No community start suggestion yet.
Why was Sodom destroyed for lack of charity when non-Jews aren't commanded in tzedakah? Giving tzedakah as tzedek—because the recipient has a right to exist—is itself a proclamation of God's existence, since rights can only derive from a Creator. Sodom's philosophy of "sheli sheli v'shelach shelach" denied human rights entirely, making the city a negative existence subject to divine af (fury) rather than mishpat (judgment).
The shiur opens with a fundamental question: Yechezkel says Sodom was destroyed because "yad ani v'evyon lo hecheziku"—they did not give charity. The Ran derives from this that charity must be one of the seven Noahide laws, yet the Rambam (רמב"ם) does not list it as such. If non-Jews are not obligated in tzedakah, why was Sodom destroyed for failing to give it? Furthermore, the Mishna identifies Sodom's philosophy as "sheli sheli v'shelach shelach" (what's mine is mine and what's yours is yours), which one opinion calls midas Sodom while another calls it midas beinunis—a perfectly acceptable middle path. How can the same philosophy be both utterly wicked and morally acceptable? Rabbi Zweig explains that there are two fundamentally different forms of divine justice. Mishpat (judgment) presumes a person has a right to exist, and that right must be adjudicated before it can be taken away. Af (fury/wrath), by contrast, applies when a person or community has forfeited any claim to existence because they represent a purely negative reality—they do not reveal God's presence in any way. The Rambam in Hilchos Teshuva (תשובה) states that an individual or city whose sins outweigh merits is immediately destroyed. This is not judgment—it is af. Such an entity self-destructs because it has no justification for existence.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does seeing a sotah inspire one to become a nazir? The nazir's abstention creates a pre-sin state where body and soul exist in perfect harmony. This 30-day period corrects the internal contradiction that led to his original transgression.
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.
Vayeira 18:23-33
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
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.
