The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Bo

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Parshah Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher):
“The Jews should take a lamb on the tenth day of Nissan and slaughter it on the fourteenth day of the month of Nissan (Chapter 12, Verses 3 and 6). After the Jews slaughter the lamb they shall take some of the lamb’s blood and smear it on their doorposts (Chapter 12, Verse 7). The blood on their doorposts will serve as a sign (that the house is Jewish) and I will pass over their houses and you will be saved from the plague of the firstborn (Chapter 12, Verse 13)”.

2. The Rebbe now asks a question on this:

Why did Hashem tell the Jews to hold the lamb for four days? If they were supposed to slaughter the lamb on the Fourteenth of Nissan, why were they commanded to take the lamb on the Tenth of Nissan?

The Weekly Sedra – Parashas Bo – Born Free

But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. – Exodus 7:3

Come to Pharaoh (and warn him) for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may put my miracles in his midst. – Exodus 10:1

The Mishna states, “If a person says, ‘I will sin, and then I will do Teshuvah (repent),’ then he is not granted the opportunity to do Teshuvah” (Yoma 85a). This appears, at first glance, to suggest that the person is denied the free choice of a later Teshuvah.

However, the Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya (Igeres Hateshuvah ch. 11) that it is still possible for this person to do Teshuvah if, “he pushes himself hard and overcomes his evil inclination,” and then, “his Teshuvah is accepted”.

The same could be argued for Pharaoh, G-d did not take away his free choice; rather, through the evil acts of persecuting the Jewish people he numbed his soul, making it more difficult for him to do Teshuvah. – The Rebbe