How does the Rambam explain "I will harden Pharaoh's heart"?
The Rambam's key insight: Pharaoh chose evil repeatedly. The "hardening" was God's punishment — removing the capacity for Teshuvah. The cause was Pharaoh's own prior sins, not divine coercion.
Question 2
Can repeated sin affect your ability to do Teshuvah?
The Pharaoh paradigm teaches: repeatedly choosing evil can damage the mechanism of Teshuvah itself. This is a severe warning about the cumulative effect of sin.
Question 3
Why did even the righteous prophets pray for help in choosing good?
The Rambam points to this as profound wisdom: true righteousness includes recognizing your vulnerability and asking for divine help. Humility before God is itself a feature of righteousness.
Question 4
What does "God guides the humble in His path" mean in this context?
Divine guidance doesn't override free will — it supports it. Those who humbly seek direction receive it. Those who flee from God are left without this support.
Question 5
What is the Rambam's key principle about the relationship between divine knowledge and free will?
The Rambam maintains both: God knows, and you are free. The apparent contradiction reflects a limit of human understanding, not a real impossibility.