INSIGHT 5781 - #18: PASSIVE AND ACTIVE

 

For  Bo

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INSIGHT 5780 - #16: GENDER

For  Bo
 
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INSIGHT 5779 - #16: MOCKING EGYPT

For Bo
 
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The existence of free will is, of course, what makes us culpable for our actions and thereby grow and develop into singular beings able to emulate God to the extent that we can. Pharaoh and the Egyptians, in order to be subject to the punishments inflicted by the plagues had to have free will. What this Insight is adding, though, is that it is also important for us to recognize that, even as we think we are so right and believe in the strength of our decisions and being, what we may be experiencing is not our free will but its actual removal from us by God. We can also be in the Hands of God Who is directing us pursuant to His plan and objective. That recognition is an important realization in challenging our potential haughtiness.

Insight 5778-17: A NATIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

For Bo
 
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Insight 5777-19: Gold and Silver

For Bo
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It  should be noted, in that God assured Avraham that the nation would leave with riches and also effectively God was directing the nation to receive their just compensation from the Egyptians (see T.B. Sanhedrin 91a), this act of asking for the valuables was obviously beneficial for the nation at the time. It was the nation's mindset at the time which could not see this. The argument would thus be that God should have, perhaps, challenged this mindset rather than accepting it through changing the language of His directive.

Insight 5776-17: Religious Beliefs

For Bo

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Study Question

1)

Insight 5775-17: Libo L'Shamayim

For Bo
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Study Question

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Insight 5774-17: The Sanhedrin's Role

For Bo
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Study Question

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Insight 5773-18: The Pattern of the Makkot

For Bo
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Study Question

1) One question is the one mentioned in the footnote: why would hatra'ah apply here in the case of Divine punishment? A warning ensures the court that the sinner knew that his/her activity was against the Torah law, i.e. a sin. God would know this in any event, so why the warning in this case? A possibility is that a warning also informs the individual that the intended behaviour is a sin -- thus the warning before sin actually is intended also to possibly prevent the sin. Was that the case here? Or could we say, in this case, it was simply intended to inform Pharaoh of the law, one of which he may not have known?

2) We postulated a possible sin for Pharaoh in rejecting "specific aspects of the knowledge of God." Can there be a sin in not knowing something?

Insight 5772-26: A Nation Forged by Mitzvah

For Pesach, Bo

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Insight 5772-16: Bechira

For Bo

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Insight 5771-15: Choteh Niscar

For Bo

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