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?

Parshas Shoftim - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת שופטים

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. (16:21) The Medrash Rabbah says that Shlomo HaMelech's throne had 6 steps leading up to it. On each step was one of six consecutiveלא תעשה found in this week's parsha. What are they and what is the connection between them? (see Kli Yakar)

2. (17:18) There are three important dinim pertaining to a melech. What are they and where is there a remez to them in the word כסא – as if to say that a king who keeps these three things will merit to stay on theכסא ? (see Kli Yakar)

3. Rashi (16:22) explains that Hashem despises things which goyim use for avoda zarah. If this is so, why are we allowed to have a mizbe'ach?

4. Rashi (17:6) writes that if three witnesses come to testify, they do not become eidim zomemin until all three of them become zomemin. Why should this be true?

5. How could we even understand the din of eidim zomemin? They never even completed the evil they intended to do!?

6. Rashi (17:8) writes that the Beis Hamikdash is higher than every other place in the world. How could we understand this?

7. Rashi (17:11) comments on the passuk that we must listen to the chachomim even if he says right is left and left is right. If I know that right is indeed not left, then why should I listen to the words of the chochom ?

8. The Orchos Tzadikkim writes that every middah could be used for good or for bad. What are some examples in our parsha where the Torah warns not to use the middah of rachamim (mercy) incorrectly?

פרשת קרח

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. The medrash describes that Korach approached Moshe and Aharon with two arguments:

- “Does a talis made completely of techeiles require a string of techeiles?”

- “Does a room full of sifrei Torah require a mezuza on its doorpost?”

a. What are the answers to these questions? Why?

b. What exactly was Korach getting at with this debate?

c. How do these “attacks” on Moshe and Aharon fit with Korach's motto of “ki kol ha'eidah kulam 

kedoshim u'vesocham Hashem” ?

d. How is the story of Korach similar to the episode of the meraglim and their statement of “va'nehi 

v'eineinu ka'chagavim” ?

2. The Torah tells us that after Korach came to Moshe rabbeinu, Moshe fell on his face. There are 

three different types of “falling on the face” thorughout Tanach. What are they? Extra Credit: When 

do they occur?

3.   Did Korach die? How did he die?

a. Why was Moshe so insistent that Korach die in a weird way?

b. Didn't he know the mishna in Avos which says that the pit to swallow up Korach was already 

created?

c. How could Moshe ask Hashem that if such a creation was not made, that he should make it? 

Hashem created things yeis mei'ayin only during the time of Beraishis, why would Hashem make an 

exception now?