By the time
the locusts come along, Pharaoh’s courtiers are already convinced it is time to
give in to Moses’ demands. “Are you not yet aware that Egypt is lost?” they
ask. And even in the midst of all of the plagues, “Moses himself was much
esteemed in the land of Egypt,” and the Egyptians are disposed favorably
towards the Israelites, giving them gifts of silver and gold as they depart.
But no matter how dark and desperate it gets,
Pharaoh’s heart remains impenetrable. His ego, his belief that he is right, his
fear all build a thickness around his heart. For him, the darkness lies inside
of him – he is unwilling to see what is really happening. He is unable to take
in the reality of the fact that there is a force much more powerful than
himself at play here.
Pharaoh
wakes up to the cries of death throughout his land. And at least for a moment,
he is afraid enough to let the Israelites go. But we know that his heart still
hasn’t softened. And it won’t, leading to the scene next week, when the Israelites,
having crossed over on dry land, will see “Egypt” dead on the shores of the
Sea.
As we study
the parasha this week, I invite us to ask ourselves about that Pharaoh that
dwells inside each of us. How does that hardness of heart manifest in our own
lives? How do we get in our own way? And how do we learn from the Pharaoh in
this parasha? What can we do to soften our own hearts and open to the reality
of our own lives and this world, its challenges, its beauty, our own power and
powerlessness?
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