Another matter that requires contemplation: Why was it necessary to have ten plagues to bring Egypt to the desired knowledge? Could G-d not have brought upon them one strong and powerful plague, equivalent to all ten, through which they would immediately come to know Him? And what is the purpose of this 'game' of the ten plagues?

Indeed, one might say that it was out of G-d’s compassion for them, giving them time to reflect 'in the space between one calamity and the next', between one plague and the next that was to come, perhaps they might repent and thus be spared the increasing destruction and annihilation that continued to befall them. If G-d had struck them all at once, they would have perished with that single blow and would have had no opportunity to return.

However, this explanation only accounts for the first five plagues, during which Pharaoh still had free will. But regarding the last five plagues, where Pharaoh’s free will had already been taken from him and he was prevented from repenting, as G-d hardened his heart, one might ask: why did G-d divide them into five and not bring them all at once? As Rambam (Maimonides) writes in the Laws of Repentance (Chapter 6, Law 3): A person might sin a great sin or many sins, until the judgment before the true Judge is that the retribution for these sins, which he committed willingly and knowingly, is that he is prevented from repenting, and he is not given the opportunity to repent from his wickedness so that he will die and be lost in the sin he committed, etc. Therefore, it is written in the Torah (Exodus 7:3), "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart," because he sinned on his own at first and caused harm to Israel who lived in his land, as it is said (Exodus 1:10), "Come, let us deal wisely with them," the judgment was to prevent him from repenting until he was punished. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, hardened his heart. So concludes Rambam.