Dear Friends,
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, so that Pharaoh would not let us depart from Egypt.
We read in Exodus, “Then יהוה said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them.”
Certainly, this is problematic. It comes across as both inhumane and manipulative. Surely, God could have softened Pharaoh’s heart, or Pharaoh could have softened his own heart. Instead, Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, resulting in more plagues, more oppression, and more fear.
This appears like the mere and brutal exercise of power, just for the sake of exercising power.
Irrespective of one’s political leanings, one can say the same about the first weeks of President Trump’s second term in office. Yes, some of Mr. Trump’s actions are understandable and we all agree are necessary: deporting violent criminals who are in our justice system who came to America illegally. Why should they linger in our prisons, when they can be elsewhere?
Yet other actions are less intelligible and necessary, and appear to be raw demonstrations of power, such as removing vital protections from long-serving civil servants who are under threat, pardoning convicted violent criminals who attacked the US Capital police on January 6, 2021, or freezing government expenditures.
It is very difficult to live in a society where the leader wields power for the sake of power. Distrust percolates, and fear circulates. One prefers to live in a society where one can trust that power is used with balance and beneficence.
One certainly does not want to pattern oneself on Pharaoh. Irrespective of God’s role in hardening Pharaoh’s heart, he maintained it, and he is vilified in history. Yet, to explain God’s role, a commentary offers the following explanation, putting words in God’s proverbial mouth: “The reason I hardened their hearts is that I might set in their midst these signs that I wish to do among them so that the Egyptians will know My power.”
Interestingly, the commentary teaches that the use of power can be benign, or hostile. Moreover, the commentary urges that we all look carefully at the use of power – whether one is a Jew or an Egyptian.
Power left unexamined is power left unchecked, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
So proves Torah!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, so that Pharaoh would not let us depart from Egypt.
We read in Exodus, “Then יהוה said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them.”
Certainly, this is problematic. It comes across as both inhumane and manipulative. Surely, God could have softened Pharaoh’s heart, or Pharaoh could have softened his own heart. Instead, Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, resulting in more plagues, more oppression, and more fear.
This appears like the mere and brutal exercise of power, just for the sake of exercising power.
Irrespective of one’s political leanings, one can say the same about the first weeks of President Trump’s second term in office. Yes, some of Mr. Trump’s actions are understandable and we all agree are necessary: deporting violent criminals who are in our justice system who came to America illegally. Why should they linger in our prisons, when they can be elsewhere?
Yet other actions are less intelligible and necessary, and appear to be raw demonstrations of power, such as removing vital protections from long-serving civil servants who are under threat, pardoning convicted violent criminals who attacked the US Capital police on January 6, 2021, or freezing government expenditures.
It is very difficult to live in a society where the leader wields power for the sake of power. Distrust percolates, and fear circulates. One prefers to live in a society where one can trust that power is used with balance and beneficence.
One certainly does not want to pattern oneself on Pharaoh. Irrespective of God’s role in hardening Pharaoh’s heart, he maintained it, and he is vilified in history. Yet, to explain God’s role, a commentary offers the following explanation, putting words in God’s proverbial mouth: “The reason I hardened their hearts is that I might set in their midst these signs that I wish to do among them so that the Egyptians will know My power.”
Interestingly, the commentary teaches that the use of power can be benign, or hostile. Moreover, the commentary urges that we all look carefully at the use of power – whether one is a Jew or an Egyptian.
Power left unexamined is power left unchecked, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
So proves Torah!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
