Derasha on Bo 11:8 — Torah Temimah note 1

Parashas Bo · Shemos 11:8 · TT note 1

The Complete Passuk

וְיָרְד֣וּ כׇל־עֲבָדֶ֩יךָ֩ אֵ֨לֶּה אֵלַ֜י וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לִ֣י לֵאמֹ֗ר צֵ֤א אַתָּה֙ וְכׇל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן אֵצֵ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א מֵֽעִם־פַּרְעֹ֖ה בׇּחֳרִי־אָֽף׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah on Shemos 11:8, note 1 (on וְיָרְדוּ כׇל־עֲבָדֶיךָ) points to Zevachim 102a.

Sefaria — Exodus 11:8
Sefaria — Torah Temimah on Exodus 11:8
Sefaria — Zevachim 102a
E-Daf — Zevachim 102a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Zevachim 102a
אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי: לְעוֹלָם תְּהֵא אֵימַת מַלְכוּת עָלֶיךָ; דִּכְתִיב: ״וְיָרְדוּ כׇל עֲבָדֶיךָ אֵלֶּה אֵלַי״ – וְאִילּוּ לְדִידֵיהּ לָא קָאָמַר לֵיהּ.

English: Rabbi Yannai said: Let the fear of sovereignty always be upon you, as it is written, “And all these your servants shall come down to me” — yet he did not say this to Pharaoh himself.

Type of Learning

Derash from Moshe’s careful wording: he spoke of Pharaoh’s servants coming down, not of Pharaoh himself, teaching deference to royal authority.

What Is Learned

Even when confronting Pharaoh, Moshe’s speech models that one should maintain awe of kingship; the verse is read as deliberate restraint in address.