Have a Heart?!

By admin
11 years ago
with 0 comments
in Sobol Says

Have A Heart: To be compassionate; to show kindness or sympathy. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms 2003

Pharaoh's stunning stubbornness is on full display in this week's parsha. Witnessing incredible miracles and enduring devastating plagues, Pharaoh inexplicably spurns Moshe's invitation for relief by continually refusing to allow the Jewish nation to go free. It is interesting to note that on numerous occasions Hashem warns Moshe of this phenomenon, advising him that Pharaoh will stubbornly refuse their entreaties. Why were these premonitory reassurances necessary? Did Moshe not trust in G-d's Plan?

The Torah primarily uses three different adjectives to describe Pharaoh's intransigence. In His introductory remarks to Moshe and Aharon, as their mission is about to begin, Hashem says "Va'Ani Aksheh Es Lev Paraoh" "But I shall harden Pharaoh's heart" (7:3). After Aharon's staff devours the staffs of Pharaoh's sorcerers, the Torah states "VaYechezak Lev Paraoh" "Pharaoh's heart was strong" (7:13). Finally, as Moshe is about to announce the first plague, Hashem says to him "Kaved Lev Paraoh" "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn" (7:14). It is this third terminology, "Kaved Lev" (literally "heavy heart", as in dull, insensitive, indifferent, stubborn), that we will focus on today. (N.B.-the philosophical dilemma posed by the seeming lack of free will on Pharaoh's part, amply handled by the Classic Commentators, is beyond the scope of this essay)

The root word Kaved, spelled Chof-Beis-Dalet, can mean either "heavy", "honor", or "liver". While those are seemingly disparate definitions, our Rabbis discuss many interconnections among these meanings. The term heavy can be used in its literal sense, or as a "burden", which is what honor can become to its owner. Honor, we are told, becomes harder to attain the more it is pursued. Similarly, liver becomes tougher the more it is roasted over fire. Finally, the term Kaved Lev, as used in our parsha, refers to an insensitive and stubborn heart, by combining the terms "heavy" (dull/insensitive) with liver, indicating not only that Pharaoh was stubborn, but that the more he is "roasted over the [proverbial] fire", the tougher and more stubborn his heart becomes.

There is another definition of Kaved in the sense of "heavy", and that refers to an impediment. No more famous of an application of that meaning can be found than in last week's parsha. In his objection to being chosen as Hashem's emissary, Moshe says "Lo Eesh Devarim Anochi......Ki Kvad Peh U'Kvad Loshon Anochi" "I am not a man of words......for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of speech" (4:10). Moshe lamented that his speech impediment prevented him from articulating Hashem's message to Pharaoh in a persuasive manner. Hashem gives short shrift to such an assertion and assures Moshe that He will be with him throughout the ordeal and will place the proper words in Moshe's mouth.

So we have Moshe, who is a Kvad Peh, addressing Pharaoh, who has a Kvad Lev. Each man with his own affliction. There is, however, a major difference between these two impediments: one is a physical malady, the other an emotional one, indicating a character flaw......or so it seems. What is the possible connection between these two disabilities, and why does Hashem need to continuously warn Moshe about Pharaoh's Kvad Lev?

Our sages tell us "Dvarim ShYotze Min HaLev, Nichnasim L'Lev" "Words that come from the heart, enter the heart," meaning that if our words are sincere and passionate they will impact the recipient. In Chassidic thought, the converse is emphasized: If the listener is not receptive to my message, it is an indication that my words do not stem from the right place. This may very well explain Moshe's potential frustration with his inability to impact Pharaoh with his words, and why Hashem needed to apprise Moshe of Pharaoh's Kvad Lev.

When Moshe complained about not having the proper physical tools with which to accomplish the mission, Hashem responds that He will teach Moshe what he should say (4:11). How would that help Moshe's physical inability to speak properly? What Hashem was teaching Moshe, was that truly effective speech comes not from the mouth, but from the heart; if he is sincere and passionate he will be effective, regardless of physical impairment. Armed with such knowledge, Moshe rightfully should have expected immediate success.

HOWEVER, there was one additional detail that needed mentioning: Pharaoh had a Kvad Lev, a defective, stubborn heart. Hashem needed to alert Moshe to this fact, for otherwise Moshe would have despaired. Having been told it was not his physical impediment that would prevent effective advocacy, Moshe would have reasonably assumed his words were not properly stemming from his heart since they were not affecting Pharaoh. In order to prevent such a thought process, Hashem warns Moshe of Pharaoh's own impediment: that of his heart.

But as we mentioned above, Moshe's was a physical malady while Pharaoh's seemed to be a character flaw; how do those two "Kvads" match up? Perhaps the answer lies in a parable that Hashem tells to Moshe, as brought down by the Medrash Yalkut Shimoni (condensed for brevity):

A number of animals were traveling together, among them a

lion and a fox. On the road they came to a toll gate manned

by a donkey, who demanded the toll before letting them pass.

"Fool!" said the fox, "How dare you ask us to pay a toll, don't

you see that the king of beasts-the lion-is with us?" Before the

donkey could respond, the lion killed him and told the fox to

prepare the carcass as their meal. Carving up the donkey, the

fox took the heart and ate it. When the lion later requested the

heart as his rightful portion, the fox replied "What heart? If this

donkey had a heart would he have asked the king of beasts to

pay a toll?"

"The same is true of Pharaoh," said G-d. "If he had a heart

would he have ever said 'Who is G-d that I should listen to his

voice?' Pharaoh might have a piece of flesh in his chest, but not

a true heart. That is why he remains so stubborn."

Thus Hashem was telling Moshe: "Do not despair. In order for your words to reach Pharaoh's heart, he must first have one." In other words, in order to "have a heart," one must first HAVE A HEART!

Good Shabbos.

Please feel free to forward this email. To subscribe to our email list or to purchase Two Minutes of Torah-Bereishis (hardcover only), please visit www.sobolsays.com.

To purchase Two Minutes of Torah-Bamidbar/Devarim, please go to www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.com, or most other retail online bookstores (hardcover, paperback and e-book formats available)-It makes a great Shabbos gift!

SOBOL SAYS™ and TWO MINUTES OF TORAH™ are trademarks of Ephraim Sobol.