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Why do the opening pesukim of Shemos omit all names—Amram, Yocheved, Miriam, and even Moshe himself? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: before the chet, Adam had only one task—fulfill Hashem (ה׳)'s ratzon. After the chet, man must both perfect himself and fulfill ratzon. Moshe Rabbeinu embodies the pre-chet madrega—total bitul, no agenda for self—making him the conduit through which Hashem Himself speaks and acts.
This shiur presents a profound exploration of the madrega of Moshe Rabbeinu through the lens of a fundamental distinction between the world before and after the sin of Adam HaRishon. The opening question is striking: Why does the Torah (תורה) omit all names in the pesukim describing Moshe's birth and early life? Amram, Yocheved, and Miriam are all referred to without names, and even Moshe himself remains nameless until Pharaoh's daughter names him. Rabbi Zweig identifies this textual anomaly as the key to understanding Moshe's unique spiritual level. The shiur establishes a foundational principle: Before Adam's sin, the world operated on emes and chesed (חסד)—absolute manifestation of Hashem (ה׳)'s ratzon. After the sin, the world operates on tov and ra, creating the illusion that man's actions can pervert Hashem's will. In truth, nothing happens without being Hashem's ratzon; what changes is only the individual's relationship to that ratzon. Before the chet, Adam's sole task was to see that Hashem's ratzon was carried out—there was no concept of self-improvement because there was no deficiency. After the chet, man must accomplish two things: rectify himself (tikkun ha'atzmis) and fulfill Hashem's ratzon.
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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.
Shemos 2:1-10 (birth and early life of Moshe)
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