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Why did the tenth plague occur specifically at midnight—a time that mathematically cannot exist? The shiur develops the yesod that chatzos halayla represents an event outside the parameters of time itself, proving that Hashem (ה׳) created time and space rather than existing within them. This wasn't merely a stronger plague—it was the knockout blow demonstrating ein od milvado, nothing exists but God.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a seeming contradiction: Rashi (רש"י) states that Pharaoh foresaw through astrology that the Jews would be affected by the star called "Ro," signifying bloodshed. Yet we have a fundamental principle that ein mazal l'Yisrael—the Jewish people are not subject to astrological signs. How could Klal Yisrael, especially after Har Sinai, be under the influence of astrology? This appears to contradict everything we understand about our relationship with Hashem (ה׳). The shiur then addresses a second difficulty: Why did Moshe say "kachatzos" (approximately midnight) instead of "bachatzos" (at midnight)? Rashi explains that Moshe was concerned the Egyptian astrologers might miscalculate by a few seconds and declare "Moshe badoi"—Moshe is a liar. But this seems absurd—when every firstborn in Egypt is dead, would anyone care about a thirty-second discrepancy? What possible comfort would this give the Egyptians?
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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.
Parshas Bo (Shemos 11:4-5, 12:29); Parshas Ki Sisa; Rashi
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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.
