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Why did the Mekallel's mockery of week-old lechem hapanim lead to cursing God? The attack was theological: questioning why God wants stale bread implies the entire mitzvah (מצוה) system is meaningless manipulation. The shiur resolves this through the Hashem (ה׳)/Elokim distinction - God as King needs our service to create a meaningful relationship where we earn reward rather than receive undeserved gifts.
This shiur examines a profound question about the story of the Mekallel (blasphemer) in Parshas Emor. Rabbi Zweig analyzes Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation that the Mekallel mocked the mitzvah (מצוה) of lechem hapanim, questioning why a king would want week-old bread when kings eat fresh bread daily. The central question is: why did mockery of a mitzvah lead to cursing God? Rabbi Zweig explains that the Mekallel's mockery was actually a devastating theological attack. By pointing out that God doesn't need stale bread, the Mekallel was arguing that the entire system of mitzvos is meaningless - that God is merely manipulating the Jewish people for His entertainment, like a master who commands his servant to bring coffee only to spill it out, which is forbidden by Torah (תורה) law as demeaning.
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Why did the Mekallel curse God when Moshe's Beis Din ruled against his camping request? The shiur shows that Moshe offered practical accommodation if he acknowledged his lesser halachic status, but the Mekallel demanded validation of complete equality. His desperate need for external validation revealed his inner knowledge of his compromised status - a timeless lesson about those who demand others affirm their normalcy rather than accept practical solutions.
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 Emor 24:10
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Why did Hashem require the nations to present genealogical records before receiving the Torah? The shiur explains that knowing one's lineage means knowing inherited potential and character traits. Torah demands character transformation, not just behavioral compliance, which requires deep self-knowledge that comes from understanding one's parental heritage.
