This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Va-eira, moves the tale of our ancestors’ servitude in Egypt toward redemption, as Moses confronts Pharaoh and unleashes the first seven of ten plagues upon Egypt.
Often lost from the conversation about the miraculous plagues is the role played by the Egyptian magicians, who match the Divine signs unleashed by Moses, effort for effort, until the third plague of lice, which the magicians fail to imitate. They respond by acknowledging, “אֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים הִוא – This is the finger of God!” However, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, and he refuses to relinquish the Hebrews.
Though the medieval commentator, Ibn Ezra, suggests that the magicians’ exclamation distinguishes between Elohim, God, and Adonai, the God of Israel, the plain implication of the text—one seconded by the great Rashi—is that once Pharaoh’s magicians reach their limits, even they acknowledge God’s supremacy and desire to release the Hebrews.
Nevertheless, Pharaoh ignores his advisors, demonstrating the seductive powers of persistence, which, unburdened by the open mind, easily turns into stubbornness, a plague that imprisons the mind of the Pharaoh as completely as he shackles his Hebrew slaves. So entrenched is the idea of Israelite servitude in his mind that he cannot escape it. Instead, he abandons his values and his responsibilities to preserve an idea that no longer has relevance.
His tale, unfortunately, is our tale. Just a casual glance at the newspaper, the television, or, worse yet, our social media feeds, provides a quick reminder of our civilization’s overattachment to beliefs, one that too often leads us to compromise our most sacred values, as well as our responsibilities toward others.
But we need not suffer the same fate as Pharaoh. Instead, we may, like Pharaoh’s magicians, approach new ideas and new developments with caution, but, ultimately, with an open mind, one that constantly learns and grows, freeing us from the shackles of stubbornness.
— Rabbi Josh Knobel