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If the Jews maintained their identity throughout their time in Egypt—keeping Hebrew names, language, and dress—why did they need to circumcise themselves before leaving? The shiur distinguishes between the first hundred years of freedom and the later era of slavery. Once enslaved, the Jews lost control over their clothing, language, and even bris milah. Yet they retained the merit of their earlier commitment, which earned them redemption.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a fundamental question: if the Jews maintained their identity in Egypt—keeping Hebrew names, language, and dress—why were they shocked and resistant when Moshe told them they needed to perform bris milah before leaving Egypt? If they had been committed to Jewish practice all along, why would circumcision come as a surprise? The shiur proposes a novel answer based on yesterday's analysis of the pasuk "habaim mitzrayma" (those coming to Egypt). Chazal teach that the Jews didn't change their names, clothing, or language in Egypt. But how do Chazal know this? The answer lies in the Torah (תורה)'s language: when describing the seventy people who came to Egypt a hundred years earlier, the Torah uses present tense—"habaim" (coming now). The only way the Torah can describe them in present tense despite the passage of a hundred years is if the Jews looked exactly the same then as they did at the time of the Exodus. This means they kept the same language, names, and clothing.
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Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Shemos - identity in Egypt, bris milah before Exodus
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