A New Translation

(7:5) 'וידעו מצרים כי אני ה. The simple translation of the verse is that Egypt shall know that I am God.  We find the same expression used right before the Egyptians chased Klal Yisroel into the Yam Suf (14:18.)  How will Egypt know that Hashem is God if they all drowned in the sea?  Who will know that Hashem is God, you don’t need to know anything if you’re dead?  The Even Ezra and Sforno both interpret the verse to mean that the Egyptians back in Egypt will hear the news and know Hashem is God.  The Sforno adds that this will cause them to do teshuva.  This is a theme the Sforno maintains throughout the makkos that the point of the plagues is to cause repentance.  The Alter Rebbe suggests (at least in the “inner dimension”,) a different translation.  He says the word דעה  means to break and destroy (as we see in the Targum Shoftim 8:16.)  According to this interpretation, there is a new meaning to the verse.  It now means, through the breaking of the Egyptians via the plagues, it will be revealed that I am God.  It is by breaking the klippah of the Egyptians that the kedusaha, the Godliness that exists within Egypt, will be revealed.  [It is unclear to me what is the relationship between the various meanings of the word דעה?  My father cleverly said that in order to understand something, you must break your head over it.  Possibly, sometimes Hebrew words mean the opposite so since דעת  means a connection (תניא פ"ד,) therefore it means to break as well.  וצ"ע.]