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Why did Moshe wait until Makkas Barad to leave the city before praying, when he prayed during earlier plagues inside Egypt? The shiur distinguishes between two forms of prayer: asking God for help (permitted anywhere) versus surrendering in His presence through Shemoneh Esrei or perisas kapayim. Only prayers that bring God's presence—like lifting one's hands in surrender—cannot be performed in a place filled with idolatry.
The shiur analyzes a Rashi (רש"י) on the plague of Barad (hail) in Parshas Va'eira. When Moshe tells Pharaoh he will remove the plague, he says "k'tzeis min ha'ir"—when I leave the city, I will pray to Hashem (ה׳). Rashi explains that Moshe had to leave the city because it was filled with idols, and he would not pray in such a place. The Rama in Shulchan Aruch quotes the Terumas Hadeshen, ruling that one should not daven in a hotel or place filled with idols. The Ramban (רמב"ן) raises a critical question on Rashi: Why did Moshe wait until now—the seventh plague—to make this distinction? During the six earlier plagues, Moshe also prayed to remove them. Why didn't he leave the city then?
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Shemos 9:29 (Parshas Va'eira)
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