The Rambam on x (times) 4 and x 5.

Every year at the Pesach Seder we read the following:

Rav Yosei the Galilean says, "How can you come to say that the Mitzrim were struck by ten plagues in Mitzra'im and 50 at the Sea?"  Of the plagues in Mitzra'im it says that black magicians said to Pharoah (regarding the plague of lice), it is the finger of G-d (Exodus 8:15).  Of those by the Sea what does the Torah say?  It says, "When Yisrael saw the Great Hand that HaShem placed up Mitzra'im (at the Sea),  the people feared HaShem and believed in HaShem and in His servant Moshe." (Exodus 14:31).  How many plagues were done with the Finger of G-d?  Ten.  Then it follows that if there were ten plagues in Mitzra'im, there were 50 plagues at the Sea.

The above corresponds to the first redemption from Mitzraim being a manifestation of the Yud and the first Hey in HaShem's Name.  The Yud is the ten plagues in Mitzra'im, and the Hey was the five times multiplier at the Yam Suf (the Sea of Reeds).  As discussed at length on this blog, the Final Redemption will be with the Yud Key Vav and then with the Final Hey when the Mt. of Olives is split in two instead of the Sea of Reeds.  Continued....

Rav Eliezer says, "From where do we know that each plague that HaKodesh Baruch Hu brought upon the Mitzrim in Mitzraim consisted of four plagues?"  As it says, "He sent upon them His burning anger, (1. Wrath), (2. and Indignation), (3. and Trouble), (4. a dispatching of messengers of evil.)"  (Psalm 78:49)   One can say from this that in Mitzra'im they were struck with 40 plagues, and at the Sea with 200 plagues.

Rav Akiva says, "From where do we know that each plague that HaKodesh Baruch Hu brought upon the Mitzrim in Mitzraim consisted of five plagues (not four)?"  As it says, "He sent upon them (1. His burning anger), (2. Wrath), (3. and Indignation), (4. and Trouble), (5. a dispatching of messengers of evil.)" (Psalm 78:49)  One can say from this that in Mitzra'im they were struck with 50 plagues, and at the Sea with 250 plagues.

One can ask until the cows come home how can one look at the exact same verse in Tehillim and get two different answers?  Why in one analysis is His burning anger one of the plagues, but in the other analysis is His burning anger not a plague?   The most common answer is that His burning anger is a composite description of the four manifestations of His anger.  Ok, but is there a deeper explanation?  That deeper explanation is provided by the author of the Mishneh Torah, the Rambam, who happened to call his great work, Yad HaChazakah (The Mighty Hand) in reference to this same Hand of G-d on which we are anthropomorphically counting all five fingers.  This is what he says is the deeper meaning behind the dispute between Rav Eliezer and Rav Akiva:

The deeper meaning of the dispute originates in the very significance of the numbers 4 and 5.  The four stands for Yud Key Vav Key the Tetragrammaton, and the five stands for Elokim (Aleph, Lamed, Hey, Yud, Mem).  Yud Key Vav Key refers to HaShem exercising his quality of Mercy, and Elokim refers to Him exercising His quality of Judgement.  The gematriah of Yud Key Vav Key is of course 26 while the gematriah of Elokim is 86.  And of course Yud Key Vav Key is composed of four letters while Elokim is composed of five letters.  The plagues had the dual aspect of punishing the Egyptians and liberating Klal Yisrael (judgement on our oppressor and mercy on HaShem's first born).  Rav Eliezer considered these plagues primarily as mercy on Klal Yisrael while Rav Akiva considered these plagues primarily as judgement on the Egyptians (the Mitzrim).

As difficult as these releases of murderers have been, let us take comfort in the fact that there are only FOUR such releases of 26 murderers each as we approach this coming Purim and Pesach.

I am delaying posting about the Valley of Yehoshafat and other matters to see if these pieces talks will be delayed until after the US Congressional midterm elections next November so that Democrats in key northeast districts don't get pounced upon by their Jewish constituents.  Netanyahu, the great procrastinator, basically told the Ba'al Kerry that he would like a stay of execution until after those elections to avoid doing horrible things to his own people for almost another year.  For a very long time now I have wondered whether the Axis of Evil in the Obamanation Administration would bring the hammer down in their minds on Israel before or after those pesky midterm elections.  If Obamanation considers his dictatorship as being solidified, he won't wait on imposing the crowning glory of his wicked rule: the division of the Land of Israel.  We will know next week, when the Ba'al Kerry announces his plan of imposition of division of the Land of Israel, whether or not he wants Pieces Now or Pieces after the Nov. Midterm elections.  So while the "9 months" of Geulah b'Rachamim apparently began with 4 x 26 murderers being released starting last Av and ending during Pesach, the "9 months" of Geulah b'Din, which ends next Sukkot, begins next week just before Tu B'Shevat.  Maybe by then we will take note of something taking place 5 times 86?  It will be curious to see.

May this post bring about an Aliyah to my father's neshamah, Aryeh Leib ben Shmu'el who passed on to the next world on the 6th of Shevat 5734.