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Why did Shem receive the greater reward of tzitzis for his descendants when both he and Yefes covered Noah? Shem's enthusiasm reveals complete internalization of values, engaging his entire being, while mere compliance leaves the heart unchanged. Tzitzis honors the Jewish body because Jews must develop Jewish instincts, not just perform Jewish actions.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes the mitzvah (מצוה) of tzitzis from Parshas Shelach by examining Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation connecting it to the story of Noah's sons. When Noah was left uncovered in his tent, both Shem and Yefes covered their father, but Rashi notes that Shem acted with greater enthusiasm and vigor. As a reward, Shem's descendants (the Jewish people) merited wearing tzitzis - garments of honor - while Yefes merited only that his descendants would be buried respectfully in battle, a one-time benefit. The disparity in rewards seems puzzling since both brothers performed the same act. The fundamental insight is that enthusiasm represents complete internalization of values, while mere compliance represents only intellectual acknowledgment. When someone acts with vigor and enthusiasm, they are engaging their entire being - intellect, emotions, and actions - making it a holistic act that transforms the person. In contrast, acting without enthusiasm means only the mind recognizes something as correct while the heart and instincts remain unchanged.
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Parshas Shelach - Mitzvah of Tzitzis
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Why does the Torah say Matan Torah created both elevation and embarrassment, when Avos teaches an embarrassed person cannot learn? Embarrassment before God creates honest self-knowledge that makes us invulnerable to human criticism. Once we accurately see our limitations compared to divine perfection, we become free to learn without fearing what others think.
