Rabbi Konigsburg's Blog

The Torah paints a picture that there is a tradeoff between humility and social power.  The humbler a person is, the greater that person is in the eyes of the community. Moses is the epitome of humility. When given the option of being God’s prophet, a spokesperson of the Divine, he says “no thanks,” and only agrees because God commands him to take on the role. And as readers of the text, we understand this as the perfect person for the job. We admire a leader who does not seek fame or is tempted by the power.
 
On the other hand, when a person seeks power for the sake of being powerful, then their effectiveness as a leader weakens. We see this in regards to Pharaoh’s character during the plagues in this week’s parsha. The more he tries to maintain his status as the powerful ruler, the more trouble he invites on himself and his kingdom. After each plague, Pharaoh’s power begins to wane and the experience serves to humble his character.
 
We see this tension with the second plague of the frogs. Unconvinced that the Israelite God is more powerful than his own Egyptian gods, Pharaoh has his magicians perform spells that bring frogs into Egypt trying to prove that this foreign God is powerless. Yet the rabbis point out how Pharaoh cuts off his nose to spite his face. In his attempt to spite Moses and prove that he is as powerful as God, he makes the plague worse! In this moment, the reader becomes aware of this tradeoff between humility and social-power. That while both feats of supernatural power might look identical, it is God and Moses who emerge with a higher social standing at the end of the day.
 
As we read of the events that lead to the eventual Exodus from Egypt, may we reflect on our own characters. Let us strive to bring more humility into our lives and the lives of others, and let us do what is right not to boost our social standings, but rather because it is the right to do.