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Why does the Torah (תורה) emphasize that Yisro "heard" rather than simply that he "came"? The shiur develops the idea that true hearing (shemiya) means allowing oneself to be emotionally affected, not merely acquiring information. Yisro heard about the splitting of the sea—an act of kindness—and let that message penetrate, while other nations blocked out what they heard.
Rabbi Zweig opens with Rashi (רש"י)'s comment on the opening verse of Parshas Yisro: "Vayishma Yisro"—what did Yisro hear that caused him to come? Rashi answers: Kriyas Yam Suf and the war with Amalek. The obvious difficulty is why Rashi omits the ten plagues, which took place over a year and were equally miraculous. Furthermore, why does the Torah (תורה) emphasize that Yisro "heard" rather than simply stating that he came? The shiur develops a fundamental understanding of what "hearing" means in Torah. Unlike seeing or reading, which convey information to the intellect, hearing creates an emotional impact. When a person truly hears something, they allow the speaker's words to penetrate and affect them internally. This explains why the Torah often uses double language—"shamoa tishma" (hear, you shall hear)—because sound reverberates; it goes around in your mind and affects you again and again. The Targum's distinction between "shema" (heard) and "kabel" (accepted) reflects this: pure hearing means allowing yourself to be influenced, not just receiving information.
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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.
Parshas Yisro, Shemos 18:1
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