My chavrusa pointed out an interesting kashe of the Ksav Sofer and others (again, you have to appreciate this type of mehalaich that is common among Hungarian derush seforim - it is an acquired taste for Litvaks) how is it that the Mitzrim could be punished by having their property taken by Bnei Yisrael and simultaneously punsihed by the death of bechorim - we have a rule in halacha called kam leih b'derabbah mineih that double jeapordy is not allowed and one cannot be punished with misah and a mamon simultaneously? According to the tanna R' Nechunya ben HaKannah this rule even applies to misah b'yedei shamayim.
My simple explanation is that these are punishments for 2 different crimes. The money is related to 210 years of back pay. Macas bechoros is for the refusal of that immediate generation and its leader to heed G-d's command and allow Beni Yisrael to leave. Kam lei applies to multiple penalties that arise out of the exact same action/crime.
ReplyDeleteHere the back pay started accruing long before G-d issued the command to Pharoah with the warning regarding the consequences of refusal.