Parshas Pinchas - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

 פנחספרשת 

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (Rashi 26:46) Why did Sarach merit such a long life?
2. (Rashi 27:22) Why did b’nos Telafchad wait so long to ask?
3. (27:15) Rashi explains that Moshe demanded an answer/response from Hashem. Similarly, Rashi explains in Bamidbar 12:13 regarding Miriam. How could we understand Moshe’s more aggressive behavior at these particular points?
4. (27:18) Hashem told Moshe that he should put his hand on Yehoshua and lean on him to give him s'meecha. However, the Torah accounts that Moshe leaned on Yehoshua with both his hands. How could Moshe add to the commandment of Hashem? Isn't that bal toseif?      

Parshas Balak - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

בלק   פרשת

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (22:22) Why does the Torah describe Balak as “seeing” what B’nei Yisroel did as whereas by Yisro the Torah refers to Yisro’s “hearing”? What is the difference?

2. (22:4) The Torah relates that Moav said to the elders of Midian that B’nei Yisroel will chew up their surroundings like an ox chews up its food. What was the point of this simile and why does the Torah feel the need to write it?

3. (22:21) Why did Billam ride a donkey and not a horse?

4. (22:28) Billam’s hit his donkey three times. When Hashem opened the donkey’s mouth, the first thing its first words to Billam was asking him, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?”  Rashi writes that besides for giving Billam mussar, the donkey was also hinting to him that he will not be able to succeed in trying to uproot a nation which keeps the shalosh regalim. What is it about the shalosh regalim specifically which should be singled out as the best argument to Billam to convince him that he will fail?

5. (Rashi 23:24) The Gemara in Berachos (14a) says that whoever says k'riyas shema without tefillin is like testifying false testimony on himself. With this is mind, there is a difficulty with a Rashi in this week's parsha. What is it? How could it be resolved?

Parshas Chukas - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת חקת

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. Rashi (19:22) writes that the parah adumah is a kapparah for the eigel ha'zahav – it is the mother cleaning after its baby. In fact, the Torah stresses six similarities between the parah adumah and eigel ha'zahav. What exactly is the connection, though, between mitzva of parah adumah and eigel haz'zahav (other than the fact that they are both cows) that it should be chosen to be its kaparah?

2. (19:22) Why should the parah adumah cow act as a kapparah for the eigel? What about the concept of ein k’teigar na’aseh s’neiger – that the prosecutor does not become the defense counselor? (See Rashi 19:3 for example)

3. Why is it that the eigel ha'zahav has no “settling of its debt”?

4. The Torah states that the Parah Adumah had to be perfectly red. The Meforshim explain that even two black or white hairs would disqualify it from being a valid Parah Adumah. Why is it that two hairs disqualify it? If it needs to be perfect, shouldn't even one hair disqualify?

5. Who does the Parah Adumah? In our Parsha – Elazar the S'gan Kohen (Aharon's son) performed the avodah, but it seems that that was only because Aharon couldn't since he was involved in the eigel hazahav. So whose job is it l'doros (I.e- from that point on)? Was it always the job of the S'gan Kohen or was it the job of the Kohen Gadol himself?

6. Rashi (20:1) writes that the Torah puts Miriam's death next to parsha of parah adumah to show that the death of tzadikkim acts as a kapparah. How could we understand this concept?

7. (20:2) Why because of Miriam did they merit water?

8. (20:3) We find that B'nei Yisroel complained that they would have wished to remain in Mitzrayim. Yet, in “Dayeinu” on Pesach night we say if Hashem would have taken us out of Mitzrayim it would have been enough even without giving us the manna! What is it that we realize which the B'nei Yisroel of the time did not? And how could we be so sure to make such a claim?

9. (Rashi 20:10) What is the connection between the places in the Torah when “something small contained something bigger”?

10. (Rashi 20:12) Why just because B’nei Yisroel dealt with Eisav were they unsuccessful? And how could we understand that being attributed as a cause for Aharon’s death?

11. (Rashi 20:25) Why would Hashem instruct Moshe to say this to Aharon? Granted it is encouraging for Aharon, but why weren’t Moshe’s feelings being considered?

12. (Rashi 20:29) What had to be proven? Would B’nei Yisroel really think that Moshe killed Aharon? If he went up and didn’t come down and Moshe said that he died, what else would they think happened?

13. (Rashi 21:1) Does t’fillah really work like that?

14. Moshe rabbeinu was punished because of a lesson he failed to teach B'nei Yisroel by hitting the rock as opposed to speaking to it. What lesson (kal v'chomeir) was meant to be learned out? And why exactly would it have been a good lesson to learn from a mindless rock?

15. Why did Hashem ask Moshe to take his stick if he wasn't supposed to hit the rock?

16. Aharon got reprimanded along with Moshe during the episode of the hitting the rock – what did Aharon do wrong?

17. Rashi (21:7) writes that we see from here that one should be quick to forgive. Why does Rashi first notice this here? What about all the other  times that Moshe davened on B’nei Yisroel’s behalf?

18. (21:9) Was there something special about making the snake out of copper or was it in fact nothing more than a cute play on words from the hebrew word for snake – nachash?

19. According to Rashi there is a word in this week’s parsha with a one letter shoresh. What is it? (Rashi 21:11)

20. Rashi (21:32) explains that unlike the meraglim, the spies in this week’s parsha had no evil intentions and had complete faith in Hashem. If so why did they feel the need to spy?

21. Rashi (21:34-35) writes that Moshe was afraid of a losing against Og because of a zechus that Og had. If Moshe was genuinely afraid because of the power of Og’s zechus, then how in fact did B’nei Yisroel win? And if it was really clear that Pg wouldn’t stand a chance because B’nei Yisroel were doing the right thing, then what was Moshe worries about originally?

Parshas Korach - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

 קרחפרשת 

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. The medrash describes  that Korach approached Moshe and Aharon with two arguments:

-  “Does a talis  made completely of techeiles require a string of techeiles?”

- “Does a room full of sifrei Torah require a mezuza on its doorpost?”

                    a. What are the answers to these questions? Why?

                    b. What exactly was Korach getting at with this debate?

c. How do these “attacks” on Moshe and Aharon fit with Korach's motto of “ki kol ha'eidah kulam kedoshim u'vesocham Hashem” ?

2. The Torah tells us that after Korach came to Moshe rabbeinu, Moshe fell on his face. There are three different types of “falling on the face” throughout Tanach. What are they?  When do they occur?

3. Did Korach die? How did he die?

4. a. Why was Moshe so insistent that Korach die in a weird way?

b. Didn't he know the mishna in Avos which says that the pit to swallow up Korach was already created?

c. How could Moshe ask Hashem that if such a creation was not made, that he should make it? Hashem created things yeis mei'ayin only during the time of Beraishis, why would Hashem make an exception now?

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)