What did Hashem mean when He said that this time, He would send "all His plagues against the heart of Pharaoh ... " ?
Rashi: He was referring to Makas Bechoros, 1 which was equal to all the plagues.
Seforno: He was referring to the third group of Makos as a whole (which struck the air; refer to 7:26:1:2**) that was about to begin, which would strike Pharaoh in the heart (i.e. they would hit harder than the first two groups). 2 The Egyptians suffered the consequences long after the termination of these plagues - with regard to the devastation of all plants and food, and the physical illnesses in which they resulted. 3
Rashbam: He said it with reference to the plague of hail, which incorporated many aspects - fire, hail, gigantic hailstones, sulfur, snow and a pillar of smoke.
Kol Eliyahu: Hashem punishes evildoers via three agents - fire, wind and water. 4 The upcoming Makah of Barad would be comprised of all three - water (the hail itself), fire (see 9:24), and wind (which produced the thunder mentioned in 9:23).
Moshav Zekenim #2: Hashem meant that later, He would send all His plagues - with reference to Makas Bechoros (which is compared to all the plagues).
Rosh: Hashem's entourage wanted to send Makas Bechoros now; but He delayed it, in order to show His power (by first sending Barad, Arbeh and Choshech).
Targum Yonasan: It is via Makas Barad that Pharaoh would understand that all the plagues were sent by Hashem. 5
Moshav Zekenim #1: Rashi is referring, not to the slaying of the firstborn (which was not about to take place yet), but to the upcoming plague of hail, which was the harshest plague, since [it led to] death by starvation, which is worse than the sword (Eichah 4:9). In fact, the text should read 'Makas Bechiros,' an expression of Bikurim, because it was confined to those crops that had already ripened (see 9:31). Hadar Zekenim - Others say that the text should read 'Makas Batzores.' See also Sifsei Chachamim, who elaborates.
Oznayim la'Torah: Rashi also should be explained like the Seforno. (Compare to Gur Aryeh #3; refer to 9:14:1.1:3.) This explains why, as opposed to the first two sets of plagues, during which Pharaoh only called for Moshe twice in total (once after the frogs and once after the wild animals), by the final set he called for him after each plague. See Oznayim la'Torah.
Seforno: And this was true even of the plague of darkness, which most certainly affected the atmosphere, leaving many sick people in its wake.
Kol Eliyahu: He punished Sedom with fire, the Dor ha'Mabul with water; and the Dor ha'Palagah (the Tower of Bavel) He scattered with wind. Makos Dam and Tzefarde'a were through water, Arbeh through wind (see 10:13), and Shechin, through fire (see 9:10).
See answers #3 and #4 above. See also Na'ar Yonasan.
What is the significance of the phrase, "Ba'avur Teida Ki Ein Kamoni b'Chol ha'Aretz!"?
Ramban: Refer to 8:18:2:1*.
Seforno: Because, when Pharaoh would see Hashem's mastery over the atmosphere that surrounds the earth, he would be forced to acknowledge His superiority. 1
Targum Onkelos: It means that they would now know that there was no-one like Hashem, Whose power extended over the entire land.
Targum Yonasan: Because the plague of Barad left no room for doubt that the plagues were sent by Hashem, and were not the work of any form of sorcery. 2
Seforno: And as for His Mastery over the Heavens; that He reserved for Keri'as Yam-Suf, when He would engage the Angel of G-d, the Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'[For this time (ba'Pa'am ha'Zos), I am sending] all of My plagues' - We learn from here that 'Makas Bechoros' was the equivalent of all the other Makos." We are only up to the seventh plague; why would the tenth and final plague be mentioned here?
Gur Aryeh #1: Some explain 1 that Rashi actually means the 'plague upon the Bikurim,' the newly ripened fruits 2 - i.e., the upcoming plague of Barad. 3
Gur Aryeh #2: When the Pasuk says "ba'Pa'am ha'Zos," it does not mean in terms of time (i.e., the plague that is about to come now); but rather, 'as a result of this matter.' It means, "Due to your stubborn refusal to My demands, I will [soon] send my harshest Makah against you." If so, why mention Makas Bechoros now? Pharaoh must have wondered why the plague of Dever spared human beings; perhaps Hashem had no plans to strike the Egyptians themselves? Moshe now 4 told him that on the contrary, just such a Makah was on its way! (What message was conveyed in these introductory Pesukim? See 9:14:1.2:1.)
Gur Aryeh #3; Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 33, p. 125): The final set of Makos - Be'achav - is like one long unit. 5 Therefore, this was an appropriate time to warn about Makas Bechoros. The Torah emphasizes what these Makos have in common - they were unprecedented in scope, and they teach that "there is none like Hashem in all the earth." 6
Gur Aryeh: Such as the barley, as Rashi to 9:31 explains. However, Gur Aryeh rejects this interpretation. Surely, the tenth and final plague would be the harshest one (also see Rashi to 4:23)! Furthermore, if Barad was the worst of the plagues, it should have caused Pharaoh to free the Bnei Yisrael!
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 57, p. 255): If the Pasuk indeed refers to the upcoming Makah of Barad, what would make the plague so severe as to be called, "sending all My plagues upon your heart"? The hail was accompanied by "thunderous sounds from of G-d" (9:28), which deflated their hearts (egos) to the point of as if they had died (also refer to 9:34:152.1:2). Also see 9:14:1:3 and 9:14:1:4.
Recall that the sixth Makah, Shechin, was not preceded by a warning. (Although Moshe and Aharon appeared before Pharaoh to perform the Makah of Shechin, they did not say a word!) It was only now that Moshe could explain the results of the Makah of Dever to Pharaoh. (CS)
In each set of three Makos, the first two were preceded by a warning, whereas the third was not. Seeing as the fourth Makah of this set, Makas Bechoros, was again preceded by a warning, why is it considered the continuation to Barad, Arbeh and Choshech? See Rav Hartman's notes to Gur Aryeh (Mechon Yerushalayim edition, Perek 11 note 139). (But see 7:14:8:2 and 7:14:8:3, where Maharal in fact categorizes Makas Bechoros on its own.)
Rashi writes: "'All of My plagues' - ... Makas Bechoros." How does fit in with the message of these verses, which introduce the plague of hail?
Gur Aryeh: Hashem was saying to Pharaoh, 'I could have stricken you with the Dever, along with the animals (9:15) - and then there would have been no need for a separate Makas Bechoros! Rather, (Moshe explained,) Hashem miraculously held back the Dever from striking the people, in order to publicize his Name (9:16) through even more Makos. Pharaoh, you should have realized all this - and yet you are still holding down My people?! Now I shall do exactly that" - via the unprecedented plague of Barad, which will cause My name to be told everywhere (9:17-18).
Rashi writes: "'All of My plagues' - This teaches us that Makas Bechoros was equivalent to all the rest (combined)." How so?
Maharal #1 (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 37, p. 140): A firstborn is called "Reishis" - the beginning and root for whatever will follow. Thus, the firstborn of Egypt were the equivalent of all of Egypt; and when they were killed, Egypt had no more power.
Maharal #2 (ibid.): The Egyptians worshipped the constellation of the lamb, the first of the twelve Mazalos. 1 Thus, to be "first" was their primary power.
Refer to 12:12:4.2:2, and 8:22:1.2:1 with its notes.
