תהלים, פרק ק״ה, פסוק ל״א

The plagues that struck Egypt were not random disasters, but precise events orchestrated by a higher power. The swarms of wild animals and the infestation of lice stand out for the unique way they were brought about. God initiated these events through His direct command, acting alone without the use of any messenger or intermediary [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This direct communication also served as a clear advance warning to the Egyptians before the disaster struck [מאירי].

When God issued His command, it awakened the wild beasts, causing them to travel to Egypt entirely on their own [רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. This direct interaction between God and the animal kingdom mirrors the way He spoke to the fish in the story of Jonah [מאירי]. The fact that the animals appeared immediately upon God's command proved to everyone that this was an undeniable open miracle rather than a natural migration of wildlife [אלשיך].

In the actual sequence of events, the plague of lice occurred before the arrival of the wild animals. The wild animals are often highlighted first because their impact was far more severe [אבן עזרא]. However, linking these two plagues together reveals another layer to the story: the plague of lice never actually ended. Both plagues operated simultaneously. When the wild animals invaded, the lice were still swarming throughout the entire land [מלבי״ם, אלשיך].

This overlap magnifies the miracle. In the natural world, wild animals would immediately flee from an area infested with painfully biting lice. Yet, driven by God's will, the wild beasts willingly entered and remained in Egypt despite the severe lice infestation covering the country [אלשיך].