No community start suggestion yet.
Why does Rashi (רש"י) read Avos non-chronologically, distinguishing between those 'born' (who die) and 'the living' (who are judged)? The shiur develops that judgment isn't punishment but opportunity - earning our existence through relationship with God rather than receiving it as gift. This transforms how we approach all relationships: they're living organisms requiring immediate appreciation and delayed negative reactions.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes a fundamental disagreement between Rambam (רמב"ם) and Rashi (רש"י) regarding the Mishna in Avos that states three principles: those born will die, the dead will be resurrected, and the living will be judged. While Rambam reads this chronologically as a sequence leading to ultimate judgment, Rashi presents a puzzling non-chronological order that returns to 'the living' for judgment. Rabbi Zweig addresses three questions about Rashi's interpretation: why the illogical order, why the terminology switches from 'born' to 'alive' when discussing the same people, and what significance this teaching holds. The key insight emerges from understanding why judgment is specifically connected to being 'alive' rather than 'born.' Since both God and humans are described as 'alive' in scripture, judgment represents our capacity to earn our existence rather than merely receiving it as a gift. This transforms judgment from punishment into an opportunity to justify our existence through relationship with God.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Pirkei Avos
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why did Yaakov and Moshe wait until near death to criticize their children and the Jewish people for personal wrongs? The shiur distinguishes between tochecha (helping someone improve) which should be immediate, and personal criticism which creates defensiveness and should only come when no personal motive is possible. This explains why God judges as both impartial judge and victim - on Rosh Hashanah He overlooks personal slights, but ultimate judgment includes our real relationship with Him.
Why is silence called a "fence for wisdom" in Avos 3:13, and why is a healthy body found only in silence? The shiur develops the principle that speech can emanate from either the intellect or the body's physical drives. When speech expresses physical impulses rather than refined thought, the body gains independent momentum and man deteriorates from "adam" (person) into "basar" (flesh)—the transformation that occurred at the flood.
Why does the Mishna say there are three crowns when it lists four, and why is Kesser Shem Tov superior to the crowns of Torah, Kehunah, and Malchus? The shiur explains that Shem Tov means becoming the living definition of what's humanly possible—like Hillel, Rabbi Elazar ben Charsum, and Yosef HaTzaddik—so others see in you the true standard of halacha and mesirus nefesh. Chanukah celebrates this middah, as the Chashmonaim became the model of devotion, and the Menorah represents the Kesser Shem Tov that rises above all others.
Pirkei Avos 4:22
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
When should parents override children's resistance to what's beneficial for them? Drawing from Avos 4:22 about souls resisting birth despite its ultimate good, the shiur establishes that genuine chesed means doing what's truly beneficial rather than what's immediately wanted. Parents must act from love and conviction about their child's welfare, never as a power play.
