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Why does Pharaoh's dream show him standing on water, violating the Gemara (גמרא)'s rule that dreams contain impossible elements? The shiur explains that this was the devarim beteilim—idle content—of the dream: Pharaoh's false self-perception as a deity. This delusion was divinely orchestrated to ensure Pharaoh would refuse Moshe repeatedly, enabling the ten plagues foretold in the Bris Bein HaBesarim.
This shiur analyzes the opening verses of Parshas Mikeitz, focusing on Pharaoh's dream where he stands "al haYe'or"—on the Nile river. Rabbi Zweig opens with a fundamental difficulty: the Gemara (גמרא) teaches that dreams don't show impossible things like an elephant passing through a needle's eye or a person walking on water. Yet Pharaoh's dream appears to show him standing on water, which is physically impossible. The Torah (תורה) later describes the dream more naturally as "al s'fas haYe'or" (by the riverbank), raising the question of why the initial description suggests standing on the water itself. Rabbi Zweig proposes that this dream serves a much larger purpose than merely predicting seven years of plenty and famine. The dream is actually foreshadowing the entire narrative of the descent to Egypt and the eventual redemption—the geulah from Mitzrayim. The vision Pharaoh receives is designed to establish the psychological framework that will enable the unfolding of the divine plan.
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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.
Bereishis 41:1 (Parshas Mikeitz)
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
