Derasha 2 on Lech Lecha 12:17

TT #2 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Second Aliyah · Passuk 12:17

Complete Passuk

וַיְנַגַּ֨ע ה׳֧ אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה נְגָעִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים וְאֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר שָׂרַ֖י אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָֽם׃

Hashem afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Avram’s wife.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Ketubot 77b (and parallel): there are twenty-four kinds of shechin; the most severe is ra’atan, with which Pharaoh was struck.

E-Daf image

Core Text

Core Text תַּנְיָא: עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה מִינֵי שְׁחִין הֵן, וְאֵין לְךָ קָשֶׁה מִכֻּלָּן… אֶלָּא רַאֲתָן… וּבוֹ לָקָה פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְנַגַּע ה׳ אֶת פַּרְעֹה נְגָעִים גְּדֹלִים.
English of Core Text: It was taught: there are twenty-four kinds of shechin, and none is harder… than ra’atan… and with it Pharaoh was struck, as it is said “Hashem afflicted Pharaoh with great plagues.”
On the daf / in context: The baraita identifies the “great plagues” of the verse with the most severe form of skin affliction known to the Sages.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

“Great plagues” is read as a specific, especially severe form of shechin (ra’atan).