Parshas V'zos Beracha - Parsha Stumper

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת וזאת הברכה

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1.     Rashi brings from Sifrei and gemara (Avodah Zarrah 2b) that Hashem first offered the Torah to Eisav and Yishmael, but they both rejected it and finally He gave the Torah to B’nei Yisroel. What does this mean? Were we a “last resort” or just part of a list of nations Hashem went down until He got to us and we accepted it so we were the “last place Hashem looked”?

2.    During the berachos in parshas V’zos Ha’beracha, Moshe refers to Shevet Gad as being compared to a lion (33:20), as well as Shevet Dan (33:22). Why is this different from birkas Yaakov?

3.    Rashi (34:5) brings a machlokes regarding who physically wrote the remaining few passukim of the Torah after it declares Moshe’s death. One opinion is that Yehoshua wrote it, the other opinion maintains that Moshe wrote the remaining part as well with tears i.e- crying as he wrote it (see Bava Basra 15a). The reason for this opinion is because how is it possible for the Torah to have been incomplete during Moshe’s lifetime. How would the other opinion respond?

4.    Rashi (34:6) brings from the mishna in Avos (5:6) which states that Moshe rabbeinu’s burial place was one of the things created during the six days of creation. In truth this is a machlokes in that mishna. The question is though, what is so special about Moshe’s burial place that it should among the things created during the first erev shabbos during bein has’mashos (twilight)? Also, according to the one who holds that indeed Moshe’s burial place was created at that time – outside Eretz Yisroel – then it must have been planned already that Moshe rabbeinu was not to enter Eretz Yisroel. We know that Moshe was not allowed in because of his own “sin” so how does the mishna fit with the concept of bechira (free choice)?

5.    Rashi (34:7) learns from the passuk that Moshe’s eyes did not dim even after his death. Somehow, Rashi understands that Moshe retained perfect vision not only during his lifetime but after death as well. What does this mean?

6.    Rashi (34:8) sees from the passuk that at the time of Moshe’s death then men felt much more emotionally tied to Moshe as opposed to by Aharon’s death when the sorrow was felt equally by men and women. Rashi explains that the reason for this difference is because Aharon was someone who brought peace between man and wife. How could we understand this Rashi? Surely the women should have realized that Moshe did just as much for them – from leading them out of Mitzrayim and through the midbar. So why didn’t they express the same sorrow?

7.    Rashi (34:12) writes that Moshe’s “strong hand” was evident from his ability to carry down the luchos, which as the Sifsei Chochomim points out, were very heavy. However, didn’t the luchos carry themselves?

8.    As a general rule, we do not like ending topics on a “bad note” dealing with bad times (puraniyus) in B’nei Yisroel, yet Rashi seems compelled to explain the very last passuk of the Torah as a reference to Moshe smashing the luchos during the time of the eigel ha’zahav, as opposed to explaining it as still referring to the wonders of Mitzrayim continuing the theme from the previous passuk. Why?