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Why does Rashi (רש"י) sometimes explain the grammatical rule that replaces a lamed prefix with a hei suffix (e.g., "artzah" instead of "le'eretz"), yet ignore it in other similar cases? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: the hei form signals actual residency or a requirement to genuinely arrive, not mere travel. When the Torah (תורה) describes someone permanently relocating—Yaakov to Charan, Avrohom to Canaan—the hei defines where they are the moment they leave, establishing immediate residency even before arrival.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a puzzling inconsistency in Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary across several parshiyos. When the Torah (תורה) says "artzah Seir" (Vayishlach 32:4), Rashi explains that the hei at the end substitutes for a lamed prefix—"artzah" means "le'eretz" (to the land). Yet the same grammatical construction appears multiple times earlier: "Charanah" (Vayeitzei 28:10), "Padenah Aram" (Toldos 28:2), "Beis B'suel" (Toldos 28:2), and "artzah Canaan" (Lech Lecha 12:5). In most of these cases, Rashi offers no explanation; only twice does he cite the grammatical rule. What principle determines when Rashi explains and when he remains silent? The shiur frames this question through a halachic lens: residency. If someone is moving to Eretz Yisrael and their belongings are already shipped, but the ship breaks down at sea over Pesach (פסח), how many days of yom tov must they observe—one or two? The answer hinges on defining when a person acquires new residency. There are three possibilities: (1) residency changes only upon arrival in the new place; (2) residency changes the moment one departs the old place; (3) during transit, one has no residency at all. This question has real-world implications in tax law, estate law, and halacha (הלכה).
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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.
Bereishis 32:4 (Vayishlach)
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