Torah Study: A Struggle and an Adventure
If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he repeatedly refused to let the Israelites go, why were he and all of Egypt punished so terribly? How could Pharaoh be held responsible if his free will had been removed?
I find comfort in the fact that I am not alone, that rabbis for thousands of years have struggled with these same questions. One response of our rabbis picks up on the nuance of the language used in the Torah. The first five plagues are accompanied by the passive formulation: “Then Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.” After each plague, when Pharaoh refused to let the people go, he hardened his own heart. It was only after Pharaoh hardened his own heart during the first five plagues, that God finally begins hardening Pharaoh’s heart for the final plagues. (Tanhuma Vaera 3). This follows the rabbinic concept that when a person has committed a sin once and a second time, it appears to that person as if it is permitted.(Yoma 86b)
I like this interpretation in that it explains that God hardens Pharaoh’s heart only because Pharaoh becomes so set in his punishment of the Israelites. The fact that God hardens Pharaoh’s heart is, in some ways, only a further reflection of Pharaoh’s own stubbornness.
But I would still like to believe that people can change, and that God and society could help us change, without hardening our hearts. One rabbi responds to this challenges, and mentions that if Pharaoh would have truly wished to submit to God and return to God in full repentance, there would have been no Divine deterrent at all (Sforno).
I still struggle with this Torah reading. And I want to invite you to join me in this struggle, and similar struggles with Torah study. Torah learning is not only about discovering answers, but adventuring through great questions.
We at Anshe Emet are kicking off our exciting and action-packed series of adult education classes this coming week. We offer a wide array of classes: studying about the environment, prayer, teachings of our sages, and much more, at many times and in different locations. We want to study Torah together, to struggle with deep questions together, and to learn from each other. So come and join us, as we explore Torah study together. Click here for a listing of courses that will be offered in the Winter/Spring 2013 semester!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo
