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Why was Paro's meeting itself - not just the resulting oppression - considered harm to the Jews? The answer reveals that predetermined guilt corrupted the process from the start; proper justice examines whether a problem exists, not how to solve an assumed problem. Yisro's reward of descendants on the Sanhedrin reflects his understanding that true justice seeks objective truth rather than validating desired outcomes - a principle with sharp applications to how we approach our own halachic decision-making.
Rabbi Zweig begins by analyzing the Sifri's commentary on "the Egyptians harmed us" from the Bikkurim recitation, questioning why the meeting itself - not just the resulting oppression - constitutes harm. He explores a Gemara (גמרא) about Yisro being rewarded with descendants on the Sanhedrin for leaving Paro's advisory council, asking why this would be considered his primary reward when he gained much greater honors through his relationship with Moshe and Aharon. The core insight emerges: Paro's meeting was inherently corrupt because it began with the premise that there was a "Jewish problem" requiring a solution, rather than objectively examining whether Jews posed any threat at all. Given the Jews' loyalty and Yosef's legacy of service to Egypt, the proper question should have been whether any problem existed, not how to solve an assumed problem. This predetermination of guilt made the meeting itself the primary harm.
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