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Why did Yisro need to teach Moshe about appointing judges? The shiur develops a fundamental distinction: the name Elokim represents divine limitation and tzimtzum that can be imparted to human judges, while Hashem (ה׳) represents infinite transcendence beyond all kabbalah. Yisro's innovation was recognizing that connection to a talmid chacham is itself connection to Elokim—a foundational principle for the entire system of dayanim and the concept that benefiting from a talmid chacham is like benefiting from the Shechinah.
Rabbi Zweig explores the profound theological underpinnings of Parshas Yisro, focusing on the fundamental difference between the divine names Elokim and Hashem (ה׳), and how this distinction explains Yisro's contribution to Jewish jurisprudence. The shiur addresses several textual difficulties: Why does Rashi (רש"י) specify that Yisro heard about Amalek? What is the connection between Yisro's circumcision causing him discomfort and the parsha's themes? Why couldn't Moshe Rabbeinu, who had already received the Torah (תורה), think of delegating judicial authority on his own? The core distinction developed is that Hashem represents the Ein Sof, absolute infinity without any tzimtzum (divine contraction), while Elokim represents a level of divine manifestation that involves tzimtzum and therefore hagbala (limitation). Anything that has limitation is capable of being mekabel (received) and imparted to finite beings. The name Elokim is associated with kochos haBriya (forces of creation) and can be related to by both Klal Yisrael and the Umos HaOlam (nations of the world). The name Hashem, however, represents absolute bittul (nullification) and connection to Ein Sof, which is uniquely accessible to Klal Yisrael.
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Parshas Yisro
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