[Avodah] An Escape Hatch

[Akiva Miller]

Most of the makkos affected every single Egyptian. There was no way to
avoid it. In many psukim, Moshe even warns Paro that it will affect "you
AND your servants AND your people" - Shemos 7:28, 8:17, 9:14, 10:6, etc.

Some would point to the first makkah, blood, as an exception, because -
according to the Medrash - water *was* available to the Egyptians, if only
they would buy some from a Jew.

It seems to me that there is an even clearer exception in the Hail. In
pasuk 9:19, Moshe is told to warn the Egyptians that the hail would affect
only what is outdoors; they must bring everything indoors where it will be
protected.

This struck me as unusual. What makes this makkah different, that such a
warning -- more than just a warning, he gave advice! -- was given? If
Hashem had chosen to do so, the hail could have come even indoors where the
roof would be of no help. It almost seems like a humanitarian gesture, as
if Hashem were signalling that He's not *totally* anti-Egypt; but if
so, then why only for this one makkah?

Does anyone talk about this aspect of this particular makkah?

(Incidentally, I found 9:20 curious: It seems that this advice (to bring
everything inside) was taken seriously by some of Paro's servants - but not
by any of the people. Apparently, when Moshe warned Paro about the makkos,
that information did not get further than Paro's inner circle.)

Akiva Miller
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