Parshas Noach - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת נח

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

A Riddle:

סוף סוף ראשי 1.

תחילת סוף סופי

ויבא נח...אל התבה

מי אני?ג

2. Where do we see from this week's parsha that the day starts at night? Why is it that there is a concept of miktzas hayom k'kulo only if the night is part of the “miktzas”, yet if have even the full day without the preceding night, this concept is not applicable?
3. Rashi (6:13) says that despite all the things that the dor ha'mabbul were doing, the gezairah was sealed because of robbery. Why robbery more than avodah zarrah or giluy arayos?
4. Where is there a remez in the beginning of the parsha that Noach was not involved in any of these three things?
5. What are some of the similarities between Noach and Moshe found in this week's parsha?
6. Rashi both in 6:18 and 7:7 writes that it was forbidden to have marital relations in the teivah. However, Rashi in 7:7 adds that the reason for this was because the world was in a state of distress...

(a) Why does Rashi repeat himself? (b) Why does Rashi in 7:7 add the reason? (c ) Why is this a valid reason? Clearly the people dying in the mabbul deserved it. Shouldn't it have been considered a “joyous” time for the world?

2. The Torah uses the phrase “בעצם היום הזה” in this week's parsha as well as three other times in chumash in the same way. Where are these four times and what is the connection between them? [BERAISHIS 7:17 ; BERAISHIS 17:37 ; SHEMOS 12:21 ; DEVARIM 32:48]
3. Why did Hashem punish the world through means of a mabbul of water?
4. There is a machlokes when the mabbul started. The same machlokes exists regarding the creation of the world. What is this machlokes and what is the connection?
5. The passukim (Noach 8:10-11) describe that the second time Noach sent out the dove, it came back with an olive branch in its mouth. Rashi comments that the dove was trying to tell Noach the following: “Better let my food be bitter as an olive and provided by the hand of Hashem, and not sweet as honey but provided by the hand of man.”...(a) The dove should have had hakaras hatov to Noach and his family. Why at the first opportunity does the dove say such a remark? (b ) The dove's statement makes absolutely no sense! The entire time Noach and the animals were in the teivah they experienced open miracles. The whole teivah was something which opposed teva. Wasn't it pretty apparent that Hashem was present every step of the way?
6. Why did Hashem (9:1) need to give Noach a beracha that the animals would fear him? Wasn't this already built into the world from the sheishes y'mei beraishis?
7. How did Noach know it was Cham who dishonored him?
8. One of the reasons Rashi (11:1) gives as the reason behind why the dor haflaga began to build the tower is because they thought that the world was on a cycle that every 1656 years Hashem wold bring another flood, so they wanted to be prepared with supports for the skies. If so, why was Hashem so upset? Why not just let the people think this incorrectly as long as they aren't bothering anyone?
9. If the dor haflaga wanted to 'wage war' with Hashem, why did they buildמגדל בבל in a valley? They should have built it on top of a mountain!?
10. Rashi (11:28) brings down the story from the famous medrash how Haran (Avraham's brother) stood and observed the episode of Avraham being thrown into the fiery furnace. Haran decided that Avraham's fate would determine his own faith in Hashem. The medrash continues that indeed when Avraham emerged unscathed, Haran joined his side and was consequentially thrown into the fire – and burned to death. What did Haran do wrong? The Ramban at the end of Parshas Bo writes that Hashem does not perform miracles for every kofeir that decides not to believe in Hashem. This is why we have t he Torah and mitzvos which direct us to remember Yetziyas Mitzrayim and Kriyas Yam Suf as a forever certificate of Hashem's capabilities. Haran obviously lived before matan Torah and kriyas yam suf, so what was so bad with him wanting to see Hashem perform an open miracle first before fully believing in Hashem? 

Parshas Beraishis - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת  בראשית

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

 

1. The Torah begins with “Beraishis bara Elokim”. Why not start with “Elokim bara beraishis” which would (a). Allow the first letter of the Torah be an ‘aleph’, (b). allow the first word to be the name of Hashem and (c). not cause any possible misunderstanding in someone chas v’shalom thinking that something called “beraishis” created Hashem?

2. Rashi (1:1) writes that it is important to start the Torah with a recount of Hashem being the master and creator because this way it is clear to the goyim that Hashem has the only right to decide who gets Eretz Yisroel – the B’nei Yisroel. If we are counting on the goyim accepting the story of the Torah, then for the same price it should be enough for them to just read that Hashem promised us Eretz Yisroel without going into detail of days of Beraishis. So how did Rashi answer his question? Furthermore, what good did it do? Still our enemies try to take Eretz Yisroel from us and claim it for themselves? We have always had to conquer Eretz Yisroel, it was never just handed to us, so what good did it do to put the story of beraishis first in the Torah?

3. Rashi (1:1) writes that both Yisroel and Torah are called “reishis”. What else is referred to as such and what is the connection between them?

4. What was the first thing created?

5. The mishna mentions a number of things which were created both before beraishis and right before shabbos. What is unique about these things that they were created on the bookends of the six days of creation?

6. What is the “logic” and “reasoning” behind the order of when everything was created?

7. Rashi (1:5) comments that angels were created on the 2^nd day of Creation, Why at that particular point?

8. Rashi (1:8) describes that shamayim (heavens) is made of eish (fire) and mayim (water). Why?

9. Rashi (1:11) explains that the trees did not listen to the commandment of Hashem. (a) How could they not listen? They are just trees!? (b) Why could they only get punished once man sinned?

10. Rashi (1:12) writes that the vegetables made a kal v’chomeir based on what the trees were commanded. What exactly was the kal v’chomeir? And how could the greens be so sure of the kal v’chomeir? Hashem was creating the world for the first time and maybe His rules for trees wouldn’t apply to vegetables?

11. Rashi (1:16) relates that the moon complained that there cannot be two rulers over the same domain. As a result, Hashem reduced its size. Was the moon incorrect?

12. The passuk uses the phrase “let us make man”, which Rashi explains was is Hashem’s expression of humility that He – so to speak – consulted with the angels. This was done deliberately to teach this lesson of humility despite the tremendous risk of people possibly reading the Torah and be misled to believe that there was more than One Creator. Was it really worth this risk? Certainly a better place could be found to demonstrate Hashem’s humility without risking such a possibility?

13. How many mitzvos did Adom have?

14. Rashi (3:3) seems to understand that the disaster of the eitz ha’da’as had a lot to do with the fact that Chava added that Hashem told them not to touch the eitz ha’da’as, when in reality all that Hashem said was not to eat from the eitz ha’da’as. How is this any different, though, from that which we learn in the first mishna in Avos – that one should make for himself a protective fence around the Torah’s mitzvos? We have many mitzvos m’d’rabanan (from the Rabbis) as a fence to the Torah. Why was what Chava did any worse?

Rosh Hashanah - Stumpers

ראש השנה

Rosh Hashanah Stumpers and Something to Think About…

1. We know that a person's parnasah is fixed on Rosh Hashanah. Which three expenses are not included in this equation?

2. Why is it that two days of Rosh Hashanah are kept even in Eretz Yisroel, whereas other yomim tovim are celebrated there for only one day?
   
   
3. At the end of every slichos in the Tefillah of Mi She'anah we say, “Mi she'anah l'avraham avinu b'har ha'moriyah hu ya'a'nei'nu” - "He Who answered Avraham our father on Har HaMoriyah, may He answer us.” What, though, was Avraham's tefillah on Har HaMoriah?

4. Why are we allowed to eat honey? Usually, if an animal/creature is not kosher, then its products are not either kosher. A bee is not kosher, so why is its' honey?

5. Why do we eat the apple before the other simanim which include some which are of the shivas ha’minim?a

Parshas Ha'azinu- Parshas Stumpers

פרשת האזינו

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. Rashi (32:2) 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. Rashi (32:9) 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. Rashi (32:48) 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

פרשת וילך

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

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

2. The S'forno (31:1) 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. What is significant about dying on the same day one is born?

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

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. Rashi (31:29), 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?

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

9. (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

פרשת נצבים

 Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1.     The passuk (29:13-14)  says, “Not with y ou 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.    There are nekudos (dots) above certain letters/words in the passuk (29:28). Why is this and why over those particular ones?

3.    At the end of parshas Nitzavim, Hashem tells us:

הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה; וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים--לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה, אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ

“I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life....”

A few questions should immediately come to mind:

a.     Chazal teach us that a “nesinah” (a “giving”) is shaveh perutah (value of a perutah coin). In order for there to be two equal things that Hashem is giving before us, it must therefore be that they are both “valuable” (at least in our eyes). Last time I checked, though, Death's & Cursing's popularity was quite down. How could we understand that it is a “nesinah”?

b.    Also, if this is our big choice of bechirah, isn't it a bit unfair to word the choice as a choice between life and blessing versus death and curse? It seems pretty obvious which one to choose. Shouldn't a real bechirah be between two equal options?

c.    Being that the choice seems so obvious and clear, why is Hashem telling us which one to choose, as He says, “And you shall choose life”? And if it is not so obvious, why is He 'cheating' – so to speak?

4.    The Rosh and Da’as Zekainim (30:12) 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.    Rashi (30:19) 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 that 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 Seitzei - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת כי תצא

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. In this week's Parsha there is a mitzva, which many people do not know, pertaining to going out to battle:ויתד תהיה לך על אזנך …

a. What is this mitzva ? [Hint: It shows the importance of כבוד הבריות even in extreme circumstances such as war.]

b. Where is there a רמז in thisפסוק as to what a person should do when in danger of hearing a דבר שאינו הגון?

2. How could we understand the concept of eishes y'fas toar?

3. How could we understand the concept of ben sorer u'moreh? How could we punish him based on his future? Doesn't he have bechira?

4. The mishna in Berachos states that if one who declares, “Hashem's rachamim extends to the bird's nest” we quiet him.

a. Where do we see in this week's parsha that Hashem's rachamim reaches the bird's nest?

b. What is wrong with saying such a statement that we quiet one who says it?

5. In this week's parsha is an unbelievable example of the extent we must show hakaras hatov. What is it? Why?

6. Two of the six zechiros are in this week's parsha. What are they? What are the other four? And what makes them so fundamentally important that they are of the zechiros?

7. This week's parsha contains the basis for the minhag to start wearing a talis when one gets married. Where is it?