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Why does Targum translate Rivka's inquiry as a "tvia" (demand) rather than a request? The Noahide laws require complex halachic knowledge—ownership, kinyanim, adultery definitions—that no non-Jew could derive alone. Hashem (ה׳) must appoint an authority in every generation to answer such questions, making Rivka's search not a plea but a rightful demand: "You owe me an answer."
Rabbi Zweig opens with a striking Targum on the verse describing Rivka's pregnancy: "The children were fighting in her stomach...and she went to seek out Hashem (ה׳)." While the Torah (תורה) uses the word "lidrosh," the Targum translates it as "lemitzvah" (to make a tvia). The term "toveia" throughout Chazal denotes a legal demand—like demanding repayment of a debt—not a humble request. This raises a fundamental question: why would Rivka make a *demand* on God rather than simply asking for guidance? The shiur develops an answer rooted in the structure of the Noahide laws. All of humanity is bound by the seven Noahide commandments, which include prohibitions against adultery and theft. Yet these commandments presuppose a vast body of technical halachic knowledge. For example, the prohibition against stealing requires defining ownership: What constitutes acquisition under Noahide law? Does seeing an item first (re'iyah) confer ownership, or does one need hagbahah (lifting) or meshichah (pulling)? For a Jew, the Gemara (גמרא) in Bava Metzia addresses these questions through pesukim and derivations. But for a non-Jew, where is this information encoded? There is no Noahide Talmud (תלמוד), no revealed oral tradition spelling out every detail.
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Bereishis 25:22 (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.
