{"id":2717,"date":"2013-12-29T13:30:37","date_gmt":"2013-12-29T13:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=2717"},"modified":"2013-12-29T13:30:37","modified_gmt":"2013-12-29T13:30:37","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-bo-is-the-lord-hardening-your-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-bo-is-the-lord-hardening-your-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, Parashat Bo, Is the Lord hardening your heart?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This weeks reading, from Parashat Bo (Shemot \/ Exodus 10:1-13:16<\/em>), details the last plagues that God brought upon Egypt and Pharaoh drives the Children of Israel out.\u00a0 In Shemot \/ Exodus 10:1<\/em> the Lord tells Moshe \u05d0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05e4\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b9\u05d4 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9-\u05d0\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b4\u05db\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05dc\u05b4\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05dc\u05b5\u05d1 \u05e2\u05b2\u05d1\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05e9\u05c1\u05b4\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b9\u05ea\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e7\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9:<\/span>\u00a0 10:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, \u2018Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, (NASB)<\/em> according to the Scriptures, the Lord hardened Pharaoh and his servants Heart for the purpose of performing the signs before them.\u00a0 It is interesting to note, while studying these Scriptures, the Moshe used two different words to describe the hardening of Pharaoh\u2019s heart.\u00a0 The Hebrew Bible uses the word \u05d7\u05d6\u05e7<\/span> in Shemot \/ Exodus 4:21, 7:13, 9:12, 9:35, 10:20<\/em> and \u05db\u05d1\u05d3<\/span> in Shemot \/ Exodus 7:14, 9:34, 10:1<\/em> to describe the Lord who hardens Pharaoh\u2019s heart.\u00a0 It is also interesting to observe that in some instances these words are alternated from one verse to the next, see 7:13-14<\/em>, and 9:34-9:35<\/em>.\u00a0 What can we learn from the way the Hebrew text speaks regarding the Lord hardening the heart.\u00a0 Do these words reveal different aspects of the hardening process?\u00a0 The BDB Hebrew Lexicon states the word \u05d7\u05d6\u05e7<\/span> is defined \u201cadj. strong, powerful, vigorous, firm, forceful, intense, overpowering,\u201d<\/em> and \u05db\u05d1\u05d3<\/span> is defined \u201cadj. heavy, weighty, massive, burdensome, laborious; difficult, unwieldy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\u05db\u05ea\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9 \/ The Holy Scriptures<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05d9<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05e4\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b9\u05d4 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9-\u05d0\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b4\u05db\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05dc\u05b4\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05dc\u05b5\u05d1 \u05e2\u05b2\u05d1\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05e9\u05c1\u05b4\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b9\u05ea\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e7\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9: \u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05ea\u05bc\u05b0\u05e1\u05b7\u05e4\u05bc\u05b5\u05e8 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b8\u05d6\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b4\u05e0\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b6\u05df-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05e0\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b5\u05ea \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d4\u05b4\u05ea\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05dc\u05bc\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05e8\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b9\u05ea\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8-\u05e9\u05b7\u05b9\u05de\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b8\u05dd \u05d5\u05b4\u05d9\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b6\u05dd \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9-\u05d0\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4: \u05d2\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b8\u05d1\u05b9\u05d0 \u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05e8\u05b9\u05df \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05e4\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b9\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d4-\u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05e2\u05b7\u05d3-\u05de\u05b8\u05ea\u05b7\u05d9 \u05de\u05b5\u05d0\u05b7\u05e0\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b5\u05e2\u05b8\u05e0\u05b9\u05ea \u05de\u05b4\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b7\u05dc\u05bc\u05b7\u05d7 \u05e2\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05d1\u05b0\u05d3\u05bb\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9:<\/span><\/p>\n

Shemot \/ Exodus 10:1-3<\/em><\/strong>
\n 10:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, \u2018Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, 10:2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.\u2019\u00a0 10:3 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, \u2018Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, \u2018How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. (NASB)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Studying these words and their usage, the word \u05d7\u05d6\u05e7<\/span> (H2388) is used 266 times throughout the Hebrew Bible and is used as a means to fasten upon, seize, or be strong.\u00a0 The word \u05db\u05d1\u05d3<\/span> (H3513) is used 109 times meaning to make weighty or heavy in a bad sense.\u00a0 Each of these words are used to describe the Lord who is hardening the hearts of Pharaoh and his servants.\u00a0 Why use two different words to describe the Lord hardening the heart?\u00a0 Do these words reveal the different aspects or reasons for hardening the heart?\u00a0 It is interesting that the word \u05db\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3<\/span> is also used to describe \u201cglory\u201d<\/em> or \u201chonor\u201d<\/em> in the Hebrew Bible.\u00a0 Note the use of \u05db\u05d1\u05d3 in Shemot \/ Exodus 20:12<\/em> \u05d9\u05d1\u00a0 \u05db\u05bc\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b5\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d0\u05b8\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d0\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b6\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05d9\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05e8\u05b4\u05db\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05d9\u05b8\u05de\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05b8\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8-\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05df \u05dc\u05b8\u05da\u05b0:<\/span> 20:12 \u2018Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. (NASB)<\/em>\u00a0 Note the location of this verse \u05db\u05d1\u05d3 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05da \u05d5\u05d0\u05ea \u05d0\u05de\u05d9\u05da<\/span>, \u201chonor your father and mother,\u201d<\/em> sits right in the middle of the \u05e2\u05e9\u05e8\u05ea \u05d4\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea<\/span> (The Ten Commandments<\/em>).\u00a0 This fact is generally understood as a significant marker that separates the first 4 commandments which address our relationship with God from the remainder which address the interactions between human beings.\u00a0 This commandment could be read as a connection between heaven and earth, honoring our parents and loving one another are related to having peace with God and with men.\u00a0 Note that by honoring our parents we honor God by obeying His commandment.\u00a0 How is this related to the Torah portion (Parashat Bo)?\u00a0 Could the use of these words in the Torah be a reference to the Lord hardening both soul and spirit of Pharaoh and the people?\u00a0 The Scriptures say in Shemot \/ Exodus 10:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, \u2018Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, 10:2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord. (NASB)<\/em>\u00a0 The purpose of the hardening was so the Lord could multiply His signs among the Egyptians, so they would know God\u2019s will, and so we could speak to our children how the Lord has worked in our lives.\u00a0 David said in Tehillim \/ Psalms 32:4<\/em> \u05d3\u00a0 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 | \u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05de\u05b8\u05dd \u05d5\u05b8\u05dc\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4 | \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05db\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05d3 \u05e2\u05b8\u05dc\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b6\u05da\u05b8 \u05e0\u05b6\u05d4\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b7\u05da\u05b0 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05b9\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05e7\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05e5 \u05e1\u05b6\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4:\u00a0 \u05d4\u00a0 \u05d7\u05b7\u05d8\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05d3\u05b4\u05d9\u05e2\u05b2\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0-\u05db\u05b4\u05e1\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4 \u05e2\u05b2\u05dc\u05b5\u05d9 \u05e4\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b8\u05e2\u05b7\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d9\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b8\u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d0\u05ea\u05b8 \u05e2\u05b2\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05d7\u05b7\u05d8\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e1\u05b6\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4:<\/span> 32:4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, \u2018I will confess my transgressions to the Lord\u2019; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. (NASB)<\/em>\u00a0 Here he uses the same root word to describe the heaviness of the Lord on his life because of his sins and this heaviness continued until he confessed his sins before God.\u00a0 Based on these Scriptures and our analysis of words \u05d7\u05d6\u05e7<\/span> and \u05db\u05d1\u05d3<\/span>, we can conclude that man hardens his own heart by not yielding to the will of God.\u00a0 God hardens man\u2019s heart by not yielding to the whims of man but holding man to His will.\u00a0 The Lord God could have yielded to Pharaoh\u2019s alternate plan, or offered one of His own, however, the Lord, insisted on something that Pharaoh would not permit.\u00a0 Pharaoh hardened his own heart by resisting the Lord\u2019s will and the Lord hardened Pharaoh\u2019s heart by not permitting anything other than God\u2019s will be done (something Pharaoh would not accept).\u00a0 This seems to be the way the Lord hardened Pharaoh\u2019s heart in both soul and spirit, Pharaoh did not recognize the Lord physically (\u05d7\u05d6\u05e7<\/span>) nor did he honor the Lord spiritually (\u05db\u05d1\u05d3<\/span>).\u00a0 Is this is how the hearts of men are hardened today?\u00a0 The deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13), and the religious (spiritual) preferences of men today are powerful forces.\u00a0 Have you yielded to the will of God or is the Lord hardening your heart so He can work His will in your life like Pharaoh?\u00a0BTT_Parashat Bo2-2013<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This weeks reading, from Parashat Bo (Shemot \/ Exodus 10:1-13:16), details the last plagues that God brought upon Egypt and Pharaoh drives the Children of Israel out.\u00a0 In Shemot \/ Exodus 10:1 the Lord tells Moshe \u05d0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05e4\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b9\u05d4 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9-\u05d0\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b4\u05db\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05dc\u05b4\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05dc\u05b5\u05d1 \u05e2\u05b2\u05d1\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05e9\u05c1\u05b4\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b9\u05ea\u05b7\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e7\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9:\u00a0 10:1 Then the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2717","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2717\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}