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Why did Klal Yisrael need coercion at Har Sinai after already declaring "Naaseh v'nishma"? The shiur argues that naaseh v'nishma means "we shall do and it will be understood"—the mitzvos themselves reveal that they are our ultimate self-fulfillment, not imposed burdens. This reframes the entire covenant as an act of shleimus (wholeness), making us b'nei b'chori Yisrael.
Rabbi Zweig opens by addressing a fundamental difficulty in understanding the phrase "naaseh v'nishma" (we shall do and we shall hear) that appears in Parashas Mishpatim. Tosafos (תוספות) raises a puzzling question: if Klal Yisrael already committed themselves by saying "naaseh v'nishma," why did Hashem (ה׳) still need to coerce them by holding the mountain over them like a barrel (kafa aleihem har k'gigis)? The question seems disconnected from the phrase naaseh v'nishma itself—why not simply ask why coercion was needed after they said "we will do"? To address this, Rabbi Zweig brings a Gemara (גמרא) from Shabbos (שבת) 88a. Rava was learning Torah (תורה) in an intense, crouched position, and blood was flowing from his fingers from the pressure. A Tzeduki (heretic) mocked him, saying, "You impulsive nation—you said naaseh before nishma, agreeing to mitzvos before knowing what they were, and you're still impulsive, harming yourself while learning." Rava responded: "We serve Hashem b'tmimus (with wholesomeness), as it says 'tumas yesharim yanchem'—the wholesomeness of the upright will lead them."
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Mishpatim (Shemos 24:7), Shabbos 88a
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