Derasha 1 on Vaeira 7:15

TT #1 · Parashas Vaeira · Passuk 7:15

Complete Passuk

לֵ֣ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֞ה בַּבֹּ֗קֶר הִנֵּה֙ יֹצֵ֣א הַמַּ֔יְמָה וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִקְרָאת֖וֹ עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיְאֹ֑ר וְהַמַּטֶּ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְנָחָ֖שׁ תִּקַּ֥ח בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃

Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is coming out to the water, and station yourself before him at the edge of the Nile, taking with you the rod that turned into a snake.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to the classical source underlying this unit (see Core Text).

Core Text

Core Text
הנה יוצא המימה. אמר אביטול ספרא משמיה דרב, פרעה שהית בימי משה אמגושי היה, שנאמר הנה יוצא המימה .(מו"ק י"ח א')

English of Core Text: Pharaoh in the days of Moshe was an amgushi (sorcerer / blasphemer), as proven from “behold, he goes out to the water.”

Type of Learning: Custom / gezerah shavah-style inference
What Is Learned: The morning rendezvous at the Nile is read as exposing Pharaoh’s occult practice or denial of God.