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Why does man after the Mabul have a finite lifespan when Adam HaRishon had the potential to live forever? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: inside the teivah, man underwent a complete metamorphosis from a unified being (body and soul as one) into basar—flesh with a separate soul. This transformation created the new yetzer hara of existential emptiness and established the post-flood reality where man's body derives life from physical forces rather than his neshamah.
The shiur addresses a fundamental question: why does Parshas Noach contain extensive discussion of the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach when six of the seven were already given to Adam HaRishon in Parshas Bereishis? The answer reveals a profound transformation in the very nature of humanity that occurred during the Mabul. Rav Zweig establishes that pre-Mabul man possessed the potential for eternal life. Adam HaRishon's body was a "kesones or"—a garment of light, a physical manifestation of his neshamah. His body derived its life force directly from his soul, giving him infinite potential despite the decree of death imposed after eating from the Eitz HaDa'as. The Torah (תורה)'s recording of cumulative lifespans and explicit statements of death ("vayamos") for the first ten generations reflects this reality—these individuals could have lived forever, so the Torah must specify when Hashem (ה׳) ended their lives.
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Parshas Noach
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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.
