No community start suggestion yet.
Why does Lot appear to do more chesed (חסד) than Avrohom—deeper bows, inviting guests inside, preparing a feast—yet his descendants are known for cruelty? The shiur develops a chakira in chesed: Avrohom's chesed is God-like, minimizing himself so the recipient feels no burden. Lot's chesed is self-fulfillment, forcing gratitude. Only chesed done with total selflessness, possible after bris milah, becomes eternal.
The shiur opens with a puzzling Midrash Tanchuma on Parshas Vayeira that introduces the parsha by asking how many berachos are in Shemoneh Esrei—18, corresponding to the 18 times the Avos are mentioned in the Torah (תורה). Two problems arise: first, why should the number of times the Avos appear in the Torah determine the structure of prayer? Second, why does this Midrash appear in Parshas Vayeira, when Avrohom's role as an Av was already established in Lech Lecha, and Yaakov isn't even born yet? Another Midrash Rabba presents a second difficulty. Avrohom complains to Hashem (ה׳) that before his circumcision, guests (ovrim v'shovim) used to come, but now no one arrives. Hashem responds that before bris milah, only uncircumcised people came, but now malachim will come. This is strange: why couldn't malachim visit Avrohom before bris milah? Hagar spoke to malachim in the previous parsha without being circumcised. Why does circumcision suddenly make Avrohom worthy of angelic guests?
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 seeing a sotah inspire one to become a nazir? The nazir's abstention creates a pre-sin state where body and soul exist in perfect harmony. This 30-day period corrects the internal contradiction that led to his original transgression.
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.
Vayeira 18:1-8, 19:1-3
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!
What is the primary purpose of the cities of refuge - protecting the accidental killer or something else? The shiur argues that creating respect for law takes precedence over providing sanctuary. True deterrence comes from recognizing the gravity of murder itself, not fear of punishment.
