There are numerous references to Pharaoh’s heart in this week’s Shabbat reading.
G’d said to Moshe: “Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst.”
בֹּא אֶל־פַּרְעֹה כִּֽי־אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ וְאֶת־לֵב עֲבָדָיו לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ
Similarly, over the past two weeks, we repeatedly encountered expressions describing Pharaoh’s wickedness as stemming not from his mind, but rather from his heart:
“But I will strengthen his heart, and he will not send out the people.”
וַאֲנִי אַחֲזֵק אֶת־לִבּוֹ וְלֹא יְשַׁלַּח אֶת־הָעָם (Shemot 4:21)
“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.”
וַאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה אֶת־לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת־אֹתֹתַי וְאֶת־מוֹפְתַי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם (Shemot 7:3)
“But Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he did not listen to them, as G’d had predicted.”
וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ (Shemot 7:13)
“G’d said to Moses: Pharaoh’s heart is heavy; he has refused to let the people go.”
וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה כָּבֵד לֵב פַּרְעֹה מֵאֵן לְשַׁלַּח הָעָם (Shemot 7:14)
So, is it the heart or the mind?
It was long accepted that the heart is a highly sophisticated organ, yet that all decisions are made exclusively in the brain. Over the last few decades, however, science has increasingly explored the possibility that the heart actively participates in our emotional processing system, thereby influencing the way we act and interact.
Thus, the Torah’s numerous references to the heart may not be merely symbolic — but quite real.
I am writing this not only in the context of this week’s Torah reading, but also because this Shabbat marks the 26th Yahrzeit of my father and mentor, Rav Pinchas Biberfeld zt”l. He was the finest example I ever knew of a person endowed with a remarkably sharp and analytical mind, vast Torah knowledge and worldly wisdom — together with an exceptionally warm and compassionate heart, which, on many occasions, overruled his intellect.
Shabbat Shalom and best wishes
Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld