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Why did Hashem (ה׳) need to grant the Jewish people chen (favor) in Egyptian eyes to fulfill His promise to Avrohom? The shiur develops the principle that Klal Yisrael might have refused "blood money" for their suffering. Hashem ensured they'd accept it by having Egyptians give gifts voluntarily (chanukah (חנוכה)) first, making subsequent borrowing comfortable—not forced reparations but genuine generosity.
This shiur analyzes the mechanics of how Bnei Yisrael left Egypt with great wealth, examining Rashi (רש"י) and the Midrash on Shemos 3:21-22. The fundamental question is why Hashem (ה׳) needed to grant the nation chen (favor) in the eyes of the Egyptians to fulfill His promise to Avrohom that "afterwards they will leave with great wealth." If Hashem promised it, shouldn't He simply fulfill His word regardless of how it happens? Rabbi Zweig develops a fundamental principle: when someone promises something for your benefit, you as the recipient always retain the right to refuse. If Hashem had simply made the Egyptians paralyzed (as during the plague of darkness) and told Klal Yisrael to take what they wanted, this would technically fulfill the promise. But Bnei Yisrael might have refused, saying "we don't want blood money for our children who were drowned and killed." This refusal wouldn't violate Hashem's integrity—He offered it, but they declined. However, Avrohom could still complain: "You fulfilled 'they will enslave and afflict them' but You didn't truly fulfill 'they will leave with great wealth' because You didn't make it happen in a way they would accept."
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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.
Shemos 3:21-22
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