Plague of Pestilence (דֶּבֶר )

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Divine Distinction in the Plague of Pestilence

TANAKH

The plague of pestilence in Egypt highlights God's protection of the Israelites by sparing their livestock while the Egyptians' livestock perished. The book of Exodus describes this miraculous event, emphasizing the clear distinction made by God between the Israelites and the Egyptians.

then the hand of יהוה will strike your livestock in the fields—the horses, the asses, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep—with a very severe pestilence. But יהוה will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of the Egyptians, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites. יהוה has fixed the time: tomorrow יהוה will do this thing in the land.’” And יהוה did so the next day: all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the livestock of the Israelites not a beast died.

Exodus 9:3-6

Unpacking the Meaning of Pestilence

COMMENTARY

Rashi's linguistic and etymological analysis of the term 'pestilence' (דֶּבֶר) reveals deeper connections within the Hebrew language.

and destroys Heb. וידבר, and He slew, an expression of דבר, pestilence. Another explanation: as (in Exod. 3:1): “and he led (וינהג),” which is translated into Aramaic as וּדְבַר. Menachem (p. 61) too associated it in this manner. Likewise, he associated (below 47:4), “He leads (יַדְבֵּר) peoples under us.”

Rashi on Psalms 18:48:2

The Cost of Sanctity

CHASIDUT

The descent of sanctity (Kedusha) into the world often comes at a great cost, particularly in terms of the loss of many Israelite lives. Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica, in his Hasidic commentary Mei HaShiloach, explores the profound connection between spiritual elevation and the sacrifices it entails. He illustrates this with examples such as the 14,700 Israelites who perished in a plague, emphasizing that the arrival of sanctity in this world requires significant spiritual and earthly sacrifices.

“The dead in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those that died in the matter of Korach.” (Bamidbar, 17:14)
Here we find that whenever Kedusha (sanctity) descends into the world, it does not come “for free,” but comes at the great cost of lives of Israel. For instance, before David haMelech merited knowing the place of the Mikdash (Holy Temple in Jerusalem), many lives were lost and many tragedies suffered. Thus it was before the world merited the birrurim (clarifications) involved in recognizing the soul of Aharon haCohen…

Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Numbers, Korach 9

David's Dilemma

SECOND TEMPLE

King David faced a moral dilemma after committing a sin when the prophet Nathan presented him with three divine punishment options: famine for seven years, war for three months, or a pestilence for three days. The text highlights David's distressing choice among these severe consequences.

2. Now when the prophets had signified to David that God was angry at him, he began to entreat him, and to desire he would be merciful to him, and forgive his sin. But God sent Nathan the prophet to him, to propose to him the election of three things, that he might choose which he liked best: Whether he would have famine come upon the country for seven years, or would have a war, and be subdued three months by his enemies? or, whether God should send a pestilence and a distemper upon the Hebrews for three days? But as he was fallen to a fatal choice of great miseries, he was in trouble…

The Antiquities of the Jews 7:13:2

Crying Out on Shabbat

TALMUD

In the context of strict Sabbath observance, the urgency of a pestilence raises the question of permissible actions, including the allowance to cry out for help. Tractate Taanit from the Babylonian Talmud deliberates on circumstances where it is deemed appropriate to raise alarms on Shabbat.

For the following calamities they cry out even on Shabbat: For a city that is surrounded by gentile troops, or for a place in danger of being flooded by a river that has swelled its banks, or for a ship tossed about at sea. Rabbi Yosei said: One may cry out on Shabbat to summon help, but it may not be sounded for crying out to God. Shimon the Timnite says: One may cry out on Shabbat even for pestilence, but the Rabbis did not agree with him.

Taanit 19a:5

Divine Distinction Verified

COMMENTARY

God's divine protection over the Israelites is verified by Pharaoh himself, who found that not a single Israelite animal had died. Chizkuni, a 13th-century Torah commentary, elaborates on the divine distinction and protection evident in this event.

וישלח פרעה והנה לא מת, “Pharaoh dispatched people to check on the livestock of the Israelites, and not a single one had died.” The reason for this was Moses’ prediction in verse 4 that G-d will make this distinction between Egyptian and Israelite owned beasts.

Chizkuni, Exodus 9:7:1

Warnings and the Plague of Pestilence

COMMENTARY

The Egyptians were not explicitly warned to shelter their livestock during the plague of pestilence, unlike the plague of hail. The 17th-century commentary Siftei Chakhamim explains the reasoning behind this difference in warnings.

And whoever feared the word of God made his livestock flee. . . People ask: Why does it state here, “Whoever feared the word of Hashem” relevant to this plague of pestilence? Furthermore, why indeed were the Egyptians not warned here [as they were regarding the hail]: “Now send word and shelter your livestock. . .”? Mahara”n answers: This plague [pestilence] did not need such a warning since Moshe said clearly, “Behold, the hand of Adonoy is directed at your livestock that are in the field,” implying that the plague will manifest itself only in the field…

Siftei Chakhamim, Exodus 9:10:1

Responding to Pestilence

MISHNAH

The Mishnah provides specific criteria and communal responses for identifying and addressing a plague of pestilence, which can offer historical and ethical insights into how ancient Jewish communities managed crises. The Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, outlines the number of deaths over consecutive days that define a plague and the differing practices of fasting and crying out based on proximity to the afflicted city.

The mishna continues: And likewise, if a city is afflicted by pestilence or collapsing buildings, that city fasts and cries out, and all of its surrounding areas fast but they do not cry out. Rabbi Akiva says: They cry out but they do not fast. The mishna inquires: What is considered a plague of pestilence? When is a series of deaths treated as a plague? The mishna answers: If a city that sends out five hundred infantrymen, i.e., it has a population of five hundred able-bodied men, and three dead are taken out of it on three consecutive days…

Mishnah Ta'anit 3:4

The Divine Hand in Pestilence

HALAKHAH

The phrase 'With a strong hand' is interpreted as a reference to pestilence, emphasizing God's direct intervention in the plague upon the Egyptians' livestock. In his monumental 12th-century legal code, Mishneh Torah, Maimonides discusses the plagues in Egypt, particularly focusing on the divine power behind the pestilence.

"With a strong hand" - this [refers to] the pestilence, as it is stated (Exodus 9:3); "Behold the hand of the Lord is upon your herds that are in the field, upon the horses, upon the donkeys, upon the camels, upon the cattle and upon the flocks, [there will be] a very heavy pestilence."

Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 9:27

Full-page miniature of the plague of pestilence. Image taken from the Haggadah for Passover (the 'Hispano-Moresque Haggadah'). Castile, c.1300, From the British Library archive

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