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Why does the Torah (תורה) repeat the enumeration of seventy souls from Parshas Vayigash at the start of Sefer Shemos? The repetition marks a fundamental transformation: in Bereishis the tribes are children in Yaakov's family, while in Shemos each is 'ish u'beiso' - a household head preparing for nationhood. The three-verse structure of the tribal listing corresponds to three stages of redemption, showing how family roles prefigure cosmic functions in Am Yisrael.
This shiur provides a comprehensive examination of the opening of Sefer Shemos and its relationship to the conclusion of Sefer Bereishis. Rabbi Zweig begins by addressing the fundamental question of why there is a clear demarcation between the two sefarim, despite both covering events that occurred before Matan Torah (תורה) according to Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation of Sefer HaBris. The analysis focuses on understanding why the Torah repeats information already provided in Parshas Vayigash, specifically the enumeration of the seventy souls who came down to Egypt with Yaakov. The central thesis revolves around the distinction between Sefer Bereishis as the 'Sefer of the Avos' and Sefer Shemos as the 'Sefer of Am Yisrael.' In Bereishis, the tribes function as children within Yaakov's patriarchal family structure, whereas in Shemos, each tribe is described as 'ish u'beiso' - a man with his household - indicating their new role as leaders of their respective families and eventual roles in the emerging nation.
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Parshas Shemos 1:1-7
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