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Why doesn't Hashem (ה׳) accept mitzvos as 'bribes' to overlook sins? The shiur reveals that divine justice has two dimensions: God completely overlooks what we do to Him personally, but addresses what we do to ourselves because love requires helping fix character flaws. This model transforms parenting and marriage - never criticize for personal slights, only for issues affecting character or treatment of others.
Rabbi Zweig begins by examining a seemingly contradictory Mishna from Pirkei Avos stating that Hashem (ה׳) doesn't take bribes because everything belongs to Him. He raises three fundamental questions: Why don't mitzvos serve as bribes to overlook sins? How does this reconcile with the Gemara (גמרא) in Sotah 21a that sins can extinguish mitzvos? And what does it truly mean that God doesn't take bribes? The answer emerges through analyzing a verse from Parshas Balak: 'Lo hibit oven b'Yaakov' - God doesn't see sins in the Jewish people. This appears to contradict Jewish historical suffering, but Rabbi Zweig explains that there are two dimensions to every wrongdoing: what we do to God, and what we do to ourselves. When we sin, we both insult the Almighty and damage our own spiritual perfection, as the 613 mitzvos correspond to our 248 limbs and 365 sinews.
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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.
Pirkei Avos 4:22, Sotah 21a, Bamidbar 23:21
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Why was Avrohom more effective than Noah despite both facing corrupt generations? Noah used fear-based warnings that produced compliance but no genuine change, while Avrohom gave each person individualized vision and purpose. This teaches parents to focus on giving children meaning and personal mission rather than relying on behavioral pressure.
