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Why did Moshe initially ask only to take the elders, then later demand to bring the children? Rabbi Zweig develops the yesod that a Jew's true identity and spiritual worth is defined not by ancestry but by the next generation. The shiur explores how this principle explains both Pharaoh's confusion, the na'arei Bnei Yisrael at Matan Torah (תורה), and the entire structure of the Seder night.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a striking question from Parshas Bo: Pharaoh accuses Moshe of changing his request—originally asking only for the elders to serve Hashem (ה׳), and now demanding everyone, including children. Rashi (רש"י) explains that Pharaoh understood this as an escalation: "Until now you only wanted the adults; now you want everyone." Yet Pharaoh doesn't accuse Moshe of negotiating tactics; rather, he seems to genuinely understand that Moshe's demands have evolved. What changed? A second difficulty emerges from the beginning of the parsha: the Torah (תורה) says, "So that you may tell your children and grandchildren... and you shall know that I am Hashem." The order appears reversed—logically, first you should know Hashem, then teach your children. Why does the Torah structure it this way?
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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 Bo, Shemos 10:1-2, 10:10-11; Shemos 24:5 (naʿarei Bnei Yisrael); Shemos 13:8 (v'higadita l'vincha)
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