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What does it mean that Hashem (ה׳) "took" the Jewish people as a nation? The shiur develops a fundamental understanding from the Targum: "V'lakachti eschem li l'am" means Hashem drew us close so that we would choose Him, not that He commanded us. A king exists only when the people choose him, and true leadership requires kiruv that inspires willing devotion.
The shiur analyzes the phrase "V'lakachti eschem li l'am" (I will take you to Me for a nation) from Parshas Vaeira, focusing on the Targum's translation of "lakachti" as "mekarev yaschan" (I will draw you close). Rabbi Zweig develops a fundamental yesod about the nature of leadership and nationhood based on this Targum. Rabbi Zweig explains that the word "lakach" (to take) generally has three possible translations in Targum. When referring to an inanimate object, lakach means physical taking (nesinah). When referring to a person being instructed to move or act, lakach means speech (dibur) - as in "Vayikach Avrohom es-Sarah ishto," where Avrohom told Sarah they were moving and she followed. However, in our pasuk, the Targum uses a third translation: "mekarev" (to draw close). This demands explanation.
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Shemos 6:7 (Parshas Vaeira)
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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.
