Parsha Bo
January 24, 2026/6 Shevat 5786
At the very beginning of Parshat Bo (10:1), G-d instructs Moses to go to Pharoah for He has “made his heart stubborn.” What about free will? What about repentance? The Midrash cites Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish in stating that Moses had been sent to warn Pharoah five times with plagues and yet Pharoah did not listen. Only at that point was Pharoah punished further by withholding his ability to repent. Why is it important to note this? What do we learn about free will from the extreme example of Pharoah resisting the miraculous plagues occurring all around him?
The Midrash also quotes the Book of Proverbs (3:34) in relation to this verse – “if one is drawn to the scoffers, he will make him scoff.” The surface explanation of this verse is that if someone is drawn to evil people, they will end up doing evil themselves. The deeper explanation is that “if one is drawn to the scoffers, He (G-d) will make him scoff” and therefore G-d nudges the person in the direction they wish to go.
This is true in both directions, good and evil. The Talmud (Megillah 6b) quotes Rabbi Yitzhak – “if a person says that they worked (at studying and acting according to Torah) but did not succeed – do not believe them, if they say they succeeded without working – do not believe them, if they say worked and succeeded – then believe them.”
I gave this considerable thought and asked myself, how do I measure success? I work at studying and refining my behavior. Do I work at it? Yes. Do I work hard enough? No, but does anyone? Do I fall short sometimes? Definitely. So, what is it, am I not working or failing? In fact, in Pirkei Avot (2:5) Hillel stated, “do not believe in yourself until the day you die,” essentially do not consider yourself as having “succeeded.”
In my interpretation, life is a constant struggle with religious and ethical dilemmas. Success is measured in wanting to do the right thing. When we reach that level for good or bad, G-d provides us with a nudge in the direction we are headed. Piety is not about always saying and doing the right thing, it is about always trying to do good, working to do good, and praying to do good.
Many Jewish people have the custom of writing an acronym on the top right of every written book, page, text, etc. of three Hebrew letters – Beit, Samech, and Dalet (or BS”D), standing for Besiyata D’Shemaya, meaning with the help of Heaven. This serves as a reminder that we cannot succeed at anything without divine assistance. So, the next time you are struggling with a life choice, a daily struggle, or an ethical dilemma, remember that G-d helps us in the direction we want to go. Trust in Him, pray for divine guidance, and remember that we are never alone.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Josh
The Midrash also quotes the Book of Proverbs (3:34) in relation to this verse – “if one is drawn to the scoffers, he will make him scoff.” The surface explanation of this verse is that if someone is drawn to evil people, they will end up doing evil themselves. The deeper explanation is that “if one is drawn to the scoffers, He (G-d) will make him scoff” and therefore G-d nudges the person in the direction they wish to go.
This is true in both directions, good and evil. The Talmud (Megillah 6b) quotes Rabbi Yitzhak – “if a person says that they worked (at studying and acting according to Torah) but did not succeed – do not believe them, if they say they succeeded without working – do not believe them, if they say worked and succeeded – then believe them.”
I gave this considerable thought and asked myself, how do I measure success? I work at studying and refining my behavior. Do I work at it? Yes. Do I work hard enough? No, but does anyone? Do I fall short sometimes? Definitely. So, what is it, am I not working or failing? In fact, in Pirkei Avot (2:5) Hillel stated, “do not believe in yourself until the day you die,” essentially do not consider yourself as having “succeeded.”
In my interpretation, life is a constant struggle with religious and ethical dilemmas. Success is measured in wanting to do the right thing. When we reach that level for good or bad, G-d provides us with a nudge in the direction we are headed. Piety is not about always saying and doing the right thing, it is about always trying to do good, working to do good, and praying to do good.
Many Jewish people have the custom of writing an acronym on the top right of every written book, page, text, etc. of three Hebrew letters – Beit, Samech, and Dalet (or BS”D), standing for Besiyata D’Shemaya, meaning with the help of Heaven. This serves as a reminder that we cannot succeed at anything without divine assistance. So, the next time you are struggling with a life choice, a daily struggle, or an ethical dilemma, remember that G-d helps us in the direction we want to go. Trust in Him, pray for divine guidance, and remember that we are never alone.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Josh
