January 15, 2026 / 26 Teves, 5786 • Va'eira
Issue 909
Dedicated in loving memory of Mrs. Miriam Friedman

G-d informed Moses that He would make Pharaoh stubborn in order to punish the Egyptians fully for having oppressed the Jewish people.

I will make Pharaoh insensitive. I will thereby increase My miraculous signs and marvels in Egypt. 

Exodus 7:3


The forces of evil possess no inherent desire to do evil; indeed, they possess no free choice at all. It is only because G-d orchestrates some specific evil to occur – as part of His overall plan for humanity’s best interests – that it happens.

We should therefore always remember that any manifestation of “Egypt” – that is, some apparent limitation in our ability to

fulfill our Divine mission or some obstacle to it – has no intrinsic reality. There is no independent entity that we have to contend with.

The “Pharaoh” opposing us is just G-d’s way of challenging us to summon deeper powers and stronger determination to overcome these obstacles. By doing so, we reveal deeper levels of our bond with G-d, which would otherwise remain hidden within us.

--Daily Wisdom Vol. 3