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Why did Sarah insist on expelling Yishmael despite his spiritual potential? Yishmael lacked the perfected body that brit milah confers—a physical sensitivity to kedusha that defines membership in Klal Yisrael. While Avrohom held that Yishmael could remain connected like a ger, Sarah recognized that one driven by physical desires, even if ultimately disciplined, cannot inherit the covenant that requires innate holiness of body and soul.
The shiur addresses the fundamental conflict between Avrohom and Sarah regarding Yishmael's status and inheritance. Rashi (רש"י) states that Yishmael engaged in idolatry, adultery, and attempted murder, yet Avrohom was distressed about sending him away. This raises several questions: Why would Avrohom want to keep such a son? How can the malachim call Yishmael a tzaddik (ba'asher hu sham) when he committed such serious transgressions? Why doesn't this contradict the din of ben sorer u'moreh, where we execute a child for future sins? And why does Sarah frame her argument around inheritance (lo yirash) rather than Yishmael's actual sins? Rabbi Zweig develops a fundamental distinction based on the transformation that occurred when Avram became Avrohom and Sarai became Sarah. The name change from Avram (father of one nation) to Avrohom (av hamon goyim—father of many nations) represented a cosmic shift in Avrohom's mission and essence. He became responsible for giving spiritual existence to the entire world. Simultaneously, Sarai's name change to Sarah (from "my princess" to princess for all) gave her the quality of malchus—leadership capacity for all nations. Together, Avrohom and Sarah created the potential for universal spiritual impact—the ability to be both father and king (av and melech) to the world.
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Parshas Vayeira
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What is the primary purpose of the cities of refuge - protecting the accidental killer or something else? The shiur argues that creating respect for law takes precedence over providing sanctuary. True deterrence comes from recognizing the gravity of murder itself, not fear of punishment.
