Class One. This מאמר is מוגה. This מאמר begins typically enough but then turns on its head. (In this class we learned the beginning and the end of the מאמר. The middle we’ll do next time). The first explanation is: ציון are Yidden who stand out in Galus and deserve “משפט” redemption; while שבי’ה are Jews who are lost in Galus and their redemption is a צדקה. He then offers an entirely different insight based on a reading of the two words תפדה ושבי’ה. He explains that some Jews need redeeming (of one type or another) תפדה, while others need no redeeming just relocating back to ארץ ישראל. They are called שבי’ה. In this reading of the מאמר, it must be explained why the higher Jews שבי’ה are taken from Galus as a צדקה and the Jews who need redeeming are getting it in a deserved manner: משפט. This class answers this question: he who suffers is rewarded, not he who benefits from someone else’s challenges.
