One of the most challenging mitzvos to fulfill at the Seder night is to have the proper mind set as if one is presently personally experiencing the horrific slavery and bondage followed by the exodus from Egypt. חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים  It is not enough to recall and retell the historic events in fine detail, but rather once must exert himself to enter a sort of time machine or warped time zone and feel both the trauma of servitude and the joy of redemption at one sitting.

The eight plague of locusts was unique in contrast to the previous seven in that Moshe was not notified before hand concerning its nature. It was as if Moshe innovated the concept and Hashem brought it about fulfilling his words. However, this would pose a difficulty in the Chazal that lists three things that Moshe initiated on his own and Hashem agreed upon them, and the plague of locusts is not one of them? Therefore, we will have to say that Moshe understood Hashem’s intention of locusts even without being told. Two questions must be now asked.

In Melachim 1 perek 18 passuk 21 Eliyahu on Har Hakarmel admonishes the people “until when will you skip over two paths [se’eefim].. Either you are to Hashem or the Baal. You cannot be committed to both”. The Rizhiner Rebbi interpreted this passuk in another light. The set up of the Shulchan Aruch is that the halachos are divided into general categories called simanin which contain listings of halachos called se’eefim. There are two simanim that contain only one se’eef which is very unusual.