If the Egyptian magicians did not have godly powers, how were they able to perform miraculous feats and match Moshe (Moses) act for act by duplicating the first two plagues? A closer look at the text reveals that these people did not actually duplicate the acts, for they were charlatans.

In the plague of blood, the Torah states: "And Moshe and Aharon (Aaron) lifted up their rod...and all of the waters turned to blood." (Exodus 7:20) Soon after, the Torah states: "And the Egyptians did in like manner with their secret arts (lateihem)." (Exodus 7:22) Here, the magicians apparently proved that Moshe and Aharon's powers were limited as they easily performed the same feat.

But the fraud surfaces from the precise language of this verse. First, the expression in "like manner" may mean that the Egyptian magicians were not able to bring forth blood at all, they merely copied the way Moshe and Aharon moved their hands.

Second, the Hebrew for "secret arts" - lateihem, literally means, "with a flash of fire." The magicians, using the cover of fire, moved their hands quickly to make it appear as if they brought forth blood, when indeed they did not.

This same language ("like manner" and "secret arts") is found prior to the plague of blood (when the rod is turned into a serpent) (Exodus 7:11) and in the second plague of frogs (Exodus 8:3) as well.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch points out that if the magicians were truly powerful and were looking after Egypt's best interests, they would have used their powers to remove the plague altogether. Instead, they seem to bring more of it to Egypt. In fact, Rabbi Hirsch suggests that they produced nothing new. They merely took a bit of the blood that Moshe and Aharon brought forth and deceptively placed it before Pharaoh.

By the third plague, Pharaoh finally catches on to the reality. After Egypt is full of lice, he turns to his magicians demanding that they use their powers to help remove the swarm. The magicians were obviously unable to follow the order. Hence, the Torah states that the Egyptians attempted to remove (lehozi) the lice but could not. (Exodus 8:14) This finally led to an admission by the magicians that their abilities never did and never could match those of God for the plagues revealed the true power of the true God. (Exodus 8:15) The gig was truly up.

Charlatans in any realm, whether they be in the world of magic, in the world of business or the world of politics, cannot fool people forever. In the end, their sham will be revealed, and the truth will become apparent not only to everyone around them, but even to themselves.


Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Avi Weiss