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Why was Avrohom upset when no guests traveled on the hot day after his circumcision? The shiur develops that true chesed (חסד) comes from an internal desire to do good, not from responding to others' needs. This explains why Hashem (ה׳) chose us - not as a reward, but to carry forward Avrohom's mission.
The shiur opens with a fundamental question about Parshas Vayeira: when Hashem (ה׳) tells Avrohom "lech lecha" for his benefit, why does He need to specify it's for his benefit if He then lists all the wonderful rewards (fame, fortune, family)? Rabbi Zweig explains that fame, fortune, and family are not rewards - they are responsibilities and challenges that enable one to accomplish greater good. Like a child with exceptional abilities who faces more difficulties, these "gifts" come with tremendous pressure and responsibility. This insight resolves the apparent contradiction in the verse about Avrohom teaching his children tzedakah and mishpat "so that Hashem can bring upon Avrohom everything He promised." Avrohom isn't working for rewards; he's working so Hashem will give him the tools and resources necessary to carry out his mission. The Torah (תורה)'s focus on tzedakah and mishpat as Avrohom's legacy might seem like mere social justice, but these represent the universal message Jews must bring to all mankind.
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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.
Parshas Vayeira 18:1
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