No community start suggestion yet.
Why are challah, niddah, and hadlakas neir called "women's mitzvos" when men share the same halachic obligations? The shiur develops a yesod from Sarah and Rivka that these three mitzvos address the spiritual and emotional effects of Chavah's sin—feelings of worthlessness and depression tied to death, disconnection, and destruction. Observing these mitzvos restores a woman's sense of worth and enables her to fulfill her role as eizer k'negdo—empowering her husband as a mother empowers her child.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a foundational question: Why are challah, niddah, and hadlakas neir traditionally called "women's mitzvos" when men share the same halachic responsibilities? A man is equally obligated in the laws of niddah and the other mitzvos, so what makes these distinctively the domain of women? The answer emerges from the pasuk in Parshas Chayei Sarah describing Yitzchok's marriage to Rivka. The Torah (תורה) states, "Vayeviyeha Yitzchok ha'ohela Sarah imo... vayinachem Yitzchok acharei imo"—Yitzchok brought Rivka into Sarah's tent and was comforted after his mother. Rashi (רש"י) explains that three miraculous signs that had characterized Sarah's tent returned with Rivka's arrival: a ner dolek (candle) burning from erev Shabbos (שבת) to erev Shabbos, berachah metzuyah ba'isah (blessing found in the dough), and the anan (divine cloud) resting above the tent. These correspond precisely to the three mitzvos: hadlakas neir, challah, and niddah (represented by the divine presence of taharah).
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 Rashi give conflicting descriptions of Israel's leaders in Egypt? The shiur explores how two different leadership styles emerged: those who pushed people to work harder while taking beatings, versus those who simply absorbed punishment to spare their people. The Torah prioritizes the first type - leaders who accomplish things even when unpopular.
Why does the Torah repeat that Rivka came from a family of manipulators and wicked people? The shiur argues that this is not "despite" her background but rather her yichus—she inherited their extraordinary sensitivity to others' needs but channeled it toward chesed rather than manipulation. True kindness requires understanding what the recipient actually needs, not just what the giver wants to give.
Why did Avrohom ask for visible signs of old age when people were already growing old? The shiur develops the principle that Avrohom requested that aging reflect not just physical decline but accumulated wisdom and compassion. This dignity of age is the foundation for transmitting values across generations—and its absence explains both the sin of the spies and the breakdown of contemporary families.
Bereishis 24:67, Parshas Chayei Sarah
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!
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.