Rabbi Knopf's Blog

The Talmud teaches that 30 days before Passover, we should start learning about the festival and its meaning. In that spirit, I offer a brief message each day leading up to Passover, drawn from the wisdom of the holiday and the Exodus story. Feel free to share/forward.  -Rabbi Knopf

Day 18: Forgiving Pharaoh
Sometimes, it feels like we don’t deserve forgiveness, or that it’s impossible to forgive an offender. But Jewish tradition teaches there are few, if any, unforgivable sins. A midrash has it that God kept Pharaoh alive as long as necessary for him to repent. He survived the Reed Sea and lived to become king of Nineveh (many centuries later). When the prophet Jonah prophesied doom, Pharaoh led his people in heartfelt repentance. Even Pharaoh could earn forgiveness. And so can we.