Parshas Shelach - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת שלח

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (13:2) Rashi writes that the story of the Meraglim was placed in the Torah immediately following the episode of Miriam because they did not learn from Miriam about how one should speak. Miriam spoke lashon harah about her brother, Moshe Rabbeinu, while the Meraglim spoke about Eretz Yisroel – an inanimate object, not a person. There is nothing wrong with doing so. So what did the Meraglim do wrong that they should have learned from the story of Miriam?

2. (13:3) Rashi comments based on the passuk that the Torah considers Moshe’s sending the spies as by “the word of Hashem” because since Hashem did not prevent Mpshe from doing so, it must be as if he had permission. How could Rashi be so sure? Did Hashem stop Moshe from hitting the rock? Or from B’nei Yisroel from worshipping the eigel ha’zahav? Hashem allows us to have bechira (free choice). So why here just because Hashem did not stop something from happening does it suddenly necessarily mean that it must have been as if with full permission?

3. (13:20) Rashi writes that “tree” refers to someone who has a zechus. Why is such a person referred to as a tree?

4. (13:23) Why did the meraglim bring a whole cluster of grapes?

5. (13:26) Rashi writes that just as the meraglim came back withan evil scheme, so too was the onset of their journey with an evil scheme. How could Rashi say this if in 13:3 Rashi explained that they were all anashim – men who were righteous?

6. (13:30) How could Kalev even pretend to be part of the meraglim and oppose Moshe? Is this allowed – to “fake sinking to a lower level” in order to do a greater good?

7. (13:33) The passuk says that the meraglim said that they felt like grasshoppers and so were they in the giants’ eyes. Rashi elaborates and writes that the meraglim said that they heard the giants saying “There are ants in the vineyards which look like men.” So which was it? Were they like grasshoppers or ants?

8. (14:11) Rashi elaborates Hashem’s “argument” that the meraglim should have known better, especially having experienced the multitude of miracles in mitzrayim and the midbar. Indeed, it is quite a valid point! How could it be that the incredible miracles were so quick to be forgotten?

9. Calev and Yehoshua each had the help of a tefillah to stay away from the plot of the meraglim. Why was this necessary? Why not just stay away?

10. After the report of the Meraglim, the B'nei Yisroel cried out, “Why is Hashem bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and young will be taken captive! Is it not better that we return to Egypt?” What were the B'nei Yisroel thinking? How exactly were they thinking they would be treated if they went back to Mitzrayim? Wouldn't this be what would happen regardless?

11. (14:12) The Gemara in Berachos says that Hashem wanted to wipe out B'nei Yisroel in the desert and start fresh with only the descendants of Moshe. Moshe responded, “If a chair with three legs (Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov) cannot stand, then certainly a chair with one leg (just Moshe) cannot stand.” What was this argument? First of all, Moshe was also a descendant of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Second, even if not, perhaps Moshe is a super three part combo?

12. (14:22) Hashem told Moshe that since the B'nei Yisroel left Mitzrayim, they tested Hashem 10 times. What were these 10 times?

13. (14:13, 16) If Hashem was considering wiping out B’nei Yisroel, how could Moshe argue back that doing so would be a chillul Hashem? If Hashem wants to do it, then by definition how could it be a chilul Hashem?

14. (14:33 Rashi explains that the generation of the meraglim all died in the desert by age 60. This is why the B'nei Yisroel had to remain there for 40 years – in order that the youngest (counted) ones among them, who were 20, would reach the age of 60. The Mefarshim explain that the reason for this was because they were not guilty of meesa b'dei shamayim (death from heaven), which occurs at 60. If so, what was Hashem's original thought to wipe them out immediately? And why didn't Moshe respond with this argument?

15. (14:33) Rashi seems to say that the reason for the 40 years in the midbar had to do with clearing out the 20-60 generation before entering Eretz (14:33) Rashi seems to say that the reason for the 40 years in the midbar had to do with clearing out the 20-60 generation before entering Eretz  Yisroel. How could we reconcile this with Rashi earlier (13:25) which attributes the 40 years as being a punishment – one year for each day the meraglim toured Eretz Yisroel?

16. When Moshe davened on behalf of B'nei Yisroel in this week's parsha, he used only about half of the 13 middos. Why?

17. (14:41-45) – Why did they leave despite Moshe’s warning? What was lacking in their logic? Why isn’t this Bitachon?

18. There are 3 ways that the mission of the meraglim was described: 1. Hashem in our parsha calls it “v'yasuru” 2. B'nei Yisroel call it “V'yachp'ru” (Devarim 1:22) and 3. The meraglim said “v'yarg'lu. What is the difference between these three expressions and perspectives?

19. (15:41) – Rashi writes the reason for the color of techeiles on the tzitizis was to serve as a reminder of makas b’choros and that th8 strings correspond to the 8 days between laving mitzrayim and singing az yashir after crossing the Yam Suf. How could this be reconciled with the classic explanation that the techeils comes from the sea which is a reflection of the sky to serve as a reminder to fear Hashem?

20. (Haftorah) How do you know Kohanim could become invisible? (No cheating – don't ask a Kohen)