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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.
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.
How can God wash away sins without teshuvah, and what does this washing actually accomplish? The shiur explains that sin affects body and soul differently - teshuvah repairs the soul's distance from God, but only divine mercy can cleanse the body's spiritual contamination. This distinction explains why even ba'alei teshuvah may carry physical traces of past sins despite their spiritual greatness.
Why is flattery worse than idolatry? The shiur explains that flattery transforms evil (ra) into good (tov) by making someone internalize that which is false as something positive. This mobilizes a person's yetzer tov—their instinct for good—to pursue evil, using their deepest forces for self-preservation to destroy themselves. The ultimate antithesis of creation's purpose.
Why is a flatterer denied entry before God? The shiur builds on Rashi's insight that the hasidah (stork) is non-kosher because it does "favors for its friends"—which is precisely the problem: with friends you don't do favors, you give yourself. Flattery means giving things, words, and actions while withholding emotional connection in order to maintain control, and this is fundamentally destructive to relationships—with people and with God.
Why do we deny our strengths and focus obsessively on our flaws? The shiur develops a yesod that tznius means total ownership of who you are—being secure enough in your ma'alos that you don't need others' approval. Adar's avodah is to make a list of your accomplishments and strengths, because owning your ma'alos is what enables real growth in Torah and tefillah.
Why is the holiday named after Haman's lottery, the most insignificant detail? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: self-centeredness destroys happiness because whatever we feel entitled to can never satisfy us. Haman's declaration that "all this means nothing to me" when he sees Mordechai reveals the ultimate consequence of egocentrism—total emptiness despite having everything.
