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Why does the Torah (תורה) record "yomim" (days) for the Avos but only "shanim" (years) for Sarah and the generations after Noach? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: through daily Negel Vasser we access a brand-new neshamah each day, becoming renewed people—this is the essence of being "Adam" rather than "Basar." Avrohom and Sarah weren't just teaching mitzvos; they were selling a social revolution in human identity.
The shiur opens with a brief follow-up on Bnei Keturah from the previous week, establishing that only descendants from both Avrohom and Sarah can enter Klal Yisroel. This leads into the main topic: a Midrash on Parshas Chayei Sarah that quotes Tehillim 37 describing Sarah as "k'egla tilsa" (like a beautiful calf), which seems cryptic and difficult to understand. Rabbi Zweig begins by noting a textual anomaly: Sarah's death is recorded with only "shanim" (years) but no "yomim" (days), whereas Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yaakov all have both "yomim" and "shanim" in the pesukim describing their lifespans. This requires explanation, especially given that the Midrash applies the pasuk about "yemei temimim" specifically to Sarah.
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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.
Parshas Toldos; Parshas Chayei Sarah; Bereishis 1:26-27, 5:1-3
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