Why did Hashem harden Pharaoh's heart? And once He did, how could He then continue to punish him?
Rashi, Ramban #2 (citing the Midrash) and Seforno: Knowing that Pharaoh would relent out of fear, 1 and not because he acknowledged His superiority, Hashem hardened his heart, 2 in order to then perform wonders on him, so that Yisrael (and the nations of the world) should witness His greatness. See Yechezkel 38:23 - Ramban. 3
Ramban #1 (citing the Midrash): Due to the extent of the harsh slavery that Pharaoh had imposed upon Yisrael, 4 he deserved that Hashem withdraw from him the power of free-will, in order to punish him. 5
Oznayim la'Torah: Had Hashem not hardened Pharaoh's heart, he would have capitulated, not because he believed in Hashem, but because he would not have had the strength to resist. 6 By hardening his heart, Hashem merely removed his inability to resist, leaving him with the freewill to retract and obey Hashem's command. 7
Maharal #1 (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 31, p. 120): Pharaoh had blasphemed Hashem, saying, "Who is Hashem that I should listen to Him?" (5:2). Hashem 'repaired his damage' by hardening Pharaoh's heart - so that he would come to recognize Hashem, through (all ten) Makos.
Maharal #2 (ibid.): Unlike the first five Makos which were in the lower realms, the last five were in the upper realms 8 - i.e. out of Pharaoh's league. Hashem hardened his heart then, so as to 'even the playing field;' otherwise, Pharaoh would have been compelled to free them.
Maharal #3 (ibid.): Man is fickle and ever- changing; his actions are ineffective. That is why Teshuvah is possible! But failure to repent after having been warned, is a sin of the intellect, and has full implications. Hashem then closes up the path to Teshuvah. 9
Seforno: Which is not really Teshuvah at all.
Ramban: And in order that Pharaoh should eventually do Teshuvah (compare to 9:16:2:1 and 9:16:3:1). See also Tzefanyah 3:5,6; and Shemos 10:1,2. Indeed, the first five times the Torah records that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (See later, Shemos 3:13, 3:22, 8:15, 8:25, and 9:7) - a sure sign that he was not interested in submitting to the will of Hashem. And it is only by the last five plagues and by the Yam-Suf, that the Torah writes "va'Yechazek Hashem Es Lev Pharaoh," to conform to Hashem's prediction in Parshas Shemos (4:21) - in keeping with the Pasuk, "Lev Melech b'Yad Hashem..." (Mishlei 21:1).
Refer to Bereishis 15:14:1:2.
Presumably, so that others should witness Hashem's greatness.
And that of course would not have been a valid Teshuvah.
Had he done so, it would have been a genuine Teshuvah. But of course, he did not do so!
Also see Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv ha'Teshuvah Ch. 1, p. 147) at greater length.
In the answers to the preceding question (see 7:3:1), we cited Maharal and others, as to why it was right and just that Hashem harden Pharaoh's heart. But the Pasuk explains differently - it was in order to increase Hashem's great miracles and wonders!
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem end Ch. 31, p. 121): It still would have been even better not to harden Pharaoh's heart - in order to hasten the Bnei Yisrael's Exodus from Egypt! However, Hashem wished to use many miracles in the process (and thus publicize and sanctify His name).
What are the connotations of "va'Ani Aksheh Es Lev Pharaoh"?
Seforno: It means that Hashem would give Pharaoh the strength to bear the Makos, without being forced to capitulate out of terror. 1
Seforno: Had he relented because he acknowledged Hashem's greatness, Hashem would not have hardened his heart.
What is the difference between Osos and Mofesim?
Rashi #1 and Seforno (both to 7:9): 'Mofesim' are miracles that prove that there is a need for the Meshale'ach (the Sender; i.e. that He has power - Rosh to 7:9). 'Osos' are signs to prove the authenticity of the Shali'ach. 1
Rashi #2 (to Devarim 13:2): Refer to Devarim 13:2:2.
Maharal: Refer to 4:17:2.1:1 and its notes.
Oznayim la'Torah: An Os is not necessarily something that is supernatural, but a Mofes is. When a Mofes comes at a predetermined time, it is sometimes referred to as an Os.
Seforno: Hence Pharaoh, who doubted the authenticity of Hashem demanded a Mofes; whereas in front of Yisrael, who never doubted the authenticity of Hashem, Moshe performed only Osos - See for example, Shemos 4:8,9.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'And I shall harden [Pharaoh's heart]' - Now that he has acted wickedly, and spoken defiantly before Me...." What is bothering Rashi?
Gur Aryeh: Why would Hashem harden Pharaoh's heart? He does not force people to sin! Rashi explains that Pharaoh had already expressed his defiance; and Hashem knows that He will not get the satisfaction of any whole-hearted repentance from idolaters, etc.
Rashi writes: "... Nevertheless, in the first five Makos, the text does not say, 'Hashem hardened Pharaoh's heart,' but rather, 'Pharaoh hardened his [own] heart.'" What is Rashi adding?
Gur Aryeh: Even though Hashem knew that Pharaoh would not whole-heartedly repent (by willingly freeing Bnei Yisrael), 1 He allowed this to be demonstrated in practice, by letting Pharaoh harden his own heart by refusing five times. Subsequently, and reflecting these, Hashem then hardened Pharaoh's heart in the last five Makos. 2
Rashi writes: "... In the first five Makos... Pharaoh hardened his [own] heart." If so, why after the Makah of Barad -which was one of the last five - does the Pasuk say, "Pharaoh's heart hardened" (8:35) - which sounds like he hardened it himself?
Gur Aryeh: What occurred after Makas Barad was that at first, Pharaoh hardened his own heart; and then Hashem also hardened it as well. Why? All the other Makos had to be removed by Hashem, leaving the Mitzrim in fear of Hashem in the aftermath. The plague of Barad was unique in that it did not have to be removed, but merely to stop falling. This led Pharaoh to think that he had 'waited out the storm' until it ran out by itself, and not that Hashem had removed it. Indeed, the Torah tells us that the moment it stopped, "Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail and thunder had ceased, and he sinned again; he and his servants hardened their [own] hearts" (7:34). 1 Hashem then fortified Pharaoh's resolve by further hardening his heart - as the Torah tells us at the beginning of Parshas Bo (i.e. even before the next Makah), "For I have hardened his heart and that of his servants" (10:1). 2
Gur Aryeh: In fact, Moshe himself had predicted this would happen - "As for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet [have] fear of Hashem!" (7:30).
Gur Aryeh: Otherwise, Pharaoh might well have sent them out then, upon receiving the warning about Arbeh - when even his own servants demanded that he do so (10:7-11).
