Parshas Shemos - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

שמות פרשת  

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (1:1) Where is there a רמז in the Parsha that one who does Shnayim Mikrah V'echad Targum nicely will merit to be able to do many more shnayim mikrah v'echad targums?

2. (1:2-4) Why isn't Yosef listed among the other shevatim in the beginning of the parsha?

3. (1:8) Onkoles explains that when the Torah mentions that there was a new Pharoah who “didn't know Yosef” that it means that this new Pharoah did not keep Yosef's decrees. Which decrees did Yosef make that this could be referring to?

4. (2:1) Miriam reasoned to her father that he was worse than Pharoah because by separating completely from his wife, he was preventing even girls from being born whereas Pharoah was at least letting the girls live. Was she really right in her argument? Wouldn't taking that chance of having children be considered a safeik sakanas nefashos?

5. (2:3) Rashi writes that there was only tar on the outside of Moshe’s basket so that the tzaddik would not have to smell the foul smell. What made Moshe a tzaddik at this point? He was a baby?!

6. (2:9) Rashi tells us that Batya unknowingly prophesized by saying to Yocheved and Miriam, “Here is what is yours” - referring to Moshe. Why is this important? What is so significant about this “prophecy”?

7. Why was it necessary for Moshe to grow up in the house of Pharaoh?

8. (2:12) Rashi explains that before Moshe killed the Mitzri, he looked into the Mitzri's future to see if any geirim would come out of his descendents...

1.     What did the Mitzri do to that made him Chayav Meesah? If he only hit the Jew, then how could Moshe kill him; and if the Mitzri killed the Jew and was chayav meesah, then why did Moshe have to first look into the Mitzri's future?

2.    How is it possible for Moshe to know what would be in the future? What about bechira?

9.  (2:13) When Rashi tells us who the two Jews were that were hitting each other, he writes “They were Dasan and Aviram; the same ones who left over the manna (in the desert).” Why is it necessary for Rashi to add in this piece of information? What does it have to do with here?

10. Yisro had seven names and seven daughters...what is significant about Yisro and the number seven?

11. Moshe is the third one to find himself by a well in a distant land right before finding a wife.

        a. Who were the first two?

        b. How are each of their stories as to how they found themselves by the well very                  different?

        c. Why does there seem to be a pattern of the experience by the well getting   progressively worse and worse?

        d. What is the significance of the well?

12. Besides for the fact that they both went to a well after running away from home, there are many similarities between Moshe and Yaakov. How many can you find?

13. Hashem saw that Moshe turned to see the burning bush...was this some sort of test? What was so special about the fact that Moshe turned to look at the miracle?

14. Why must one take of his shoes by a place of kedusha?

15. (Rashi 3:12) Why did Hashem never answer Moshe’s second question?

16. What was Hashem's hava amina to tell B'nei Yisroel about both troubles, that Moshe had to argue and say that He should not tell B''nei Yisroel about the one in the future while they were still suffering now? (See Rashi 3:14)

17. The mind and mouth work together to bring ruchniyus into this world. If so, isn't it weird that Moshe who was the one who would bring the Torah from Har Sinai had a speech impediment?

18. By the Shevatim, their mothers seemed to have given them their names. By Moshe's children though, it seems that Moshe did. Why the difference?

19. Why did Moshe run away from the snake? Doesn't the mishna say that if one is davening shemoneh esrei (I.e – talking to Hashem) one cannot interrupt for a snake even wrapped around his leg?

20. (4:9) Hashem gave Moshe three simanim to show, each one in case the one before does not convince them....

1.    Who witnessed these signs? Who were they meant for?

2.    If the third one was the greatest, then why not just show the third sign?

3.    Why did Moshe have to “practice” the first two but not the third?

21. Hashem told Moshe (4:19) to return to Mitzrayim and that Moshe should not worry because those who had wanted to kill him were dead. Rashi learns that “those people” were Dasan and Aviram and they were actually still alive. Rashi explains that they are called “dead” because they became poor...

               

                a. Who cares if they are “called dead”, why should that make Moshe feel                                better?

                   b. How does Rashi know that they became poor as opposed to one of                                    the other things for which a person is titled dead (such as: Having                                     tzaraas, being blind, not having children)?

22. How could Tziporah give Bris Milah to her son if the Gemara Kiddushin (29a) says that Bris Milah is a Mitzva which is optimally done by the father (on 8^th day)?

Parshas Vayechi - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

ויחיפרשת 

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (47:28-29) Why in the Torah is Yaakov sometimes referred to as Yaakov and sometimes as Yisroel?

2. (47:28) What purpose was there in Yaakov trying to tell the B’nei Yisroel when mashiach would arrive?

3. (47:29) Rashi lists a few reasons that Yaakov gave Yosef why he wanted to be buried in Eretz Yisroel. Why did he need these reasons? Why not just tell Yosef he wanted to be buried in ma’aras ha’machpeilah with his wife and ancestors?

4. (47:31) Why did Yaakov make Yosef swear that he would bury him in Eretz Yisroel?

5. (48:2) Why did Yaakov get up in bed when Yosef entered the room? Forget the fact that Yosef was King, still Yaakov was not feeling well and he should have stayed in bed sick so Yosef would realize and spread the word to have everyone daven for him?

6. (48:5) Why did Ephraim and Menashe receive special status to be lieke shevatim and get their own portions In Eretz Yisroel like shevatim?

7. (48:6) Rashi writes that Yaakov told Yosef that if Yosef would have more sons then they would be included in Ephraim and Menashe. Did Yosef have more sons? And if so whose portion would they be included in?

8. (48:7) Why was Yaakov concerned that Yosef would “take revenge” for his mother and not bury his father inb Eretz Yisroel?

a.    Yosef loved Yaakov and would have wanted to bury him properly anyway?

b.   Yaakov loved Rachel and that was something that was clear to everyone, especially Yosef/ So what need was there for an explanation?

c.   Also, why did Yaakov say to Yosef not to rationalize and give his own reasons why Yaakov didn't bury Rachel in a better place (such as it being the rainy season or that there were a lot of pits in the road) ? If he thought Yosef would do that anyway and that it would make him happy, why not just let it play out?

9. (48:8) Why did the shechinah leave just because of their descendants? What about their own greatness? And what about their good descendents? Also, who said that they will in fact have evil descendents - what about bechira?

10. (48:9) When Yaakov asked Yosef regarded his children, “Who are these (unfit of receiving a beracha), Rashi writes that Yosef first showed Yaakov his sh’tar eirusin  and sh’tar kesubah. And then, afterwards, davened for Yaakov to get ruach hakodesh back.

a.    Why did Yosef have his wife's kesuba and shtar eirusin?

b.   Who were the eidim (witnesses) on these documemts?

c.   Why did he assume that Yaakov would think that he married illegally? He should have just started off by davening that Yaakov get his ruach hakodesh back?

d.   Why did it help if the real reason Yaakov lost his ruach ha'kodesh was because of the descendants of Ephraim and Menashe? The shechina already knew that they were not mamzeirim, so what did it do to get Yaakov's ruach ha'kodesh back?

11. (48:10) What was the reason Yaakov became blind? When Yitzchak became blind Rashi offered three explanations. What was the reason here?

12. (49:1) Why did the Shechina leave Yaakov when he wanted to tell the shevatim what would happen באחרית הימים?

13. (49:5) Yaakov refers to Shimon and levi as having “stolen tools” because murder was a 'gift' given to Eisav. If so, how did they get it? And if it was a different type of murder because all l'shem shamayim, then what did they do wrong?
14. (49:31) Why not mention Adam too?

                                                                     

15. (49:33) Why did Yosef kiss Yaakov after he died?

16. (50:1) Rashi mentions from the gemara (Taanis) that “Yaakov never died”  - what does this mean?

17. (50:6) Why did Pharaoh add in, “like you swore”? What if Yosef hadn’t swore? What difference was it to Pharaoh?

18. (50:10) Why did they sit shivah starting after the 40 days?

19. (50:13) The Gemara in Sotah relates that an interesting episode with Eisav occurred when the shevatim tried to bury Yaakov in ma'aras hamachpeilah. Chushim ben Dan was the one who ultimately beheaded Eisav to allow Yaakov to be buried. Why didn't any of the shevatim or other spectators have the sense to remove the obstacle (Eisav) which was stopping them from burying the tzaddik Yaakov?

20. (50:15) The brothers noticed that Yosef had started acting differently towards them once Yaakov had died, so they called him out on it. Yosef however denied having any animosity or wanting for revenge. If that was true, then why indeed did Yosef behave differently towards them once Yaakov had died?

21. (50:19) At the end of the Parsha, Yosef told his brothers “HaTachas Elokim Ani?” (Am I in place of Hashem?) -

a.    Who else in the Torah used this expression? When?

b.   Is there a connection in how to understand the passuk in both places?

22. (50:21) What argument did Yosef say to finally convince the brothers that he would not kill them? What argument did he try to originally use and why didn't it work?

23. What is the connection between this week's parsha and its haftorah?

24. Where do you see in this week's parsha that, sometimes, having in mind to have done something is considered as if you did it?

Have Answers? Have other questions on the parsha? Email them to thoughtsonparsha@gmail.com

Parshas Vayigash - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

ויגשפרשת 

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (44:18) In the first passuk of this week's parsha there are two times where it says that Yehuda was the one who approached Yosef. One is straight out (b'feirush) in the passuk and the other is a remez. Where is the remez?

2. (44:18) Why wasn't Reuvain the one to approach Yosef and stand up for Binyamin? Regardless of the deal Yehuda made with Yaakov, still Reuvain was the eldest of the brothers so why not be the one to confront Yosef?

3. (44:18) In one of the pshatim that Rashi says that Yehuda was telling Yosef when he said “You are like Pharaoh” is: Just like Pharoah makes decrees and doesn't keep them so too you”. The sifsei chochomim brings the mahar'shal who explains that Yehuda was saying the following, “You Yosef put all your reliance on Pharoah. However, Pharoah is a liar! Pharoah had a decree that no slave should ever rule over mitzrayim or wear royal clothing. Yet he appointed you...!” What type of argument is this, though? Yosef could easily respond that indeed Pharaoh is amazing! After all, he made an exception to the rule for his sake. So what message was Yehuda trying to convey to Yosef?

4. Rashi (44:19) says that Yehuda challenged Yosef asking, “Why did you ask us so many questions? Were we looking to marry your daughter or were you looking to marry our sister?”

1.     What was wrong with Yosef asking questions? He thought they were spies?

2.    Why did Yehuda give the example of Yosef wanting to marry their daughter or sister? Being that the brothers were older it would make more sense for Yehuda to have asked “Were you looking to marry our daughter...”

5. (44:29) What was different between the reason Yaakov said he didn't want to send Binyamin down to mitzrayim, and the reason that Yehuda told Yosef? Why the difference?

6. (45:4) Yosef told his brothers “Come close to me, if you please”. Rashi explains that Yosef showed them his Bris Millah. What would this prove to the brothers, though? Rashi earlier explained in last week's parsha (41:55) that Pharaoh commanded everyone to listen to Yosef – who told them all to get bris millah. If so, EVERYONE in mitzrayim had a bris?

7. (45;14) Yosef cried on Binyamin's neck. Rashi tells us that he was crying because of the betai mikdashim which would be destroyed on his land. What is significant about the neck that it should represent the beis ha'mikadash? Also, why was he crying about the beis ha'mikdash at this particular point?

8. (45:22) How could Yosef favor Binyamin and give him a bigger present than the other brothers, when it was exactly that type of favoritism which had instigated the brothers teaming up against Yosef in the first place?

9. Why did Hashem stop the famine when Yaakov came down to mitzrayim? Shouldn't there have been a concern that people would then call Yosef a liar since he said that the famine would last seven years?

10. (46:29) Chazal tell us that when Yosef reunited with Yaakov, Yaakov was saying kriyas shema…

a.    Why wasn't Yosef doing the same?

b.    How could Yosef lean on Yaakov’s neck while Yaakov was saying Shema if the gemara (berachos 27a) says that can’t disturb people while davening?

11. (47:18) The famine lasted for two years. If the plan was for Yaakov to come down to Mitzrayim and that when he would come, the famine would stop, then why did Pharaoh dream 7 years of famine? It should have either been 2 or somehow express itself as undefined?

12. The brothers told Pharoah that they came to Mitzrayim because there was no grass for their flock in cana’an…If so, what did the people in cana’an do when they ran out of food and money? Also, what would be the point then of the brothers coming to Mitzrayim? – there was a famine there too! So there would still be no grass for their flock?