motzei Shabbos dvar: parashas Va’eira 5784
“For this cause have I made thee to stand [endure], to show thee My power, and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth.” – Exodus 9:16, JPS 1917 Tanach
“G-d’s name would be declared from generation to generation because of the signs which He performed.” – Ibn Ezra, sefaria.org
As the ruler of Egypt, the world’s leading superpower at that time, Pharaoh was not interested in receiving a higher authority than himself. H’Shem continually hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he could endure the plagues, and remain recalcitrant against G-d’s divine plan to free B’nei Yisrael from bondage; this may be understood as enabling Pharaoh to continue in his resistance.
The so-called gods, the Egyptian deities that his people worshipped, were approached from the perspective of gaining outcomes that would best suit Pharaoh’s own ambitions. There was no sense of obedience to these deities, in regard to a set of principles, or guidelines, thusly decreed from a sense of morality; there was only an attempt to appease the wrath of the deities when some natural occurrences were unfavorable to the population – an opportunistic strategy.
Yet, with H’Shem, there is both justice and mercy, above and beyond the understanding of mankind, in regard to His commandments; therefore, He responded with justice upon Egypt, carried out in the form of ten plagues; and, mercy towards the Children of Israel, who cried out to him in their suffering. Elsewhere it is written, “I will be gracious (חנן) to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy (רחם) on whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:19).
Because of Pharaoh’s unrepentant heart, H’Shem could not show mercy towards him; moreover, later, by hardening Pharaoh’s heart, he strengthened Pharaoh’s position. Rashi explains that the first five times, Torah mentions that “Pharaoh’s heart was hardened,” thus implying an act of self-volition.
Only, for the sake of bringing about the fulfillment of the plagues decreed upon Egypt, did Hashem permit Pharaoh to remain resistant. He was essentially bringing Pharaoh’s unrepentance to fruition for the sake of G-d’s glory, as He was able to demonstrate His sovereignty through the plagues.
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