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Why did God ask Moshe for ten tzadikim to spare Israel after the Golden Calf, echoing the same request at Sodom? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: "tzaddik" here means not merely righteous, but one who has the ability to influence others and resist being influenced by the wicked. Moshe counts Yehoshua, Calev, Pinchas, Aharon, Elazar, Isamar, and invokes the merit of the living Avos—whose traits are genetically imprinted in their descendants—to reach the critical mass of ten.
Rabbi Zweig opens by examining a striking Midrash on Parshas Ki Sisa. After the sin of the Golden Calf, Hashem (ה׳) tells Moshe, "I want from you ten [tzadikim] just like I wanted by Sodom." If there are ten tzadikim, the nation will be spared. The shiur immediately asks: at Sodom, Avrohom bargained down to ten tzadikim in a city filled with resha'im; here, after the egel, only a minuscule number actually worshiped the calf—so why is it so difficult to find ten tzadikim in Israel? The shiur systematically addresses several difficulties. Nadav and Avihu are not counted because, according to Rashi (רש"י), they had already sinned at Har Sinai—they went beyond the boundary and ate and drank improperly, so their eventual death by the eigel merely delayed their punishment. They were already not tzadikim in the requisite sense. Women were counted among Noach's household (Noach, his three sons, and four wives totaled eight), so why isn't Miriam counted here? And what about Nachshon ben Aminadav, the paradigmatic leader who jumped into the Yam Suf and influenced the entire nation?
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Parshas Ki Sisa (Shemos 32, after the Golden Calf); Midrash on the ten tzadikim
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Why did the brothers hate Yosef when he received the kutonet pasim, yet strangers saw him as special? The kutonet represented Yaakov's recognition of Yosef's leadership ability—his power to uplift and unify. The brothers' jealousy blinded them; the Torah omits his name when they see him (just "oto"), but strangers always saw "Yosef." True chein comes from seeing others clearly, without the bias of our own needs.
Why did the materials for the Mishkan equal exactly what was needed with no waste, despite the principle that blessing doesn't rest on counted items? The shiur explains that Moshe's complete faithfulness—working solely for Hashem's agenda—transformed counting from an act of personal ownership into one that strengthened divine connection, thereby increasing blessings. Korach's self-interest inverted this principle, costing him everything.
Why does Rashi describe the Mishkan as "collateral" for Jewish sins? Rabbi Zweig develops the concept that God limited His own collection rights—accepting only the Mishkan's destruction rather than the nation's annihilation. This reflects the relationship of a father who reduces his own claims to ensure his children's survival.
Why does the Torah give a detailed accounting of silver and copper but not gold in Parshas Pekudei? The three metals represent three types of givers: those who give selflessly (gold), those seeking a two-way benefit (silver), and those buying honor (copper). The Midrash's three groups suspecting or praising Moshe reveal more about themselves than about Moshe—we judge others by our own standards.
