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?