Questions tagged [moshe-rabbeinu]
the biblical personage Moses
389
questions
5
votes
1
answer
435
views
Moshe Rabainu burning his mouth with the coals
Per this answer Moshe and the Red-Hot Coals Moshe Rabainu took the coals and placed it in his mouth and his mouth got burned. It does not mention that his hand got burned. Did his hand get burned or ...
5
votes
1
answer
177
views
How did Moshe know that Nadav and Avihu were greater than either himself or Aharon?
In Vayikra 10:3 after the two sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, were killed, Moshe said to Aharon “This is what the Hashem said, saying: I will be sanctified through those near to Me, and before all ...
5
votes
1
answer
616
views
How was Moses able to speak to at least 600,000 people?
The book of Exodus says that Israelites had 600,000 men of fighting age. And often it has paragraphs like this:
Exodus 35:4 (JPS):
And Moses spoke unto all the congregation of the children of ...
5
votes
2
answers
225
views
Mitzvos on Mount Sinai?
Was Moshe Rabbeinu obligated in mitzvos during the two periods of 40 days that he spent on Mount Sinai? Did he keep mitzvos (whether obligated to or not) during that time?
I ask because the Torah ...
5
votes
0
answers
78
views
How Did Aharon Change Moshe's Words to Par'oh?
Moshe's message to Par'oh was to be communicated through Aharon, as per Sh'mot, 7:2
אַתָּ֣ה תְדַבֵּ֔ר אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲצַוֶּ֑ךָּ וְאַהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֙יךָ֙ יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְשִׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־...
4
votes
2
answers
534
views
Why is Moshe concerned what the Pharaoh's astrologers will think of him in Shemot 11:4?
In Shemot 11:4, Moshe tells Pharaoh that the plague of the 1st born will begin at approximately midnight.
Rashi explains that the reason Moshe said "approximately" is that if Moshe said exactly at ...
4
votes
6
answers
1k
views
How did Moshe know the name of Hashem to kill the Egyptian?
We find in Parshas Shemos that Moshe killed the Egyptian with the name of G-d. Where did Moshe know this from? After all he grew up in Pharaohs palace....
4
votes
3
answers
862
views
“Teiku” (תיקו): why Eliyahu and not Moshe Rabbeinu to resolve unanswered Talmudic questions?
Sometimes in the Talmud when there's a difficult question, the Talmud concludes with "תיקו".
Usually "Teiku" is translated to mean "let it stand" but another suggestion ...
4
votes
2
answers
502
views
Would someone please translate this midrash on the death of Moshe?
https://www.scribd.com/document/506081968/Death-of-Moses-Midrash
There is apparently no translation of this text already in English. The document is a bit long (about 10 pages), so to anyone who would ...
4
votes
1
answer
219
views
Who hit the Nile with his stick?
שמות יז ה has:
ומטך אשר הכית בו את היאור
Moshe did not hit the Nile river, Aharon did. (See שמות ז יט, with Rashi.) Why does the Torah say otherwise?
4
votes
1
answer
553
views
Why did Jethro want Moses' son to be an idolater?
The Midrash tells a strange story:
When Moses said to Jethro, "Give me your daughter Tzipporah as a wife", Jethro answered, "If you do what I ask of you, I will give her to you as a ...
4
votes
2
answers
174
views
Moshe's missing years
During the years Moshe was missing from Egypt, was he travelling abroad, to Saudi Arabia perhaps or Paran? Are these missing years documented somewhere?
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Moshe davening 515 times to enter Eretz Yisrael
I have recently heard that since the gematria of Va'etchanan is 515, Moshe davened 515 times to enter Eretz Yisrael before Hashem told him he couldn't daven anymore. The reason is that if he would ...
4
votes
2
answers
183
views
Where is Moshe in the Torah?
The Gemara in Chullin (137b) asks where several characters of the Megillah are found in the Torah: Esther (Devarim 31:18), Mordechai (Shemos 30:23), and Haman (Bereishis 3:11).
Then it throws a ...
4
votes
1
answer
970
views
What was Moses' staff made of?
What was Moses' staff made of? Copper? What's relationship between Moses' staff being turned into a snake in Parsha Sh'mot and the incident in Parsha Chuckat if there is any?
4
votes
2
answers
246
views
Who put the staves on the aron, and when?
Vayakhel (37:5) says that B'tzal'el built the aron and put its staves into the rings on its sides.
P'kude (40:20) says that Moshe put together the mishkan and put the staves on the aron.
What gives?
4
votes
2
answers
260
views
Last Posukim in the Torah
Who wrote the last eight Pesukim of the Torah?
4
votes
2
answers
447
views
Why does the Torah end before fulfilling the promise of entering the Promised land?
Most mundane facts are the most fascinating to question.
The Torah ends with Moses dying in the wilderness and the Israelites still camping on the other bank of the Jordan River. This plot sounds ...
4
votes
2
answers
836
views
Are you allowed to pray for your own death?
No suicide or euthanasia is allowed in Judaism. But are you allowed to pray for your own death?
You can pray for the death of someone who is incurably sick, in pain and dying. This is based on ...
4
votes
2
answers
621
views
Did Moshe Rabbeinu actually die?
I believe Moshe Rabbeinu's death is recorded several times within the Torah, but for instance here's the part recorded in Devarim:
Devarim 34:5-6
And Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there, in ...
4
votes
3
answers
94
views
How can Moshe risk the trustworthiness of his Nevuah?
Bamidbar 16:29
אִם־כְּמ֤וֹת כָּל־הָֽאָדָם֙ יְמֻת֣וּן אֵ֔לֶּה וּפְקֻדַּת֙ כָּל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם יִפָּקֵ֖ד עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א יְהוָ֖ה שְׁלָחָֽנִי׃
If these men die as all men do, if their lot be the common fate ...
4
votes
3
answers
458
views
Why did Moses add part of the tribe of Menashe to join Re'uven and Gad on the east of the Jordan?
In response to Reuven and Gad's request to settle on the east side of Jordan, Moses includes part of the tribe of Menashe to join them, as it says:
Numbers 32:33:
וַיִּתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֣ם ׀ מֹשֶׁ֡ה לִבְנֵי־...
4
votes
1
answer
364
views
Moshe being called Moshe Rabbeinu
We refer to Moshe as "Moshe Rabbeinu". (It's interesting about the avos as well that we say, for example, Avraham Avinu; however, I'll keep that for a separate question.)
When was the first time (and ...
4
votes
2
answers
242
views
How was Moshe Rabbeinu buried?
This website (thetorah.com) raises some points about Moshe Rabbeinu's death.
https://www.thetorah.com/article/moshe-rabbeinu-never-died-the-hidden-ending
A few points that they make is:
If Moses ...
4
votes
1
answer
81
views
A sound of distress, while dancing around the golden calf?
After Moshe received the Aseret HaDevarim he came down from the mountain and heard a lot of noise coming from amongst the people that awaited his arrival. The people had just built a golden calf, and ...
4
votes
1
answer
791
views
Zayin Adar customs
As tomorrow is Zayin Adar (and I'm a bit fed up with PTIJ), I was trying to find sources that Moses was born and died on Zayin Adar, and it was more difficult as it is widely known. For the record, it ...
4
votes
1
answer
303
views
Why did Shifrah give Moses back to Pharaoh's daughter?
Parashat Shemot, Chapter 2, states:
וַתַּ֥הַר הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא
וַֽתִּצְפְּנֵ֖הוּ שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יְרָחִֽים׃ ג וְלֹא־יָכְלָ֣ה עוֹד֮
הַצְּפִינוֹ֒ ...
4
votes
1
answer
189
views
Why Can't Moshe's Hands Perform Miracles?
The Torah (Shemos 17) describes a battle between Israel and Amalek in Refidim, and says that when Moshe's hands were raised, the Israel would be winning, but when he lowered his hands Amalek would ...
4
votes
1
answer
83
views
Would Moshe have lived longer if he had delayed fighting Midyan?
Rashi to Bamidbar 31:3 says:
וידבר משה וגו': אף על פי ששמע שמיתתו תלויה בדבר עשה בשמחה ולא איחר:
Moses spoke: Although he heard that his death depended on the matter, he did it joyfully, ...
4
votes
2
answers
65
views
Why were the spies commanded to assess if the Land is good?
God promised that the Land he would bring us into was good. Exodus 3:8:
and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians,
and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and ...
4
votes
1
answer
91
views
Missing את before a Definite Article
In שמות ,ב:ט, there seems to be a missing את before the definite article הילד. The Minchat Shai gives a cryptic answer (תקח האשה הילד. מטעים ביה אינשי דאמרי את.). Anyone know why the את is absent?
4
votes
1
answer
100
views
Why was it necessary for Moshe to show gratitude to things that did not intend to help him?
The חובות הלבבות (in the beginning of the פתיחה to שער עבודת אלקים) writes, that one does not need to show gratitude to someone who did him a favor, if the favor was not intended.
ואם תגיע לנו שום ...
4
votes
1
answer
141
views
Why does Yisro recommend so many judges?
In Shemos 18:21 Yisro tells Moshe that he shouldn't judge Bnei Yisrael himself, instead he should appoint:
וְאַתָּ֣ה תֶחֱזֶ֣ה מִכָּל־הָ֠עָם אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֜יִל יִרְאֵ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י אֱמֶ֖ת ...
4
votes
1
answer
2k
views
When did Jews start reciting the Shema Prayer?
When did Jews start reciting the Shema Prayer?
Was it before or after the Babylonian Captivity?
Was it before The Exodus?
Did Moses start the practice?
4
votes
3
answers
121
views
Why is Korach's rebellion referred to as בְּנֵי לֵוִי?
In Bamidbar 16:7, Moshe chastises Korach and his congregation saying, רַב לָכֶם בְּנֵי לֵוִי. However, other than Korach himself being from Levi, the rest of the co-conspiritors seemed to be mainly ...
4
votes
1
answer
866
views
How and exactly when was the Torah canonized and by whom
I had read in the bible that Prophet Moses received the 10 commandments on a tablet and there was also some other revelations which were not nailed on the tablet which constitute the Torah. Hence I ...
4
votes
1
answer
218
views
How can R' Yochanan derive from Moshe that wealth is needed in order for someone to have G-d's presence rest on him?
The Talmud (Nedarim 38A) says:
אמר ר' יוחנן אין הקב"ה משרה שכינתו אלא על גבור ועשיר וחכם ועניו וכולן ממשה
R' Yochanan said, G-d only rests his presence on one who is strong, rich, wise, and ...
4
votes
2
answers
152
views
Was the Oral Law only oral?
After Moses broke the first set of tablets, according to the Midrash:
God told [Moses]: Do not feel bad about the first tablets, for they only contained the Ten Commandments. However, the second set ...
4
votes
1
answer
65
views
How did the 2.5 tribes override a Deoraytah Mitzvah of settling the land of Israel?
IIRC, the Pshat of the Torah clearly implies that the purpose of the Exodus was to inherit the Land of Israel, and G-d commands Bney Israel many times to enter the promised land, to settle it, etc. It ...
4
votes
2
answers
84
views
How was Moshe protected by the sand in Egypt?
Moshe does not enact the third plague. Rashi explains that,
לֹא הָיָה הֶעָפָר כְּדַאי לִלְקוֹת עַ"יְ מֹשֶׁה, לְפִי שֶׁהֵגֵן עָלָיו כְּשֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל,
That the dirt ...
4
votes
1
answer
110
views
Anti-altering measures of the Oral Torah
The Oral Torah was [presumably] forbidden to be written down.
The Gemmorah clearly shows that even in a span of 100 years there were huge differences in recalling the Mishnaic formulas. For example "...
4
votes
0
answers
184
views
Pray barefoot or not?
At the burning bush, God told Moses:
Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground. [Ex. 3:5].
Later, the kohanim served barefoot in the Temple.
But the Talmud ...
4
votes
0
answers
74
views
Does Pharaoh's daughter speak Hebrew in Exodus 2:10 or is the book of Exodus simply translating what she said in Egyptian into Hebrew? [duplicate]
Exodus 2:10 says: "And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said: ‘Because I drew him out of the water.’" Is the text ...
4
votes
0
answers
140
views
Why are Moshe, Aharon, David and Shlomo mentioned in the prayer for the sick?
Based on Nusach Ashkenaz, it seems that when there is a prayer beginning with the words מי שברך , that only the 3 fathers (Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya'akov) are mentioned. Two examples:
Mi Sheberach for ...
4
votes
0
answers
66
views
What was Moshe's original name? [duplicate]
Did Moshe's parents ever give him a name? If so, what was it?
We know him as Moshe, but that is the name that Pharaoh's daughter gave him.
Presumably, over the several months that Moshe was with his ...
4
votes
3
answers
294
views
A question regarding Moses
Question from a gentile:
I wish to ask, do Jews believe that Moses never called non-Jews to the worship of one God?
If Jews do believe that he did call non-Jews to one God, how did they come to the ...
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Did Moshe have a son with Ethiopian Queen prior to Exodus
According to Josephus, Moshe was a great military leader who lead in battle for Egypt when Egypt and Ethiopia was at war and Moshe married the Ethiopian Queen and had a child with her who became the ...
3
votes
2
answers
344
views
What did Amram and Yocheved do to merit raising leaders of Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam?
Although Amram and Yocheved were influential leaders in their own right (seen in Sotah 12a where Klal Yisroel followed their lead in divorcing from their spouses), do any Chazal or Torah commentators ...
3
votes
3
answers
418
views
Is the Cushite woman Zipporah?
:וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַֽהֲרֹן֙ בְּמשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָֽאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח
"And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite ...
3
votes
4
answers
287
views
Why isn't Moshe considered a "forefather"?
If Moshe led us out of Egypt, into Israel, and is a great man why isn't he considered a forefather?