No community start suggestion yet.
Why did Yitzchok marry Rivka specifically because she grew up among manipulators like Lavan and Betuel? The shiur reveals that Rivka mastered the rare ability to perceive others' true needs and reality—not for manipulation, but for chesed (חסד). Yaakov inherited this trait, using it to spare Yitzchok pain while ensuring the blessings went where they truly belonged—defining emes as facilitating what others genuinely want, not exploiting them.
Rabbi Zweig addresses fundamental questions about Parshas Toldos that challenge superficial readings of the narrative. The shiur opens with a provocative question: why do we give our daughters the blessing that Lavan gave Rivka—a blessing from one of the Torah (תורה)'s most manipulative, selfish figures? The answer unlocks a profound understanding of Rivka's character and Yaakov's concept of truth. The conventional reading suggests Rivka was remarkable because she remained untainted despite growing up in Lavan's household—a spiritual island in a sea of corruption. Rashi (רש"י)'s comment on Bereishis 25:20 seems to support this: the Torah repeats Rivka's genealogy ("daughter of Betuel, sister of Lavan, from Paddan Aram") to praise her for not learning from their evil deeds. But Rabbi Zweig demonstrates this reading is insufficient. We already knew from last week's parsha that Rivka passed Eliezer's extraordinary test of chesed (חסד) and came from a corrupt family. Why repeat information we can obviously infer?
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 the Torah emphasize Rivka's Aramean ancestry when describing her marriage to Yitzchok? The shiur reveals that Arameans were master manipulators with extraordinary sensitivity to others' psychology. Rivka inherited this keen insight but channeled it into genuine chesed, which requires understanding what recipients actually need rather than what givers want to provide.
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 25:20-28:9 (Parshas Toldos)
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 does the Torah separate Avrohom's eulogy for Sarah from his crying for her? The shiur shows that Sarah required a public eulogy focused on the communal loss of a leader, not Avrohom's private grief. This teaches that we must view Jewish tragedies through a national lens first, seeing attacks on Am Yisrael as collective losses that dwarf personal concerns.
