But I will harden Paroh's heart, and I will multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt: Paroh will not listen to you, and I will lay My hand on Egypt.
The Ohr Hachaim asks, why does the possuk repeat itself? The Torah says that Hashem will harden his heart, we obviously know that Par’oh will not listen to him. Also, what does the possuk mean when it says וְנָׁתַתִ י אֶׁת יָׁדִי בְמִצְרָׁיִם – and I will lay My Hand on Mitzrayim? What will Hashem do?
The Ohr Hachaim explains that when the Torah writes that Hashem will harden the heart of Par’oh, the Torah means to tell us that even after Hashem repeats many wondrous punishments and signs, Par’oh will continue his evil ways and refuse to allow Klal Yisroel to leave. He will even refuse to listen to the message Hashem sent him. He will tell Moshe to stop coming to him and bringing messages from Hashem, as the possuk says וַיֹאמֶׁר לֹו פַרְ עֹה לֵֹּךְ מֵּעָׁלָֹׁי הִשָׁמֶׁר לְֹךָ אַלֹ תֹסֶׁף רְ אות פָׁנַי כִי בְיום רְ אֹתְךָ פָׁנַי תָׁמוּת – Par’oh said to him, "Go away from me! Be careful! Do not see my face again, because on the day you see my face you shall die!"
Hashem was revealing to Moshe that when he reached the situation that Par’oh refused to hear the voice of Hashem, even after many wondrous deeds of Hashem, the end was nigh, and Hashem would redeem them with the final plague.
This Makkah would be done with Hashem’s hand. Chazal tell us that Hashem Himself did the Makkah of killing the firstborn, not using a Mal’ach or a messenger. This was done by Hashem Himself and His hand.
When Hashem hardened the heart of Par’oh to the extent that he wouldn’t hear Hashem’s word any more, Hashem would punish him with His own hand, not using a Mal’ach.
The Ohr Hachaim adds that this explains the pessukim in Parshas Bo. When Par’oh told Moshe not to see his face again, Moshe answered him וַיֹאמֶׁר מֹשֶׁה כֵּן דִבַרְ תָׁ לֹֹא אֹסִף עוד רְ אות פָׁנֶׁיךָ - Moshe said, "As you said; I will not see your face again."
How did Moshe have permission to take this responsibility and answer Par’oh like this? What if Hashem sent him there again?
Now that the Ohr Hachaim explained this possuk, he understood where Moshe Rabbeinu was coming from. Moshe Rabbeinu had heard from Hashem what would happen at the end of the story. He knew that when he was expelled from Par’oh’s presence, there were no more Makkos for him to perform, and he did not need to meet Par’oh ever again.
