Jonathan Prokter

The Touch of the Finger, The Slap of the Hand

“ ‘Concerning the plagues of Egypt the Torah states that 'the magicians said to Pharaoh,it is the finger of God.' However, at the Sea, the Torah relates that 'Israel saw the great hand which the Lord laid upon the Egyptians, and the people revered the Lord and they believed in the Lord and in His servantMoses.’ It reasons that if they suffered ten plagues in Egypt, they must have been made to suffer fifty plagues at the Sea”(Rabbi Yose the Galilean, 16, Traditional Haggadah).

The finger

     touch whom it will

The finger

     poke whom it will

The finger

     stab whom it will

The finger

     jab whom it will

The finger

     nudge whom it will

The Egyptians, ones who have been

     touched

     poked

     stabbed

     jabbed

     nudged

Not just by any finger but by the finger of God

The hand

     slap whom it will

The hand

     punch whom it wil

The hand

     beat whom it will

The hand

     pummel whom it will

The hand

     smash whom it will

The Egyptians - ones who have been

     slapped

     punched

     beaten

     pummeled

     smashed

-much harder than the five pokes of a finger

Not just by any hand - but by the hand of God

The hand

     lead whom it will

God - whose hand led the Israelites out of Egypt


haggadah Section: Commentary / Readings