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Why did the Jews need to borrow vessels from the Egyptians when they had every right to take them outright as payment for centuries of slavery? The shiur examines the Midrash connecting the borrowing to the plague of darkness, questioning why Jews walked through Egyptian homes during the plague, why the Egyptians showed them favor (chen), and why the process required borrowing at all rather than direct divine transfer.
This shiur tackles a fundamental question about Yetzias Mitzrayim: why did Bnei Yisrael need to borrow gold and silver vessels from the Egyptians when they were rightfully owed these items as wages for their labor? The Torah (תורה) describes that Hashem (ה׳) gave the Jewish people "chen" (favor) in the eyes of the Egyptians, who then lent them their valuables. But this raises several difficulties. Rabbi Zweig begins by examining a puzzling Midrash that states: "B'gemul yomei afeila nosan HaKadosh Baruch Hu chen ha'am be'einei Mitzrayim" - as a reward for the days of darkness, Hashem gave the nation favor in the eyes of Egypt. The Midrash explains that during the three days of darkness (Makkas Choshech), Jews entered Egyptian homes and saw where they kept their valuable vessels. Later, when they asked to borrow items, if an Egyptian claimed he had nothing, the Jew could respond, "I saw it in your drawer." The Midrash concludes that the Egyptians reasoned: if the Jews had wanted to steal during the darkness, they could have taken everything without detection; since they didn't, they must be trustworthy and will surely return what they borrow.
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Parshas Bo - Borrowing from the Egyptians (Shemos 11:2-3)
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