Shemos 5:2 · unit 1 — Pharaoh said

Parashas Shemos

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה מִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹל֔וֹ לְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃

But Pharaoh said, “Who is GOD that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know GOD, nor will I let Israel go.”

Chabad.org — 5:2

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to R’ Yehoshua ben Korchah — TT / Midrash (verified).

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

ויאמר פרעה — תני משמיה דר׳ יהושע בן קרחה: פרעה שחרף בעצמו\ldots נפרע ממנו הקב״ה בעצמו.

English: “And Pharaoh said” — it was taught in the name of R’ Yehoshua ben Korchah: Pharaoh who blasphemed by himself\ldots the Holy One exacted payment from him by Himself.

On the daf / in context: The personal blasphemy (“Who is Hashem”) is matched by a personal divine response at the Sea.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Chazal teach measure-for-measure: Pharaoh’s personal defiance was answered by God’s personal intervention.