Parshas Vayechi - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת ויחי

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 descendants? Also, who said that they will in fact have evil descendants - 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?

Parshas Vayigash - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת ויגש

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 fro 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?

Parshas Miketz - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת מקץ

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1.      (41:1) Why was Pharaoh in his own dreams?

2.      Rashi (41:2,4) writes what the simanim in Pharoah's dreams meant. Why is Rashi telling us this here and not by Yosef's interpretations?

3.      Why does the passuk say that Pharaoh woke up – “And behold it was a dream!”?

4.      Rashi (41:8) differentiates between the dreams of Pharaoh and those of Nevuchadnetzer. Nevuchadnetzer not only did not understand the meaning of his dreams, but also did not even remember his dreams. Why the difference?

5.      (41:17) How could Pharaoh know the dream if Rashi 41:8 said earlier that Pharaoh did not remember his dreams?

6.      (41:25) If Pharaoh’s dreams were one and the same, why did they feature different characters (wheat and cows)?

7.      (41:26) Both Yosef and Pharaoh had double dreams. Why? Also the mefarshim explain that Yosef knew that the years of plenty and famine would happen very soon because Pharaoh dreamed them one right after another. But what about Yosef's own dreams? He also had two dreams (seemingly one right after another) but his dreams did not come to reality until many years later?

8.      (41:44) Why does Pharaoh say, “I am Pharaoh”?

9.      (41:49) The passuk uses the expression, “like the sand of the sea”. Why does the Torah feel the need to use this terminology and why specifically this example which is also used to describe the beracha of children that Hashem gave to B’nei Yisroel?

10.  Rashi (41:55) comments that Yosef made everyone in Mitzrayim get bris millah and move from their houses in order for the brothers to feel comfortable when they came down to Mitzrayim – a land where everyone had bris millah and everyone felt like a stranger after recently moving. Why would Yosef want to do this? As nice as it is to feel comfortable, is there not also a benefit to keeping distance when it comes to mingling among goyim? Additionally, the Torah is clear that the Egyptians knew that the brothers were Jewish. It was no secret, so what was Yosef trying to accomplish?

11.  Rashi (41:55) – Why was Pharaoh comfortable with all this power that Yosef had?

12.  (42:2) Why does the passuk record Yaakov as saying, “…so that we may live and not die…”? Why the redundancy?

13.  Rashi (42:8) writes that the brothers did not recognize Yosef because he had grown a beard. However, Rashi in Vayeishev writes that Yosef looked exactly like Yaakov. So certainly Yosef in a beard would have looked just like Yaakov, why didn’t the brothers realize?

14.  (42:13) – Why did the brothers tell Yosef this? T.M.I.!

15.  Rashi (42:23) – why was it important that the brothers no know Yosef understood Hebrew? If the interpreter was a mitzri and yet knew Hebrew, so why couldn’t Yosef have known it too without blowing his cover of being their brother?

16.  (42:25) and (44:2) – How could Yosef return the money to his brothers? Wasn’t it all owned by Pharaoh?

17.  The brothers exclaimed out of frustration, “What is this that Hashem is doing to us?” when they found that their money had been returned to them. Yet, we do not find such an expression when Shimon was taken to jail or when Yosef demanded them bring Binyamin to them, etc. Why only by this event?

18.  (42:29-35) – Why does the torah repeat the whole story and not just write, “and the brothers told their father, Yaakov, all that had occurred”?

19.  When the brothers returned from Mitzrayim and realized that they were given back their money, they told Yaakov. However, Yaakov never seems to have reacted or responded with what they should do. Why?

20.  (42:38) When the brothers were trying to convince Yaakov to send Binyamin down with them, Reuvain spoke up and said that he could be trusted with Binyamin and if he does not take good care of him, then Yaakov could kill his two sons. What in the world was Reuvain thinking? Did he really believe that such talk would make Yaakov feel safe sending Binyamin with him?

21.  (43:2) Why does the passuk say “….that they brought from Mitzrayim…”?

22.  Rashi (43:9) – Why was Yehuda’s idea much better?

23.  (2^nd half of Rashi 43:14) – Why was Yaakov saying this?

24.  Rashi (43:30) – It is evident from the names of Binyamin’s sons that he knew Yosef was still alive. How did he know?

25.  (44:2) This was a very risky move for Yosef to do because he had already pulled this trick on his brothers. They could have easily put two and two together and realized that Yosef was conspiring against them the whole time. So why did Yosef do this? Also, especially given their previous experience, why didn’t the shevatim think to check their bags before leaving mitzrayim?

26.  The passuk (44:8) records that after Yosef accused the brothers of stealing his magic goblet, the brothers responded that if they were even willing to return the money that was given back to them “accidentally” when they could have gotten away with it, then certainly they would not actively steal something from Yosef. Rashi comments that this is actually one of ten kal v'chomeir's found in the Torah. What exactly is the kal v'chomeir though? Perhaps a magic goblet is something that would be worth taking since it seemingly gave Yosef power to know things about the shevatim that perhaps they would not want him to know. For example, we know that despite Yaakov avinu and his family not stealing anything from Lavan's house, Rachel stole his teraphim because she knew that Lavan would be able to use them to see where they ran to if she left them there (according to one explanation in Rashi there). So, what is the kal v'chomeir here?

Parshas Vayeitzei - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת ויצא

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1.      Three types of people are called “dead” even while they are alive. All three appear in this week's parsha and Rashi. What are they and where do they come up in the parsha?

2.      (28:11) Rashi comments that the stones were all fighting which would be the one to have Yaakov’s head rest on. Since when do rocks fight?

3.      (28:12) Rashi writes that the angels first ascended the ladder before the others descended. Shouldn’t it have been the opposite in order for Yaakov not to be left alone even for a moment without “protection”?

4.      (28:15) Rashi writes that Hashem needed to reassure Yaakov that everything would be okay. Why did Yaakov need the reassurance? Did he not know on his own that Hashem was with him?

5.      (29:11) Rashi writes that instead of killing Yaakov as his father, Eisav, commanded, Eliphaz robbed him of everything he had. If Eliphaz really came to kill Yaakov, what convinced him to go along with Yaakov’s plan to just rob him instead? And if he knew he could not kill Yaakov, why did he bother trying? Even if Eisav would have killed him for not listening, certainly murder is one of the cardinal three sins which is yaharog v’al ya’avor (better be killed than transgress) and Eliphaz should have given up his own life. So how could we understand this strange event?

6.      (29:12) Rashi comments that Yaakov claimed to be able to match Lavan’s trickery. Since when? Where did he pick up this “talent”?

7.      (29:22) Why did Lavan not make a huge wedding for Rachel as he did for Leah?

8.      (29:25) Yaakov and Leah’s marriage was certainly one of ta’us (mistake) on Yaakov’s side, so why was the marriage valid?

9.      (29:32) Who named the shevatim?

10.  (29:35) Why did Leah only name her fourth son Yehuda? Was she not thankful for the first three?

11.  (30:15) Rashi writes that because Rachel gave up her time with Yaakov in exchange for a few flowers, she did not merit to be buried with him. Wasn’t the reason she wasn’t buried with Yaakov because of Yaakov’s curse later in the parsha on the one who stole the avodah zarrah from Lavan?

12.  (30:22) What took so long for Hashem to “remember” Rachel?

13.  (30:23) Rashi writes that when Rachel thanked Hashem for sending her a son which saved her from disgrace, she had one of two things in mind. Either that she was thankful that the rumors that Yaakov would divorce her and she would have to marry Eisav would stop; or that now she had a kid to blame things on. How could we understand these seemingly selfish thoughts at such a time from such a tzadekes?

14.  (30:24) As the passuk continues, Rachel named her son Yosef with a tefillah that Hashem add to her another son. How could we understand this? Rachel finally gave birth to a son and instead os stopping and being thankful she davens that Hashem grant her another one?

15.  (30:38) What exactly happened in the story of the wages and patterned animals?

16.  Where do you see in this week's parsha that “stealing” could be said in reference to intangible things which “can't be paid back”?

17.  There are two times other then the episode with the shepherds by the well that Yaakov seems to go on a rant, so to speak, and “lose his cool”. What is the connection between these three times? [See D’var Torah: Truth Be Told]

18.  (31:18) Why does the Torah feel it necessary to tell us what Yaakov spent his money on?

19.  (31:24) How could Lavan continue going to Yaakov after Hashem told him explicitly not to? Who else in the Torah did a similar thing?

20.  (31:32) Why did Yaakov curse the one who took Lavan's idols? [See D’var Torah: Truth Be Told]

21.  (31:39) Rashi tells us that Yakkov told Lavan that he was very careful when watching his sheep and whether things were stolen during the day or night, Yaakov paid for it all. What would have been the hava amina to differentiate between things stolen during the day and things stolen at night?                                                                                  

22.  (31:47) What was the difference between the way Lavan and Yaakov each named the גל?

23.  (31:54) What is the significance of eating in this week's parsha?

Parshas Chayei Sarah - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת חיי שרה

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (23:2) Rashi writes that Sarah’s death was a result of hearing the news that Avraham had gone to offer Yitzchak as a karbon. Why was Sarah’s reaction so different from Avraham’s?

2. (23:3) The Gemara Berachos [3b] brings an opinion that one it is assur to speak in front of a dead body. Bring a proof from this week’s parsha?

3. (23:4) Avraham challenged Efron and the B’nei Cheis that he was willing to act as a foreigner and pay for the Cave of Machpeilah, but that if they were not willing to sell it then he would force them to since he had a right to Eretz Yisroel. How was this attitude any different from Lot’s in last week’s parsha when his shepherds would allow their flock to graze on others’ property since it would one day belong to Avraham anyway?

4. (23:17) The passuk says “And Ephron’s field, that was in Machpeilah, that was facing Mamrei, stood…” Rashi offers two explanations for the passuk – one which he says is the simple explanation of the passuk. If Rashi knows the simple explanation of the passuk, why does he bring a second pshat?

5. (24:10) Rashi writes that Efron had become a leader that very day that Avraham approached him. As Rashi writes: Because of the importance of Avraham, who needed Efron, Efron ascended to greatness. Why was this necessary?

6. (24:10) Rashi writes that Avrahsm’s camels were different from many others’ because he was careful to muzzle them in order that they not graze from others’ fields. The gemara (Chullin 7a) says that Hashem doesn’t bring takalah to the animals of tzadikkim. If so, why did Avraham’s camels need to be muzzled?

7. (24:29) The passuk says, “…And Lavan ran outside to the man, to the spring…” Why does the passuk have to say that he ran outside? Certainly we would have figured out that in order to get from his house to the spring where Eliezer was he would need to go outdoors?

8. (24:32) The passuk relates that Lavan gave water to Eliezer and his men to wash their feet. This was the practice of Avraham and Lot as seen in previous parshos because they wanted to make sure that no avodah zarrah would be brought into their house. Laven worshipped avodah zarrah, so why was he concerned of it being brought into his house?

9. (24:42) Rashi quotes the Gemara that we learn from this week’s parsha that the conversations of the slaves of our avos is more pleasing before Hashem than the Torah of their descendents. Why is this so?

10. Did Eliezer perform kiddushin with Rivkah on Yitzchak’s behalf? If yes, how? If no, then what was Avraham so concerned about that he made Eliezer swear?

11. (24:55) Rashi writes that the malach came and killed Besuel for trying to interfere and kill Eliezer. Why was Besuel trying to stop him? Did he not want his daughter to marry into the prestigious family of Avraham?

12. (25:7) Rashi explains the passuk that when Avraham was 100 he was like he was 70, and when he was 70 was like he was 5, similar to the explanation Rashi gives in the beginning of the parsha when the passuk writes Sarah’s age. Why does Rashi not offer an explanation along the same lines when the passuk mentions Yishmael’s death and age?

Parshas Vayeira - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת וירא

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. The Torah tells us that Avraham was visited by three men who looked like Arabs. How could they have looked like Arabs if Arabs are descendents of Yishmael?

2. The passuk relates that the malachim “ate” the food which Avraham prepared for them. Rashi explains that the reason they pretended to eat is because it is proper not to deviate from the minhag of the place. Obviously this concept is important enough for the malachim to proactively eat, as opposed to passively just say that they are not hungry. What is so important about not deviating from the minhagei ha'makom? Where in halacha do we see this concept as well?

3. After Avraham's bris, Rashi (18:1) tells us that Hashem made it extremely hot and sunny in order not to trouble Avraham with guests. When Hashem saw Avraham was upset that no guests were coming, Hashem sent three malachim. Why didn't Hashem just make it not as hot and sunny and have the normal traffic of visitors?

4. Rashi tells us that one malach cannot perform two missions. Yet we know that the same malach that came to heal Avraham was the one who went to save Lot from Sodom (see Rashi 19:1). How could that malach perform multiple missions?

5. The Ba'al Ha'Turim (18:2) writes that because of Avraham's humility of referring to himself as dust and ash, he merited the mitzvos of Parah Adumah and Sotah. What is the connection between these mitzvos and the expressions of Avraham, beyond the words themselves?

6. The Torah testifies (20:14) that Avraham accepted a gift from Avimelech of flocks, cattle, servants, and maid servants. Similarly we see that Avraham accepted gifts from Pharoah in last week's parsha. Why was Avraham willing to take these, yet by the war of the four and five kings, Avraham refused to accept even a shoe lace?