Habits are powerful. Psychologists, motivational speakers, and life coaches tell us that good habits help us lead fulfilling lives, while bad habits sabotage our lives.
In this week’s Torah portion, Pharaoh must confront his habits: absolute power and the ability to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. But, faced with God’s awesome power, now Pharaoh must confront the limits of his own power. Even the most powerful human being on earth is nothing compared to God.
God demands that Pharaoh let his Israelite slaves go free. Each time Pharoah refuses, and each time God shows Pharaoh that his power is nothing compared to God, with a plague, each more intense than the last. Each time Pharoah is terrified, but as soon as each plague ends he reverts to his arrogance and imperious power. His heart hardens.
It is a habit of Pharaoh to command, not to obey. So he cannot submit. We know this will not end well.
Are we that different? Most of the problems we face today require profound change of our habits, like global warming, which demands we change our habits of consumption and energy use. We are pretty sure how that story will end too. Will we be like Pharaoh? Or are we capable of change?
Vaera – Exodus 6:2 – 9:35 – Parshat Ha Shavua for Shabbat, Saturday, January 25, 2020
January 24, 2020 by Dean Kertesz •
Habits are powerful. Psychologists, motivational speakers, and life coaches tell us that good habits help us lead fulfilling lives, while bad habits sabotage our lives.
In this week’s Torah portion, Pharaoh must confront his habits: absolute power and the ability to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. But, faced with God’s awesome power, now Pharaoh must confront the limits of his own power. Even the most powerful human being on earth is nothing compared to God.
God demands that Pharaoh let his Israelite slaves go free. Each time Pharoah refuses, and each time God shows Pharaoh that his power is nothing compared to God, with a plague, each more intense than the last. Each time Pharoah is terrified, but as soon as each plague ends he reverts to his arrogance and imperious power. His heart hardens.
It is a habit of Pharaoh to command, not to obey. So he cannot submit. We know this will not end well.
Are we that different? Most of the problems we face today require profound change of our habits, like global warming, which demands we change our habits of consumption and energy use. We are pretty sure how that story will end too. Will we be like Pharaoh? Or are we capable of change?