זכריה, פרק י״ד, פסוק י״ח

The global requirement to travel to Jerusalem for the festival of Sukkot carries a clear warning. Those who refuse will suffer a drought. However, Egypt presents a unique geographic loophole. Unlike other nations that depend entirely on rainfall for survival, Egypt relies on the Nile River, which naturally overflows to water the land. Because rain is not a regular part of their agricultural cycle [מצודת ציון], a simple threat of withholding rain carries no weight. This raises a critical question regarding how Egypt will be punished if they stubbornly refuse to participate in the festival [מצודת דוד].

To address this, the impending plague is carefully tailored. Commentators offer different perspectives on how this punishment will manifest. One approach suggests that the penalty will directly target Egypt's specific source of life. Their natural abundance will be cut off when the Nile fails to rise, plunging the country into a devastating famine and drought [רש"י, אברבנאל]. Another perspective argues that because a lack of rain does not harm them, the Egyptians will instead be struck by severe physical suffering. Specifically, they will endure a rotting of the flesh, a physical plague previously designated for the nations that besieged Jerusalem [אבן עזרא, רד"ק, מצודת דוד]. Some scholars view these as intertwined possibilities, where the punishment could take the form of either severe drought or physical decay [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The severity of Egypt's rebellion will ultimately have global consequences. If Egypt refuses to make the journey to Jerusalem, the harsh physical plague that strikes them will not remain contained. It will expand to afflict other rebellious nations as well, because the basic punishment of withholding rain will no longer be considered a sufficient penalty for their disobedience [מלבי"ם]. Some ancient manuscript traditions emphasize the sheer scale of this consequence by noting that the plague will strike "all" the nations that refuse to celebrate, highlighting the widespread impact of the rebellion [מנחת שי].