Bo

Hashem struck the Mitzri’im with the makah of choshech, darkness. The Midrash Tanchuma writes that there were two stages to this makah. The first three days, one Mitzri couldn’t see another but he could move around. This was to hide the fact that there were Bnei Yisrael who were reshayim and didn’t believe, so they died without being noticed. Whereas the last three days a Mitzri who was sitting or lying down couldn’t stand up, and a standing Mitzri couldn’t sit or lie down. Another nes happened as well, Hashem shone light for Yisrael, and lit up the places where they hid their gold, silver, clothing, and all their worthwhile belongings. Even that which they stored in barrels and cellars, Hashem showed them. A Yid would ask the Mitzri to borrow any of those things, and the Mitzri would deny having it. The Yid would say, “it is in this and this place.” The Eitz Yosef writes that for this reason there were three days that a Mitzri was not able to budge from his place. This way the Yidden could see what was actually there to be able to ask for it later on before they left Mitzrayim. However, it was only because the Yidden knew where the items were and they didn’t take them, that the Mitzri’im felt with grace to lend things to them! Hashem put the chein of Bnei Yisrael in the eyes of the Mitzri’im, and they lent their gold and silver to the Yidden.

The Ramban writes that the darkness was not just the absence of light just like when the sun sets and it became similar to night. Rather, it was miraculously a thick cloud of darkness which came down from the sky and it put out candles and lights! Yet, the passuk states that at the same during the makah of choshech it was a time of ohr for Bnei Yisrael!

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz writes that this choshech is as well by every person. Each Yid has a yetzer hatov which assists a person to do good, and a yetzer hara which tries to persuade and convince to do bad. The yetzer hara is not just the missing of good, but it is an actual power and force pushing for bad! Our avodah is to send away the bad, and take firm hold of the good.

May we use the assistance of the yeitzer hatov to do good, and be careful to stay away from the convincing and forces of the yeitzer hara!