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Why do we begin the Three Weeks with mourning instead of teshuvah? The Churban wasn't just punishment — it was spiritual expatriation from God's world. We must first mourn our transition from immortality to mortality before we can begin genuine teshuvah.
Rabbi Zweig addresses a fundamental question about the Three Weeks: why do we begin with mourning rather than teshuvah, given that the Churban resulted from our sins? He develops a profound distinction between punishment (which keeps one within the system) and expatriation (which removes one from the system entirely). The shiur begins by analyzing the difficult concept of kanoim pogin bo from Parshas Pinchas — how can vigilante justice apply to a non-capital offense? Rabbi Zweig explains that living with a non-Jewish woman isn't just a sin but an act of spiritual expatriation from God's world, like becoming a citizen of another country. Such behavior cannot be tolerated not for punishment's sake, but to prevent others from following suit. This explains why Pinchas received brit shalom — he was protecting Klal Yisrael's spiritual citizenship. The Rambam (רמב"ם)'s observation that humans foolishly build houses to last a thousand years while living mortal lives illustrates how we deny our mortality. Jews must distinguish between physical mortality and spiritual immortality through connection to Hashem (ה׳). The difference between Jews and gentiles (called ovdei kochavim u'mazalos) is that gentiles want to live in their own world separate from God, while Jews live in God's world. Sukkos (סוכות) teaches this lesson by having us leave our permanent homes for temporary structures, recognizing that our immortality comes from spiritual, not physical, security. The concept of hachnasas orchim during Sukkos reinforces that we're living in God's space, making hospitality natural rather than invasive. Rabbi Zweig concludes that the Churban represents spiritual deportation — we've been exiled from the 'land of the living' (Eretz Chayim) to a world of spiritual mortality. This isn't merely punishment but fundamental relationship change, like a parent expelling a child from home. Only after fully mourning this spiritual death can we begin the work of teshuvah to return to God's world. The Three Weeks must begin with aveilus because we need to internalize that we've transitioned from immortal beings connected to Hashem to mortal beings living in exile.
Parshas Pinchas
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