Hail: When Fire and Ice Co-Exist

Why would a pot used for cooking be a symbol for a peaceful relationship? No, it has nothing to do with “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Rather, the question posed in the famous adage relates that a pot is the intermediary that is needed for fire and water to co-exist.  To boil water, the pot is necessary as otherwise the water will extinguish the fire or the fire will evaporate the water.

In the 7^th plague, that of Hail, these two opposites manage to co-exist as they were focused in their mission of serving a Higher purpose so they worked side by side even though their nature generally wouldn’t allow for that.

The hail was not just a ball of ice but there was fire burning within. As the 7^th plague, this was the last of the plagues representing the emotions as explained in the Introduction before the final 3 which are discussed in the following Torah portion. We can also see in the Plague of Hail a connection to many of the preceding plagues. The hail came alongside torrential pouring with the water relating to the Plague of Blood involving the transformation of the water sources into blood. The ice and coldness of the hail represents apathy and detachment that were related to the frogs, the cold-blooded creatures that jumped into the hot ovens, also going against their nature. The Plague of the Wild Beasts also went against nature in that animals that would ordinarily attack one another worked together for a mutual goal like the opposites of the fire and ice. And the Plague of Boils was related to burning like the fire but stemmed from cooled off ash.

When it comes to the emotions, we see that there is nothing negative inherent in any of the elements that form these plagues. The question is not what they are comprised of, but how they are appropriated. Fire is both positive and necessary when used properly and contained, as is ice which is necessary for preservation. Yet fire can likewise burn and destroy and ice can encapsulate so that no movement or life can take place. Ultimately both can kill.

In the case of the Hail, these balls of ice with fire burning within came pounding down, destroying everything in their midst. With the exception of one thing…that which was flexible and could move with it.

And the flax and the barley were destroyed; for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bud. But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they were still pliant (9:31-32).

The Talmud then relates that a person should always be pliant as a reed; and let him never be unyielding as the cedar. (Taanit 20b)

Furthermore, it is explained that those that feared this plague moved their livestock indoors, but those who were not concerned left them outside and they fell victim to the Hail.

A lesson to take from this is to always be cognizant of the power of extremes and to prepare for actions that are aimed to destroy us. When it comes to emotions, both fire and ice can be problematic. Fire represents intense feelings that when unconstrained can burn and destroy. Ice, however, represents a lack of feeling. Ice numbs so that the burn cannot even be felt. If anything, when one is numb, one is more likely to become burned for he or she becomes unaware of just how hot something may be until it is too late. While lack of emotion can seem less dangerous that a raging, passionate fire, in truth, the one who feels nothing is more dangerous than the one with intense emotion. For passionate anger is more likely to turn to passionate love as the spark is still there, whereas once something is frozen it is essentially dead. It would first need to be thawed, then warmed up, before there would be any chance of rectification.

The hail was the combination of these two extremes of fire and ice and yet only affected what it could reach and what didn’t move away from it. Even the trees could be split for they were not flexible while the seemingly weaker reeds were able to survive since they were not set in their ways. So we see that when it comes to protecting ourselves ideally we should go inside when possible. If leaving is not an option, then we must ensure that we are as flexible as we can be, not remaining in one place but swaying away from the dangers as they approach so that we don’t directly suffer the blows.

Yet both of these approaches are limited in that they don’t get to the root of the problem. Neither one aims at stopping the hail but rather only surviving it. We learn the most important lesson from Moses in how he puts an end to this Plague. When Moses agrees to stop the hail, we are taught that he leaves the city of Pharaoh. He removes himself altogether. And then he stops it.

There are times when we are forced to deal with something unhealthy and negative. When there is no choice we must temporarily protect ourselves. But ultimately we must be aware that the situation will only end when we put a stop to it. And to do that, we must leave and distance ourself from the situation completely. For only when we leave the toxicity of the situation can we see it for what it is, with the inherent problems it creates, and put an end to the cause so that the fire and ice cease to come crashing down.

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