Every time I read the parshiyot of the makkot, I wonder again at Pharaoh’s reaction. How could he have not recognized that he was engaging in self-sabotage over and over again? Of course, we know that Hakadosh Baruch Hu was the One Who hardened his heart, but the choice was, at least to some extent, still Pharaoh’s. He just kept messing up, dragging his empire into the ditch right along with him. Eventually, his unwise choices led to his stunning downfall and the demise of the world’s greatest superpower.
We learn from this how deeply our choices affect us.
In fact, as we enter the month of Shvat, we receive a powerful reminder of this lesson.
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