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Why did Jews neglect shemitah (costing 1/7 of income) while observing terumah and ma'aser (costing 20%)? The issue isn't financial but philosophical: shemitah forces recognition that we don't truly own our possessions. The Torah (תורה)'s approach of "I do therefore I am" through ameil b'Torah allows us to "earn" even God's gifts, while chukim serve as payment for our natural talents.
Rabbi Zweig addresses a fundamental question: why did the Jewish people fail to observe the laws of shemitah (sabbatical year), which only costs one-seventh of income, while they observed the more expensive laws of terumah and ma'aser (tithes), which cost approximately 20% annually? He argues that the issue isn't financial but philosophical, relating to how we define our existence. The shiur presents two competing definitions of human existence. The philosophical approach of "cogito ergo sum" (I think therefore I am) defines a person by their innate qualities - intelligence, talents, and possessions. However, Rabbi Zweig argues this is fundamentally flawed because these are God's handiwork, not truly "ours." The Torah (תורה) approach is "I do therefore I am" - a person is defined by their effort and actions, as the Gemara (גמרא) states "adam b'amalo yulad" (a person is created through his labor).
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Why is Shemitah called 'Shabbos L'Hashem' if it's just agricultural rest, and why is the punishment for violating it exile rather than weakened soil? The shiur develops a yesod distinguishing Eretz Yisrael as a land where Hashem gives through nature, versus other lands where humans take from nature. Shemitah allows the land to express its true spiritual nature as a giver programmed by divine love.
Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
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 Behar-Bechukosai, Vayikra 25-27
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Why did the Jewish people fail to observe Shemitah despite Hashem's guarantee of abundance? The shiur develops a marriage metaphor: Shemitah teaches that the land isn't ours, while Yovel represents the opposite realization—everything is ours because we're spiritually married to Hashem. This explains why land returns to original owners in Yovel and why the entire nation must be present for this collective spiritual chuppah.
