Exodus 10:2). They were meant to serve as a testimony to God’s power for all future generations.

Different people are moved by different things. Some were awestruck by the Nile turning to blood, others by the swarm of frogs, the devastation of the locusts, or the terrifying hail. Each plague, in its unique way, spoke to the hearts and minds of the onlookers, revealing a different aspect of God’s intervention and retribution.

Much like the second sister’s bakery, which offered a wide array of treats to suit every taste, God sent a diverse set of signs of signs and wonders to Egypt. Each plague served to ensure that everyone, in their own way, would come to appreciate the magnitude of God’s omnipotent power.

Devarim: The Begger's Bundle and Bitachon

The Book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ final address, his impassioned speeches delivered at the borders of the Promised Land. As the Jordan River flowed before them, Moses implored the Israelites to place their trust not in chariots or swords, but in the steadfast hands of Heaven.

"The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as He did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. You saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way, until you reached this place" (Deut. 1:30-31).

Still, trust is not an easy thing. Even after witnessing the miracles of Egypt and the Red Sea, the manna and the Divine clouds in the desert, the Israelites still feared the unknown. They clung to their doubts and worries, like loads on their chests that they just could not set down.

If you want to understand this struggle with bitachon—placing our trust and faith in God—let me tell you a story....

The Pauper and the Carriage

Once a poor man was trudging down a country road, his meager belongings gathered in a raggedy bundle that he carried over his tired shoulders. His feet shuffled along the dusty road, his back bowed under the weight of his troubles.

Then, in the distance, something gleamed in the waning sunlight. A carriage, polished and shining, drawn by two magnificent horses, clattered toward him like a beacon of hope.

The carriage belonged to the local squire, a man both wealthy and generous. Spotting the bedraggled traveler, the squire reined in his horses. “Climb aboard!” he called out. “The road to town is long, and there’s no need for you to walk on your own.”

The poor man, overwhelmed with gratitude, clambered into the carriage and sank into the plush seat. As the wheels began to turn, however, the squire noticed something peculiar. The beggar was still clutching his bundle tightly. He held it close to his chest, as if it were a bag of precious gems.

The squire chuckled. “Tell me, good fellow, why don't you set your bundle down? There’s plenty of room in the carriage.”

The beggar flushed with embarrassment. “Oh no, sir! You’ve already done so much by taking me in your carriage. I couldn’t possibly ask your horses to bear the weight of my belongings as well.”

The squire let out a hearty laugh. “Silly fellow,” he said, shaking his head in amusement. “Don’t you see? Whether you hold your sack or lay it down, it’s still my horses that are pulling the load.”

The Road We Travel

And so it is with us. Like the beggar, we trudge through life, the weight of our worries pressing down on our chest, convinced that we alone must bear the burden. We fret over our troubles, we clutch our anxieties tightly, and forget that we’re riding in God's carriage.

And the truth is, God doesn’t just offer us a ride. He carries the whole load—our lives, our struggles, our every need.

When we finally accept this truth, and place our trust in God's hands, we can let go. We can relax our shoulders, release our worries, and rest, secure in the knowledge that we are never alone on this journey. The road may be long and uncertain, but the carriage is steady, and the Driver? Well, let's just say He’s been at this a very long time.

 

(Mishlei Ya'akov p. 114)