Bo

The pesukim mention that Hashem struck the Mitzriyim with the makah of choshech, darkness. Rashi explains there were two stages to this makah. The first three days one Mitzri couldn’t see another Mitzri, as the passuk says “לא ראו איש את אחיו”. The last three days a Mitzri who was sitting couldn’t stand and a Mitzri who was standing couldn’t sit, as the passuk says “ולא קמו איש מתחתיו”.

Why did Hashem bring darkness upon the Mitzriyim? Rashi answers because amongst Bnei Yisroel in that generation there were resha’im who didn’t want to leave, and they died during the three days of darkness so the Egyptians shouldn’t see their destruction and say “they too are getting struck like us!” Also, Bnei Yisroel searched in the Egyptians’ houses and saw their vessels. When Bnei Yisroel would ask the Egyptian’s for their vessels and jewelry and they would deny having, Bnei Yisroel could say “I saw you have it in this and this place.”

The Maharal explains that because there were two reasons for the makah, therefore Hashem brought two types of choshesh. According to the first reason, it was enough that the Egyptians shouldn’t see the death and burial of the wicked ones of Bnei Yisroel. For the second reason, it was not enough. The Mitzriyim could still lock their doors or grab any robbers entering if they would be able to move. Therefore, Hashem needed to make the choshech so thick they couldn’t even move!

The Ramban adds that the darkness wasn’t just the absence of light, as night is. Rather it was an entity of darkness that came down from the heavens and put out any light. At the same time that there was thick heavy darkness for the Egyptians there was light for Yisroel as the passuk says ולכל בני ישראל היה אור במושבותם.

HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz compares the darkness of the Ramban to the darkness in ourselves. We constantly have challenges and confusion due to our yetzer hara. It’s not just the absence of light, meaning positive influences, but rather it is an active powerful force that constantly combats us trying to cause us to sin. At the same time, Hashem implanted in us נר ה’ נשמת אדם, a light which is meant to help us contend with and win over the yetzer hara.

May Hashem help us use the neshama tehorah He put in us to overcome the darkness of the yetzer hara!