Ex. 6:2 - 9:35
Précis:
God reiterates His intention to free the Israelites from bondage and to create
a covenant with them. Moses goes back to Pharaoh to seek release of the
Israelites. Pharaoh refuses and we see the first seven of the fabled plagues:
blood, frogs, fleas, beetles, cattle disease, boils, and hail. Pharaoh relents
after each plague begins, deciding to let the people go, but then God “hardens
Pharaoh’s heart” and he refuses to allow them to leave.
Ex. 9:24 “So there was hail, and fire
flashing up amid the hail.”
The
Sages Rashi and Ibn Ezra opine that this was a “double” miracle, because the Hebrew
phrase may be read fire “in the midst” of the hail, or “inside of the hail.”
How
can there be fire inside of ice? Fans of the epic television drama and novels, Game of Thrones, know that the real
title of the series is the “Song of Ice and Fire.” Whether or not George R.R. Martin
was aware of Jewish Midrash when he composed his masterwork, those familiar
with Midrash know that in relation to
this verse, it is suggested that the fire was indeed inside of the hail, with
the fire breaking out only when the ice was split as it hit the ground.
The
Rabbis suggest that this is a parable about humans: we are comprised of fire
(passion within) and ice (cold distance). When we balance these factors, we can achieve a
sort of stability. There are times when fire is required in self-defense or in
seeking justice, and there are times a “cold shoulder” to those who pursue
inappropriate ends is also required.
Thinking
about it a bit more, perhaps Martin knew something about Midrash when he began
his saga.
