Parshas Bo: Restoring Jewish Dignity Through Egyptian Restitution

This shiur analyzes the command in Parshas Bo for the Jewish people to ask the Egyptians for silver, gold, and clothing before leaving Egypt. Rabbi Zweig begins by noting several textual difficulties: the command appears three times in the Torah (תורה) with significant variations—in the original promise to Avrohom at the Bris Bein HaBesarim, in the command to Moshe, and in the actual fulfillment. The first version mentions women asking from neighbors and tenants for silver, gold, and clothing; the second mentions both men and women asking from friends for only silver and gold; the third describes them asking from "the Egyptians" generally and receiving all three items. Additionally, the plague is called a "nega" rather than a "makkah," and Hashem (ה׳) uses the unusual language "daber na" (please speak). The Gemara (גמרא) in Sanhedrin, quoted by Rashi (רש"י), explains that Hashem said "please" because He had promised Avrohom that his descendants would leave with great wealth (rechush gadol), and if they didn't take it, Avrohom could complain that while the slavery was fulfilled, the wealth was not. Rabbi Zweig raises fundamental questions about this explanation: Why would Hashem need to beg them? If they refused, wouldn't the offer itself fulfill the promise? Moreover, why use this method at all—couldn't Hashem provide wealth miraculously? And most troubling, why use apparent deception, having them "borrow" items they never intended to return?