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?

Parshas Shelach - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת שלח

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. Rashi (13:2) writes that the story of the Meraglim was placed in the Torah immediately following the episode of Miriam because they did not learn from Miriam about how one should speak. Miriam spoke lashon harah about her brother, Moshe Rabbeinu, while the Meraglim spoke about Eretz Yisroel – an inanimate object, not a person. There is nothing wrong with doing so. So what did the Meraglim do wrong that they should have learned from the story of Miriam?

2. Calev and Yehoshua each had the help of a tefillah to stay away from the plot of the meraglim. Why was this necessary? Why not just stay away?

3. After the report of the Meraglim, the B'nei Yisroel cried out, “Why is Hashem bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and young will be taken captive! Is it not better that we return to Egypt?” What were the B'nei Yisroel thinking? How exactly were they thinking they would be treated if they went back to Mitzrayim? Wouldn't this be what would happen regardless?

4. The Gemara in Berachos says that Hashem wanted to wipe out B'nei Yisroel in the desert and start fresh with only the descendants of Moshe. Moshe responded, “If a chair with three legs (Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov) cannot stand, then certainly a chair with one leg (just Moshe) cannot stand.” What was this argument?

5. Hashem told Moshe (Bamidbar 14:22) that since the B'nei Yisroel left Mitzrayim, they tested Hashem 10 times. What were these 10 times?

6. Rashi (14:33) explains that the generation of the meraglim all died in the desert by age 60. This is why the B'nei Yisroel had to remain there for 40 years – in order that the youngest (counted) ones among them, who were 20, would reach the age of 60. The Mefarshim explain that the reason for this was because they were not guilty of meesa b'dei shamayim (death from heaven), which occurs at 60. If so, what was Hashem's original thought to wipe them out immediately? And why didn't Moshe respond with this argument?

7. When Moshe davened on behalf of B'nei Yisroel in this week's parsha, he used only about half of the 13 middos. Why?

8. There are 3 ways that the mission of the meraglim was described: 1. Hashem in our parsha calls it “v'yasuru” 2. B'nei Yisroel call it “V'yachp'ru” (Devarim 1:22) and 3. The meraglim said “v'yarg'lu. What is the difference between these three expressions and perspectives?

9. How do you know Kohanim could become invisible? (No cheating – don't ask a Kohen)

Parshas Beha'aloscha - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת בהעלתך

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. (8:2) Rashi explains that Hashem told Aharon, “Your role is greater than theirs...” The Torah in parshas Nasso goes through great lengths to tell us that all the karbanos of the n'si'im were equal in the eyes of Hashem. Why suddenly by Aharon must it be that his be more precious?

2. (8:4) Rashi reminds us of the complexity of the Menorah. Why did Hashem command to make a vessel impossible to comprehend how to construct? And why specifically the menorah?
3. (8:4) Rashi mentions that the Menorah was banged and hammered. I thought there was no hammering in the beis hamikdash / mishkan because they used the shamir worm?
4. (8:24) Rashi comments that regarding levi'im, not being of age disqualiifies them but not physical blemishes. Why is it that physical blemishes disqualify a kohen but not a levi?
5. (9:1) Why was this the only Karbon Pesach that the B'nei Yisroel brought while in the desert? And if there was a valid reason for this, then why does Rashi refer to it as a discredit to B'nei Yisroel?
6. (9:6) Rashi writes that when B'nei Yisroel wanted to know about bringing a make-up karbon pesach, it must be that they asked only Moshe and not Aharon because how would it be possible for Aharon to have known something that Moshe didn't. How could that be the reason that Rashi is so sure. The Torah itself tells us the story of Pinchas when he “reminded” Moshe of a halacha. And the Gemara describes certain tana'im who were me'cha'deish chidushin. So why is the fact that Aharon was Moshe's student a valid proof that he must have known less?
7. (9:10) Why is karbon pesach so unique that those who miss it receive a second chance unlike any other mitzva?
8. (10:2) Why were the trumpets that Moshe blew considered a separate “kol”?
9. (10:7) When was Morse code really invented? And was this “Morse code” a mere code or were the length of the sounds and sequence of lengths intrinsically significant?
10. (10:36) Rashi comments that we see that the shechina only comes to rest on B'nei Yisroel when there are 22,000 people. What about the gemara berachos and the mishnayos in pirkei avos which describe that the shechina comes to rest on 10 people → even 3 → even 2 → even 1?
11. (11:1) The Torah describes that those who complained and sinned amongst B'nei Yisroel were “like those who seek pretenses...” why 'like'? They were people who were trying to stir up trouble?
12. (11:22) What exactly was the conversation between Hashem and Moshe?
13. (12:13) Rashi lists four places where Moshe asked Hashem what would be. What is the connection between these four things which caused Moshe to more aggressively ask about their outcomes?
14. (12:13) Moshe davened a very short tefillah for his sister in order for people not to accuse him of caring more for her than everyone else. Would anyone really be so inconsiderate to accuse Moshe of such a thing? He was davening for his sister?! 

Parshas Nasso - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת נשא

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. Why is the parsha of sotah so serious that based on suspicion we give her to drink from the bitter waters to determine whether she is guilty? We do not find this by other aveiros. For example, one who we suspect killed someone else, there is no potion to give him to determine his guilt, rather he is innocent until 2 witnesses come and go through the long process of demonstrating that their story is true and that the man is guilty?
2. Rashi (7:11) writes that Moshe did not know which order the n'si'im should bring their offerings: if it should be in age-order or in order of their travels. Why was Moshe unsure though, Hashem had not yet commanded Moshe the order of their travels so that should not have even been an option?
3. Why does the Torah repeat each karbon brought for each of the nasi'im? They are exactly the same! Why not just write it once and say that this is what each nasi brought?
4. The karbanos that the nasi'im brought consisted of a young bull, one ram, one sheep, and one he-goat. Rashi writes that the bull corresponds to Avraham, the ram corresponds to Yitzchak, and the sheep corresponds to Yaakov. The he-goat is to atone for the selling of Yosef.
   a. What place does the goat for the atonement of Yosef have here?
   b. Not all the shevatim were involved in the sale of Yosef – and certainly not Ephraim and Menashe who themselves come from Yosef? So Why was this a universal karbon for all the nasi'im?

5. Rashi (7:85) learns from the passuk that all the implements in the Beis Hamikdash were precise in their weight such as whether one would weigh them one by one or weigh them all together he would never find a discrepancy. What is Rashi coming to teach us? Obviously the collective sum of all the weights will always equal taking each weight separately and adding them together?

Parshas Kedoshim - Parsha Stumpers

פרשת קדושים

Parsha Stumpers and Something to Think About

1. What does it mean to be kedoshim? The Gemara in kiddushin describes that the rabbanan termed the hebrew word for engagement as “Kiddushin” because essentially by marrying a wife you are making her “assur to everyone else just like hekdesh”. What is the root of what it means to be a kadosh?

2. Parshas Kedoshim contains many mitzvos – within these the eseres hadibros are present. Some of them are straight out and some of them are alluded to. Where?

3. The passuk (19:17) says tjhat there is a mitzva to give others mussar...'and you should not bear a sin because of him'. What does this mean?

4. Why is 'v'ahavta l'reiacha kamocha' a 'zeh k'lal gadol ba'Torah?

5. The passuk (20:3), when describing prohibition of giving children over to molech (a certain form of avodah zarrah), says that Hashem will direct his face upon them and cut them off from their people. Rashi explains further that Hashem will turn aside, so to speak, from all his other concerns to deal with this person...
   a. Why does the Torah use this expression here more than other times in chumash?
   b. The passuk in Acharei Mos 17:10 uses the same expression regarding eating blood and Rashi explains it the same way? What is the connection?
6. Rashi (19:4) comes to explain that not only is one forbidden to make his own idols, one is also forbidden to worship the idols that someone else gives him. What is Rashi adding? If I can't make my own idols then why would I think someone else could give me idols and that would be fine for me to worship? Furthermore, our parsha contains two concepts which would counter such a mistake anyway: that of lifnei iver and divrei harav v'divrei hatalmud l'divrei mi shomim (see rashi by kibud av v'eim)?

7. A similar question as the one above could also be asked regarding molech. Rashi (20:3) comments that one might think that even though one cannot offer his child to molech avodah zarah, but perhaps one would think it is permitted to give over a grandchild. Why would someone make such a drastic mistake to think that? Would someone really think that although one cannot sacrifice a child for avodah zarrah that it would be permitted to sacrifice a grandchild?

8. The passuk (19:14) says that one may not curse a deaf person. Rashi is bothered why the passuk limits this to only cursing deaf people and goes on to say that there is a different source to teach us not to curse anyone (based on shemos 22:27). Why isn't this a kal v'chomeir, though? After all, if one is not allowed to curse someone who cannot hear them, then certainly if that person could hear you which would cause even more conflict and strife?
9. The passuk (19:15) commands us to judge our friends favorably, yet there is another concept of v'hiyisem n'kiyim – that each individual has the responsibility to be “clean” in the eyes if his peers. Where does the line get drawn between these two ideas? Also, how far, in general, must one go when it comes to being dan l'kaf zechus?

10. The passuk (19:26) states the issur of practicing divination and believing in “lucky times”. Where does the line get drawn between not making up superstitions versus listening to the messages that Hashem is trying to communicate to us?

11. Rashi (19:32) describes that displaying honor to an elder is accomplished by not sitting in his lace, not speaking in his place, and not contradicting him. Interestingly, these were the same examples Rashi (19:3) used regarding acting towards one parents – but there Rashi gave them as the examples of fear of ones parents as opposed to the other examples chosen to illustrate honor to one's parents. Why the difference?