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Why did the Jewish people respond to the miracle of the splitting of the sea by declaring "I will beautify the mitzvos"—rather than committing to do them or do them with joy? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: beautifying mitzvos creates ongoing respect, and respect is the necessary foundation for any lasting love—whether with God, a spouse, or children. Without respect, love becomes self-gratification.
Rabbi Zweig opens by noting an apparent superficiality in the Jewish people's response to the splitting of the Red Sea. After witnessing this tremendous miracle and being saved from certain death, they burst forth in song and declare "Zeh keli v'anveihu—This is my God and I will beautify [the mitzvos]." This seems like an inadequate response. Why not commit to doing the mitzvos themselves, or to doing them with joy (simcha)? Why is beautification the highest priority they express at this moment? The shiur first addresses a critical sidebar: what does it truly mean to beautify mitzvos, and when does "beautification" cross the line into showing off wealth? The Torah (תורה) itself provides a cautionary tale. At Mount Sinai, the men used their gold earrings to create the Golden Calf. The men were wearing earrings as a sign of being servants to Hashem (ה׳) (akin to the pierced ear of an eved ivri). But why gold earrings? Servants don't wear gold—they wear clay or simple materials. Hashem Himself acknowledges this, saying "I gave them too much silver and gold." The men rationalized their gold jewelry as religious expression, but in reality they were displaying their wealth. This teaches that we must carefully examine whether our "beautification" of mitzvos is truly for the mitzvah (מצוה) or merely a religious cover for showing off.
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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.
Beshalach 15:2 (Zeh keli v'anveihu)
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