Parshas Terumah -Parsha Stumpers

פרשת תרומה

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. What were the three ways which the B'nei Yisroel could participate in to help build the aron?
2. The Gemara tells us that Betzalel was the one who had to correct Moshe and tell him to build the mishkan first before its keilim (vessels). Didn't Moshe already know this from Hashem? And even if not, why didn't he think to build the mishkan first anyway?
3. Why is it that the dimensions of the aron are all incomplete measures?
4. (Shemos 25:10) Hashem commanded that the poles of the aron never leave it. Why?
5. The aron was made of three arons : gold, wood, and gold. How do we know that it is from three arons together and not just a wooden one with gold on inside and outside? Also, what is the significance of being made with three arons as opposed to one?
6. Rashi (25:21) sites a machlokes as to whether the luchos were placed into the aron before the lid had been placed on it to complete it, or after it had been put on was it then removed to insert the luchos and then put back on. What is the significance of this machlokes?
7. The Gemara (Menachos 29a) tells us that Hashem had to show Moshe three things which he just could not understand until he saw them: Rosh Chodesh, the Menorah, and sheratzim. How could it be that Moshe was not able to understand Hashem's clear explanation that he should need visual props to help him understand?
8. Why was the Shulchan taught before the Menorah? The Menorah represents ruchniyus whereas the Shulchan represents gashmiyus. Shouldn't the Menorah be listed first?

9. The first Ba'al Ha'Turim in this week's parsha says that Hashem told Moshe that when speaking to B'nei Yisroel to donate for the mishkan, that he should do so in a nice, soft, appeasing voice. Why more so here than any other time?

10. Why is it that when talmidim used to say a good s'vara, the rebbe would exclaim “kaftor v'pherach!” ?
11. Why were hammers used for the mishkan, but disallowed for the beis hamikdash?