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Why is belief in prophecy a cardinal principle when it seems redundant with believing in Moshe's prophecy? The shiur distinguishes between prophecy as divine messaging to others versus personal communion with God. The sixth principle establishes human potential for direct relationship with the Divine - not just speaking to God through prayer, but receiving responses and experiencing divine presence.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes the sixth principle of Maimonides' thirteen principles of faith: belief in the truth of prophets. He begins by questioning why this constitutes a cardinal principle, since it seems redundant with the seventh principle about Moshe' prophecy validating the Torah (תורה). The core difficulty is understanding what makes belief in general prophecy essential to Jewish faith, especially since prophecy existed among non-Jews like Bilaam. The shiur examines Maimonides' description of prophetic requirements in the Mishneh Torah - wisdom, emotional control, and contentment - contrasting this with the Talmudic requirement that prophets be wise, strong, and wealthy in literal terms. Rabbi Zweig resolves this apparent contradiction by distinguishing between two levels of prophecy: prophets as divine messengers to others, and prophets experiencing direct communion with God.
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What made Moshe' prophecy fundamentally different from all other prophets? The Rambam's seventh principle hinges on Moshe receiving God's exact words ('zeh hadavar') rather than accurate messages expressed in human language ('ko amar Hashem'). Moshe achieved this through perfect anav - complete objectivity that allowed divine communication without subjective interpretation.
Why does Megillas Esther interrupt Torah study for a message the world deemed ridiculous—that every man should rule his home? The shiur develops the yesod that the moon's willingness to "make itself small" doesn't diminish it but creates unified sovereignty. A woman who enables her husband to lead isn't relegated to second class—she is the king-maker, comfortable creating oneness where a man cannot.
Does going to doctors contradict relying on Hashem as our healer? The Ramban holds medicine is a concession for those not on high spiritual levels, while the Rambam views medicine as a science—a domain Hashem established. The shiur resolves this by explaining that illness uniquely separates a person from Hashem, making self-cure through teshuvah impossible and necessitating medical intervention.
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Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
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Why does the Rambam forbid standing for the Aseres HaDibros, and what does this reveal about Torah's nature? The eighth principle establishes that every word - from "Shema Yisrael" to Ham's genealogy - carries equal divine authority. This creates objective truth standards that prevent society from degenerating into moral relativism where individuals become their own arbiters of right and wrong.
