In this week’s parsha, Bo, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, even as his people suffer under the weight of his refusal to change. His power is built on control, and his decrees disproportionately harm the most vulnerable in the land. No matter the suffering, he refuses to listen, to see, to soften.

History reminds us that when leaders disconnect from the people—when they rule with arrogance instead of empathy—their decrees don’t just serve their own power, they actively endanger lives. We see this today, as new policies strip rights from those already fighting to exist, especially trans individuals whose dignity, healthcare, and safety are under threat. A hardened heart doesn’t just refuse to change—it refuses to care.

But what the Exodus story teaches us is that oppression is never the final chapter. Power built on cruelty eventually crumbles. And most importantly, liberation doesn’t come from the oppressor’s change of heart—it comes from the resistance, resilience, and strength of those who refuse to be erased.

So if today’s world feels heavy, remember this: history has seen rulers with stone hearts before, and history has also seen them fall. Stay loud. Stay present. Stay strong.