Why Frogs? – Parshat Va’era

Why frogs? Offhand, one could think of scarier pests.

תנא דבי אליהו tells us that the Egyptians used to force the Jews to hunt all kinds of rodents and snakes to afflict us. Hence, we have מדה כנגד מדה.

The הגדה of זבח פסח (Abarbenel), gives a different twist on the מדה כנגד מדה. When the Jewish women gave birth, they had to hold back from screaming in anguish, lest the Egyptians find out and throw their boys into the river. The incessant screaming and croaking was the מדה כנגד מדה.

We know that the צפרדע were very noisy and scary, and one of the methods in which armies attack is by making a lot of noise through psychological warfare, e.g. in Sefer Devarim, Parshas Shoftim, when we’re told אל-ירך לבבכם, we are not allowed to fear the enemy because of the hullabaloo they created (i.e. by hitting their shields with one another).

When David Hamelech finished Sefer Tehillim felt very proud of himself. Indeed, who could praise Hashem like David, נעים זמירת ישראל? All our Tehillim, Psukei D’zimra, come from David.

Still, the Tzefardaya (frogs) challenged him, saying that he out-praised David. In Perek Shira, each creation has their Pasuk. צפרדעים say: ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד.

This I believe is connected to a Gemara in Masechet Pesachim, where a gentleman called תודוס איש רומי spoke of Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah’s refusal to bow down to the צלם of Nebuchadnezzar, before they were miraculously saved.

What gave them the inspiration?

They developed a -Kal Vechomer” from the צפרדעים. The צפרדע jumped into the hot ovens, despite not being commanded in Kiddush Hashem.

In addition to the fact that צפרדע aren’t חייב in מצוות, they could have jumped in any other place! The pantry, the fridge… Why did they go into the ovens?

There is an interesting discussion in Tosfos, where it’s asked: We all know that Jews have to give up their lives instead of worshipping Avodah Zarah, so what’s different about this case of the three Tzadikim? One suggestion is that this wasn’t actual Avodah Zarah, rather just a statue honouring Nebuchadnezzar. Technically, Mesiras Nefesh was not required.

What do we see from this? The frog declares ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד – Which is said when we’re exposed to the highest levels of Kiddush Shem Hashem, like in the Hamikdash when we heard Hashem’s name on Yom Kippur. We say it every day in the ultimate קבלת על מלכות שמים, which is קריאת שמע, quietly.

This is a lesson we learn from the frogs. The צפרדע were chosen as they are able to achieve Kiddush Hashem, Mesiras Nefesh – to a point they’d give their life up. and in the aforementioned Perek Shira.

Two points:
1) maximize achievements.
2) Strive to do what’s best, even if it’s arduous.

Shabbat Shalom