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Why must resembling God in form require resembling Him in deeds, and why only for Jews? The shiur distinguishes between tzelem Elokim (divine imitation from physical matter) and d'mut Elokim (containing actual divine essence). Jews possess divine sparks that enable true character transformation, not just behavioral compliance.
Rabbi Zweig begins by examining Rabbi Moshe Cordovero's premise in Tomer Devorah that since man is created in God's image and likeness, he must imitate the divine attributes. This raises three fundamental questions: Why must resembling God in form require resembling Him in deeds? Why is this obligation limited to Jews rather than universal? And how does this relate to the Talmudic dispute between Rabbi Akiva and Ben Azzai about the most important Torah (תורה) principle? The shiur introduces a crucial distinction between imitation and model. An imitation may look identical to the original but has a completely different essence - like synthetic diamonds or meat substitutes. A model, however, is the exact same thing as the original but on a smaller scale, maintaining the same essential nature. This distinction is key to understanding the difference between tzelem Elokim (divine image) and d'mut Elokim (divine likeness).
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Up Next in this Series
Why does God give us the very power we use to sin against Him? The Tomer Devorah's insight reveals that God could prevent sin by making it physically impossible, but this higher kindness allows us to maintain our sense of personal power and choose limitation through understanding rather than coercion. This explains why even prophets can sin immediately after divine encounters.
What does Sinas Chinam—"baseless hatred"—really mean? The shiur argues it means hating the *person* when only the *act* deserves rejection. True mussar requires distinguishing between evil deeds (which we must reject) and the inherently good soul within every Jew. Purim's mandate to increase joy is the antidote: embracing people for their good deeds while firmly rejecting bad behavior without personal rejection.
Why does Chazal compare delaying mitzvos to delaying matzah—implying that lack of zrizus creates chametz? The shiur develops a striking yesod: doing mitzvos without enthusiasm builds resentment, creating worse spiritual damage than not doing them at all. The solution is twofold—learning Torah to understand the mitzvos, and developing kavod haTorah so even what we don't yet understand feels meaningful and elevating.
How can God sustain someone who has sinned against Him? The shiur explains that 'Nosei Avon' represents divine tolerance where God actively supports even those who violate His will. This teaches us to show patience when personally wronged, while still protecting others from harm.
