What is the meaning of "Ki ha'Se'orah Aviv, veha'Pishtah Giv'ol"?
Rashi and Targum Onkelos: It means "because the barley was ripe, and the flax had formed stalks."
Targum Yonasan: It means, 'because the barley was partially ripe, and the flax had grown a skin.' 1
See also Na'ar Yonasan.
How is it possible that hail struck the ripe barley? There was a month between Makos; if so the plague of Barad took place in the winter month of Teves! In Eretz Yisrael, the first barley only ripens around Pesach-time (and the fruit of Eretz Yisrael ripens faster -Kesuvos 112a)!
Oznayim la'Torah #1: According to the Midrash ha'Gadol, Makas Choshech lasted only three days; and Makas Bechoros, only one moment. 1
Oznayim la'Torah #2 (citing the Rash to Kil'ayim 5:7): Sometimes "Aviv" pertains to the stage when the grains have begun to develop, but have not yet grown to one third. 2
Oznayim la'Torah #3: When Chazal state that the crops of Eretz Yisrael ripen quicker than those of other lands, they mean from the time of planting. In Egypt, which does not depend on rain, they plant much earlier than in Eretz Yisrael. 3 This explains how the grain ripens in Egypt in Adar, and in Eretz Yisrael, only in Nisan.
Oznayim la'Torah: In which case, Makas Arbeh took place in Adar. And according to the Ramban in Bo (to 10:4), Makas Barad took place in Adar, and the last three Makos in Nisan - thereby minimizing the question. See Oznayim la'Torah DH 'Ki ha'Se'orah Aviv.'
And which only reaches its full height in Nisan or in Iyar. See Oznayim la'Torah, DH 'Ki ha'Se'orah Aviv,' citing the Mar'eh Panim who disagrees.
See Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates. Even though they are close to each other, their climates differ; Eretz Yisrael relies on rain, and Egypt, on the Nile. (PF)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'Nukasah' - 'It was broken.' [This word] cannot be explained as an expression of 'Haka'ah' (hitting or striking), because a Nun cannot come in place of a Hei... Rather, the Nun is part of the root." But the grammarians concur that the root of the term "Haka'ah" as well, is also Nun-Kaf-Hei!
Gur Aryeh: While it is true that 'Haka'ah' is categorized under root Nun-Kaf-Hei, the Nun almost always falls out. 1 According to Rashi's approach to Dikduk, the Nun is therefore no longer part of the root. 2 Because the word "Nukasah" in this verse, as well as the word "Nuku" in the next verse (9:32), retain the letter Nun, Rashi considers this an independent Shoresh, with a slightly different meaning. 3
Most authorities on the grammar of Leshon ha'Kodesh, consider verb roots to always consist of three letters with few exceptions.
Rashi considers the root of 'Haka'ah' to be a root of fewer than three letters - perhaps Kaf-Hei. Menachem ibn Saruk lists it under the entry for the letter Kaf alone. (CS)
Gur Aryeh: Compare to Rashi to 3:22, DH v'Nitzaltem. (This is the third instance in our Parshah alone, where we see Rashi's approach to Shorashim. Also refer to 7:1:151.2:1 - "Nevi'echa;" and to 8:18:0.1:1 - "v'Hifleisi.")
