The entire Torah is filled with Noahide insights – both to teach us our Seven Laws, and also to show us wise practices that can improve our lives – but they can be hard to see. This series seeks to highlight some of those insights in the Weekly Parshah.
In Parshah Va’eira, we find the story of the first several plagues, through which Israel was freed from slavery in Egypt. One of the key figures of this story – Pharaoh – goes through a startling transformation, gradually hardening his heart to avoid freeing the people of Israel. Through his transformation, we learn that the fundamental principles of Free-Will, Teshuvah, Retribution for Sin, and Prophecy apply equally to both Noahides and Israelites.
I’ll first quote a section of the Torah, then highlight a particular phrase, and add some additional clarification.
The Contradiction of Free-Will
And Hashem said to Moshe, “See, I have set you in God’s stead to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not hearken to you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and bring forth My hosts, My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am Hashem, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”
Exodus 7:1-5
7:3-4 – And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart… Pharaoh will not hearken to you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt
This seems to contradict the fundamental principle of free-will. If Hashem decreed that Pharaoh would not listen to Moshe, and hardened Pharoah’s heart so that he cannot, then according to which judgement or sense of justice could Pharaoh be punished for refusing to let the people of Israel go? Shall the True Judge not act justly?
The resolution to this seeming contradiction is two-fold.
First, the statement that “Pharaoh will not hearken to you” is not a decree, but a prophetic revelation of what will happen. Moshe was being told that, regardless of what happens, the outcome will be that Pharaoh will not listen to him. As explained in the Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Teshuvah 5 (especially, see halakhah 5), although Hashem knows all that will happen in the future, nevertheless, “man’s actions are in his own hands and Hashem does not lead him [in any particular direction] or decree that he do anything.”
Second, the statement that Hashem “will harden Pharaoh’s heart” is illustrative of the fundamental principle of retribution for sins. As explained in the Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Teshuvah 6, there are certain sins which, if committed consciously and willfully, justice determines that retribution be exacted in this world. And, for some of the especially great sins, the retribution is that the transgressor’s Teshuvah will be held back, meaning he will not be allowed the chance to repent from his wickedness, so that he will die and be wiped out because of the sin he committed.
This was the case with the Pharaoh of the Exodus. As we see in the narrative that follows, he willingly chose not to let the people go, hardening his own heart, until finally even his own priests admitted that what was happening was the will of God. After that, Pharaoh even examined Moshe’s prophetic claims, and confirmed that he was a prophet delivering a prophetic command. And yet, Pharaoh continually chose to harden his own heart and not obey. Only after that point was his iniquity so great that Hashem then hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would suffer retribution in this world, and be used as an example for future generations.
Stubbornness with Justification
And Moshe and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so, as Hashem had commanded; and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as Hashem had spoken.
And Hashem said unto Moshe, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn, he refuses to let the people go.”
Exodus 7:10-14
7:13-14 – Pharaoh’s heart was hardened… Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn, he refuses to let the people go.
At this point, Hashem was not hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Rather, in his stubbornness, Pharaoh was hardening his own heart. Which is to say, he was choosing not to listen to Moshe, and was rationalizing away the signs and wonders he was being shown.
In this case, Pharaoh likely thought to himself, “This is a simple trick that my magicians can easily replicate. I’m not impressed.” And, he made similar justifications to himself throughout the next several signs and plagues, each time choosing to harden his own heart.
Stubbornness without Justification
And Hashem said unto Moshe, “Say unto Aaron: Stretch out they rod, and smite the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.” And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast; all the dust of the earth became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.
And the magicians did so with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as Hashem had spoken.
Exodus 8:12-15
8:15 – Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!”
Finally, the magicians were unable to replicate the plague – even to a small degree. So, they reasonably concluded that this was indeed a sign from God.
8:15 – And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as Hashem had spoken.
But, despite his own magician’s failure and admitting God’s work, Pharaoh still continued to harden his own heart. Perhaps he reasoned to himself, “Surely, my magicians are just having a bad day. What’s one failure?” In either case, he was now being stubborn without any underlying justification for it – ie. not because of the evidence, but in spite of it.
Rebelling Against God
Then Hashem said unto Moshe, “God in unto Pharaoh, and tell him; Thus says Hashem, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let them go, and will hold them still, behold, the hand of Hashem is upon your cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and upon the flocks; there shall be a very grievous murrain. And Hashem shall make a division between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” And Hashem appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow Hashem shall do this thing in the land.”
And Hashem did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died; but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.
And Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But, the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he did not let the people go.
Exodus 9:1-7
9:7 – And Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites dead.
At this point, Pharaoh had given up the pretense of trying to explain away the signs and wonders being performed by Moshe. Instead, he now took seriously the idea that Moshe was a prophet of God (as explained in the Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah 7:7). And so, he examined the particular details of Moshe’s prophecy to see if it had come true exactly as predicted – as is required of a prophet.
Thus, Pharaoh now knew that Moshe was a prophet, and that he was being commanded by God to let the people of Israel go.
9:7 – But, the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he did not let the people go.
Pharoah was now consciously and willfully choosing to disobey a command from a prophet of God.
Divine Retribution
And Hashem said unto Moshe and unto Aaron, “Take to you handfuls of soot of the furnace, and let Moshe throw it heavenward in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.” And they took soot of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moshe threw it up heavenward; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and beast.
And the magicians could not stand before Moshe because of the boils; for the boils were upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And Hashem hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as Hashem had spoken unto Moshe.
Exodus 9:8-12
9:12 – And Hashem hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them
Finally, having given Pharaoh ample opportunity to verify Moshe’s claims of prophecy, and to obey the command to let Israel go, the True Judge decreed that his iniquity was so great that he would suffer retribution in this world for his sins. Thus, God Himself now hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and removed his ability to make Teshuvah for his sins, as explained in the Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Teshuvah 6:3.
A Lesson for all Humanity
And Hashem said unto Moshe, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him: Thus says Hashem, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For I will this time send all my plagues upon your person, and upon your servants, and upon your people; that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.
Surely now I could have put forth My hand, and smitten you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. However, for this have I preserved you, to show you My power, and so that My name may be declared throughout all the earth.”
Exodus 9:13-16
9:15 – Surely now I could have put forth My hand, and smitten you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth.
Pharaoh’s sins far outweighed his merits, and so justice decreed that he should die because of his sins, as explained in the Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Teshuvah 3:1-2.
9:16 – However, for this have I preserved you, to show you My power, and so that My name may be declared throughout all the earth.
As the Rambam states in the Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Teshuvah 6:3, “i.e. to make known to all the inhabitants of the world that when the Holy One, blessed be He, withholds repentance from a sinner, he cannot repent, but he will die in the wickedness that he initially committed willfully.”
And, as can be seen throughout the full account of the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, the fundamental principles of Free-Will, Teshuvah, Retribution for Sin, and Prophecy apply equally to both Noahides and Israelites. This is an important lesson for all Humanity.
