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?