The Plague of Darkness

Received from Rabbi Yitzchok Mordechai Feder of Congregation Aish Kodesh, Woodmere, NY:

Regarding the plague of Darkness, the Torah says: "One man did not see his brother, and no one rose up from his place for three days. But for all Bnei Yisrael there was light in their dwellings."

Rav Gamliel Rabinovitch, shlita, explains this passuk as follows: Because "one man did not see his brother," meaning, that among the Egyptians there was no achdus (unity), therefore, "no one rose up..." They couldn't stand up by themselves, midah k'neged midah ("measure for measure").

"But for all Bnei Yisrael" - indicating that they were united with achdus, all together--"there was light in their dwellings." Even when there was darkness all around, since they had unity, they merited having light in their dwellings!