When Day Turned to Night: Inside the Plague of Darkness

Total Darkness

After the plague of locusts, the Egyptians were in a terrible state. The locusts had wiped out whatever the hail had left, agriculture shut down completely, and stomachs growled with hunger. On top of that, the locusts left behind filth that fouled the air and caused widespread illness. The next three weeks passed in a desperate search for food. Maybe they bought provisions from other lands; either way, the shortage was severe. For their "good fortune," Moses did not appear at Pharaoh’s palace during those days with more "threats," giving them a bit of peace and quiet on that front. They did not know they were on the verge of a terrible plague in which the psychological suffering would eclipse the physical tenfold.

And then, on a clear day, with the sun blazing in full strength, around 9:00 in the morning, a sudden darkness fell over all the land of Egypt. Absolute darkness! Not merely the absence of light, but a tangible blackness you could practically feel with your hands, and no source of light could dispel it. Candles that were already lit snuffed out in the thick gloom. No one could see a thing; even if you held your hand right in front of your eyes—you couldn’t see it! Eyes wide open, and still nothing. Frightening thoughts raced through an Egyptian’s mind: Maybe I’ve gone blind?

Mortal Terror

After the quiet of the initial shock, screams rang out from every direction. Frightened children desperately searched for their mothers; worried parents who had stepped out with their kids fell into real panic: How would they find the children? How would they get home? Those who pulled themselves together decided to try to make their way back. An Egyptian groped forward in the pitch-black, only to bump into other people groping in the dark. He stumbled into trees and carts; others crashed into him and fell on top of him. When he finally stood up, he realized he had no idea which way to turn or even where he was. No one could point the way. And with the shouting everywhere, you couldn’t hear a thing people were trying to say. Everyone was confused, agitated, yelling at one another—some even striking each other.

Those stuck at home weren’t much better off—they couldn’t see anything. How could anyone function like this? How would they prepare food? How would they find water? The screams of fear and hysteria reached a fever pitch. Family members groping around to find each other banged into furniture, stumbled, and fell. Some were likely cut by shards from broken vessels, but the injuries were impossible to see, let alone treat. Whimpers of fear mingled with cries of pain. The confusion was total. What happened? What time is it? How long has it been? How long will this last?

And All the Israelites Had Light in Their Dwellings

And what about the Israelites during these days? The Israelites had light—brighter than usual, even at night. The light accompanied an Israelite even when he entered an Egyptian house sunk in darkness. Light and darkness—two opposites—existed side by side, proving that Hashem "forms light and creates darkness"; He assigned shining light to one and absolute darkness to the other, in the same place and at the same time! You forced the Israelites to walk ahead of you with a lantern to light your way; now they enjoy a "built-in flashlight" while you sit in the dark!

And I Will Purify the Children of Israel

Even the Israelites, however, were struck by something terrible at this time. Eighty percent of the Israelites were not worthy to leave Egypt and receive the Torah—these were the wicked of the generation and those with no desire to leave Egypt. They had witnessed eight devastating plagues in which Hashem revealed His wondrous power, yet they still did not want to follow Hashem. Hashem wanted to remove them from the world so that the foundation for the creation of the people of Israel would be holy and free of corruption. But He did not want to kill them in a way the Egyptians would notice, lest the Egyptians claim: We suffer and they suffer—so this isn’t a punishment aimed specifically at us. The Plague of Darkness was the opportunity to remove these people from the world. And indeed, millions—80% of the Israelites (some say 98%, and some say 99.8%)—died during the first three days of darkness! The Israelites’ mourning cries were swallowed by the noise and chaos that reigned in Egypt those days, so the Egyptians noticed nothing. Even after the plague ended, the Egyptians did not sense the vast absence—both because of their deep trauma and because of the dramatic events that followed one after another.

Can’t Move!

Meanwhile, for three days the Egyptians groped in terrible darkness, consumed by fear and confusion—hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and utterly lost, with every moment dragging like an eternity. But the plague did not end there. Suddenly they felt the blackness thicken more and more—until they could not move at all! Each person was left "frozen" in the position they happened to be in. For 72 hours they stayed exactly like that, motionless! Those who were standing could not sit; those sitting could not stand; the one lying down could not rise; the one crawling could not straighten up. Anyone who had stretched out a hand or a foot could not pull it back. Their mouths were sealed; they could not speak or call for help. These were three days of absolute darkness. Each person was entirely alone, with no way to connect with another—seeing and sensing nothing around them—isolated inside awful silence for 72 hours! You, too, isolated the Israelites from one another and sent them to pasture flocks in desolate deserts!

What went through an Egyptian’s mind during those days? He could not see, could not speak, could not move. Am I even still alive? That is how the children felt who were buried alive inside the walls!

Mysterious Rummagers

Imagine this: out of the silence, the sound of footsteps. Sure, steady steps—someone walking as if they could see just fine. "I can hear," the Egyptian thinks. "So I’m still alive. But who just walked into my house without permission?" The footsteps continue toward the wardrobe, then stop, and the sounds of rummaging begin. "The nerve!" the Egyptian fumes. "A thief is taking advantage of my helplessness and has decided to invade my home!" But there is nothing he can do. He hears the drawer of valuables open, and after the intruder apparently finishes emptying it, he hears the footsteps retreating from the house. What humiliation! Beyond the physical suffering, the psychological pain was crushing. The Egyptian’s self-centered pride was utterly broken. His very sense of self was taken from him. You, too, stripped the Israelites of their very selves when you forced them into labor against their will!

Who were those mysterious "rummagers"? They were Israelites, freely moving through Egyptian homes during those days. That is how they discovered the Egyptians’ treasures—their silver, gold, jewelry, and all their valuable vessels. They did not take a thing at the time, but after the Plague of the Firstborn, before leaving Egypt, they knew exactly what to ask for. And if an Egyptian lied and claimed he did not own a certain item, the Israelite would say: I saw that piece in the third drawer of the right-hand wardrobe in the bedroom; I could have taken it during the darkness, and I did not. In this way, the Israelites found favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, and the Egyptians gave them everything.

An End to the Darkness

After six days of a drawn-out nightmare, suddenly—great light! The Egyptians rubbed their eyes; it took a long time to adjust. And after not moving a limb for three days, even getting their bodies going again was difficult!

When the plague ended, Pharaoh summoned Moses and told him they should go serve Hashem. It is remarkable that Pharaoh called Moses on his own—after the plague had already passed. In earlier plagues, he offered to send the Israelites only while he was still suffering; the moment a plague ended, he hardened his heart. Here, despite the plague being over, he called Moses and asked to send the Israelites. From this we can infer that the Plague of Darkness was especially severe and left an enormous impression on him.

No Bargaining with Hashem!

Even now, though, Pharaoh thought he could set conditions. He conditioned the Israelites’ departure on each person taking only a single sheep or ox—no more—while the rest of the flocks and herds would remain in Egypt. Moses refused. All our livestock, he said, will go with us, because we don’t know how many sacrifices we will be commanded to bring—perhaps Hashem will tell us to make up offerings for the 210 years during which we brought none?! Therefore, not only will we take our own livestock, but you will supply us with your sheep and cattle as well!

Hearing this, Pharaoh abruptly reversed himself. He boiled with rage and threatened Moses: "How long will you keep coming here? Get away from me! Watch yourself—do not appear before me again, for on the day you see my face, you will die!" Moses replied: You have spoken well; I will not come to you again. Rather, you will come to me—and all your ministers with you—and you will bow to me and beg me to leave. But before I go, let me add one more thing: "Thus says Hashem: Around midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die—from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the maidservant... and there will be a great outcry throughout all the land of Egypt, the likes of which has never been and will never be again!" Before leaving, Moses slapped Pharaoh across the cheek!!! And Pharaoh—who minutes earlier had threatened to kill Moses—did not order him executed now, even though Moses had warned of yet another terrible plague and had the audacity to deliver a resounding slap! Wonders of Hashem, blessed be He!