Parshas Ha'azinu - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת האזינו

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (32:2) Rashi explains that the Torah gives the simile of Torah being like dew as opposed to rain because rain is annoying to people as opposed to dew which everyone is happy with. Rashi gives two examples of how rain is annoying to some people: It is annoying when one is trying to travel and it is annoying for someone who has an uncovered barrel of wine. Why does Rashi feel it is necessary to give any example at all, let alone two of them

2. (32:9) Rashi describes that Avraham + Yitzchak + Yaakov with the qualities they represented are like three strands of string twisted together into a strong rope. Similarly we find in the Gemara Berachos when Moshe was fighting on B’nei Yisroel’s behalf and davening that Hashem not wipe them out. Moshe said that unlike his own descendents which would only have him – a “one legged stool” – to rely on, B’nei Yisroel are backed by a “three legged chair” of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Assuming that Moshe Rabbeinu, who was worthy of receiving the Torah and leading B’nei Yisroel, had the same qualities, is there something stronger of the middos being represented specifically by three different individuals as opposed to one person containing all three?

3. (32:48) Rashi points out that there are three times in the Torah where the Torah uses the expression of “b’etzem ha’haom ha’zeh”. However, in truth there are four. What is the one which Rashi leaves out and why does he do so?

Parshas Vayeilech - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת וילך

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. “Vayeilech Moshe...” Where did Moshe go?

2. (31:1) The S'forno and others explain that Moshe said to B'nei Yisroel, “ I am old and no longer able to go and come back...and even if I was able to, still Hashem said to me that I anyway cannot enter into Eretz Yisroel.” What was the point of the first half of Moshe's statement? Let him just say that Hashem said he cannot enter Eretz Yisroel? How was this different from Yaakov’s response to Pharoah when asked how old he was?

3. (31:1) How did Moshe know when he was going to die?

4. What is significant about dying on the same day one is born?

5. There are many differences between what Hashem told Yeshoshua and what Moshe told Yehoshua. What are these differences? And why the differences?

6. Rashi (31:12) says that the men come to hakhel to learn, the women to hear, and the children to give reward to those who brought them. What does this mean?

7. The passuk (31:14) says “hein karvo yame'cha lamus”. The simple way to understand the passuk is “Behold, your days are drawing near to die...” However, as a remez, the word “hein” – represented by the letters hey and nun – could also actually refer to Moshe rabbeinu. How is this?

8. (31:29) Rash, in an answer to a question of his, writes that a rebbe considers his talmid like himself. If so, how did Rashi answer his question? If Yehoshua was considered to Moshe like Moshe himself, then it should follow that Yehoshua's talmid was viewed by Yehoshua as Yehoshua himself. The “chain rule” should then say that Moshe would consider even his talmid's talmid's talmid's talmid..... as himself. If so, how did Rashi answer his question?

9. The Gemara Sanhedrin brings a proof from our parsha for techiyas hamaysim. What is it?

10. (When parshas Vayeilech falls out on Shabbos Shuva): In the Haftorah for Shabbos Shuva we read, “Shuva Yisroel ad Hashem elo'kecha” (Repent, Yisroel, until Hashem your G-d). The choice of word to say “ad Hashem” instead of “l'Hashem” (to Hashem) seems a bit strange. What is hinted to in the passuk by writing it this way?

Parshas Nitzavim - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת נצבים

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (29:13-14) The passukim  say, “Not with you alone do I forge this bris  and this oath, but with whoever is here, standing with us today before Hashem, our G-d, and with whoever is not here with us today…” How could a bris be made with people who are not present?

2. (29:15) The passuk says,

 כִּי אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יָשַׁבְנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר עֲבַרְתֶּם

Why switch from “that which we passed” to “that which you passed”

3. (29:28)There are nekudos (dots) above certain letters/words in the passuk. Why is this and why over those particular ones?

4. (30:12) The Rosh and Da’as Zekainim mention that there is a remez in the passuk that in the zechus of bris millah, Moshe was able to enter shamayim. Which zechus millah is being referred to? And why this particular zechus?

5. (30:19) Rashi writes that “Hashem tells us to look at the sun, which obeys Hashem command perfectly – it rises and sets every day at the right time, even though it will not receive any reward for doing so. Therefore, certainly we who will get reward for listening to Hashem should do so...” How could we understand this Rashi? There is a very simple pircha with this kal v'chomer: the sun is an inanimate object with no ability to think or decide, nor does it have any nesyonos to stop it. So how could it be so obvious that we should be expected to obey Hashem as well as the sun?

Parshas Ki Savo - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת כי תבא

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. Why is it that upon the time of bringing bikkurim is the proper time to say the whole tefillah of history starting from Lavan and Yaakov? What is the connection to bikkurim? And why must it be said to the kohen as opposed to one saying it to himself in the field?

2. (26:1) The Mishna in Bikkurim (1:4) states that a ger (convert) brings bikkurim but cannot be korei (read) the paragraph which is recited because he is not able to say “l'a'voseinu” since his ancestors were not Jewish. If so, why is it that a ger could say “elokeinu v'elokei avoseinu” in shemoneh esreh? [Peirosh Ha’Rosh]

3. (26:8) There is a passuk in this week's parsha with a remez to the five seforim of the Torah. Which passuk is it? What are the remazim? And how do they hint to their respective sefer they are hinting to? [Ohr Hachaim]

4. (28:6) In the passuk of “baruch ata b'vo'echa...” Rashi explains that just as one enters the world pure and without sins, so too will one leave the world with no sin. However, following this explanation, it should be that the meaning of the passuk in the to'che'cha of “arur ata b'vo'echa…” should mean that just as you were cursed coming into the world, so too will you be when you leave. How could this be true if everyone comes into the world pure? [Sifsei Chochomim]

5. The Gemara in Ta'anis (2a) says that there are three keys that Hashem has which he doesn't give to a shli'ach. One is hinted to in this week's parsha...which is the one hinted to in this week's parsha? What are the other two? How could we resolve the fact that there are stories in tanach and gemara about individuals who seem to have had control over one (or more) of these keys?

6. Why does the Torah write more K'lalos (curses) than berachos (blessings) if we know that Hashem rewards much more than punishes?