[Avodah] Removing Wine from the Second Cup

[Akiva Miller]

.
I found some comments about this in the Taamei Haminhagim uMakorei Hadinim,
page 233, paragraph 538. His comments are in two parts.

First he writes, "The reason that we discard a little from the cup with
one's finger when reaching Dam Va'esh V'simros Ashan, and likewise when
mentioning the plagues [and] D'tzach Adash B'achav, is in memory of what
the pasuk says, 'It is the finger of G-d!', and if so, one should use his
finger."

We've seen this before in other writings. Nothing new here. Except that it
increases my annoyance and curiosity, because this response doesn't fully
answer the question that was posed. "It is the finger of G-d" explains why
one should use one's finger for removing the wine, as opposed to removing
the wine in some other manner. But yet again, it does not explain we bother
to remove the wine at all. [I am starting to think that the ultimate source
for this practice has more to do with this "Etzba Elokim" pasuk, and little
or nothing to do with the Binfol Oyevcha / Baavod Reshaim pesukim that
we've discussed so much.]

But the main reason I'm writing today is to ask about the Taamei
Haminhagim's second reason, which I will present here in transliteration
and my guesswork translation:

V'od l'ramez she'al yedei hamakos haya nechsar mayhem kol paam umismaatin.
Further, to hint that via the plagues, they became lacking from them each
time, and they grew fewer.

His use of pronouns drives me crazy. What became lacking? What grew fewer?
My only guess is that a number of Egyptians died in each and every plague,
which we symbolize with the cup of wine becoming smaller. Am I close? Can
anyone confirm or correct me? Thanks in advance.

Akiva Miller
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