Parshas Vayigash - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת ויגש

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1.     (44:18) In the first passuk of this week's parsha there are two times where it says that Yehuda was the one who approached Yosef. One is straight out (b'feirush) in the passuk and the other is a remez. Where is the remez?

2.    (44:18) Why wasn't Reuvain the one to approach Yosef and stand up for Binyamin? Regardless of the deal Yehuda made with Yaakov, still Reuvain was the eldest of the brothers so why not be the one to confront Yosef?

3.    (44:18) In one of the pshatim that Rashi says that Yehuda was telling Yosef when he said “You are like Pharaoh” is: Just like Pharoah makes decrees and doesn't keep them so too you”. The sifsei chochomim brings the mahar'shal who explains that Yehuda was saying the following, “You Yosef put all your reliance on Pharoah. However, Pharoah is a liar! Pharoah had a decree that no slave should ever rule over mitzrayim or wear royal clothing. Yet he appointed you...!” What type of argument is this, though? Yosef could easily respond that indeed Pharaoh is amazing! After all, he made an exception to the rule for his sake. So what message was Yehuda trying to convey to Yosef?

4.    Rashi (44:19) says that Yehuda challenged Yosef asking, “Why did you ask us so many questions? Were we looking to marry your daughter or were you looking to marry our sister?”

1.     What was wrong with Yosef asking questions? He thought they were spies?

2.    Why did Yehuda give the example of Yosef wanting to marry their daughter or sister? Being that the brothers were older it would make more sense for Yehuda to have asked “Were you looking to marry our daughter...”

5.    (44:29) What was different between the reason Yaakov said he didn't want to send Binyamin down to mitzrayim, and the reason that Yehuda told Yosef? Why the difference?

6.    (45:4) Yosef told his brothers “Come close to me, if you please”. Rashi explains that Yosef showed them his Bris Millah. What would this prove to the brothers, though? Rashi earlier explained in last week's parsha (41:55) that Pharaoh commanded everyone to listen to Yosef – who told them all to get bris millah. If so, EVERYONE in mitzrayim had a bris?

7.    (45;14) Yosef cried on Binyamin's neck. Rashi tells us that he was crying because of the betai mikdashim which would be destroyed on his land. What is significant about the neck that it should represent the beis ha'mikadash? Also, why was he crying about the beis ha'mikdash at this particular point?

8.    (45:22) How could Yosef favor Binyamin and give him a bigger present than the other brothers, when it was exactly that type of favoritism which had instigated the brothers teaming up against Yosef in the first place?

9.    Why did Hashem stop the famine when Yaakov came down to mitzrayim? Shouldn't there have been a concern that people would then call Yosef a liar since he said that the famine would last seven years?

10. (46:29) Chazal tell us that when Yosef reunited with Yaakov, Yaakov was saying kriyas shema…

a.    Why wasn't Yosef doing the same?

b.    How could Yosef lean on Yaakov’s neck while Yaakov was saying Shema if the gemara (berachos 27a) says that can’t disturb people while davening?

11.  (47:18) The famine lasted for two years. If the plan was fro Yaakov to come down to  Mitzrayim and that when he would come, the famine would stop, then why did Pharaoh dream 7 years of famine? It should have either been 2 or somehow express itself as undefined?

12. The brothers told Pharoah that they came to Mitzrayim because there was no grass for their flock in cana’an…If so, what did the people in cana’an do when they ran out of food and money? Also, what would be the point then of the brothers coming to Mitzrayim? – there was a famine there too! So there would still be no grass for their flock?

Parshas Miketz - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת מקץ

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1.      (41:1) Why was Pharaoh in his own dreams?

2.      Rashi (41:2,4) writes what the simanim in Pharoah's dreams meant. Why is Rashi telling us this here and not by Yosef's interpretations?

3.      Why does the passuk say that Pharaoh woke up – “And behold it was a dream!”?

4.      Rashi (41:8) differentiates between the dreams of Pharaoh and those of Nevuchadnetzer. Nevuchadnetzer not only did not understand the meaning of his dreams, but also did not even remember his dreams. Why the difference?

5.      (41:17) How could Pharaoh know the dream if Rashi 41:8 said earlier that Pharaoh did not remember his dreams?

6.      (41:25) If Pharaoh’s dreams were one and the same, why did they feature different characters (wheat and cows)?

7.      (41:26) Both Yosef and Pharaoh had double dreams. Why? Also the mefarshim explain that Yosef knew that the years of plenty and famine would happen very soon because Pharaoh dreamed them one right after another. But what about Yosef's own dreams? He also had two dreams (seemingly one right after another) but his dreams did not come to reality until many years later?

8.      (41:44) Why does Pharaoh say, “I am Pharaoh”?

9.      (41:49) The passuk uses the expression, “like the sand of the sea”. Why does the Torah feel the need to use this terminology and why specifically this example which is also used to describe the beracha of children that Hashem gave to B’nei Yisroel?

10.  Rashi (41:55) comments that Yosef made everyone in Mitzrayim get bris millah and move from their houses in order for the brothers to feel comfortable when they came down to Mitzrayim – a land where everyone had bris millah and everyone felt like a stranger after recently moving. Why would Yosef want to do this? As nice as it is to feel comfortable, is there not also a benefit to keeping distance when it comes to mingling among goyim? Additionally, the Torah is clear that the Egyptians knew that the brothers were Jewish. It was no secret, so what was Yosef trying to accomplish?

11.  Rashi (41:55) – Why was Pharaoh comfortable with all this power that Yosef had?

12.  (42:2) Why does the passuk record Yaakov as saying, “…so that we may live and not die…”? Why the redundancy?

13.  Rashi (42:8) writes that the brothers did not recognize Yosef because he had grown a beard. However, Rashi in Vayeishev writes that Yosef looked exactly like Yaakov. So certainly Yosef in a beard would have looked just like Yaakov, why didn’t the brothers realize?

14.  (42:13) – Why did the brothers tell Yosef this? T.M.I.!

15.  Rashi (42:23) – why was it important that the brothers no know Yosef understood Hebrew? If the interpreter was a mitzri and yet knew Hebrew, so why couldn’t Yosef have known it too without blowing his cover of being their brother?

16.  (42:25) and (44:2) – How could Yosef return the money to his brothers? Wasn’t it all owned by Pharaoh?

17.  The brothers exclaimed out of frustration, “What is this that Hashem is doing to us?” when they found that their money had been returned to them. Yet, we do not find such an expression when Shimon was taken to jail or when Yosef demanded them bring Binyamin to them, etc. Why only by this event?

18.  (42:29-35) – Why does the torah repeat the whole story and not just write, “and the brothers told their father, Yaakov, all that had occurred”?

19.  When the brothers returned from Mitzrayim and realized that they were given back their money, they told Yaakov. However, Yaakov never seems to have reacted or responded with what they should do. Why?

20.  (42:38) When the brothers were trying to convince Yaakov to send Binyamin down with them, Reuvain spoke up and said that he could be trusted with Binyamin and if he does not take good care of him, then Yaakov could kill his two sons. What in the world was Reuvain thinking? Did he really believe that such talk would make Yaakov feel safe sending Binyamin with him?

21.  (43:2) Why does the passuk say “….that they brought from Mitzrayim…”?

22.  Rashi (43:9) – Why was Yehuda’s idea much better?

23.  (2^nd half of Rashi 43:14) – Why was Yaakov saying this?

24.  Rashi (43:30) – It is evident from the names of Binyamin’s sons that he knew Yosef was still alive. How did he know?

25.  (44:2) This was a very risky move for Yosef to do because he had already pulled this trick on his brothers. They could have easily put two and two together and realized that Yosef was conspiring against them the whole time. So why did Yosef do this? Also, especially given their previous experience, why didn’t the shevatim think to check their bags before leaving mitzrayim?

26.  The passuk (44:8) records that after Yosef accused the brothers of stealing his magic goblet, the brothers responded that if they were even willing to return the money that was given back to them “accidentally” when they could have gotten away with it, then certainly they would not actively steal something from Yosef. Rashi comments that this is actually one of ten kal v'chomeir's found in the Torah. What exactly is the kal v'chomeir though? Perhaps a magic goblet is something that would be worth taking since it seemingly gave Yosef power to know things about the shevatim that perhaps they would not want him to know. For example, we know that despite Yaakov avinu and his family not stealing anything from Lavan's house, Rachel stole his teraphim because she knew that Lavan would be able to use them to see where they ran to if she left them there (according to one explanation in Rashi there). So, what is the kal v'chomeir here?

Parshas Vayeitzei - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת ויצא

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1.      Three types of people are called “dead” even while they are alive. All three appear in this week's parsha and Rashi. What are they and where do they come up in the parsha?

2.      (28:11) Rashi comments that the stones were all fighting which would be the one to have Yaakov’s head rest on. Since when do rocks fight?

3.      (28:12) Rashi writes that the angels first ascended the ladder before the others descended. Shouldn’t it have been the opposite in order for Yaakov not to be left alone even for a moment without “protection”?

4.      (28:15) Rashi writes that Hashem needed to reassure Yaakov that everything would be okay. Why did Yaakov need the reassurance? Did he not know on his own that Hashem was with him?

5.      (29:11) Rashi writes that instead of killing Yaakov as his father, Eisav, commanded, Eliphaz robbed him of everything he had. If Eliphaz really came to kill Yaakov, what convinced him to go along with Yaakov’s plan to just rob him instead? And if he knew he could not kill Yaakov, why did he bother trying? Even if Eisav would have killed him for not listening, certainly murder is one of the cardinal three sins which is yaharog v’al ya’avor (better be killed than transgress) and Eliphaz should have given up his own life. So how could we understand this strange event?

6.      (29:12) Rashi comments that Yaakov claimed to be able to match Lavan’s trickery. Since when? Where did he pick up this “talent”?

7.      (29:22) Why did Lavan not make a huge wedding for Rachel as he did for Leah?

8.      (29:25) Yaakov and Leah’s marriage was certainly one of ta’us (mistake) on Yaakov’s side, so why was the marriage valid?

9.      (29:32) Who named the shevatim?

10.  (29:35) Why did Leah only name her fourth son Yehuda? Was she not thankful for the first three?

11.  (30:15) Rashi writes that because Rachel gave up her time with Yaakov in exchange for a few flowers, she did not merit to be buried with him. Wasn’t the reason she wasn’t buried with Yaakov because of Yaakov’s curse later in the parsha on the one who stole the avodah zarrah from Lavan?

12.  (30:22) What took so long for Hashem to “remember” Rachel?

13.  (30:23) Rashi writes that when Rachel thanked Hashem for sending her a son which saved her from disgrace, she had one of two things in mind. Either that she was thankful that the rumors that Yaakov would divorce her and she would have to marry Eisav would stop; or that now she had a kid to blame things on. How could we understand these seemingly selfish thoughts at such a time from such a tzadekes?

14.  (30:24) As the passuk continues, Rachel named her son Yosef with a tefillah that Hashem add to her another son. How could we understand this? Rachel finally gave birth to a son and instead os stopping and being thankful she davens that Hashem grant her another one?

15.  (30:38) What exactly happened in the story of the wages and patterned animals?

16.  Where do you see in this week's parsha that “stealing” could be said in reference to intangible things which “can't be paid back”?

17.  There are two times other then the episode with the shepherds by the well that Yaakov seems to go on a rant, so to speak, and “lose his cool”. What is the connection between these three times? [See D’var Torah: Truth Be Told]

18.  (31:18) Why does the Torah feel it necessary to tell us what Yaakov spent his money on?

19.  (31:24) How could Lavan continue going to Yaakov after Hashem told him explicitly not to? Who else in the Torah did a similar thing?

20.  (31:32) Why did Yaakov curse the one who took Lavan's idols? [See D’var Torah: Truth Be Told]

21.  (31:39) Rashi tells us that Yakkov told Lavan that he was very careful when watching his sheep and whether things were stolen during the day or night, Yaakov paid for it all. What would have been the hava amina to differentiate between things stolen during the day and things stolen at night?                                                                                  

22.  (31:47) What was the difference between the way Lavan and Yaakov each named the גל?

23.  (31:54) What is the significance of eating in this week's parsha?

Parshas Chayei Sarah - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת חיי שרה

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (23:2) Rashi writes that Sarah’s death was a result of hearing the news that Avraham had gone to offer Yitzchak as a karbon. Why was Sarah’s reaction so different from Avraham’s?

2. (23:3) The Gemara Berachos [3b] brings an opinion that one it is assur to speak in front of a dead body. Bring a proof from this week’s parsha?

3. (23:4) Avraham challenged Efron and the B’nei Cheis that he was willing to act as a foreigner and pay for the Cave of Machpeilah, but that if they were not willing to sell it then he would force them to since he had a right to Eretz Yisroel. How was this attitude any different from Lot’s in last week’s parsha when his shepherds would allow their flock to graze on others’ property since it would one day belong to Avraham anyway?

4. (23:17) The passuk says “And Ephron’s field, that was in Machpeilah, that was facing Mamrei, stood…” Rashi offers two explanations for the passuk – one which he says is the simple explanation of the passuk. If Rashi knows the simple explanation of the passuk, why does he bring a second pshat?

5. (24:10) Rashi writes that Efron had become a leader that very day that Avraham approached him. As Rashi writes: Because of the importance of Avraham, who needed Efron, Efron ascended to greatness. Why was this necessary?

6. (24:10) Rashi writes that Avrahsm’s camels were different from many others’ because he was careful to muzzle them in order that they not graze from others’ fields. The gemara (Chullin 7a) says that Hashem doesn’t bring takalah to the animals of tzadikkim. If so, why did Avraham’s camels need to be muzzled?

7. (24:29) The passuk says, “…And Lavan ran outside to the man, to the spring…” Why does the passuk have to say that he ran outside? Certainly we would have figured out that in order to get from his house to the spring where Eliezer was he would need to go outdoors?

8. (24:32) The passuk relates that Lavan gave water to Eliezer and his men to wash their feet. This was the practice of Avraham and Lot as seen in previous parshos because they wanted to make sure that no avodah zarrah would be brought into their house. Laven worshipped avodah zarrah, so why was he concerned of it being brought into his house?

9. (24:42) Rashi quotes the Gemara that we learn from this week’s parsha that the conversations of the slaves of our avos is more pleasing before Hashem than the Torah of their descendents. Why is this so?

10. Did Eliezer perform kiddushin with Rivkah on Yitzchak’s behalf? If yes, how? If no, then what was Avraham so concerned about that he made Eliezer swear?

11. (24:55) Rashi writes that the malach came and killed Besuel for trying to interfere and kill Eliezer. Why was Besuel trying to stop him? Did he not want his daughter to marry into the prestigious family of Avraham?

12. (25:7) Rashi explains the passuk that when Avraham was 100 he was like he was 70, and when he was 70 was like he was 5, similar to the explanation Rashi gives in the beginning of the parsha when the passuk writes Sarah’s age. Why does Rashi not offer an explanation along the same lines when the passuk mentions Yishmael’s death and age?

Parshas Vayeira - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת וירא

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. The Torah tells us that Avraham was visited by three men who looked like Arabs. How could they have looked like Arabs if Arabs are descendents of Yishmael?

2. The passuk relates that the malachim “ate” the food which Avraham prepared for them. Rashi explains that the reason they pretended to eat is because it is proper not to deviate from the minhag of the place. Obviously this concept is important enough for the malachim to proactively eat, as opposed to passively just say that they are not hungry. What is so important about not deviating from the minhagei ha'makom? Where in halacha do we see this concept as well?

3. After Avraham's bris, Rashi (18:1) tells us that Hashem made it extremely hot and sunny in order not to trouble Avraham with guests. When Hashem saw Avraham was upset that no guests were coming, Hashem sent three malachim. Why didn't Hashem just make it not as hot and sunny and have the normal traffic of visitors?

4. Rashi tells us that one malach cannot perform two missions. Yet we know that the same malach that came to heal Avraham was the one who went to save Lot from Sodom (see Rashi 19:1). How could that malach perform multiple missions?

5. The Ba'al Ha'Turim (18:2) writes that because of Avraham's humility of referring to himself as dust and ash, he merited the mitzvos of Parah Adumah and Sotah. What is the connection between these mitzvos and the expressions of Avraham, beyond the words themselves?

6. The Torah testifies (20:14) that Avraham accepted a gift from Avimelech of flocks, cattle, servants, and maid servants. Similarly we see that Avraham accepted gifts from Pharoah in last week's parsha. Why was Avraham willing to take these, yet by the war of the four and five kings, Avraham refused to accept even a shoe lace?

Parshas Noach - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת נח

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

A Riddle:

סוף סוף ראשי 1.

תחילת סוף סופי

ויבא נח...אל התבה

מי אני?ג

2. Where do we see from this week's parsha that the day starts at night? Why is it that there is a concept of miktzas hayom k'kulo only if the night is part of the “miktzas”, yet if have even the full day without the preceding night, this concept is not applicable?
3. Rashi (6:13) says that despite all the things that the dor ha'mabbul were doing, the gezairah was sealed because of robbery. Why robbery more than avodah zarrah or giluy arayos?
4. Where is there a remez in the beginning of the parsha that Noach was not involved in any of these three things?
5. What are some of the similarities between Noach and Moshe found in this week's parsha?
6. Rashi both in 6:18 and 7:7 writes that it was forbidden to have marital relations in the teivah. However, Rashi in 7:7 adds that the reason for this was because the world was in a state of distress...

(a) Why does Rashi repeat himself? (b) Why does Rashi in 7:7 add the reason? (c ) Why is this a valid reason? Clearly the people dying in the mabbul deserved it. Shouldn't it have been considered a “joyous” time for the world?

2. The Torah uses the phrase “בעצם היום הזה” in this week's parsha as well as three other times in chumash in the same way. Where are these four times and what is the connection between them? [BERAISHIS 7:17 ; BERAISHIS 17:37 ; SHEMOS 12:21 ; DEVARIM 32:48]
3. Why did Hashem punish the world through means of a mabbul of water?
4. There is a machlokes when the mabbul started. The same machlokes exists regarding the creation of the world. What is this machlokes and what is the connection?
5. The passukim (Noach 8:10-11) describe that the second time Noach sent out the dove, it came back with an olive branch in its mouth. Rashi comments that the dove was trying to tell Noach the following: “Better let my food be bitter as an olive and provided by the hand of Hashem, and not sweet as honey but provided by the hand of man.”...(a) The dove should have had hakaras hatov to Noach and his family. Why at the first opportunity does the dove say such a remark? (b ) The dove's statement makes absolutely no sense! The entire time Noach and the animals were in the teivah they experienced open miracles. The whole teivah was something which opposed teva. Wasn't it pretty apparent that Hashem was present every step of the way?
6. Why did Hashem (9:1) need to give Noach a beracha that the animals would fear him? Wasn't this already built into the world from the sheishes y'mei beraishis?
7. How did Noach know it was Cham who dishonored him?
8. One of the reasons Rashi (11:1) gives as the reason behind why the dor haflaga began to build the tower is because they thought that the world was on a cycle that every 1656 years Hashem wold bring another flood, so they wanted to be prepared with supports for the skies. If so, why was Hashem so upset? Why not just let the people think this incorrectly as long as they aren't bothering anyone?
9. If the dor haflaga wanted to 'wage war' with Hashem, why did they buildמגדל בבל in a valley? They should have built it on top of a mountain!?
10. Rashi (11:28) brings down the story from the famous medrash how Haran (Avraham's brother) stood and observed the episode of Avraham being thrown into the fiery furnace. Haran decided that Avraham's fate would determine his own faith in Hashem. The medrash continues that indeed when Avraham emerged unscathed, Haran joined his side and was consequentially thrown into the fire – and burned to death. What did Haran do wrong? The Ramban at the end of Parshas Bo writes that Hashem does not perform miracles for every kofeir that decides not to believe in Hashem. This is why we have t he Torah and mitzvos which direct us to remember Yetziyas Mitzrayim and Kriyas Yam Suf as a forever certificate of Hashem's capabilities. Haran obviously lived before matan Torah and kriyas yam suf, so what was so bad with him wanting to see Hashem perform an open miracle first before fully believing in Hashem? 

Parshas Beraishis - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת  בראשית

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

 

1. The Torah begins with “Beraishis bara Elokim”. Why not start with “Elokim bara beraishis” which would (a). Allow the first letter of the Torah be an ‘aleph’, (b). allow the first word to be the name of Hashem and (c). not cause any possible misunderstanding in someone chas v’shalom thinking that something called “beraishis” created Hashem?

2. Rashi (1:1) writes that it is important to start the Torah with a recount of Hashem being the master and creator because this way it is clear to the goyim that Hashem has the only right to decide who gets Eretz Yisroel – the B’nei Yisroel. If we are counting on the goyim accepting the story of the Torah, then for the same price it should be enough for them to just read that Hashem promised us Eretz Yisroel without going into detail of days of Beraishis. So how did Rashi answer his question? Furthermore, what good did it do? Still our enemies try to take Eretz Yisroel from us and claim it for themselves? We have always had to conquer Eretz Yisroel, it was never just handed to us, so what good did it do to put the story of beraishis first in the Torah?

3. Rashi (1:1) writes that both Yisroel and Torah are called “reishis”. What else is referred to as such and what is the connection between them?

4. What was the first thing created?

5. The mishna mentions a number of things which were created both before beraishis and right before shabbos. What is unique about these things that they were created on the bookends of the six days of creation?

6. What is the “logic” and “reasoning” behind the order of when everything was created?

7. Rashi (1:5) comments that angels were created on the 2^nd day of Creation, Why at that particular point?

8. Rashi (1:8) describes that shamayim (heavens) is made of eish (fire) and mayim (water). Why?

9. Rashi (1:11) explains that the trees did not listen to the commandment of Hashem. (a) How could they not listen? They are just trees!? (b) Why could they only get punished once man sinned?

10. Rashi (1:12) writes that the vegetables made a kal v’chomeir based on what the trees were commanded. What exactly was the kal v’chomeir? And how could the greens be so sure of the kal v’chomeir? Hashem was creating the world for the first time and maybe His rules for trees wouldn’t apply to vegetables?

11. Rashi (1:16) relates that the moon complained that there cannot be two rulers over the same domain. As a result, Hashem reduced its size. Was the moon incorrect?

12. The passuk uses the phrase “let us make man”, which Rashi explains was is Hashem’s expression of humility that He – so to speak – consulted with the angels. This was done deliberately to teach this lesson of humility despite the tremendous risk of people possibly reading the Torah and be misled to believe that there was more than One Creator. Was it really worth this risk? Certainly a better place could be found to demonstrate Hashem’s humility without risking such a possibility?

13. How many mitzvos did Adom have?

14. Rashi (3:3) seems to understand that the disaster of the eitz ha’da’as had a lot to do with the fact that Chava added that Hashem told them not to touch the eitz ha’da’as, when in reality all that Hashem said was not to eat from the eitz ha’da’as. How is this any different, though, from that which we learn in the first mishna in Avos – that one should make for himself a protective fence around the Torah’s mitzvos? We have many mitzvos m’d’rabanan (from the Rabbis) as a fence to the Torah. Why was what Chava did any worse?