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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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Parshas Shemos - identity in Egypt, bris milah before Exodus
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