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Why did Hashem (ה׳) send three angels to visit Avrohom when He could have accomplished everything Himself? The shiur explores the deeper meaning of Avrohom offering Hashem a seat, showing that Avrohom wanted to establish a permanent divine presence for judgment. The visit becomes a template for how judges sit in Hashem's place while Hashem stands ready to guide them.
The shiur begins with a fundamental question about Parshas Vayeira: why did Hashem (ה׳) need to send three angels to Avrohom when He was already visiting personally and could have accomplished all their missions directly? The three angels had specific tasks - one to inform Sarah about Yitzchok's birth, one to heal Avrohom from his circumcision, and one to destroy Sodom. Yet Hashem had already told Avrohom about Yitzchok's birth in the previous parsha, Hashem could certainly heal Avrohom without an intermediary, and Hashem could destroy Sodom without sending an angel. Rabbi Zweig focuses on a difficult Rashi (רש"י) that explains the phrase 'vehu yoshev' (and he was sitting) as referring to a deeper dynamic between Avrohom and Hashem. The key insight comes from understanding that the word 'yoshev' is written without a vav, indicating an incomplete sitting. Rashi explains that Hashem told Avrohom to sit while He would stand, which would serve as a sign for future generations that judges sit while Hashem stands.
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Vayeira 18:1
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