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How does Avrohom's going to Egypt ensure the future redemption? The shiur develops the principle of sei ukvosh haderech lifnei bonecha—when an Av acts based on HaKadosh Baruch Hu's prophecy, those actions bind Hashem (ה׳) to fulfill His promise even if the children later sin. Avrohom took money from Pharaoh specifically to guarantee rechush gadol at Yetzias Mitzrayim, converting a revocable private nevuah into an irrevocable covenant through concrete action.
The shiur opens with the fundamental question: What is the purpose of ma'aseh avos siman l'banim? Why must the patriarchs foreshadow future events for their descendants? If Hashem (ה׳) wants something to happen in the future, it will happen regardless. The Ramban (רמב"ן) uses different terminology in different places—sometimes "sei ukvosh haderech lifnei bonecha" (go conquer the path before your children) and other times "ma she'ira la'avos ira l'bonim" (what happened to the fathers happens to the children). Are these the same concept or different principles? The shiur presents several difficulties in the parsha's simple reading. First, Avrohom tells Sarah "imri na achosi at lema'an yitav li ba'avurech v'chaysa nafshi biglolech"—say you are my sister so that it will be good for me through you and my soul will live because of you. The order seems backwards: shouldn't saving his life come before receiving presents? Second, Avrohom willingly takes money from Pharaoh here but fifty pesukim later refuses any compensation from Melech Sedom, saying "im michut v'ad sroch na'al"—not even a shoelace. This appears inconsistent. Third, the chronological order of the parsha is inverted: Bris Bein Habesarim occurred when Avrohom was 70, the war of the four kings when he was 73, yet the Torah (תורה) presents them as occurring after Avrohom's arrival in Eretz Yisrael at 75.
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Bereishis 12:13, 15:13-14
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What is the primary purpose of the cities of refuge - protecting the accidental killer or something else? The shiur argues that creating respect for law takes precedence over providing sanctuary. True deterrence comes from recognizing the gravity of murder itself, not fear of punishment.
