Divrei Menachem

Divrei Menachem for Parashat Va'Eira

In this week’s parsha we learn that Hashem was to harden the Par’o's heart, such that, in addition to his natural resistance to free the slaves and his overall antipathy to Moshe and Aharon, the king was apparently destined, in any event, to refuse the Jewish leaders. This consequence clearly begs the question of free choice upon which Jewish ethics and the relationship between Man and G-d rests. How could Par’o be punished if Hashem hardened his heart?

In response, we must initially note that during the first five plagues Par’o hardened his own heart (Sh’mot 7:3,13,22; 8:11,15) and only later did Hashem follow suit, as it were: “And Hashem hardened Par’o's heart and he didn’t send the people” (ibid 9:7). We see that once an individual chooses the iniquitous path, the equidistant choice between good and evil collapses and the gap widens in favor of evil. It is much harder to choose the right way - but the freedom of choice still remains (N. Leibowitz on Rambam Hilchot T’shuva).

Some say that Hashem blocked Par’o's options so that he would now pay the price for his foul schemes and would no longer be able to repent. Others hold that Par’o's heart was now hardened so that he could endure the pain of the remaining plagues and would thus not finally acquiesce on account of the unbearable suffering. And, yes, there would still remain the free choice of recognizing the hand of G-d behind everything that transpired. And so to this day do we have that same choice…

Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff

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