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Why did God visit Avrohom after his circumcision instead of simply curing him? Rashi (רש"י)'s textual analysis reveals that the awkward Hebrew structure indicates Avrohom drove the visit, not God's agenda. This demonstrates that bikur cholim restores dignity and self-worth, while curing only stops physical problems.
This shiur provides a profound analysis of the mitzvah (מצוה) of bikur cholim through careful examination of the opening verse of Parshas Vayeira. Rabbi Zweig begins by questioning Rashi (רש"י)'s interpretation that God's appearance to Avrohom was for bikur cholim rather than to cure him, especially since an angel later arrives to heal Avrohom. Through detailed textual analysis, Rabbi Zweig demonstrates that Rashi addresses specific problems in the Hebrew syntax. The unusual word order "Vayeira el Avrohom Hashem (ה׳)" (where the object precedes the subject) indicates that Avrohom, not God's agenda, drives this visit. Additionally, beginning a new chapter with a pronoun connects back to the previous mention of Avrohom's circumcision, establishing the context of his pain.
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Parshas Vayeira 18:1
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Why does the Torah separate Avrohom's eulogy for Sarah from his crying for her? The shiur shows that Sarah required a public eulogy focused on the communal loss of a leader, not Avrohom's private grief. This teaches that we must view Jewish tragedies through a national lens first, seeing attacks on Am Yisrael as collective losses that dwarf personal concerns.
