Two Questions about the Parsha

Where did the blood go? With some of the other plagues it's clear that the Torah doesn't have to specify that Moshe miraculously made them go away - the animals targeted by the pestilence were done dying - but here, in the first and most jarring of all of the plagues, it seems like it just stayed around. People had to continually dig for fresh water sources or deposits around the Nile, and it seems that some mention should have been made that the blood came and went, unless it didn't!

Another question, no less intriguing: Each of the three triads (1. Blood, Frogs, Lice, 2.Wild beasts, Epidemic, Boils, 3. Hail, Locust, Darkness) had an educational message for the Egyptians, but likely, more importantly - for the Jewish people. 

Before the first three, Moshe tells Pharaoh that his intent is basic knowledge of God's presence: "Through this shall you know that I am Hashem." (Shemot 7:17)

Then, before the second round, Moshe tells Pharaoh, "But on that day I will set apart the region of Goshen, where My people dwell, so that no swarms of insects shall be there, that you may know that I am Hashem in the midst of the land." (Shemot 8:18)

Then, finally, before the third round, Moshe adds to the second message and says, "For this time I will send all My plagues upon your person, and your courtiers, and your people, in order that you may know that there is none like Me in all the world." (Shemot 9:14)

Prior, though, to Moshe's third admonition of Pharaoh and communication of the purpose of the third round of plagues, Moshe states: "I could have stretched forth My hand and stricken you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been effaced from the earth. Nevertheless I have spared you for this purpose: in order to show you My power, and in order that My fame may resound throughout the world."

This brings us to our question. According to the above construct - which seems logical at face value - that each three plagues had a unique message, which Moshe giving Pharaoh a unique warning beforehand, why did Moshe, here, prior to warning about the fiery hail, speak NOT of the destructive powers of Boils, but rather skip back a step to that of the pestilence. Presuming that each successive plague was one-upping the next, and raising the ante, to go back a step seems like reverting to a lower level of revelation. What, then, was so unique about "the pestilence" (the 5th plague) that it was so dreadful in its destructive powers that it constituted the warning for the 7th plague?

It would seem that the smiting of the firstborn stood on its own, and didn't need any antecedent, i.e. warning or explanation, but as for the last grouping, it would seem that the warning before should have been a little bit different.

Shabbat Shalom!

Yoav

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