English: “They placed upon him” — it should have said “upon them.” A teaching of the school of R’ Elazar son of R’ Shimon: This teaches that they brought a brick-mold and hung it on Pharaoh’s neck, and whenever an Israelite said “I am delicate,” they said to him, “Are you more delicate than Pharaoh?”
In context: See the cited source for the full section.
Type of Learning
Custom — diyuk from singular “upon him.”
What Is Learned
Chazal teach that the oppression began with a public demonstration on Pharaoh’s own person so that the decree would be inescapable.