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What does "vayafek libo" mean when Yaakov hears Yosef is alive? The shiur explains that the brothers were not liars but "badai"—people who convinced themselves of their own false reality. This self-deception is why Yaakov couldn't believe them, and it's a warning against convincing ourselves we're serious in learning when we're really just playing around.
The shiur begins by examining the phrase "vayafek libo" from Parshas Vayigash, when Yaakov's brothers tell him that Yosef is alive. Rashi (רש"י) explains that Yaakov's heart "spoiled the taste"—he found their words unbelievable because "ki lo he'emin lahem"—he didn't believe them. Chazal say this teaches that even when a liar tells the truth, people don't believe him ("kach onsho shel badai"). Rabbi Zweig raises three difficulties with this Chazal. First, it seems overly simplistic—everyone knows the story of the boy who cried wolf. Second, why is this even called a "punishment" when it's obvious you won't believe someone who contradicts himself? Third, the case here is even more extreme: the brothers are essentially admitting they lied either the first time (when they implied Yosef was dead) or the second time (when they say he's alive), so of course Yaakov won't believe them.
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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 Vayigash (Bereishis 45:26)
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