God Exposes the Arrogant and Leaves No Hiding Place

Another interpretation: "Hophra," in the sense of what is said, "And he shall uncover [u-fara] the head of the woman" (Numbers 5:18). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: because Pharaoh made himself a god, "See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh." Why? "For one higher than the high watches, and there are higher ones over them" (Ecclesiastes 5:7). Be therefore a god over him and make him a contemptible thing in the world; and this is what is written, "He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the proud beasts" [Job 41:26]. Now, does the Holy One, blessed be He, not see the lowly? Is it not written, "The eyes of the LORD range through the whole earth" (Zechariah 4:10)? Then what does "He sees everything that is high" mean? Rather, these are the haughty, whose spirit is coarse within them, who exalt themselves and make themselves into divinities. What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? He displays them to all creatures and makes them a contemptible thing in the world. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "If a man hides himself in secret places, shall I not see him? says the LORD" (Jeremiah 23:24). If a person goes and toils in the Torah and sits modestly, I display his deeds to creatures; and likewise if a person conceals himself to commit a transgression, I display him to creatures, as it is said, "shall I not see him? says the LORD; do I not fill heaven and earth?" He fills the upper and lower worlds from Himself, and displays the haughty one to all creatures.