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The Torah (תורה) describes Makas Bechoros twice using nearly identical language, "mibechor Pharaoh ad bechor hashifchah." Why does Rashi (רש"י) only explain the second time that Pharaoh himself was a firstborn? The answer reveals a precise reading of Torah's "from-to" language: something must be excluded when boundaries are stated. The first time excludes captives; the second time excludes Pharaoh.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes a textual difficulty in Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on the plague of the firstborn. The Torah (תורה) uses nearly identical phrasing twice when describing Makas Bechoros. First, in the warning (Shemos 11:5), Hashem (ה׳) tells Pharaoh "meis kol bechor be'eretz Mitzrayim, mibechor Pharaoh hayoshev al kiso ad bechor hashifchah" — all the firstborn will die, from Pharaoh's firstborn sitting on his throne until the firstborn of the maidservant. When the plague actually strikes (12:29), the Torah says "vayehi bachatzi halayla, Hashem hika kol bechor be'eretz Mitzrayim, mibechor Pharaoh hayoshev al kiso" — using exactly the same language about Pharaoh. On this second occurrence, Rashi comments "af Pharaoh bechor haya" — that Pharaoh himself was a firstborn, meaning the phrase should be translated as "from Pharaoh who was a bechor" rather than "from the bechor of Pharaoh." The compelling question is: if this is the correct translation, why doesn't Rashi make this comment the first time the Torah uses this exact phrase? Why wait until the second occurrence to clarify the meaning?
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Shemos 11:5, 12:29
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