There are different versions in our commentaries as to how intensely identified the Children of Israel in Egypt were. Some say that they retained their identity because they didn’t change their names, language or dress. Others say that only a fifth left Egypt because the rest were so assimilated they preferred to stay where they were. This explains why in…
Sefer Shemot
The Point of the Plagues
When Moses begins his long struggle to change Pharaoh’s mind God starts with the signs which were like ‘magic tricks’ at the Burning bush. We are bound to wonder why God bothered to show him these ‘signs’ if Pharaoh’s magicians were able to replicate them. The fact is that they could indeed copy some of them. But in the end,…
Overcoming Resistance
The protracted negotiations between Moses and Pharaoh that were aimed at forcing him to release the Jews, raises a lot of questions. Why couldn’t God have achieved His ends in one fell swoop, in one go? Why did He give Moses certain signs and wonders to perform that Pharaoh’s magicians could copy? Why did Pharaoh keep on changing his mind…
Free Will
If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, he had no choice. It wasn’t fair. I have often heard this said. But what do we mean when we talk about God hardening a person’s heart? Maybe it just means that God allows people to make bad decisions. The Torah uses popular language without going into philosophical detail. We are used to an idea…
A Hard Heart
The Torah uses the word KaVeD, we normally translate this as hard, to harden. Literally it means heavy, stubborn, inflexible in different ways. But also, dignity and, respect. Things we may either be born with or develop or come to be appointed to. So the root word KVD can be used to say He (God) hardened his (Pharaoh’s) heart. But…
Ten Plagues
The Ten Plagues that were sent to persuade Pharaoh to let the Children of Israel leave Egypt. Originally the request was for temporary leave but the longer the negotiations dragged, the heavier the price became! That’s a lesson! But what were the plagues and why did it require ten of them to change Pharaohs mind? Some argue that they were,…