ramesses was the first plague god sent on egypt.
what was the first plague god sent on egypt?
ramesses
na
na
it was taught in a baraita that rabbi judah the prince (or others say rabbi meir) used to say that providence repays a person measure for measure. thus, a midrash taught that god sent the plagues against pharaoh measure for measure. god changed the egyptians' water into blood because the egyptians prevented the israelites from using the ritual bath (, "mikveh") so as to prevent the israelite women from having marital relations with their husbands. god brought frogs because the egyptians had ordered the israelites to bring them reptiles and creeping creatures (which were an abomination to the israelites). god sent lice because the egyptians had made the israelites clean the dirty streets and marketplaces. god sent swarms of wild animals because the egyptians had demanded that the israelites catch bears, lions, and leopards so as to separate the israelite men from their wives. god brought the pestilence upon the egyptians' cattle because they had forced the israelites to serve as shepherds so as to keep the israelite men away from their wives. god sent boils because the egyptians had demanded that the israelites warm things for them. god sent hail to destroy the egyptians' crops because the egyptians had sent the israelites into the fields to plow and sow. god brought the locusts to destroy the egyptians' grain because the egyptians had forced the israelites to plant wheat and barley for them. god brought darkness because among the israelites were transgressors who had egyptian patrons and lived in affluence and honor in egypt and did not want to leave egypt, and so god brought darkness so that god could kill these transgressors without the egyptians' seeing.
va'eira