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Why does the Torah (תורה) call a purchased Jew an "eved ivri" before he's actually enslaved? The shiur develops a yesod from Avrohom Avinu's journey through idolatry: past failures—even sinful ones—can be retroactively sanctified when used to empower future growth. This principle transforms how we support family members through setbacks.
Rabbi Zweig explores a profound question about Parshas Mishpatim's opening: Why does the Torah (תורה) say "ki tikna eved ivri" (when you buy a Jewish slave) rather than "ki tikna ivri le'eved" (when you buy a Jew to be a slave)? The formulation suggests you're purchasing someone who is already a slave, yet you cannot buy a contract for a Jewish servant from another owner. The language seems backwards. A second question arises from the Ten Commandments' opening word "Anochi"—which the Midrash identifies as Egyptian. Why would Hashem (ה׳) introduce Himself with an Egyptian word when the Jewish people's merit in Egypt was precisely that they maintained their Hebrew language and didn't adopt Egyptian speech? This appears contradictory.
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Mishpatim 21:2
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