In the last two parshiyos several ideas really hit home.
In Parshas Va’eira 7:3: “Va’ani aksheh es lev Pharoh I will harden Pharaoh’s heart …”
Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch: “aksheh in reference to Pharaoh’s heart we find three expressions aksheh achbed ahchazek. 1) [kuf-shin-hey] kasheh to be hard altogether not to receive impressions to let everything pass over one without making any impression. 2) [chaf-veis-dalet] caved heavy one can receive impressions but there can be a big gap between the impression and the moment one lets oneself be guided by this impression heavy difficult to move to set in motion. But even if it takes a lot of effort this moment can be reached but 3) [ches-zayin-kuf] chazek firm consciously opposes any pliancy any submission. Even the impression is completely lost as far as any consequences go.”
In Parshas Bo 12:5: “Your lamb [seh tamim] shall be complete without blemish …”
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