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How could Gavi ben Pesisa claim the Jews deserved wages for their work in Egypt when slaves have no right to payment? The Jews were Pharaoh's subjects, not his slaves, and subjects must be compensated for their labor. This distinction reframes our relationship with Hashem (ה׳) as King and subjects rather than Master and slaves.
This shiur analyzes the famous Gemara (גמרא) in Sanhedrin 91a about Gavi ben Pesisa's brilliant legal defense before Alexander the Great when the Egyptians sued the Jewish people for the gold and silver taken during the Exodus. The Egyptians claimed the Jews had borrowed their valuables and demanded their return. Gavi ben Pesisa's defense was that the Jews were entitled to wages for 430 years of labor in Egypt, which far exceeded the value of what was taken. Rabbi Zweig addresses a fundamental question: how could slaves be entitled to wages? Halachically, a slave has no right to demand payment for his work. The answer lies in understanding Rashi (רש"י)'s interpretation of the pasuk "Anochi Hashem (ה׳) Elokeicha asher hotzeiticha me'eretz Mitzrayim mibeis avadim." According to Rashi, "mibeis avadim" doesn't mean "from the house of slaves" but rather "from Pharaoh's house where you were subjects (avadim)." This distinction is crucial - the Jews were Pharaoh's subjects, not his slaves.
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How long must Hashem tolerate the Jewish people's rebellious behavior? A Midrash compares this to the halachic question of carrying a child holding muktze on Shabbos. The analysis reveals that rejecting Eretz Yisrael represents a deeper spiritual corruption than individual acts of avoda zara.
Sanhedrin 91a
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What did Dovid mean when he reduced the 613 mitzvos to twelve principles? The Gemara reveals that mitzvos have two dimensions: fulfilling the obligation and achieving personal completion (hashlomah). Dovid identified twelve core principles that encapsulate the essential character development aspect of all mitzvos.
