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Why does Pharaoh react with such rage when Moshe requests that the women, children, and animals also leave Egypt? The shiur develops a novel reading: Moshe is switching the original deal. Initially, the request was for the elders or men to go serve Hashem (ה׳) for three days; now Moshe demands everyone and everything. This unilateral change—authorized by Hashem as part of a new strategy in Parshas Bo—triggers Pharaoh's fury and humiliation.
Rabbi Zweig opens by examining a fundamental question in Parshas Bo: why does the Torah (תורה) repeat that Pharaoh will not listen to Moshe? The opening of the parsha states "lo yishma aleichem Pharaoh" (Pharaoh will not listen to you), yet this message had already been conveyed earlier. Moreover, the language shifts from hardening Pharaoh's heart to simply stating he won't listen. This shift suggests a new dynamic is emerging. The shiur explores Rashi (רש"י)'s comment that the "mofasim" (wonders) referenced include not only Makas Bechoros but also Kriyas Yam Suf, even though the splitting of the sea has not yet occurred. This raises questions about chronology and terminology. Additionally, the Torah uses the term "mofasim" rather than "osos" (signs) for the first time in this parsha, suggesting a qualitative change in the nature of the miracles.
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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 Bo
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