Parashas Vaeira · Side page (no TT primary unit)
כִּי֩ יְדַבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵכֶ֤ם פַּרְעֹה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם מוֹפֵ֑ת וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן קַ֧ח אֶֽת־מַטְּךָ֛ וְהַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ לִפְנֵֽי־פַרְעֹ֖ה יְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין׃
“When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, ‘Produce your marvel,’ you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it down before Pharaoh.’ It shall turn into a serpent.”
Shemos Rabbah 7:4 — EXTRA.
יהי לתנין —\ldots סימן לפרעה שהוא נמשל לתנין.
English: “It shall become a tannin” — \ldots a sign regarding Pharaoh, who is compared to a tannin.
Custom
Chazal link the staff-serpent to Pharaoh’s identification as the great tannin.