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Why did Aharon's staff swallow Pharaoh's magicians' staffs as a stick rather than as a snake? The Midrash's mashal of the lion, fox, and donkey reveals that Pharaoh misunderstood his role: he thought enslavement itself was the goal of the Bris Bein HaBesarim, when the real purpose was to reveal Hashem (ה׳) as Creator. The nes besoch nes taught that miracles aren't about power—they're about showing the world has a Borei.
The shiur analyzes a Midrash from Yalkut Shimoni on Parshas Vaeira that addresses the miracle of Aharon's staff. The Midrash presents a mashal involving a lion (representing Hashem (ה׳)), a fox (Moshe Rabbeinu), and a donkey (Pharaoh) traveling on a boat. When the donkey port master attempts to collect taxes, the fox offers to take the money and return it to the king's treasury. The lion becomes furious, kills the donkey, and orders the fox to butcher it. When the fox eats the heart and the lion asks where it is, the fox responds that if the donkey had a heart (understanding), he would never have tried to collect taxes from the king. Rabbi Zweig raises several fundamental questions about this Midrash. First, how does this mashal explain "kavod lifnei Pharaoh"? Second, how does it connect to the concept of nes besoch nes (a miracle within a miracle) mentioned earlier in the Midrash? Third, the Gemara (גמרא) in Sukkos (סוכות) states that even kings must pay taxes when passing through jurisdictions—so why would the lion be angry at the donkey for doing what kings are supposed to do? Fourth, the entire framing seems strange—the fox's offer to redirect the money back to the king's treasury sounds more like rebellion than service.
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Parshas Vaeira (Aharon's staff); Yalkut Shimoni; Gemara Sukkos
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Why does Rashi describe the Mishkan as "collateral" for Jewish sins? Rabbi Zweig develops the concept that God limited His own collection rights—accepting only the Mishkan's destruction rather than the nation's annihilation. This reflects the relationship of a father who reduces his own claims to ensure his children's survival.
Why does the Torah give a detailed accounting of silver and copper but not gold in Parshas Pekudei? The three metals represent three types of givers: those who give selflessly (gold), those seeking a two-way benefit (silver), and those buying honor (copper). The Midrash's three groups suspecting or praising Moshe reveal more about themselves than about Moshe—we judge others by our own standards.
