No community start suggestion yet.
Why did Pharaoh persist in fighting against God despite certain defeat? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: Egypt's power of kishuf stems from mastery over the world's illusory nature after the decree of death, while the makkos represent absolute realities—acts of creation that establish Am Yisrael as an eternal entity in a temporary world.
Rabbi Zweig addresses a fundamental question: What motivated Pharaoh to continue resisting the Almighty when he clearly recognized from the third plague that he was fighting God Himself? Unlike a conventional war where one fights for victory or principle, Pharaoh had nothing to gain and everything to lose—his country was being destroyed, yet he refused to simply relinquish one asset (the Jewish people). The shiur begins by examining several textual difficulties: Why does the parsha open with Hashem (ה׳)'s rebuke to Moshe for questioning Him? What is the meaning of the cryptic exchange about the Avos never questioning despite only knowing Hashem through the name Kel Shakai? Why does the Gemara (גמרא) in Sanhedrin learn techias hameisim (resurrection of the dead) specifically from the promise to give the Avos the land of Canaan in this week's parsha, and why is this fundamental principle taught in such an seemingly tangential context?
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.
Parshas Vaeira, Shemos 7:8-13
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.
