In the Pesach Haggadah Rabbi Eliezar says that each plague that was inflicted on the Egyptians can be seen as four afflictions. Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin gives an example of this in the plague of blood. The Torah describes the plague as follows:-

Moshe and Aaron did as G-d had commanded. He [Aaron] held the staff aloft and struck the water that was in the River in the presence of Pharaoh and in the presence of his servants; and all the water that was in the River changed to blood. The fish-life that was in the River died and the river became foul; Egypt could not drink water from the River, and the blood was throughout the land of Egypt. Ch.7/20-21

Here we can see four afflictions; first, the sight of the blood itself was repulsive; secondly, their main supply of protein was lost with the death of the fish; thirdly, the stinking fish polluted the environment; and fourthly, their water supply was knocked out.

Rabbi Eliezar's teaching is more than just interesting in itself; it is a key to looking at the world. Like the plagues of Egypt, virtually all experience is multi-dimensional; and an awareneness of it can yield great benefits.

Ilness, for example, is much more than the pain and discomfort of the bedridden person himself; there are other dimensions. His income may be consumed by medical bills, the emotional strain on family members, and so on. Visiting the sick is a great mitzvah; the mitzvah can be magnified many times over by the realization that there is more to care for than meets the eye.