In the beginning of this week’s Parsha, Hashem tells Moshe to “come to Pharoah” and deliver His message to him.
- Why does the Possuk use the words “come to Pharoah”? The Possuk should have said “go to Pharoah”?
- In the next Possuk, Hashem says that He will implement his signs of Divine Providence “within their midst” and so that “you should know that I am Hashem.” Why was it so important to place these signs publicly, in the midst of the Egyptians?
- Also, when the Possuk says that “you should know that I am Hashem”, who is it that should know that He is Hashem – does the word “you” include others besides for Bnei Yisrael?
To answer the first question, Rabbeinu Bachya explains that the command from Hashem to Moshe was to come into Pharoah’s home itself and censor him there. It was not to go out and meet with Pharoah outside of his house. This is because Pharoah had an enormous sense of Ga’avah – haughtiness, which emanated from his pride that he had in his palace. Hashem wished to correct this within him.
Regarding the second question, the Ramban explains that Hashem’s signs and plagues were not done to punish the Egyptians. If that were the case, the signs and plagues could have been done privately. Rather, it was so that all the Egyptians would recognize Hashem’s greatness. Therefore, a public display in their midst was warranted.
Regarding the third question, Rabbeinu Bachya writes that “you should know” refers not only to Bnei Yisrael, but also the nations of world – meaning that everyone should recognize Hashem’s true greatness. In other words, Hashem’s signs and miracles were a message to the world to see the truth of Hashem’s existence and the consequences of doing evil toward others. We see from the fact that the “you” includes the nations of the world - that Hashem’s concern is for all of His creatures. The Sefas Emes (Parshas Beshalach 5641) explains that the words “Umasbia Lechol Chai Ratzon” – he satisfies the needs of all creatures (Tehillim 145), is not limited to food and drink, but includes even the spiritual needs of all of His creations that so desire it.
