Parashat Va'eira - Plague of Fire and Ice

(13) The Eternal said to Moses, “Early in the morning present yourself to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Eternal, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go to worship Me. (14) For this time I will send all My plagues upon your person, and your courtiers, and your people, in order that you may know that there is none like Me in all the world. (15) I could have stretched forth My hand and stricken you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been effaced from the earth. (16) Nevertheless I have spared you for this purpose: in order to show you My power, and in order that My fame may resound throughout the world. (17) Yet you continue to thwart My people, and do not let them go! (18) This time tomorrow I will rain down a very heavy hail, such as has not been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. (19) Therefore, order your livestock and everything you have in the open brought under shelter; every human and animal that is found outside, not having been brought indoors, shall perish when the hail comes down upon them!’” (20) Those among Pharaoh’s courtiers who feared the Eternal's word brought their slaves and livestock indoors to safety; (21) but those who paid no regard to the word of the Eternal left their slaves and livestock in the open.

(22) The Eternal said to Moses, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, upon humans and animals and all the grasses of the field in the land of Egypt.” (23) So Moses held out his rod toward the sky, and the Eternal sent thunder and hail, and fire streamed down to the ground, as the Eternal rained down hail upon the land of Egypt. (24) The hail was very heavy—fire flashing in the midst of the hail—such as had not fallen on the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. (25) Throughout the land of Egypt the hail struck down all that were in the open, both humans and animals; the hail also struck down all the grasses of the field and shattered all the trees of the field. (26) Only in the region of Goshen, where the Israelites were, there was no hail. (27) Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I stand guilty this time. The Eternal is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. (28) Plead with the Eternal that there may be an end of God’s thunder and of hail. I will let you go; you need stay no longer.” (29) Moses said to him, “As I go out of the city, I shall spread out my hands to the Eternal; the thunder will cease and the hail will fall no more, so that you may know that the earth is the Eternal's. (30) But I know that you and your courtiers do not yet fear the Eternal God.”— (31) Now the flax and barley were ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud; (32) but the wheat and the emmer were not hurt, for they ripen late.— (33) Leaving Pharaoh, Moses went outside the city and spread out his hands to the Eternal: the thunder and the hail ceased, and no rain came pouring down upon the earth. (34) But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he became stubborn and reverted to his guilty ways, as did his courtiers. (35) So Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Eternal had foretold through Moses.

Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai stated: Since the sky is made of water and the stars of fire and they dwell one with the other without damaging one another, therefore He makes peace in His heights. Rebbi Abun said, the angel himself is half water and half fire and composed of five kinds: His body is like chrysolite, and his face like the looks of lightning, and his eyes like torches of fire, etc. ...