Parshas Shemos - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת שמות

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. Where is there a רמז in the Parsha that one who does Shnayim Mikrah V'echad Targum nicely will merit to be able to do many more shnayim mikrah v'echad targums?

2. Why isn't Yosef listed among the other shevatim in the beginning of the parsha?

3. (1:8) Onkoles explains that when the Torah mentions that there was a new Pharoah who “didn't know Yosef” that it means that this new Pharoah did not keep Yosef's decrees. Which decrees did Yosef make that this could be referring to?

4. (2:1) Miriam reasoned to her father that he was worse than Pharoah because by separating completely from his wife, he was preventing even girls from being born whereas Pharoah was at least letting the girls live. Was she really right in her argument? Wouldn't taking that chance of having children be considered a safeik sakanas nefashos?

5. (2:3) Rashi writes that there was only tar on the outside of Moshe’s basket so that the tzaddik would not have to smell the foul smell. What made Moshe a tzaddik at this point? He was a baby?!

6. How could it have been a maidservant of Batya's who went to get Moshe if Rashi explained that malach Gavriel killed them all?

7. Rashi tells us that Batya unknowingly prophesized by saying to Yocheved and Miriam, “Here is what is yours” - referring to Moshe. Why is this important? What is so significant about this “prophecy”?

8. Why was it necessary for Moshe to grow up in the house of Pharoah?

9. Rashi explains that before Moshe killed the Mitzri, he looked into the Mitzri's future to see if any geirim would come out of his descendents...

1.     What did the Mitzri do to that made him Chayav Meesah? If he only hit the Jew, then how could Moshe kill him; and if he killed him, then why did Moshe have to first look into the Mitzri's future?

2.    How is it possible for Moshe to know what would be in the future? What about bechira?

10.  (2:13) When Rashi tells us who the two Jews were that were hitting each other, he writes “They were Dasan and Aviram; the same ones who left over the manna (in the desert). Why is it necessary for Rashi to add in this piece of information? What does it have to do with here?

11. Yisro had seven names and seven daughters...what is significant about Yisro and the number seven?

12. Moshe is the third one to find himself by a well in a distant land right before finding a wife.

        a. Who were the first two?

        b. How are each of their stories as to how they found themselves by the well very                  different?

        c. Why does there seem to be a pattern of the experience by the well getting   progressively worse and worse?

        d. What is the significance of the well?

13. Besides for the fact that they both went to a well after running away from home, there are many similarities between Moshe and Yaakov. How many can you find?

14. Hashem saw that Moshe turned to see the burning bush...was this some sort of test? What was so special about the fact that Moshe turned to look at the miracle?

15. Why must one take of his shoes by a place of kedusha?

16. What was Hashem's hava amina to tell B'nei Yisroel about both troubles, that Moshe had to argue and say that He should not tell B''nei Yisroel about the one in the future while they were still suffering now? (See Rashi 3:14)

17. The mind and mouth work together to bring ruchniyus into this world. If so, isn't it weird that Moshe who was the one who would bring the Torah from Har Sinai had a speech impediment?

18. By the Shevatim, their mothers seemed to have given them their names. By Moshe's children though, it seems that Moshe did. Why the difference?

19. Why did Moshe run away from the snake? Doesn't the mishna say that if one is davening shemoneh esrei (I.e – talking to Hashem) one cannot interrupt for a snake even wrapped around his leg?

20. Hashem gave Moshe three simanim to show, each one in case the one before does not convince them....

1.    Who witnessed these signs? Who were they meant for?

2.    Why not just show the third sign?

21. Hashem told Moshe (4:19) to return to Mitzrayim and that Moshe should not worry because those who had wanted to kill him were dead. Rashi learns that “those people” were Dasan and Aviram and they were actually still alive. Rashi explains that they are called “dead” because they became poor...

               

                a. Who cares if they are “called dead”, why should that make Moshe feel                                better?

                   b. How does Rashi know that they became poor as opposed to one of                                    the other things for which a person is titled dead (such as: Having                                     tzaraas, being blind, not having children)?

22. How could Tziporah give Bris Milah to her son if the Gemara Kiddushin (29a) says that Bris Milah is a Mitzva which is optimally done by the father (on 8^th day)?