שמות, פרק ד׳, פסוק כ״א

As the fateful mission to confront the Egyptian monarch approaches, God provides Moses with a strategic roadmap. This divine communication outlines the upcoming action plan and mentally prepares Moses for the fierce resistance he is about to encounter.

The directive to return to Egypt sparks a discussion regarding its timing and nature. Some commentators suggest these instructions were given while Moses was still in Midian, serving as a final summary before he set out [אבן עזרא, קאסוטו, טור הארוך]. The primary approach among commentators, however, views this as a guiding thought for the journey itself, with God urging Moses to maintain strict focus on his mission as he travels [רמב״ן]. This journey demands active preparation. Moses is expected to mentally rehearse or even practice the upcoming miracles to become accustomed to them [פני דוד, קונטרס חיבה יתירה]. Furthermore, his travel must remain entirely dedicated to the divine mission rather than a casual family visit [שפתי כהן]. Simply embarking on this path, braving the danger without fearing the Egyptian ruler, demonstrates profound trust in God and earns Moses spiritual reward [העמק דבר].

God then directs Moses' attention to the wonders placed in his hand. The commentators agree that these do not refer to the three initial signs previously given to Moses, such as the staff turning into a snake. Those initial signs were intended to convince the Israelites; they appealed to the intellect, leaving the observer with the choice to believe. In contrast, the wonders mentioned now are powerful, overwhelming physical marvels that force themselves upon the observer, demanding attention [רש״ר הירש]. These refer to the future plagues. God speaks of them in the past tense to express absolute certainty, as if they are already resting securely in Moses' grasp [רש״י, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, בכור שור]. Moses is instructed to execute these acts directly in front of the monarch, face-to-face, with unwavering bravery [רש״י, הדר זקנים]. He must perform them with absolute precision, exactly as commanded, because any deviation could compromise their success [ספורנו].

God concludes the briefing by warning that He will strengthen the monarch's heart. Primarily, this serves to immunize Moses against despair. By preparing him for repeated rejections, God ensures that Moses will not view the ongoing refusals as a personal failure or attribute them to his own speech impediment [רמב״ן, שד״ל, שפתי כהן].

This divine declaration raises a profound theological question regarding free will and punishment. If God dictates the ruler's stubbornness, how can the man be held accountable? Commentators offer several perspectives to resolve this. One approach argues that strengthening the heart did not eliminate free will, but rather preserved it. The plagues were so agonizing that any normal person would have surrendered merely to escape the unbearable pain and fear of death, not out of genuine submission to God. By granting the monarch physical and mental resilience, God ensured that his ultimate decisions stemmed from authentic choice rather than sheer panic [ספורנו, העמק דבר, חזקוני].

Another perspective carefully distinguishes the different terms used to describe this stubbornness. Strengthening the heart refers to the endurance granted during the actual strike. Making the heart heavy occurs when the affliction passes and the ruler dismisses the threat, assuming it will not return. Finally, hardening describes his emotional block during the warning phase before the next strike. Throughout all these stages, his free will remains intact [ברכת אשר בשם המלבי״ם]. Additionally, the very fact that God repeatedly removed the plagues created a respite. This relief allowed the monarch to entrench himself in his prior refusal. Because God provided the pause, the resulting stubbornness is attributed to Him, yet the guilt rests entirely on the ruler [הכתב והקבלה, שפתי כהן].

Finally, some note that biblical language naturally attributes all phenomena directly to God as the ultimate first cause. The monarch was not punished simply for having a resolute heart, as defending one's country is a normal trait for a king. Rather, he was punished for his original atrocities, specifically the brutal enslavement and the attempted extermination of the Israelite children. The strengthened heart was merely the mechanism through which the deserved justice was delivered to the world [קאסוטו].