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Why did Hashem (ה׳) command Moshe to teach shiluach avadim (freeing slaves) while Bnei Yisrael were still enslaved in Egypt? The shiur develops the insight that suffering has intrinsic value—not merely to appreciate freedom, but to learn empathy and ensure we never inflict similar pain on others. This lesson was the prerequisite for redemption and the reason for later punishment when violated.
The shiur opens with Rashi (רש"י)'s question: why does the Torah (תורה) mention in Parshas Vaeira that Hashem (ה׳) commanded Moshe regarding Bnei Yisrael and Pharaoh, when this command should have appeared earlier in Parshas Shemos? The Yerushalmi explains that this refers to the mitzvah (מצוה) of shiluach avadim—the obligation to free Jewish servants after their term of service. The Korban Eid notes that this was the first mitzvah given to Bnei Yisrael, and their later violation of it—holding onto their servants beyond the permitted time—was the primary reason they were exiled from Eretz Yisrael, as stated by the Navi. Rabbi Zweig challenges the approach of Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, who suggests the mitzvah was given while Bnei Yisrael were enslaved because they could understand it better then—when they had nothing, it would be easier to accept a command to let go of property. Rabbi Zweig argues this explanation is inadequate: shiluach avadim is not about generosity but about justice—holding a servant beyond his term is theft, not merely difficulty parting with property. Furthermore, other mitzvos like maaser are far more challenging financially, yet were given at Sinai.
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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.
Shemos (Vaeira) 6:13
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