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Beit Midrash
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In our parasha (ibid. 7:9-10), Moshe and Aharon were told to perform the miracle of the staff before Pharaoh as well. They did so, and the Torah said that the staff turned into a tannin. This overlapping of stories indicates a connection between the snake and the tannin, one that exists in several places in Tanach. (A tannin can mean a snake, or it can mean an alligator, or, in some contexts, it can refer to a whale).
One such occurrence is in the story of creation, where it says that Hashem created the big tanninim (Bereishit 1:21). Rashi picks up on a missing letter in tanninim and says that it is referring to the Leviatan. The issue is that would it have reproduced, it would have destroyed the world, and, therefore, Hashem took away the female. Thus, the forces of evil and destruction, which are called tanninim in the first biblical narrative, find expression as the snake in the story of Adam and Chava.
The question that has troubled man from time immemorial is: who rules over evil in the world. Bnei Yisrael went into exile, specifically to Egypt, the society which reached the 49th level of impurity, and being in the "house of slavery," they were in the most vulnerable place within it. Our liberation from the house of slavery in Egypt shows that Hashem is everywhere, and no evil can keep Him out. Even Pharaoh, who thought he was an unstoppable leader, was far from that. In fact, the tannin represents Pharaoh metaphorically, as Yechezkel (29:3-4) says: "So says Hashem: I am upon you, Pharaoh the King of Egypt, the great tanim who lies within his rivers and says: ‘The rivers are mine and I made myself.’"
Turning the staff into a snake and back convinced Bnei Yisrael that there is an ultimate power in the world, a power which Pharaoh cannot overcome. To convince Pharaoh of the same, much more work was needed, as he was not ready to admit any limitations to his power. Only after a long process, ending with the Exodus and, soon thereafter, the splitting of the sea, was the stubborn leader left with no choice in the matter.
Rabbis in Midrash
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D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
