Parshas Yisro - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

יתרופרשת 

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. What did Yisro hear that no one else did?

2. According to the one who holds that Yisro was attracted by the fact that B'nei Yisroel won the war against Amalek, what was so special about it? Granted they were untrained, but still the B'nei Yisroel had an army of 600,000 men between 20 and 60. Certainly it couldn't have been such a tremendous surprise that they won.

3. Rashi writes that Yisro had 7 names. One of them was Yeser – which became Yisro after he converted. If so, didn't Yisro really only have 6 names at any given time?

4. Yisro is called Choveiv because of his love for the Torah. Why did Yisro receive such a name any more than Moshe, Aharon, or any of Bnei Yisroel in the midbar?

5. (18:2) Rashi sounds good in the broad sense but what specifically was Aharon worried about? Moshe’s wife and children would not have become slaves? Moshe was from shevet Levi?

6. Yisro came over to Moshe and asked “What are you doing?” Moshe responded, “Judging the people and helping them with their questions.” Yisro then clarified and said that he meant why is Moshe the only one judging instead of creating a system of ranks where more people could be helped at a time. What was this conversation between Moshe and Yisro? And why didn't Moshe think of this himself?

7. Where did Yisro get his “da’as Torah” from which seems to have been good enough to match Moshe?

8. (18:21) Where did Yisro get his qualifications from that he suggested be requirements for people to judge k’lal Yisroel?

9. When describing Moshe's two sons the Torah writes “Shem Ha'echad Gershom...” and “Shem Ha'echad Eliezer...” The Torah refers to them both as “The first” even though Gershom was older because Eliezer was named for an earlier event that Moshe experienced. What is the significance behind each of their names? And why did Moshe name his first son for a later event and his second son for the earlier one?

10. The Aseres Hadibros are a Pangrammatic Lipogram (consists of all the letters in Hebrew Aleph Beis except for one). Which letter is missing? Why? [See archive D’var Torah: Parshas Yisro - The Ten Commandments: A Pangrammatic Lipogram]

11. The Aseres Hadibros in this week's parsha are slightly different from the ones found in Parshas Va'eschnan. What are the differences? Why are there differences?

12. (20:5) We see that Hashem is referred to as a “jealous G-d”. How could we understand Hashem’s “jealousy”?

13. There are many examples throughout chumash that one should knock on a door before entering, as to not startle those inside. Where is there an example in this week's parsha?

14. Rashi (18:7) writes that he does not know who bowed to who but when the passuk says “ish”, we figure out that it refers to Moashe....How could Rashi be so sure? Yisro too is called an “ish” by the torah (see Shemos 2:21)?

15. Why in the aseres ha'dibros does Hashem refer to Himself as the one who took us out of Eretz Mitzrayim, and not the One Who created the world?

16. How could Hashem give us such a commandment not to desire something? How is it possible to control our emotions to the point of not having a feeling of wanting something?

17. Why wasn't the Torah given in Eretz Yisroel?

Parshas Beshalach - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

 בשלח פרשת 

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1.  How could Hashem use ba'al-tzefon as a reference point if it is an avodah zarrah?

2. Rashi (14:15) writes that because of zechus avos and B'nei Yisroel's belief in Hashem after leaving Mitzrayim, they merited to have kriyas Yam Suf. How do zechusim work? Certainly zechus avos could not have been exhausted at that point that they would have to utilize the zechus of their emunah, because zechus avos is something we still depend on today. So how do zechusim get calculated to figure out what different zechusim could do, how much power they have, and to what extent they could be used in various circumstances?

3. (15:15 – Rashi) What is so significant and great about recognizing that Hashem was able to kill the horse with its rider?

4. The Rambam writes that it is assur to attribute any physical characteristics to Hashem. Yet, we find that the Torah does so a number of times in this week's parsha. What are these references and how could we understand them?

5. There is a concept that for Tzadikim, Hashem uses added punishments in this world in order to better reward in the next world. Similarly, for reshaim, Hashem increases reward in this world in order to give far worse punishment in gehenem. However, in this week's parsha, Rashi (16:5) points out the not-as-bad mitzriyim had a relatively quick death in the yam suf – as they drowned like a stone in water; while the reshaim gamurim were tossed around like straw – suffering a long painful death. Shouldn't it have been the other way around?

6. There is a concept of zechus avos where a nation merits things because of its forefathers – for example, Avraham, yitzchak, and Yaakov, By goyim, we see the exact opposite by Moav, Amori, Mitzriyim, and Amalek, where their descendents got punished based on the errors and sins of their forefathers. How could we understand this general concept why a whole nation should be rewarded of suffer based on what its ancestors accomplished or did?

7. Were preparations needed for the manna or not?

8. (17:12) Rashi writes that Moshe's hands became heavy because he erred by not going to battle with klal yisroel against Amalek. What was his calculation why he didn't? And why was he wrong?

9. (16:20) The Torah refers to two “anashim” (men) who left over from the manna. Rashi explains that the Torah is referring to Dasan nd Aviram. Why does the Torah call them “anashim”, which is a term reserved for tzadikim? (For example, see Parshas Shelach by the meraglim when Moshe picked them out)

10. (17:8) Rashi implies that Amalek coming to attach B'nei Yisroel was no accident, it was deliberate from Hashem because B’nei Yisroel had become lax in their belief. If so, what did Amalek do wrong?

11. (17:9) Rashi asks how do we know that a Talmid (student) must fear his rebbe like Hashem, and answers from a passuk where Yehushua said to Moshe: “My master, Moshe, make an end to them...” where we see that Yehoshua felt that those who rebelled against Moshe should be punished by death because it is as if the rebelled against Hashem Himself. If Rashi holds that this is a good answer to his question ,then what does Rashi do with the following: The Gemara Kiddushin (57a) mentions that Shimon (or Nechemiah) Ha'amunsi gave an explanation for what every “es” in the Torah was coming to teach. When he came to “es Hashem Elokecha tirah” - and Hashem your G-d you shall fear. He stopped because how could the “es” in that passuk be coming to include fear for anyone on the same level as Hashem? However, the Gemara continues that when Rabbi Akiva came along, he resolved it by explaining that it is coming to include talmidei chochomim who teach the derech ha'torah. It is just as important to fear them because they are representing and advocating Hashem's Torah. However, if this is something that Rashi in our parsha already knows from a different passuk, then this “es” should be re-opened and therefore no “es” could be used to learn things out from to include?

12. (17:9) Rashi [in his second explanation] writes that Yehoshua needed to select men for battle who would be able to “neutralize the sorcery of Amalek”. What would constitute such qualifications?  We would probably think that it would simply mean people who fear Hashem, but that cannot be because that is what Rashi explains in his first explanation. 

Parshas Bo - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

בא תשפר

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (10:7-11) Pharoah’s advisors told him to let the men go, and Pharaoh himself was willing to let the men go. If so, why did he ask Moshe “mi va’mi ha’hol’chim – who is going?” Why not just tell them at the onset that he as only willing to let the men go?

2. (10:17) Why by this makka did Pharaoh ask Moshe to daven to remove it “from me”?

3. (10:22) Rashi writes that during choshech – the wicked who did not wan to leave mitzrayim were killed. Who were these wicked who did not want to leave and why would they want to stay? Why did their wanting to stay warrant labeling them as reshaim?

4. (10:26) The Torah is unclear what would have happened oif Pharaoh would have let the B’nei Yisroel go? Would they have come back after “they went to serve Hashem”?

5. Why didn't Dasan and Aviram die during makkas choshech ?

6. After Pharoah tells Moshe, “Never come back...”, Moshe says, “You have spoken well, I will never come to you again”. How could Moshe say this? How did he know that Hashem wouldn't command him to back to Pharoah?

7.     Throughout the Torah and Gemara we find many examples where the Hashem or tzadikim go out of the way to ensure that no appearance will be given off that could mislead others to think erroneously. For example, when Hashem was going to destroy s'dom, Avraham argued that if there is even one righteous person, then Hashem must save the whole city because otherwise people will think that Hashem does not rule with justice. Additionally we find this concept a few times in this week's parsha. For example, there is a reference when Pharoah tells Moshe that he sees “ra'ah” will be with them in the midbar (desert)....later in the Torah by the eigel ha'zahav when Hashem was going to wipe out klal yisroel, Moshe argued that Hashem could not do that because then perhaps the Mitzriyim will say that it was  “ra'ah” that did it. Also, there is a famous rashi and gemara berachos regarding Moshe switching the lashon to “כחצות” instead of  "בחצות” to ensure that the mitzriyim would not accuse him of being a liar if the makas bechoros wouldn't occur precisely at midnight. Another example is the gemara in shekalim which discuss that the kohanim could not have cuffs on their pants or have pockets lest them be accused of taking money from the beis hamikdash. It seems from all these examples that even in extreme circumstances we are so careful to make sure to give off a proper appearance even when it means making an exception to dong the right thing. Considering all this, how will we deal with the following rashi in this week's parsha: Rashi mentions that by makas bechoros every house had many people who died. Rashi goes so far as to say that the mitzriyim started saying, “this is not like the other decrees/makkos of Moshe because here he said that only the bechorim would die and yet everyone seems to be dying!” Why in this circumstance did Hashem do the “correct” thing and kill the bechorim despite the fact that it looked like He was killing random mitzriyim? Why suddenly was He not afraid that Moshe would be called a liar? When do we use this principle of remaining נקי and when should we put that aside?

8. In the introduction to meseches s'machos, R' Yochanan says that although Hashem “hit” the bechorim of Mitzrayim at night, they did not really die until the next morning. Where in davening is there a רמז to this?

9. What is significant about the dogs not barking?

10. Who killed the bechorim? Why was it necessary to have something to differentiate between the Jews and mitzriyim more than by any other makkah?

11. How do we know to wear Tefillin on the left hand? What is the significance of wearing it on the left hand?

12. Two of the four parshiyos in out Tefillin could be found in this week's parsha. What are they? And what is so significant about them that they should be in the tefillin alongside Shema?

13. If the reshayim of Bnei Yisroel died during makkas choshech, why didn't Dasan and Aviram die then as well?

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?