Punishment Begins With the One Who Began the Sin

"And I will strengthen the heart of Pharaoh" (Exodus 14:4). For their hearts were divided over whether to pursue or not to pursue. "And I will be honored through Pharaoh and through all his army." Pharaoh began with the transgression first, and from him the punishment began. Similar to this (Genesis 7:23), "And He blotted out all the substance," and so forth. Similar to this, "And I will strike every firstborn." Similar to this (Deuteronomy 13:16), "You shall surely strike," and so forth. Similar to this, "and her belly shall swell" (Numbers 5:27): the limb that began with the transgression first, from it the punishment begins. And behold these things are an inference from minor to major: if, in the measure of punishment, which is the lesser, the one who began the transgression is the one from whom the punishment begins, how much more so for the measure of goodness, which is the greater.