ויאמר ה’ אל משה בא אל פרעה כי אני הכבדתי את לבו…ולמען תספר באזני בנך ובן בנך את אשר התעללתי במצרים…וידעתם כי אני ה’ (בא י:א-ב)

The Zohar states (לב:ב) that “:  ר’ יהודה פתח  ואמר: אשרי העם יודע תרועה ה’ באור פניך יהלכון” – Reb Yehuda began and said: “Fortunate is the nation that knows the sound of the shofar; Hashem, they walk in the light of Your countenance.” 

What is the connection between Tekiyas Shofar and this parsha?

The mefarshim ask: If Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, why did Pharaoh deserve such severe makkos (plagues)? And if repentance was withheld from him, why did Hashem repeatedly send Moshe to warn Pharaoh of the impending punishments?

The holy Chida zt”l explains (Nachal Kedumim) that had Pharaoh truly wished to do teshuvah, he could have overcome his stubborn heart through his own effort. When the Torah states that Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it means that Pharaoh was denied siyata d’Shmaya—divine assistance—in repenting. However, the ability to choose teshuvah was never taken away from him. Therefore, Hashem still sent Moshe to warn Pharaoh, because genuine teshuva remained possible.

The Chida further explains the verse: “ולמען תספר באזני בנך ובן בנך”—that we are commanded to relate to our children and grandchildren that even though Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, Moshe was still sent to him, teaching us that if Pharaoh truly desired to repent, he could have done so. From here, we learn a powerful lesson: even when a person has sinned significantly and repentance feels difficult, he can continually strengthen himself and return to Hashem.

This is the connection between this parsha and the mitzvah of the shofar. The shofar awakens a person to teshuvah for all sins—even those for which repentance seems nearly impossible. If Pharaoh, despite his hardened heart, still retained the ability to repent, then kal vachomer, a Yid always has the power to do teshuvah, in every situation.