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Why does Hashem (ה׳) command Yitzchok both to "dwell" (shchon) and to "sojourn" (gur) in the land? The shiur distinguishes between a general command to find a resting place and a specific directive to stay in Gerar. Unlike Avrohom who had to constantly travel for kiruv, Yitzchok's midah of gevurah required him to find tranquility—and Be'er Sheva became that place when he finally experienced bracha and peace.
The shiur opens with a textual question from Parshas Toldos regarding the double language Hashem (ה׳) uses when commanding Yitzchok about where to live. The Torah (תורה) states "shchon ba'aretz asher omar lecha" (dwell in the land that I will tell you) and then "gur ba'aretz hazot" (sojourn in this land). What is the meaning of this repetition, and what is the difference between shchon and gur? Rabbi Zweig cites an approach from Zacharia, author of the Remi commentary on the Talmud (תלמוד) Yerushalmi, who distinguishes between these two commands. "Shchon ba'aretz asher omar lecha" is understood as a general directive to define a resting place—to find somewhere to settle permanently. "Gur ba'aretz hazot," on the other hand, refers specifically to Gerar, the immediate location where Yitzchok found himself. The command thus contains both a general principle (find a place to dwell) and a specific instruction (stay in this region of Gerar for now).
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Bereishis 26:2-3 (Parshas Toldos)
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
