Musar su Esodo 10:1

This brings us to the mystical dimension of Exodus 10,1: למען שיתי אתתי אלה בקרבו, "In order that I can place these My signs in its midst." G–d performed all these miracles in His capacity as י-ה-ו-ה, as I have pointed out in my commentary on the last two portions, in connection with G–d proclaiming: אני י-ה-ו-ה. The Zohar, commenting on Kohelet 8,9: עת אשר שלט האדם באדם לרע לו, "There is a time when one man rules over the other to his detriment," explains that just as the oppressors of the Jewish people became the ראש because they temporarily enjoyed the fact that the שכינה had chosen them to be its "mantle", so the same שכינה, when the time is ripe, will exploit this fact to humiliate these oppressors. This is the mystical dimension of the words אשר שלט האדם, the ideal prototype of man as found under G–d's "throne," in the verse just mentioned. The second word באדם in the same verse refers to אדם הבליעל, depraved man. The letters in G–d's name "expand" to engulf and humiliate the respective שר who functioned as a temporary בכור, first-born. The plagues on the nation of Egypt were orchestrated with the help of the מטה, staff. The letter י of the name of G–d on that staff expanded into Ten Plagues, whereas the letter ה engraved on that staff ensured that each plague would appear in five guises as mentioned by Rabbi Akiva in the Haggadah shel Pessach.

Let me first quote a statement by our sages before turning to the text of Rashi's commentary. Shemot Rabbah, 13,3, commenting on Exodus 10,1: כי אני הכבדתי את לב פרעה, "For I have hardened the heart of Pharaoh," quotes Rabbi Yochanan as follows: "Here the Torah seems to provide an opening for the heretics to say that Pharaoh was not guilty because G–d prevented him from repenting. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish replied that on the contrary we can use this verse to stop such heretics in their tracks. Solomon tells us in Proverbs 3,34: 'At the scoffers He scoffs, but to the humble He shows grace.' G–d warns a person up to three times. After a person ignores three such warnings and fails to repent, G–d makes such a person's heart unresponsive to thoughts of repentance in order to now pay him his just deserts. This is what happened with the wicked Pharaoh. G–d gave Pharaoh five chances [during the first five plagues no mention is made of G–d hardening the heart of Pharaoh. Ed.] and Pharaoh failed to respond. Then G–d said to him: 'Since you have insisted on being obstinate, and have made your own heart unresponsive, I shall now add more impurity to the impurity you have already heaped upon yourself.' This is the meaning of 10,1: 'I have hardened Pharaoh's heart '" Thus far the Midrash.