זוהר, בשלח י״דZohar, Beshalach 14

Segment 1א׳

(שמות י״ד:ל״א) וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה וְגוֹ'. רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, הָכָא אִשְׁתְּלִים יְדָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אֶצְבְּעָן, וְאִשְׁתְּלִים יְדָא, דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ בִּימִינָא, דְּהָכִי תָּנִינָן, כֹּלָּא בִּימִינָא אִתְכְּלִיל, וּבִימִינָא תַּלְיָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב.

AND ISRAEL SAW THE GREAT HAND…. R. Hiya said: ‘Here was the Supernal Hand completed with all its fingers, and the Left Hand was included-as in its perfect manifestation it must ever be-in the five fingers of the Right Hand. For we have been taught that all is included in this Right Hand and all depends upon it, as it is written, “Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy” (Ibid. 15, 6).’

Segment 2ב׳

וְאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, לָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא, מַאן דְּאַתְקִיף לִבֵּיהּ, לְגַבֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּפַרְעֹה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג הָכִי נַמֵּי. אָמַר לֵיהּ, לָאו הָכִי. אִינּוּן לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְתְּקָפוּ, אֲבָל לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּקַף פַּרְעֹה רוּחֵיהּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה חָמֵי כָּל יוֹמָא גְּבוּרָאן דִּילֵיהּ, וְלָא הֲוָה תָּב.

R. Isaac said: ‘No one ever hardened his heart against the Lord to the same degree as Pharaoh.’ Said R. Jose: ‘What of Sihon and Og? Were they not equally hardened?’ R. Isaac answered, that whereas they hardened their hearts against Israel, Pharaoh turned against the Lord Himself, although every day he witnessed His wonderful works.

Segment 3ג׳

אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, פַּרְעֹה חַכִּים מִכָּל חֲרָשׁוֹי הֲוָה, וּבְכָל אִינּוּן כִּתְרִין, וּבְכָל אִינּוּן יְדִיעָן, אִסְתָּכַּל. וּבְכָל סִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן, לָא חָמָא פּוּרְקָנָא דִּלְהוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא הֲוָה תָּלֵי בְּחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ. וְעוֹד, דְּהָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ קְשִׁירוּ קִשְׁרָא עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּפַרְעֹה לָא סָבַר דְּאִית קִשְׁרָא אַחֲרָא דִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא, דְּאִיהוּ שַׁלִיט עַל כֹּלָּא. וְעַל דָּא הֲוָה אַתְקִיף לִבֵּיהּ.

R. Judah said in the name of R. Isaac that Pharaoh was himself far wiser than all his sorcerers, yet by all the craft of his magic he could not divine there was a possibility of redemption for Israel: for he had knowledge of all the supernal sources inimical to the Israelites, but knew not that there was still another bond, the bond of Faith, which dominates all, and therefore he hardened his heart.