<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""> <span style="font-size: 21px;" class="">Rabbenu Bachya explains why the monarch of Egypt was called "Pharaoh.” </span><br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><span style="font-size: 21px;" class=""><font color="#030303" class="">He says that the letters spelling "afar" (dust/earth) are contained in the name "Pharaoh.” </font></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 21px;" class=""><font color="#030303" class="">Meaning that the Egyptians only believed in the earthiness of existence. For the Egyptians, spirituality did not exist. </font></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 21px;" class=""><font color="#030303" class="">Pharaoh believed that the magicians in his court were able to perform wonders only by manipulating physicality within the context of nature. </font></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 21px;" class=""><font color="#030303" class="">The natural order could not be overcome, overridden, or transcended in any way.</font></span></div><div class=""><font color="#030303" class=""><span style="font-size: 21px;" class=""><br class=""> Par'o is described as a great crocodile, which fits with what the Staff turned into when cast before Par'o by Aharon, at Moshe's instruction (from God).<br class=""></span><br class=""> (Adapted from Rabbi Yosef Kalatsky and Torah Tidbits)</font></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></body></html>