No community start suggestion yet.
Why did Moshe appoint Yehoshua, his talmid in Torah (תורה), to lead the battle against Amalek? The shiur develops the idea that Milchemes Amalek is uniquely the king's war, not the nation's war, which explains why Moshe (as political leader) took command and elevated Yehoshua to equal partnership. The distinction between the king's role in Milchemes Amalek versus other wars helps resolve why Moshe later sought his children as leaders even after training Yehoshua in warfare.
The shiur analyzes the Gemara (גמרא)'s question on Parshas Beshalach regarding Moshe's appointment of Yehoshua to fight Amalek. The Gemara on daf mem ches (48) asks why Moshe chose Yehoshua specifically for this military role, when Yehoshua was known as Moshe's primary student in Torah (תורה) learning, not as a military leader. The Gemara offers two answers: First, Moshe was training Yehoshua for future military leadership when bringing the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael. Second, since Yehoshua descended from Yosef through the tribe of Ephraim, and Yosef was responsible for bringing the Jewish people down to Egypt, it was fitting that his descendant should protect them as they departed from Egypt.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does Rashi give conflicting descriptions of Israel's leaders in Egypt? The shiur explores how two different leadership styles emerged: those who pushed people to work harder while taking beatings, versus those who simply absorbed punishment to spare their people. The Torah prioritizes the first type - leaders who accomplish things even when unpopular.
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.
Beshalach 17:9
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
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.