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Why do we rip our clothes when witnessing a Jew die? Rashi (רש"י) compares it to watching a sefer Torah (תורה) burn because every Jew embodies Torah—not as something learned externally, but as their essential identity. The pasuk "ki karov eilecha hadavar b'ficha u'vilvavcha la'asos" means Torah is embedded in our genetic code; doing mitzvos flows naturally from who we truly are.
The shiur opens with a question on Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on the pasuk "ki karov eilecha hadavar b'ficha u'vilvavcha la'asos" (the matter is very close to you, in your mouth and heart to do). Rashi states that Torah (תורה) is close to your heart and mouth, but the connection to "la'asos" (to do) requires explanation. Rabbi Zweig rejects the Meir Simcha's suggestion that "la'asos" refers to learning and instead offers a fundamental reinterpretation. The key to understanding this pasuk lies in a Gemara (גמרא) that discusses the halacha (הלכה) of keriah (ripping one's clothing). The Gemara teaches that if you are present when an adam kasher (an ordinary righteous Jew) dies, you must perform keriah, just as you would if you witnessed a sefer Torah being burned. Rashi explains this halacha because every Jew contains Torah and mitzvos within them.
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Parshas Nitzavim 30:14
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
