Parshas Ki Seitzei - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת כי תצא

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (21:11) How could we understand the concept of eishes y'fas to’ar?

2. (21:18) How could we understand the concept of ben sorer u'moreh? How could we punish him based on his future? Doesn't he have bechira?

3. (22:7) The mishna in Berachos states that if one who declares, “Hashem's rachamim extends to the bird's nest” we quiet him.

a. Where do we see in this week's parsha that Hashem's rachamim reaches the bird's nest?

b. What is wrong with saying such a statement that we quiet one who says it?

4. (22:12) This week's parsha contains the basis for the minhag to start wearing a talis when one gets married. Where is it?

5. (23:8) In this week's parsha is an unbelievable example of the extent we must show hakaras hatov. What is it? Why?

6. (23:14) In this week's Parsha there is a mitzva, which many people do not know, pertaining to going out to battle:ויתד תהיה לך על אזנך …

a. What is this mitzva ? [Hint: It shows the importance of כבוד הבריות even in extreme circumstances such as war.]

b. Where is there a רמז in this פסוק as to what a person should do when in danger of hearing a דבר שאינו הגון? 

7. (24:19) Rashi writes that even if one would drop money accidentlly on the ground, it was ultimately picked up by a poor person then the one who dropped is blessed because of it. Why should he receive any reward? He did absolutely nothing and is completely unaware of the money he dropped!?

8. Two of the six zechiros are in this week's parsha. What are they? What are the other four? And what makes them so fundamentally important that they are of the zechiros?

Parshas Shoftim - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת שופטים

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (16:21) The Medrash Rabbah says that Shlomo HaMelech's throne had 6 steps leading up to it. On each step was one of six consecutive לא תעשה found in this week's parsha. What are they and what is the connection between them? (see Kli Yakar)

2. (17:18) There are three important dinim pertaining to a melech. What are they and where is there a remez to them in the word כסא – as if to say that a king who keeps these three things will merit to stay on the כסא ? (see Kli Yakar)

3. (16:22) Rashi explains that Hashem despises things which goyim use for avoda zarah. If this is so, why are we allowed to have a mizbe'ach? Why are we allowed to pray? Where do the liens get drawn?

4. (17:6) Rashi writes that if three witnesses come to testify, they do not become eidim zomemin until all three of them become zomemin. Why should this be true?

5. How could we even understand the din of eidim zomemin? They never even completed the evil they intended to do!?

6. (17:11) Rashi comments on the passuk that we must listen to the chachomim even if he says right is left and left is right. If I know that right is indeed not left, then why should I listen to the words of the chochom? What is the fundamental difference between this law and the one regarding not following a navi sheker (18:22)?

7. (18:10) Rashi understands the passuk as forbidding various types of superstitious activities. (a) Rabbi Akiva explains “me’onain” as people who assign seasons by saying that certain times are more propitious for certain things. Isn’t this something that we do? For example, we say that Adar is a good time to have a court case? (b) Rashi explains “menacheish” as one who makes decisions based on occurrences such as bread falling or a deer blocking the road or one’s staff dropping from his hand. Yet the Gemara Berachos relates a story in a mishna of a tanna who would know when his tefillos would be answered based on the fluency it came from his mouth?

8. (20:3) Rashi points out that the Torah lists four times not to be afraid of an enemy during war based on the noise it makes – whether it be the collision of shields, the stamping of the horses hooves and their neighing, the sound of their horns, and the enemy’s shouting. Why does the Torah need to write four warnings to include each of these specific scary noises? Why not just tell us not to be afraid?

Parshas Re'eh - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת ראה

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (13:6) The passuk says, with regards to a navi sheker (false prophet), that “he should be put to death, for he has spoken fabrication against Hashem you G-d – Who takes you out of the land of Egypt”. The passuk uses the word “motzee” which is the present tense of the word for “take out”. Why does the Torah use the present tense “Who takes you out of…Egypt” instead of “Who took you out of…Egypt”?

2. (15:10) Rashi writes even one who merely commits verbally to give will receive reward for the statement along with reward for the act. Why does one receive reward for merely committing?

Parshas Eikev - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת עקב

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (7:12) Why does the parsha open with the word “v'haya” as opposed to “im” or just start with “eikev”?

2. (7:21) Why does the Torah refer to Hashem here as “keil gadol v'nora” without the expression of “gibbur” as Moshe uses later in the parsha?

3. (8:1) Rashi writes that deeds are attributed to those who complete it. As an example he brings that although it was Moshe who took charge of bringing Yosef Ha'Tzadik's bones out of Mitzrayim, the deed was attributed to B'nei Yisroel since they were the ones who ultimately brought the bones into Eretz Yisroel. Why is this “fair” that the full deed be attributed to the one who completed it despite the difference in proportion of effort put in and time spent?

4. (8:4) The Torah and Rashi describe that Hashem promises that the feet of those walking barefoot will not swell. However in parshas Ki Savo (29:4) the Torah mentions the population having shoes that didn't wear out. Did they have shoes in the midbar or not?

5. The passuk says, “Hear O Israel, today you cross the Jordan, to come and drive out nations greater and mightier than you...” Rashi comments “You are mighty, and they are mightier than you”. What is the purpose of this Rashi informing us that “we are mighty” before telling us the superior physical strength of the other nations? [And even if you want to answer like Rashi 11:23, still why does it have to be praise for the Emorim? Perhaps passuk is only saying that they are stronger than B'nei Yisroel as a reference for us to know that they are indeed stronger than us?]

6. Moshe tells B'nei Yisroel that Hashem was furious with them having served the Eigel Ha'zahav and at Aharon in particular to the point that Hashem wanted to wipe out him and his descendents. Moshe then relates that his davening for them saved them. Rashi (9:20) comments that Moshe told them that his prayer was effective to atone for half; for only two of Aharon's sons died, while two were left. How could we understand this Rashi?

7. (11:20) The passuk mentions that we should swear by Hashem's name. How does this reconcile with with the passuk (Devarim 5:11) in the aseres ha'dibros which prohibits swearing by Hashems name for no reason?