No community start suggestion yet.
Why did Moab fear the Jewish people despite knowing they only conquered their ancestral land? The shiur distinguishes between 'am' (Erev Rav) and 'Bnei Yisrael' in the pesukim. Moab's fear was primarily of the large Erev Rav population needing land, not of the Jewish people themselves.
The shiur analyzes the opening pesukim of Parshas Balak, focusing on the seemingly redundant language describing Moab's reaction to the Jewish conquest of the Emorites. Rabbi Zweig questions why the Torah (תורה) states both that Balak saw what Israel did to the Emori and that Moab was afraid 'mipenei ha'am meod ki rav hu,' when logically the military victory should have been reason enough for fear. The analysis centers on a fundamental distinction between 'am' and 'Bnei Yisrael' used in consecutive pesukim. Drawing on Chazal's teaching that 'am' often refers to the Erev Rav, Rabbi Zweig proposes that the Torah is describing two separate concerns. The Jewish people were merely reclaiming their ancestral land from the Canaanite usurpers - land that rightfully belonged to the descendants of Shem, which included both the Jewish people and the nations of Ammon, Moab, and Edom.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
How does the covenant of Arvot Moav differ from earlier obligations? The shiur develops the yesod that this covenant created a new level of unity — not just working for the same Master, but collectively becoming a reflection of Hashem's presence. When Klal Yisrael embraces yichud Hashem as a shared vision rather than individual service, future generations become bound, teshuvah becomes natural, and mutual responsibility reaches the depth of "kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh."
Why was Miriam punished with tzaraas when her criticism of Moshe seemed justified? The shiur develops a yesod based on a Midrash that Miriam's error wasn't lashon hara in the conventional sense — she actually intended to help with a shalom bayis issue — but rather her failure to search out Moshe's unique madrega and recognize that his separation from his wife was a halachic requirement for his level of nevuah, not just a chumra. This reframes the entire mitzvah of "zachor es asher asah Hashem" as an obligation to actively seek out people's hidden ma'alos.
Parshas Balak 22:2-3
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
