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Why does the verse call God mighty in silence ("ba'eilim" read as "be'ilmim")? The shiur explores how God's "muteness" in the face of human rebellion—even performing miracles to let evildoers think they've won—is the ultimate expression of respecting free will. This principle extends to parenting and marriage: giving others the space to choose wrongly is what enables them to truly choose what's right.
Rabbi Zweig begins by analyzing the verse "Mi chamocha ba'eilim Hashem (ה׳)" from Parshas Beshalach, traditionally understood as "Who is like You among the mighty, Hashem?" Rashi (רש"י) explains that we are afraid to praise God adequately because any description minimizes His greatness. The Gemara (גמרא), however, offers a striking reinterpretation: "ba'eilim" should be read as "be'ilmim"—among the mute. God's greatest strength is His silence in the face of insult and blasphemy. The shiur distinguishes between two types of strength in the face of insult. The Gemara teaches that one who is shamed and does not respond back has tremendous strength, compared to the sun going out in its power. But this could mean two things: either "I could respond but choose not to" (like ignoring a barking dog), or "I make myself mute"—a surrender that lets the other person think they have won. God practices the second, more profound form: He makes Himself truly mute, allowing people to believe they have overcome Him.
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Beshalach 15:11
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