12 Jan MAKKOS IN GOSHEN
The Rambam in Pirush Hamishnayos 5:4 says that the ten miracles were the fact that the Yidden were saved from the ten Makkos. Since every makka was exclusively for the Mitzriyim and not the Yidden, that was a great miracle. When it mentions each makka in the Torah it says that the makka took place only in Mitzrayim with the exception of Makkas Kinnim. The Torah does not explicitly say it, but it is obvious that the Yidden were not afflicted with Kinnim. We see during the makka of Dam that Mitzrayim got tired looking for water. During the makka of Tzfardea the posuk warns that the frogs will enter your houses and ovens etc. During the makka of Arov the posuk says that Hashem will make it obvious that there is a separation between Goshen and Mitzrayim. Discussing the makka of Dever the posuk says there was not one death from the cattle of the Yidden. Regarding Shechin the posuk says that the boils were afflicted upon the Mitzriyim and their Chartumim. The posuk discussing the makka of Barad says that only in the land of Goshen there was no hail. During the makka of Arbeh the posuk warns that it will afflict your house and your servants’ houses. Regarding Makkas Choshech the posuk says that there was light for all of Bnei Yisroel.
The Meiri says that we see from the pesukim that none of the makkos took place in the vicinity of the Yidden with the exception of Kinnim which afflicted the bodies of people. The posuk does not say that it did not go in the vicinity of the Yidden. The Gemara explains that Kinnim was in Goshen, but did not hurt them in any way.
The Reshash asks on the above Rambam regarding the posuk that says that Arbeh was going to fill your house and the houses of all of Mitzrayim, that it would seem to include Goshen, which was in Mitzrayim. Yet when it comes to Kinnim, where the posuk says it was in all of Mitzrayim, we say that the Kinnim was also in Goshen.
The Chida explains that the reason why Kinnim was in Goshen was because regarding all other Makkos the Mitzriyim were not convinced that it came from Hashem since their magicians were able to replicate it. Hashem therefore proved it was from Him by excluding Goshen, thereby showing it was from Hashem. But when it came to the Makka of Kinnim, where the chartumim were not able to replicate it since it was such a small size, and they actually admitted that it was the finger of Hashem, there was no need to exclude Goshen to prove it came from Hashem.
The Yaavetz in Avos 5:4 explains a proof that Kinnim did not affect the Yidden, only the Mitriyim, was from the fact that it says in Shmos 8:13 that the “kinom was on adam and beheima.” We explain that it only afflicted an adam who is similar to a beheima, when we see the Torah say “Am hadomeh Lachamor.” The posuk therefore shows that the makka only afflicted the Mitzriyim and not the Yidden.
Understanding the premise that we said that Kinnim was in Goshen, albeit it did not affect the Yidden, we can explain a question the Achronim ask when Yaakov requested not to be buried in Mitzrayim. One of the reasons for this was that he knew there would be kinnim and did not want to be buried in a land that will be infested with kinnim. If so, Yaakov could have requested to be buried in Goshen where the makkos did not take place. Why did he not do so? It must be that Makkas Kinnim was the exception to the rule of plaguing Goshen, therefore Yaakov did not want to be buried where there were to be kinnim.
May we be zocheh to the Geulah Sheleima and see the wonders of the Geula Ho’asida!