Rabbi Jose the Galiliean said: How can one show that following the ten plagues in Egypt itself the Egyptians were smitten with fifty plagues at the Red Sea? Of one of the plagues in Egypt it is said, "The soothsayers said to Pharaoh, the plague is the finger of God," while at the Red Sea it is said, "And Israel saw the strong hand which the Eternal had shown against Egypt, and the people revered the Eternal and believed in the Eternal and [the prophet] Moses." If one finger of God in Egypt caused ten plauges, we may assume from this that the whole hand of God at the Red Sea would cause fifty plagues.

Rabbi Eliezer said: How can one show that every plague which the Holy One[...] brought in Egypt upon the Egyptians was fourfold in character? For it is said: "[God] sent against the Egyptions in [God's] burning anger, Wrath, Indignation, Trouble, and the Messengers of Evil." This is to be interpreted that each plague descended with Wrath (1), Indignation (2), Trouble (3), and the sending of Messengers of Evil (4). If, then, the Egyptians in Egypt were stricken with ten fourfold plagues, making forty, then following the earlier interpretation, at the Red Sea they suffered two hundred.

Rabbi Akiba said: In similiar fashion you can show that every plague which the HOly One [...] brought in Egypt upon the Egyptians, was fivefold in character. Interpret the same verse to say, "[God] sent against the Egyptians [God's] Burning Anger (1), Wrath (2), Indignation (3), Trouble (4), and Messengers of Evil (5)." Thus, if the Egyptians in Egypt were stricken with ten fivefold plagues, making fifty, then at the Red Sea they suffered two hundred and fifty plagues."


haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues