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Why didn't Hashem (ה׳) simply create a new land for the Jews instead of giving them Eretz Yisrael where the nations would claim we stole their territory? The shiur develops the insight that Hashem deliberately chose a situation requiring His ongoing protection to maintain a malchus relationship rather than just being our Father.
This shiur explores a fascinating Midrash that questions why Hashem (ה׳) gave the Jewish people Eretz Yisrael, which belonged to other nations, rather than creating a new land entirely. The Midrash states that Hashem could have created a new land but chose instead to give us the land of the nations to demonstrate "koach ma'asav higid l'amo" - His strength to His people. Rabbi Zweig grapples with the underlying question: why would Hashem deliberately create a situation where the nations would forever claim that the Jews stole their land? This seems to contradict Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation at the beginning of the Torah (תורה) that the entire story of creation serves to justify our claim to Eretz Yisrael against such accusations.
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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 Matos - koach ma'asav higid l'amo
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