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Why does the Torah (תורה) write "Avrohom holid es Yitzchok" in Parshas Toldos when Yitzchok's birth was already described in Vayeira? Rabbi Zweig develops the idea that when Hashem (ה׳) made Yitzchok's face resemble Avrohom's (to silence mockers), He also altered Yitzchok's spiritual DNA, adding Avrohom's middah of chesed (חסד) to Yitzchok's gevurah. This explains why Yaakov and Esav have such divergent personalities: Esav reflects the Yitzchok aspect, while Yaakov embodies the Avrohom within Yitzchok.
The shiur opens with a textual question: Why does Parshas Toldos begin with "Avrohom holid es Yitzchok" when Yitzchok's birth was already recorded in Parshas Vayeira? The word "eileh" typically functions as a separator (as Rashi (רש"י) notes in Mishpatim), yet here it doesn't create a clean break from Yishmael's genealogy—because Esav represents another "Yishmael," another divergence that needs to be addressed. Rashi explains that the double language—both "Yitzchok ben Avrohom" and "Avrohom holid es Yitzchok"—teaches that Hashem (ה׳) performed a miracle making Yitzchok's face resemble Avrohom's. This miracle answered the mockers who said "mai Avimelech nasav l'Sarah" (perhaps Avimelech was the father). But Rabbi Zweig notes a chronological problem: the Gemara (גמרא) tells us this facial resemblance existed until age thirty-seven, when Hashem gave Avrohom the appearance of old age (zikna). So the miracle happened decades before Parshas Toldos. Why mention it here?
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Bereishis 25:19 (Parshas Toldos)
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Why does the Torah give a detailed accounting of silver and copper but not gold in Parshas Pekudei? The three metals represent three types of givers: those who give selflessly (gold), those seeking a two-way benefit (silver), and those buying honor (copper). The Midrash's three groups suspecting or praising Moshe reveal more about themselves than about Moshe—we judge others by our own standards.
