The last three plagues presented in Parasha Bo -locust, darkness and death of the first born represent the severe corruption of the INTELLECTUAL faculties and Supra -Conscious dimensions of the Egyptian soul.
Locust which is connected to the Sefira of Bina (Understanding) is a plague in which the locust came and ate all the vegetation and left nothing green in Egypt, served as a symbol of the destructive consequences of a corrupted mind. Inquiry and scrutiny allow us to to explore the world, improve our lives and discover a higher moral, yet the very same power can take us in the other direction making us rationalize every evil under the sun.
Darkness ,which is connected to the Sefira of Chochma (Wisdom/Conception), represents the locked mind. The ninth plague brought a thick darkness in which nothing could be seen. The power of conception is the ability of ones mind to conceive new and original ideas.This can only happen when we suspend our Ego. When we are arrogant, we can’t allow space for new illumination. We are too full of ourselves and this creates a narrow vision mind.
Death of the First Born, the 10th plague is connected to the Sefira of KETER (Crown/Essence). In this plague all the first born boys of the Egyptians died and it was the most devastating of all. In Kabbalah, the first born is symbolic of the first formed instincts and motives of a soul. This dimension of the personality is connected to our essence; our true selves. When we live a life of addiction and abuse this can really burry that part of ourselves very deep.
The Egyptians essence became so tarnished that no good came out of them. This was the final bullet that put away an end to the vicious cycle of the Egyptian addiction and abuse. Finally the Jewish people became free to go on their way to receive the 10 Commandments.
This is why it is so important to cultivate a beautiful mind through our thoughts,speech and actions. Everything that we see or hear has to be very well scrutinized so we can become selective with what we allow into ourselves.
Excerpts taken from “Ten Ways to Destroy Your Life” from Rabbi Yosef Y Jacobson
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