No community start suggestion yet.
Why did righteous women merit our redemption from Egypt? The shiur argues that Yosef HaTzaddik embodied yiras Elokim so completely he became a "twin" reflection of Hashem (ה׳)—and when Jews abandoned that after his death, Pharaoh felt emboldened to oppress them. Jewish women—through Shifrah, Puah, Miriam, and Yocheved—restored yiras Elokim to Jewish homes, making the nation worthy of geulah.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a Gemara (גמרא) teaching that Amram, the Gadol HaDor, divorced his wife when Pharaoh decreed the killing of Jewish boys, reasoning that having children under such circumstances was futile. His five-year-old daughter Miriam challenged him: Pharaoh only decrees against boys, but Amram's decree affects girls too; unborn children forfeit the World to Come, but murdered children retain it; and Pharaoh's decree might end, but a tzaddik's decree endures. Amram kissed her head and remarried. The question is: what did Miriam see that the Gadol HaDor missed? Rabbi Zweig then turns to the opening pesukim of Shemos, which state "Yosef hayah b'Mitzrayim"—Yosef was in Egypt. Rashi (רש"י) explains this means Yosef remained righteous despite all his trials. But why repeat this? We already knew from Vayigash that Yosef was a tzaddik. The answer, Rabbi Zweig suggests, is that this pasuk is not merely describing Yosef's character—it is explaining what made the Jewish people worthy of redemption. Yosef's righteousness was the paradigm and the merit that sustained Israel in Egypt.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does seeing a sotah inspire one to become a nazir? The nazir's abstention creates a pre-sin state where body and soul exist in perfect harmony. This 30-day period corrects the internal contradiction that led to his original transgression.
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.
Shemos 1:1-2:10
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
What is the primary purpose of the cities of refuge - protecting the accidental killer or something else? The shiur argues that creating respect for law takes precedence over providing sanctuary. True deterrence comes from recognizing the gravity of murder itself, not fear of punishment.
