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How can the Thirteen Attributes guarantee forgiveness when true teshuvah requires fundamental change? The shiur develops a yesod based on the Mishna's concept of 'ahavah she'einah taluyah badavar' - love that transcends its original reasons. After centuries of shared history, Hashem (ה׳) and Israel have reached such deep unity that our destinies are inseparable, making Divine commitment to our success absolute.
Rabbi Zweig begins by highlighting a fundamental problem with the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: they appear to function like magic words that bring instant forgiveness, contradicting the Jewish understanding that true forgiveness requires fundamental change and teshuvah. Additionally, the Gemara (גמרא) establishes an eternal covenant with these attributes, and Hashem (ה׳) taught them to Moshe by dressing as a shaliach tzibbur, which seems unnecessary for the greatest prophet. Most puzzling is that Rashi (רש"י) explains 'nakeh lo yenakeh' as meaning Hashem doesn't actually forgive but punishes in installments, apparently contradicting the merciful nature of these attributes. To resolve these difficulties, Rabbi Zweig analyzes a Mishna about two types of love: love dependent on external factors (which disappears when those factors cease) versus love that transcends its original reasons. He argues that while all relationships begin for specific reasons, true love develops when shared experiences create such deep unity that the relationship transcends its original basis. This is 'ahavah she'einah taluyah badavar' - love that no longer depends on reasons because the parties have become one.
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