This text-based class on Likkutei Sichos vol. 18 Balak, explains an enigmatic story in the Talmud. Zimri comes to Moshe demanding permission to marry a Midianite princess, Kozbi. “If you say it is prohibited, who allowed you to marry the daughter of Yisro?!” Zimri challenges Moshe, who also married a woman from Midian.

But this does not seem to make sense. Moshe married his wife before the Torah was given! What was Zimri thinking? And why did no one answer his challenge?

As it turns out, his question may have been deeper than we would imagine on the surface.

The class finally teaches us how to distinguish between questions that require answers vs. questions that we ought not to answer, not because we don’t have answers, but because they are not real questions, only excuses.