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Why does the Torah (תורה) prohibit Ammonites and Moabites from joining Israel while Mashiach descends from these very nations? The shiur reveals that Sodom's core trait—independence—is actually a virtue when properly motivated. Mashiach must combine Sodom's healthy independence with genuine chesed (חסד), creating self-sufficient people who still care for others.
Rabbi Zweig explores a fundamental paradox: the Torah (תורה) forbids Ammonites and Moabites from marrying into Israel due to their lack of chesed (חסד) ("al dvar asher lo kidmu eschem balechem uvamayim"), yet Mashiach descends from Ruth the Moabite, whose ancestors trace back to Sodom through Lot. The Gemara (גמרא) even states that "Dovid HaMelech was found in Sodom," highlighting this apparent contradiction. The resolution lies in understanding Sodom's complex nature. When Hashem (ה׳) investigated Sodom, He found a girl who performed chesed and was killed for it—honey was poured on her and bees stung her to death. This wasn't random cruelty but reflected Sodom's philosophical justification: helping people creates dependency, making them weak and parasitic. They believed "sonei matanos yichyeh"—one who hates gifts will live—and saw withholding aid as the ultimate kindness.
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Parshas Ki Seitzei - laws of Ammon and Moab
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