The power of God's hand

Torah study

RABBI MATT FRIEDMAN
Va'eira/Exodus 6:2-9:35

"But Pharaoh became more stubborn this time also and would not let the people go." (Exodus 8:28)

"But Adonai stiffened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not heed them, just as Adonai had told Moses." (Exodus 9:12)

• It is possible that ... during the first plagues, the hardening of Pharaoh's heart was of his own doing ... and now it was (rightfully) caused by God. (Nachmanides, "Ramban Commentary on the Torah: Exodus")
  
  
• God did not make Pharaoh sinful on purpose. For God to make it impossible for a man to obey Him and then punish him for his disobedience would be contrary to the fundamental Jewish belief in freedom of the will. (J. H. Hertz, "The Pentateuch and Haftorahs: Hebrew Text, English Translation and Commentaries")
  

1. How do these scenarios regarding the stiffening of Pharaoh's heart affect the meaning of the plagues for you?
   
   
2. If Pharaoh, according to Rabbi Hertz, had free will to avoid sinfulness, how then are we to understand the statement that Adonai stiffened the heart of Pharaoh? (Exodus 9:12)
   

The narrative segment about the Ten Plagues is one of the most fascinating sections of the entire Torah. The character of Pharaoh is a focal point. He transitions from being all-powerful to being a mere actor under God's control. Initially Pharaoh made his own decisions and was unmoved by the plagues. However, as the cumulative effect of the plagues began to cause great hardship for the Egyptians, Pharaoh made a personal decision to release the Israelites. But God prevented him from doing so by "stiffening his heart." What does all this mean to us today?

For over 400 years the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt. The Israelites' faith was weak, at best. Thus their redemption from Egypt was not merely physical but also spiritual. Pharaoh not only embodies ultimate power in Egyptian theology but also represents man's belief in human supremacy. The plague sequence therefore was battle between humans and God. The fact that ordinary Egyptians suffered illustrates the point that worshiping false powers will result in severe consequences.

The long-term effect of the Exodus is that it remains the premier event in the formation of our national identity; yet, the way we view God today in light of the story of the plagues is an open issue.

We as modern Jews tend to reject both the mind control of Pharaoh by God and the collective punishment of the Egyptians. Yet we believe that these acts were entirely appropriate at the time. How do we reconcile this apparent contradiction? On the one hand, the presence of an all-powerful figure of God gives us a sense of security. On the other hand, we perceive ourselves to be rational. As with all good questions, there are many answers, and we are nobler for having engaged in the struggle to respond to them.