LB: I listened to the shiur you mentioned and there are some nuances that I think were missed based on what I heard. The shiur was directed answer the question: Why did R’ Yehuda deem it necessary to create the mnemonic (Simanim)? Rabbi Zimmerman offered eight possible answers, some of which even he was astounded by.
You wrote:
Thoughts/Questions:
So there are sources that say that they don’t even know if Dam was first or Devar was first?
It’s not that we don’t know what is first. R’ Yehuda who does not attribute anything special to the juxtaposition of Pesukim except in Chumash Devarim, may not hold that Dam is first and Dever fifth even though Dam is written first in Parshas Va’eirah. It is possible (according to R’ Yehuda) that Dever was actually first.
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And he said something about one source saying that Devar was related to the month of Shevat?
Rabbi Zimmerman stated that according to the medrash that states that the first eight makkos were 1 week of the makkah and 3 weeks for recovery and the first makkah started Rosh Chodesh Tishrei then Dever took place in Shevat.
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And that Moshe’s staph had an inscription and they think that he went by that, possibly knowing the next plague before Hashem stated it. Except Locust. That was the only plague that Hashem did not speak to him and Moshe said it himself without cue.
Rabbi Zimmerman went through the “lineage” of Moshe’s staff as it was one of the things created on Erev Shabbos Bein Hashmoshes and given to Adam Harishon. According to the Rabbonon all the makkos were written out not just the first letter. Therefore, Moshe knew about the makkah of Arbeh (locust) even without being told. R’ Yehuda stated that only the first letters were written on the staff.
LB, thanks for stating what shiur it was. A very worthwhile 42 minutes.