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Why did Hashem (ה׳) need to appear personally at Kriyas Yam Suf when He could have saved Bnei Yisrael from without creation? The shiur develops the profound yesod that Kriyas Yam Suf wasn't about punishment—it was about relationship. When someone gives personal feelings, not just favors, the only currency of response is reciprocal feelings, and that's what shirah expresses.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a fundamental question: after the ten plagues already fulfilled Hashem (ה׳)'s covenant with Avrohom Avinu to punish the Egyptians, why was Kriyas Yam Suf necessary? The Jewish people were already out of Egypt. Why did Hashem turn Pharaoh's heart to chase them, putting Bnei Yisrael through tremendous terror? Furthermore, Chazal use perplexing language about Kriyas Yam Suf—saying it was "difficult" for Hashem like making a marriage match, referencing techias hameisim, and using gendered terminology for shirah. The shiur explains through a fundamental Rashi (רש"י) in Parshas Yisro on the Aseres HaDibros. Rashi asks why Hashem identifies Himself as "the One who took you out of Egypt" rather than as Creator of the universe. The Mechilta explains that Hashem appeared at Yam Suf as a mighty warrior (gibor milchamah) and at Sinai as an elder full of compassion (zaken malei rachamim), and therefore needed to clarify "I am the same One." Rabbi Zweig explains this is not about reconciling different middos—everyone since Avrohom Avinu understood Hashem has both din and rachamim. Rather, Kriyas Yam Suf and Matan Torah (תורה) represent something unprecedented: Hashem appearing from within creation rather than acting from without through His usual tzimtzum.
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Parshas Beshalach - Kriyas Yam Suf
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