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Why does the parsha of Eglah Arufah obligate a community to escort strangers, and what does it teach about Bris Bein HaBesarim? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod that the 400 years of displacement in Egypt was meant to give Klal Yisrael an unbreakable connection to Eretz Yisrael—only one who lacks a "place" for generations can fully appreciate having one. The communal obligation to give travelers a sense of place reflects the core lesson of Yetzias Mitzrayim.
Rabbi Zweig opens with Rashi (רש"י)'s perplexing comment on Parshas Vayigash. When Yehuda explains to Yosef that Binyamin cannot leave his father, Rashi states that they feared Binyamin would die on the road because his mother, Rochel, died on the road—as though death on the road were a hereditary condition. This seems absurd, and moreover, the entire context suggests the problem is the emotional bond between father and son, not a genetic vulnerability. Similarly, later in the parsha, when Yaakov sees the wagons (agalos) that Yosef sent, Rashi explains these reminded Yaakov of the last Torah (תורה) topic they studied together—Eglah Arufah. Yet agalos means wagons, and eglah means calf; how can Chazal derive a connection from a linguistic play? Furthermore, Pharaoh sent the wagons, so how can they serve as a sign from Yosef? The Rambam (רמב"ם) in Hilchos Avel presents the halachos of accompanying guests (levaya) and cites two distinct sources. First, he describes the tradition from Avrohom Avinu that hachnasas orchim, hospitality, reaches its pinnacle in levaya—escorting the guest out. The Rambam states that failure to escort is tantamount to murder. Then the Rambam brings the Torah source from Eglah Arufah: when a murdered person is found between cities, the elders of the nearest city declare "yadeinu lo shafchu es ha'dam ha'zeh"—our hands did not spill this blood—which implies that had they not escorted the traveler, they would be guilty of murder. The Rambam further rules that beis din must compel the community to provide escort services for travelers (over mimakom l'makom), and neglecting this makes the beis din itself guilty of murder. The question is glaring: if there is an explicit pasuk teaching the obligation and consequence of levaya, why does the Rambam first cite Avrohom Avinu's tradition? What does Avrohom's conduct add to the halacha (הלכה) derived from Eglah Arufah?
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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 Vayigash (Bereishis 44:18-47:27); Parshas Lech Lecha (Bris Bein HaBesarim, Bereishis 15); Parshas Ki Seitzei (Eglah Arufah, Devarim 21:1-9)
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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.
