Parshas Bo
1. At the beginning of the parsha, Rashi pauses on the words "ויאמר ה' אל משה בא אל פרעה" ("And the L‑rd said to Moshe: Come to Pharaoh") and explains: "והתרה בו" ("and warn him"). The commentators1 explain: since the pasuk says only that G‑d told Moshe "Come to Pharaoh," but does not say alongside this that he should speak to Pharaoh — unlike in the previous parsha, where after the words "Go to Pharaoh,"2 "Come to Pharaoh"3 or "Station yourself before Pharaoh"4 it also says "and you shall say to him"5 and "and you shall speak to him"6 — one might think that G‑d in fact said no more to Moshe than "Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened, etc., and so that you may relate, etc.,"7 and that from these very words Moshe understood on his own, and said, "Thus said the L‑rd, etc.: Behold, I will bring locusts tomorrow, etc.," that G‑d would bring the plague of locusts upon Egypt;
— therefore Rashi writes "And the L‑rd said" and adds "and warn him": the warning about the plague of locusts, too, came explicitly from G‑d.8 And Rashi derives this — in the way of the plain meaning — from the fact that Moshe and Aharon said to Pharaoh, "Thus said the L‑rd, etc." (As for the fact that at the beginning of the parsha it does not say "and you shall say to him, etc." — we find this in a number of places: certain matters appear only in Moshe's words, and from this one understands that G‑d told him so; and also the reverse: many matters appear only in the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moshe, and from this we know that Moshe did so.)9
However, this needs to be understood: Rashi's way in general is to use the wording of pesukim, especially when his explanation is based on pesukim. And particularly here, where Rashi's expression "and warn him" (comes on "Come to Pharaoh" and) is based on the words "and he said to him, Thus said the L‑rd, etc.," Rashi ought to have said (just as the pasuk says in Parshas Va'eira with the very same expression "Come to Pharaoh") "and you shall say to him." Why does Rashi change this and say "and warn him"?
It is therefore understood that with his explanation and his change to "and warn him," Rashi also means to stress that the saying was to be a warning.
2. This will be understood by first introducing Rashi's explanation in the previous parsha:10 "שהיתה המכה משמשת רביע חדש ושלשה חלקים הי' מעיד ומתרה בהם" ("The plague would be in effect for a quarter of a month, and for three parts he would testify and warn them"). From the fact that Rashi uses two expressions — "testify" and "warn"11 — it must be that by the expression "testify" here he means [not a warning, as in "העד העיד" ("he surely warned"),12 which Rashi explains as "an expression of warning," but rather] the matter of testimony in its plain sense — bearing witness.
And although the saying of testimony in general concerns something that has already happened,13 and the "three parts" in which Moshe testified (and warned) came first, before the plague came14 — nevertheless, the matter of bearing witness is not limited to being connected with the past or the future: as long as one is certain of a given thing, even if the thing has not yet come but will certainly come later, one can testify about it.
And in this lies the difference between "testify" and "warn": "warn" points to an uncertainty. When one warns someone that for committing a certain sin he will be punished, one is not certain that the punishment will come [on the contrary: by the very act of warning one expresses that the punishment depends on the conduct of the one warned, and if he does not commit the sin, he will not be punished]; whereas "testify" means that one is certain of the matter about which one bears witness, as stated above.
And therefore, when Rashi explains (right at the first plague) the order of the plagues in general, he uses both expressions ("testify" and "warn"), because there were two kinds of plagues, for which two distinct expressions were fitting:
There were plagues that came as a punishment for Pharaoh's not having let the Jews go earlier — such as the first, the plague of blood, which came as a punishment for the past, as the pasuk says,15 "והנה לא שמעת עד כה" ("and behold, you have not listened until now"). Regarding this kind of plague Rashi uses the expression "testify," which signifies that Moshe said with certainty that they would come, since they are a punishment for Pharaoh's earlier sins.16 (And the purpose of Moshe's testifying at these plagues was to inform Pharaoh that this was no chance event, but a punishment from G‑d for not letting the Jews go.17)
And there were plagues that came for not letting the Jews go in the present and from now on — as is related right after this pasuk, at the second plague, the plague of frogs, where it says: "ואם מאן אתה לשלח" ("And if you refuse to send forth") — now — "הנה אנכי נוגף את כל גבולך בצפרדעים" ("behold, I will strike all your border with frogs").18 Therefore Rashi also uses the expression "warn."
And this is the explanation of why Rashi says at the beginning of our parsha "and warn him": at the plague of locusts Moshe warned (he did not testify), as it says further on, "כי אם מאן אתה לשלח את עמי" ("For if you refuse to send forth My people") (from now on —) "הנני מביא מחר ארבה" ("behold, I will bring locusts tomorrow"), etc.
3. But this is still not entirely smooth: to the words "And the L‑rd said to Moshe: Come to Pharaoh," on which Rashi pauses, and on which he wishes to make clear, as above, that the instruction was not only to go to Pharaoh — it would seemingly be necessary only to add "and you shall say to him, etc." (that he should not only come to Pharaoh, but should also tell him about the plague of locusts). But what difference does it make in this pasuk to stress that speaking to Pharaoh should be in the manner (not of "testifying," but) of a warning?
This will be understood by first introducing what is difficult in the content of the pasuk as a whole: for the command "Come to Pharaoh," G‑d gave a reason, "כי אני הכבדתי את לבו" ("for I have hardened his heart"), etc. This needs to be understood:
a) At all the previous plagues G‑d did not give Moshe any reason for the command to testify or to warn Pharaoh about them. Why at the plague of locusts in particular did He give him a reason?19
b) How is "I have hardened his heart" a reason for "Come to Pharaoh"? The reason for "Come to Pharaoh" is seemingly in order to warn him about the plague of locusts and to prevail upon him to let the Jews go from Egypt. But "I have hardened his heart" is, on the face of it, quite the opposite — a reason not to go to Pharaoh; for since "I have hardened his heart," the warning will surely not help him!
[There are commentators20 who explain: when Moshe saw that even the plague of hail (which was far more severe than the previous plagues21) had had no effect on Pharaoh, he could have thought: What is the use of going to Pharaoh, since he will not obey in any case? Therefore G‑d told him "for I have hardened his heart" — that the plague of hail failed to move him (not because Pharaoh on his own is so hard, but) because "I have hardened his heart," and consequently, when G‑d removes the heaviness of heart that He made, Pharaoh will obey.
But this explanation is not understood: the warning about the plague of locusts (and even the actual plague) also did not bring Pharaoh to free the Jews. So how can one say that "I have hardened his heart" means that (although the plague of hail did not help) the warning about the plague of locusts will help — when in truth it did not help?!]
One must therefore explain that the reason for "Come to Pharaoh" is not "I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants," but "למען שתי אותותי אלה בקרבו" ("so that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst") [and the meaning of "for I have hardened, etc." (which is said as a reason for "Come to Pharaoh") is: because "I have hardened, etc." is so that "I may place these signs of Mine in his midst"]: although going to Pharaoh will indeed not bring him to send out the Jews, just as the plagues until now have not moved him, one must nevertheless go to him and warn him about the plague of locusts, "so that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst."22
4. But according to this there is a difficulty: generally, when one warns someone that for doing such-and-such he will be punished with a certain punishment, a) one intends thereby that he should not commit the sin, and in this way avoid the punishment; b) one at least gives him a choice to avoid the punishment, by heeding the warning and not committing the sin. In our case, however, a) the intent was that Pharaoh should not obey and should indeed receive the punishment — "so that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst"; and more than this: b) since "I have hardened his heart," he was given no choice at all to avoid the punishment.
It would therefore seemingly have been necessary to explain that with "Thus said the L‑rd, etc.: Behold, I will bring locusts tomorrow, etc.," Moshe was (not warning Pharaoh about the future, but) "testifying" to him about his past conduct: that locusts would come upon him for not having obeyed G‑d earlier — "עד מתי מאנת לענות מפני" ("How long have you refused to humble yourself before Me").23 And what he said before "Behold, I will bring locusts tomorrow, etc." — "Send forth My people, that they may serve Me, for if you refuse to send forth My people" — serves only to make clear that if he does free the Jews, he will at least thereby avert the punishment of locusts that was certainly coming to him for his earlier sin, "you have refused"; he can make a change and annul it through "sending forth My people."
And in order to rule out this explanation, Rashi stresses "and warn him": the notice to Pharaoh about the plague of locusts was a warning, in keeping with the plain wording of the pasuk: "Behold, I will bring locusts tomorrow" is on account of "you refuse to send forth My people"24 (and this does not contradict the explanation of "for I have hardened, etc., so that I may place, etc." — as will be explained below in section 5).25
5. Rashi's compelling reason to explain (not "testify to him" but) "and warn him" comes in truth (not only from the plain wording of the pasuk further on, "for if you refuse to send forth, etc.," but also) from the very pasuk on which he pauses. For if one were to explain "and testify to him," there would be a difficulty:
a) According to the above, the reason for "Come to Pharaoh" is only "so that I may place, etc.," but not "I have hardened his heart, etc." Yet from the plain wording of the pasuk, "Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened, etc.," it is implied that "I have hardened" itself is a reason for "Come to Pharaoh"?
b) Already before the first plague (blood) G‑d said to Moshe, "ואני אקשה את לב פרעה" ("And I will harden Pharaoh's heart").26 Moshe thus already knew from before that several (or all) of the plagues (up to the plague of the firstborn27) would have no effect on Pharaoh, and nevertheless, when G‑d sent him to Pharaoh to give notice of all the earlier plagues — even of the plague of hail, which already came after "And the L‑rd strengthened Pharaoh's heart"28 in actuality (at the plague of boils) — He did not need to give him any reason for sending him to Pharaoh. Why, then, at the plague of locusts did He need to tell him a reason?
c) The question is even greater: when G‑d told him "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart," He added "והרביתי את אותותי" ("and I will multiply My signs"), etc., which means "so that I may multiply, etc., My signs."29 Moshe thus already knew that the purpose of hardening Pharaoh's heart and of the plagues was "so that I may multiply, etc., My signs." Why, then, was it difficult for him when he was told to go to Pharaoh and give him notice of the plague of locusts? And what new thing did G‑d teach him with "for I have hardened, etc., so that I may place My signs, etc.," when he already knew this from before?
All these questions Rashi answers by adding "and warn him":
The only plague at which G‑d told Moshe to warn Pharaoh after "And the L‑rd strengthened Pharaoh's heart" was the plague of locusts.30 Therefore, specifically at this plague G‑d needed to give him a reason, for on the plain level it is not understandable at all to warn Pharaoh when G‑d Himself has made his heart heavy, so that he should not be moved by the warning (as stated above in section 4).
For this G‑d gave a reason: "for I have hardened, etc., so that I may place, etc., and so that you may relate, etc., את אשר התעללתי במצרים" ("how I made sport of Egypt"), etc. "התעללתי" means (as Rashi translates it) "שחקתי" ("I made sport"): G‑d made a laughingstock of Egypt. On the one hand He made their heart heavy and (as it were) took away their choice; and together with this He warns them that if they do not obey Him, He will punish them. And therefore "I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants" is also necessary here, since in this consists "I made sport," as stated above.31
6. But one can seemingly ask: since "the L‑rd strengthened Pharaoh's heart," and Pharaoh was compelled not to send out the Jews, it is plainly not understandable at all how he could be punished for this — "השופט כל הארץ לא יעשה משפט" ("Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?") (in wonderment).32 Even a small child understands that if one forces someone to do something, one may not punish him for it — and all the more so the very one who forced him!
Rashi has already forestalled this question earlier: on the pasuk "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, etc.," Rashi says: "Since he has acted wickedly and defied Me, and it is revealed before Me that the nations have no satisfaction in giving a whole heart to return, it is better that his heart be hardened, so that I may multiply My signs through him, etc." This means that at first Pharaoh indeed had choice, but after he "acted wickedly and defied Me," he was punished by the very fact that his choice was taken away.33
And the punishment was measure for34 measure:35 Pharaoh came out brazenly against G‑d and said, "מי ה' אשר אשמע בקולו" ("Who is the L‑rd, that I should listen to His voice?"),36 meaning that he is not moved by G‑d and will do what he wants. In response he was shown37 that he is not in his own power at all, and that everything he does — even that which others have complete choice over — is with him only according to the will of the Holy One, blessed be He.
7. According to this we will also understand why specifically at the warning of the plague of locusts the "servants of Pharaoh" said, "עד מתי יהי' זה לנו למוקש גו' הטרם תדע כי אבדה מצרים" ("How long will this be a snare to us… do you not yet know that Egypt is lost?"), and Pharaoh accepted the argument, for which reason he called Moshe and Aharon back to say to them, "לכו עבדו את ה' אלקיכם" ("Go, serve the L‑rd your G‑d").38
For seemingly: why, at all the earlier plagues, including the first five — before "And the L‑rd strengthened Pharaoh's heart"39 — did the warning have no effect at all, neither on the servants nor on Pharaoh (only after an actual plague came did Pharaoh say that he would send out the Jews); and specifically the warning about the plague of locusts, which came after "I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants,"40 affected the servants so strongly as to make them demand "Send the men forth," and Pharaoh himself was so affected by their argument that "Moshe and Aharon were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, Go, serve the L‑rd your G‑d"?41
According to the above this is understood quite simply: since "Come to Pharaoh — and warn him" was "so that you may relate, etc., how I made sport of Egypt," G‑d therefore brought it about that already in the warning it should be evident that "I made sport — I laughed," how Pharaoh had no say whatsoever over himself: he was indeed greatly moved by the argument "do you not yet know that Egypt is lost" [to the point that even before the plague actually came he specially sent messengers after Moshe and Aharon to tell them "Go, serve the L‑rd your G‑d" — something that did not happen at any of the other plagues, not even at the warning about (darkness and) the plague of the firstborn, which "is equal to all the plagues"42] — and nevertheless, at the moment of action itself, he did not have the strength to bring himself to yield to Moshe, although on account of the argument "that Egypt is lost" (which he himself had shown he took into account) he should indeed have yielded. And this is only because "I have hardened his heart, etc.," and he himself is entirely not in his own power.
And according to this it emerges that "I made sport — I laughed" was seen in two matters: a) in the matter itself, all saw how Pharaoh had no choice and no say over himself at all, and how he is merely a plaything — a toy — an instrument through which G‑d carries out what He wants, against Pharaoh's will. b) And also already before, in the warning, one saw how he was being made a laughingstock, as stated above at the end of section 5.
8. From among the matters of the "יינה של תורה" ("the wine of Torah") that are in Rashi:
After all of the above lengthy discussion, an explanation is still required: the meaning of "for if you refuse to send forth My people, behold, I will bring locusts tomorrow into your border" (according to Rashi's explanation "and warn him") is (as stated above in section 4) that "Behold, I will bring locusts tomorrow into your border" is a punishment for "you refuse to send forth My people" now. This is not understood: true, "I have hardened, etc." is a punishment that came upon him because he "acted wickedly and defied Me" earlier through his own choice; but since afterward he is nevertheless under compulsion, how can he be punished for the present "you refuse" — something in which he has no choice?43
The explanation of this is as follows: the Alter Rebbe says in Iggeres HaTeshuvah44 that even those of whom it is said "אין מספיקין בידו לעשות תשובה" ("he is not given the opportunity to do teshuvah") — "if he pressed and strengthened himself and overcame his inclination and did teshuvah, his teshuvah is accepted," because "he is not given the opportunity" means only that he is not assisted, and more than this — that certain difficulties are made for him in doing teshuvah, to the point that he must resort to "pressing." But he is not, G‑d forbid, compelled not to do teshuvah, and he too has the choice to strengthen himself against all obstacles and do teshuvah.45
And so it is also with regard to Pharaoh: even after "the L‑rd strengthened Pharaoh's heart," and even after G‑d said in speech46 "for I have hardened his heart," he still had the choice to strengthen himself and do teshuvah.47
9. From every matter one must take a lesson in the service of G‑d48 — and especially since the intent in "Come to Pharaoh, warn him" is "so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son's son, etc." — and the lesson from this is quite simply understood:
If Pharaoh, who being of the nations of the world drew his vitality from kelipah, nevertheless had the power to do teshuvah even after "I have hardened his heart"49 — how much more so a Jew, whose vitality is from holiness — from the G‑dly soul,50 which "even at the time of sin was in faithfulness with Him, blessed be He,"51 and which of itself is always "ולבי ער" ("and my heart is awake"),52 even in the time of exile. And the fact that at times he has a dullness of heart is only because the aspect of "Pharaoh"53 has "attached itself" to him. It is therefore certain that he always has the choice to reveal his heart, which is in truth always awake (he need not even awaken it; he need only remove the things that cover it over), and to do teshuvah — for "אין לך דבר העומד בפני התשובה" ("nothing stands in the way of teshuvah").54
And more than this: since "וחשב מחשבות לבלתי ידח ממנו נדח" ("He devises means, that none who is banished be banished from Him"),55 and G‑d looks forward to every Jew's doing teshuvah, it is plainly understood that even in a case where "ואתה הסבות את לבם אחורנית" ("You have turned their heart backward"), which the Torah explains as "You have withheld teshuvah from them,"56 this is only external. For it is impossible that Above there should be a matter contrary to the intent. On the contrary: the "turning their heart backward" itself is in order57 to call forth a deeper teshuvah, the teshuvah of "pressing."
10. According to the above it is also understood why the pasuk itself says only "Come to Pharaoh" and does not say "and warn him": since overtly "I have hardened, etc." is a matter that prevents teshuvah, the intent (as it sounds outwardly) in "Come to Pharaoh" is that he should not obey — "so that I may place My signs, etc., and so that you may relate, etc., how I made sport." And on this Rashi comes and reveals the inner intent in this,58 that "Come to Pharaoh" means "and warn him"; for when one warns someone, one intends through the warning (by frightening him with a severe punishment) that he should obey what he is told. And as Rashi says in an earlier parsha,59 "and warns him to return."
11. In matters of Torah all details are exact.60 We see that Parshas Bo (including the above lesson) is always read on the Shabbos61 before Yud Shevat or on the Shabbos of Yud Shevat itself62 — the day of the hilula of my father-in-law, the Rebbe:
Although in G‑d's saying to Moshe it says only "Come to Pharaoh," and "and warn him" does not appear explicitly in the pasuk, in Moshe's words to Pharaoh it does say explicitly (openly) "for if you refuse, etc." — a matter of warning, where the intent is that the one warned should obey and avoid the punishment.
And this is the conduct of a shepherd of Israel — beginning with Moshe Rabbeinu, the faithful shepherd, and his extension in every generation63 down to my father-in-law, the Rebbe, whose hilula this is: that even to a Jew whose heart is dulled, may the Merciful One spare us, to the point that through his sins he has brought about "and the L‑rd strengthened his heart," regarding which the Torah rules "teshuvah is withheld from them" — one goes even to him, and one warns him — in pleasant ways — that he should return in teshuvah.
And this conduct the master of the hilula demanded of his Chassidim, of those bound to him, and even of those who merely walk in his footsteps: that one should make no calculations as to what category this Jew falls into, whether he is "your fellow" — "your fellow within your people,"64 in Torah and mitzvos — or he is far from this, even to the point that he is of the category of whom the opposite of "they raise up"65 is said; to him too66 one must give warning that he should do teshuvah, and specifically in pleasant ways, by making clear to him how through teshuvah he will spare himself all sufferings, may the Merciful One spare us.
And "a covenant is made for labor and toil, that they do not return empty":67 the warning in pleasant ways does have effect (a while earlier or a while later, but in the end it has effect on each and every person), so that the heaviness of heart departs from him, and he is ready — standing prepared68 — to go out of exile (the exile of Egypt being the root of all the exiles69), and he becomes one of "all the hosts of the L‑rd" who go out of the present exile "as in the days of your going out of the land of Egypt."70
For he has within himself all the matters of "a host," as is explained at length in the maamarim of the day of the hilula,71 to greet the face of our righteous Moshiach; may he come and redeem us very soon, speedily in our days.
(From the sicha of Shabbos Parshas Bo 5725)
Notes
1) Re'em and Gur Aryeh here.
2) Va'eira 7:15.
3) Ibid., 26; 9:1.
4) Ibid., 8:15; 9:13.
5) Ibid., 7:16, 26; 8:15; 9:13.
6) Ibid., 9:1.
7) Daas Zekeinim MiBa'alei HaTosafos and Kli Yakar here. Gra here, in the name of some commentators.
8) This explains why Rashi also quotes the words "And the L‑rd said to Moshe" — in order to stress that "and warn him," too, was said by G‑d to Moshe.
9) Ramban here, on verse 2. Re'em and Gur Aryeh on the pasuk. See also Torah Ohr, Parshas Shemos (52d — regarding the warning about the locusts; see there) and the end of our parsha.
10) Va'eira 7:25.
11) Especially since in the Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 9:12; Tanchuma Va'eira 13; Tanchuma Buber ibid., 110) it says only "warned," and Rashi changes this and adds "testified" (and in Midrash Sechel Tov it is as in Rashi).
12) Mikeitz 43:3.
13) This explains why Rashi needed to explain in Mishpatim (21:29): "'And it was attested to its owner' — an expression of warning through witnesses (and he is not satisfied with this, and adds:) as in 'the man surely warned us,'" even though in Parshas Yisro (19:21), which comes before it, he explains simply, with no proof at all (for he relies on his explanation in Parshas Mikeitz, ibid.; and see below), "'Warn the people' — warn them, etc." [And seemingly it is the opposite: the main novelty of Rashi in Parshas Mikeitz (ibid.) is that even a warning not given before witnesses is called "ha'adaah" (for since an ordinary warning is given before witnesses, therefore every warning (even when not before witnesses) is called "ha'adaah").
(For this reason he needed to prove this from "for I surely warned* your fathers" in Yirmiyahu (11:7), and does not prove it from "and you shall surely warn" in I Shmuel (8:9), which precedes it — since in the warning in Shmuel, how many witnesses were there (all those who were not among "those asking him for a king"), whereas in Yirmiyahu, all Israel were warned. And so too in Yisro.**)
And since the warning in Parshas Mishpatim (unlike that of Parshas Yisro) is through witnesses, there is less need for proof that the term "and it was attested" applies to it.]
— For since the term "ha'adaah" in most places refers to the past, as in the text above, it would have been reasonable to think (were it not for Rashi's explanation) that the intent of "and it was attested to its owner" is that they testified against its owner that his ox had gored yesterday and the day before. Therefore Rashi needed to teach that it is "an expression of warning" and to add "as in 'the man surely warned us.'" (This is not so in Parshas Yisro, ibid., where it is explicit in the pasuk, "lest they break through, etc." And especially since he already cited "Go down, warn the people" in Parshas Mikeitz, ibid.)
*) So it is in the first printing, and this is the correct reading, and similarly below in the second gloss. In several printings the words "for I surely warned" were omitted. And in other printings, in place of this verse, the verse "I call to witness against you" (Devarim 4:26, and elsewhere) was copied!
**) The verse in Yirmiyahu is placed before that of Yisro, and he did not cite the verses in Devarim and the like, because he wishes to bring proof from a verse in which both the infinitive and the verb are stated, as it says here, "ha'ed he'id." And this proof is not so fitting, since the warning of the Holy One, blessed be He, gains no added force when it is before witnesses. Therefore he cites Yisro (where there is an imperative and an infinitive), which speaks of Moshe's warning.
14) In Rashi he writes "three parts, etc." after writing "the plague would be in effect for a quarter of a month" (and he changes the order in the Midrash (cited above in note 11), which puts first "twenty-four days he would warn, etc." (and afterward writes) "and seven days it was in effect"). But one cannot prove from this that (according to Rashi) the plague was in effect at the beginning of the month, for it is explicit in the pasuk that he warned beforehand. It is also simply understood that after the plague there is no place for testimony and warning. And the reason Rashi puts first "the plague would be in effect for a quarter of a month" is that here he comes to explain "And seven days were completed"; only afterward does he go on to explain what took place in the other parts of the month.
15) Va'eira 7:16.
16) And although, had Pharaoh done teshuvah and sent forth the Children of Israel, he would have been exempted from the punishment for not having listened until now (see below, section 4) — nevertheless, since on account of "you have not listened until now" he will certainly be punished (except that through teshuvah he can bring about a change in this), the term "testimony" applies to it.
17) As it is written (Va'eira 7:17), "By this you shall know that I am the L‑rd."
18) Ibid., 27. And so too at the plagues of wild beasts, pestilence and locusts, where it is said (8:17; 9:2; 10:4), "For if you do not send forth"; "for if you refuse to send forth." But at the plague of hail it says (9:13) only "Send forth My people, that they may serve Me." See below, note 30. At the plagues of lice, boils and darkness it is not related at all that Moshe informed them (see Ibn Ezra 8:15, Ramban ibid., and Sforno 8:12). But from the plain wording of Rashi (Va'eira 7:25, and likewise from the Midrashim cited above in note 11) it is implied that at every plague he testified and warned them.
19) As the Rashbam asks here.
20) Ohr HaChaim here (s.v. "Ki Ani Hichbadti," in his second explanation). See also Ibn Ezra here: "Come to him… and do not be astonished that he has strengthened his heart until now… because there will be for you [OCR unclear] when the plague of locusts comes."
21) See Rashi, Va'eira 9:14 (according to the reading and explanation of the Re'em, Levush and others [OCR unclear: ש"ח]; see also Kli Yakar and Ohr HaChaim). For this reason a) only at this plague did he confess his sin and say "I have sinned this time" (ibid., 27), and as in Ramban on our parsha. See also Ibn Ezra and Kli Yakar 9:14.* b) Specifically after the plague of hail, when Moshe warned that he would bring another plague, Pharaoh's servants said, "How long will this be a snare to us?" (10:7).
*) In Daas Zekeinim MiBa'alei HaTosafos (ibid., 27): "For they wickedly left their animals in the fields." But from the plain continuation of the verses, "I have sinned this time, etc.; entreat, etc.; and I will send you forth, etc.," it is implied that "I have sinned" refers to his not having sent them.
22) As in Sforno here.
23) According to this explanation it is plainly understood why it says "How long have you refused, etc." (similar to "you have not listened until now," which is said in connection with the testimony about blood). This is not so in all the earlier warnings (at the plagues), which are said only regarding the future.
24) And also: if so, why is it said "for if you refuse, etc." (that through teshuvah he could annul, etc.) here — and not at the plague of blood that preceded it?
25) As for what it says, "How long have you refused, etc.," even though it is a warning about the future — by this it explains the reason why he would be punished (for his refusal to send forth the Jewish people from now on) with so great a punishment — "and it shall cover the face of the earth, etc., and it shall eat the remnant that escaped, etc., which [your fathers] did not see, etc." — for since his refusal now is not the first time, but "you have refused to humble yourself before Me" until now many times, therefore at "if you refuse to send forth My people" now as well — "behold, I will bring, etc." And this explains simply the wording "how long" (which is not so at the plague of blood — testimony — "and behold, you have not listened until now" (a mere narrative and testimony)).
26) Va'eira 7:3.
27) See above 3:18 (in the old Rashi); 4:23; Rashi 7:16 (and the Midrash).
28) 9:12. See also Rashi 7:3.
29) 7:3, and Rashi's explanation there.
30) This is not so at the hail, where it says (9:13) only the command "Send forth My people, that they may serve Me," but not "for if you refuse, etc." — a warning.
31) According to this it can be said that the meaning of "hisallalti" also derives from the term for pretext and confusion, similar to what our Sages said (cited and explained in Torah Chaim, Toldos (13a), and in Biurei HaZohar of the Tzemach Tzedek (p. 267)) on the pasuk, "Terrible in plot against the children of men."
32) Vayeira 18:25, and Rashi there. And the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 5:3) proves from this, in a simple way, the matter of free choice; see there.
33) As explained in the Rambam, ibid., 6:3. And at length in his Eight Chapters, ch. 8. See also Shemos Rabbah 13:3: "Since the Holy One, blessed be He, sent five times, etc."
34) See Sotah 8b: "With the measure, etc." [OCR unclear: זכיה] also in the way of the plain meaning, to the point that through this conduct the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, is recognized — see Yisro 18:11 and Rashi there. See also above 4:22–23; Rashi 7:28.
35) Compare the Eight Chapters, ibid.: "And He is not obligated to make His wisdom known, etc."
36) Shemos 5:2.
37) It can also be said that the punishment of "hisallalti" (from the term for laughter) is because Pharaoh mocked* (Va'eira 8:25). Compare also what the Rambam writes in Hilchos Teshuvah, ibid., "a great sin… as it says, 'Come, let us deal wisely with him.'" Seemingly the saying "Come, let us deal wisely with him" is not itself so "great a sin" that for it teshuvah should be withheld from them, and the Rambam should have cited the deeds they actually did and the casting into the river — but the matter of "terrible in plot, etc." (see above, note 31) is the scheming. Compare also Shaar HaBechirah by the Mitteler Rebbe, 21d.
*) See Metzudas Tziyon on the pasuk (I Shmuel 6:6 — cited in Rashi on our parsha, 10:2), "Did He not make sport of them": a matter of laughter and mockery, as in "how I made sport of Egypt."
38) Our parsha, 10:7–8.
39) Rashi, Va'eira 7:3.
40) And also after "and he hardened his heart, he and his servants" (end of Va'eira). This is not so at the plagues before this, where his servants are not mentioned at all.
41) Although it can be said: the reason for "I have hardened, etc." is "so that I may place, etc." And since the prevention of "placing My signs" would come only if Pharaoh agreed to send forth their little ones as well, etc., therefore regarding "Let the men go, please" G‑d did not harden his heart, and he remained as he was by his own nature — and consequently the warning of the plague of locusts affected him, since it came after the plague of hail, which was harsher than the earlier plagues (see above, note 21, and the sources cited there).
42) Rashi, Va'eira 9:14 (according to the reading and explanation of the Gur Aryeh, Kli Yakar and Ohr HaChaim there). See also Rashi 7:23.
43) Regarding the punishment one can answer [and this must be said according to the view of the Rambam in Hilchos Teshuvah, ibid., so that he should not be contradicted by his own words (ibid., 5:4), "If G‑d were to decree upon a person, etc., by what law and by what justice would He punish, etc."] that it is like the law (Bava Metzia 42a; Rambam, Hilchos Nizkei Mamon 2:15; Hilchos Sechirus 1:4) that one who begins with negligence and ends with circumstances beyond his control is liable. [And even according to the opinion (Bava Metzia, ibid., and sources cited there) that one who begins with negligence and ends with circumstances beyond his control is exempt, there is no difficulty from the punishment of Pharaoh (and likewise Sichon and the Canaanites, etc., enumerated in the Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 6, ibid.) — for one can say that our case is different, since the very fact that he was afterward compelled came about because of his initial negligence, so he cannot exempt himself by a claim of compulsion.*]
But this is still not understood: the question in the Rambam (ch. 5, ibid.) on the mistaken assumption "If G‑d were to decree upon a person, etc." is [not only "by what law, etc., would He punish," but also (and on the contrary, this is the beginning of the question)] "how would He command us, etc., do this." And the explanation in section 7 there, "in order to make known, etc.," answers only "why did He send to him, etc.," but it does not yet answer: how did He command Pharaoh, "Send forth My people, that they may serve Me"?
*) And although every case of beginning with negligence and ending under compulsion applies when the compulsion comes because of the negligence (and where it comes not because of the negligence, all agree that he is exempt — Tosafos, Bava Metzia 42, end of side a; Rambam, Hilchos Sechirus [OCR unclear: 3:10]) — this applies specifically when the deed that happened under compulsion came because of his negligence. In our case, however, the compulsion itself (his having no choice) is because of his negligence. This is similar to one who shoots an arrow: although after the arrow has left his hand he cannot bring it back, one cannot exempt him on grounds of compulsion, since he himself caused this (compare Nimukei Yosef, Bava Kamma 22a). And this requires further study.
44) Ch. 1. And in Part I (Tanya), ch. 25 (31b).
45) Similar to Acher, who heard a voice from behind [the curtain], and nevertheless he should have pressed (Chagigah 15a; Chiddushei Aggados of the Maharsha there, s.v. "Yatzsah bas kol"; see also Rabbeinu Chananel there). And in the way of the plain meaning we also find this — see Rashi at the end of Parshas Bereishis, 6:6 ("another interpretation, etc."); Ki Sisa 32:12; and elsewhere.
46) And since He said "for I have hardened, etc., so that I may place, etc.," this statement is a decree that he will refuse to send them (until all the signs come), which is not so if the statement had not been made. For since the strengthening of the heart concerns only Pharaoh's heart [and not his actually not sending forth the Children of Israel, except that the strengthening of the heart is a cause of his refusing to send], it does not so compel his choice (and the service of "pressing" is not needed for this). This is similar to "You created tzaddikim, You created wicked people"; "Before I formed you in the belly, etc."; "The wicked are estranged from the womb, etc.": since it is only material prepared to receive the form of good and evil [but it is not decreed upon him that he will actually be a tzaddik or a wicked person — for "'a tzaddik or a wicked person' it does not say"], it does not compel choice (see Shaar HaTeshuvah by the Mitteler Rebbe, Part I, 20d ff.; Torah Chaim, Toldos 13c ff.).
And this resolves the seeming contradiction between what is written in the Rambam, Hilchos De'os, beginning of ch. 2: "People whose souls are sick, etc." (and likewise in the Eight Chapters, ch. 3) and what is written in Hilchos Teshuvah, beginning of ch. 5 (and in the Eight Chapters, ch. 8) — although the wording (in Hilchos Teshuvah, etc.) requires some further study. This is not the place to elaborate.
According to this it can be said that G‑d said to Moshe "for I have hardened, etc." because specifically through the saying would the matter of "I made sport" take place. And although He already said at the outset "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart," in that saying its time was not stated (in speech), and consequently it is not a decree.
47) And it is an explicit verse (which even a five-year-old learning Scripture studies): "And the L‑rd relented of the evil that He had spoken to do to His people."
48) Especially from a narrative in the Torah — a term for instruction (Zohar III, 53b).
49) Tanya, end of ch. 1; end of ch. 6. See also above, p. 55, end of note 47.
50) See above, p. 14, notes 15–16.
51) Tanya, end of ch. 24.
52) Shir HaShirim 5:2, and the Midrash on the pasuk.
53) See above, p. 55, the note cited above.
54) Yerushalmi Pe'ah 1:1 (in Panei Moshe's reading: "ba'alei teshuvah"). Maharsha, Chiddushei Aggados, end of Bereishis. Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah, end of ch. 3. Tanya, ch. 25. Iggeres HaTeshuvah, beginning of ch. 4.
55) II Shmuel 14:14.
56) I Melachim 18:37. Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 6:3. (But see Rashi on Melachim, ibid.: "You have given them room, etc.")
57) According to what is written in Shemos Rabbah (13:6), "so that they should turn back and do teshuvah," it is understood that even regarding Pharaoh the inner intent was that he should return.
58) And since this intent is "very lofty," it cannot be clothed in the Written Torah (in the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moshe) — see Torah Ohr 52d.
59) Shemos 4:23.
60) Especially according to what is written in the Shelah, Torah Shebichsav section, beginning of Parshas Vayeishev — copied in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 5, p. 129, note 1. See also what is cited there, note 2.
61) From which all the days are blessed (Zohar II, 63b; 88a). — And according to what was discussed in several sichos (see also the sicha of Shabbos Parshas Va'eira 5730), that the Shabbos (which follows the six weekdays) also relates in this to the preceding Shabbos — even when the day of the hilula falls on Shabbos Parshas Beshalach, it relates to Shabbos Parshas Bo.
62) As in the year of the passing and as in this year (5730).
And according to what was explained (see at length the sicha of 19 Kislev 5725), that although most festivals are set on a specific day of the month, nevertheless when they fall on the same day of the week and in the same parsha, they are in greater force — it is understood that this year the flow of influence that took place the first time returns and awakens, with greater intensity. Especially since this year twenty years have been completed. See the letter of Rosh Chodesh Shevat (5730) (printed below in the Hosafos, p. 293).
63) Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 69.
64) Of him it is said, "You shall surely rebuke" (Kedoshim 19:17).
65) As our Sages say in Tanna d'Bei Eliyahu Rabbah, end of ch. 18.
66) See also Likkutei Sichos, vol. 1, p. 134; vol. 2, p. 620.
67) As explained at length in Tanya, ch. 32. See also the glosses of the Tzemach Tzedek (printed in "Kitzurim VeHe'aros," p. 36), and the sources cited there.
68) HaYom Yom, end of p. 31. See also ibid., p. 43, and in many places.
69) Maamar beginning "Kol Dodi" 5709, at its beginning. See also Bereishis Rabbah 16:4.
70) Our parsha, 12:41. Michah 7:15.
71) Maamar beginning "Basi LeGani," ch. 10 ff.
Key Lesson
Even when Pharaoh's heart was hardened, he retained the choice to press himself and do teshuvah, and the inner intent of "Come to Pharaoh" was to warn him so that he would return. How much more so a Jew, whose heart is always awake: this Sicha teaches that no one is ever beyond teshuvah, and that one must go even to the most distant Jew and warn him in pleasant ways, confident that this will in the end have its effect and bring him out of exile to greet Moshiach.