interpretation of parts of Tanach by close reading, not derivation (Pronounced "par-sha-noot")
6
votes
1answer
106 views
Why are there different phrasings of Korban Pesach accompaniments?
In Parshas Bo (Exodus 12:8) it says about the Korban Pesach:
וְאָכְלוּ אֶת-הַבָּשָׂר, בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה: צְלִי-אֵשׁ וּמַצּוֹת, עַל-מְרֹרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ.
And they shall eat the flesh in that ...
6
votes
5answers
192 views
Why didn't Avraham tell Eliezer to go get Rivka?
In Parshas Chayei Sara, Avraham tells Eliezer to go find a wife for Yitzchok from his family, כִּי אֶל אַרְצִי וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי תֵּלֵךְ וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי לְיִצְחָק: and not from the ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
Why was Yaakov punished for not honoring his parents?
Bereshit 37:34 (translation by machon-mamre):
וַיִּקְרַע יַעֲקֹב שִׂמְלֹתָיו, וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק בְּמָתְנָיו;
וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל-בְּנוֹ, יָמִים רַבִּים
And Jacob rent his garments, and put ...
5
votes
1answer
95 views
How can you see words?
Has anyone else noticed the seeming incongruity in Lekh Lekha, Gen 15:1...that Avram is "seeing" the words? The verse states:
אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, הָיָה דְבַר-יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, ...
5
votes
0answers
55 views
Was Naaman tamei from tzaraas?
In Melachim Bet 5:10 we read:
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו אֱלִישָׁע, מַלְאָךְ לֵאמֹר: הָלוֹךְ, וְרָחַצְתָּ שֶׁבַע-פְּעָמִים בַּיַּרְדֵּן, וְיָשֹׁב בְּשָׂרְךָ לְךָ וּטְהָר.
And Elisha sent a ...
5
votes
2answers
186 views
Why did Noach curse Canaan and not Cham?
After the incident with Cham after the flood, Noach curses Canaan (Genesis 9:25). Why does he not curse Cham, the one who actually wronged him?
The explanations I've seen of this incident have Cham ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
What does adultery mean in the 7th commandment?
Exodus 20:14, the 7th 'commandment' of the Decalogue.
Does it mean only having sex with someone else' wife or having sex outside marriage?
What is the actual Hebrew word and what possible ...
5
votes
2answers
139 views
Science of the Rishonim on “celestial spheres”
In the writings of the Rishonim, it is not uncommon to see explanations of pesukim or of aggadic concepts using the "celestial spheres" model of the universe. The Rambam in particular uses the idea ...
5
votes
1answer
96 views
Mishkan significance
Why does the Torah feel the Need to tell me the rules for making the Mishkan? First, it is no longer relevant, as, even if we build, we will build a Beis Hamikdash. Plus, the Medrashim say it will be ...
5
votes
2answers
201 views
What Mikraos Gedolos has the most meforshim?
What sefer (prob Mikraos Gedolos) has the most meforshim in it?
5
votes
4answers
200 views
God's Pair of Teffilin
How when moshe turns his head not to see God's face, he sees He's got on teffilin? I thought God had no physical form.
4
votes
1answer
70 views
Questions about the destruction of Sodom and the vicinity
I am having a hard time making heads or tails of the story of the destruction of Sodom and the vicinity. All questions below are questions about the narrative of the story based on the interpretation ...
4
votes
1answer
39 views
Why didn't Eliezer go straight to Avraham's family?
Avraham made Eliezer promise that he would only find a wife for Yitzchak from his family.
It seems to follow then, that as soon as Eliezer would arrive in Aram Naharaim he'd go straight to Avraham's ...
4
votes
2answers
100 views
Why did Noach plant a vineyard?
The first mention the torah makes of wine and vineyards is in Gen 9:20-21, when Noach plants a vineyard and then gets drunk on wine after the flood. What prompted him to plant a vineyard as, ...
4
votes
3answers
70 views
Why didn't Yaakov and Yosef spend much time together?
It seems that Yaakov and Yosef did not spend much time together in Egypt. After the emotional reunion is there any other mention of them together? Why not?
4
votes
2answers
77 views
How could Yackov Lie
How could Yackov Lie it is גניבת דעת to say
אָנֹכִי עֵשָׂו בְּכֹרֶךָ
How was he allowed to make this statement?
4
votes
2answers
106 views
Why does revi'i of Vayeira seem to end four verses late?
Why does revi'i - the fourth reading - of Parashat Vayeira end with the first few verses of the story of the birth of Yitzchak (Gen. 21:1-4)?
Objections:
There's a natural break in narrative before ...
4
votes
1answer
159 views
If Ketura wasn't Hagar, who was she?
The Torah tells us (Bereshit 25:1) that "Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah."
The Yalkut Shimoni (Iyov 904) says that Ketura was from Yafet (english from here):
"Abraham married ...
4
votes
2answers
57 views
Shalom Zachar and "the rain of your land in its season”
Rashi on Devorim 11 (14), “I will give the rain of your land in its season” says this will be on Shabbos nights when everyone will be found in their houses. How does this fit with the institution of ...
4
votes
2answers
176 views
arachin: dependance on age and sex
Why is the erech (Vayikra 27:1–8) of a woman less than that of a man? And why does erech depend on age? Sources, please.
4
votes
1answer
60 views
Was Binyamin aware of Tzofnas Paaneach (aka Yosef)'s true identity?
While Yosef recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
I heard a Rosh Yeshiva suggest that Binyamin, who wasn't so absorbed in the soap opera, was able to recognize Yosef, but played ...
3
votes
1answer
69 views
Where does Rashi say “Complaint” in his commentary on the Torah?
When I was in 4th grade, my rebbi taught us a Rashi in which he explains a Pasuk by simply saying "Complaint" (קומפליינט or some similar transliteration), meaning the voice in the Pasuk was ...
3
votes
1answer
102 views
Rashi's proof of the timing of Yisro's conversation with Moshe about judges
Rashi (to Ex. 18:13) cites Mechilta that "the next day," when Yisro saw Moshe judging the people and offered his advice about appointing inferior judges, was the day after Yom Kippur. Part of his ...
3
votes
2answers
47 views
“The days of mourning for my father” - why wait?
The Posuk says(27,41):
יִקְרְבוּ יְמֵי אֵבֶל אָבִי וְאַהַרְגָה אֶת יַעֲקֹב אָחִי:
Translated as:"Let the days of mourning for my father draw near, I will then kill my brother Jacob. "
The ...
3
votes
3answers
219 views
Why does Rashi say “I don't know”?
The Posuk says (Genesis 28:5):
וַיִּשְׁלַח יִצְחָק אֶת יַעֲקֹב וַיֵּלֶךְ פַּדֶּנָה אֲרָם אֶל לָבָן בֶּן בְּתוּאֵל הָאֲרַמִּי אֲחִי רִבְקָה אֵם יַעֲקֹב וְעֵשָׂו
To which Rashi comments on the ...
3
votes
2answers
95 views
Why does the Torah repeat that the nation believed in Moshe?
In Yisro it says:
וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם
Earlier it says:
ויאמינו בה' ובמשה עבדו
Why Both?
3
votes
3answers
190 views
Why is Parshas Beshalach called Shabbos Shira?
Most people know that we read Az Yashir on Shabbos Shira and we put out bread for the birds. However this is the only Shabbos that has a special name simply because of what we read in the Parsha. ...
3
votes
2answers
49 views
כְלִי גֶבֶר Versus שִׂמְלַת אִשָּׁה
Why does the Torah switch the word for men from כְלִי to שִׂמְלַת for women?
2
votes
2answers
130 views
Ezekiel 16:4: לֹא הֻמְלַחַתְּ — what practice does this describe?
Ezekiel 16:4 seems to be describing practices performed on an infant or young child. But, what practice does לֹא הֻמְלַחַתְּ refer to? Do any rabbis explain the meaning?
2
votes
0answers
66 views
Could the destroyer in Egypt discriminate?
In Rashi's comment to Shemos 12:22 we read
ואתם לא תצאו וגו': מגיד שמאחר שנתנה רשות למשחית לחבל אינו מבחין בין צדיק לרשע
…once permission has been given to the משחית (destroyer) to ...
2
votes
0answers
75 views
Did Tamar marry a third time, and if so whom?
B'reishit 38:26 says:
וַיַּכֵּר יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי כִּי עַל כֵּן לֹא נְתַתִּיהָ לְשֵׁלָה בְנִי וְלֹא יָסַף עוֹד לְדַעְתָּהּ:
Then Judah recognized [them], and he said, "She ...
2
votes
2answers
128 views
Achashverosh — was he or wasn't he?
I'm looking to gather some more background, context, sources and opinions, regarding Achashverosh's Jewishness, or lack thereof.
This was inspired by a recent similar question, and, in fact, much of ...
2
votes
2answers
84 views
Goy Versus Leum
The Posuk Says (Gen. 25,23):
שְׁנֵי [גיים] גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ
Translated as: Two nations are in your womb, and two kingdoms will separate from your ...
1
vote
2answers
59 views
Why did he bring wine Yitzchok did not ask for?
In order to give the Brachos Yitzchok requested food from his son:
וַיָּבֵא לוֹ יַיִן וַיֵּשְׁתְּ
If he asked for food why did Yaakov bring wine?
1
vote
0answers
54 views
Toldos Noach vs Toldos Yitzchok [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why are parshat Noach and parshat Toldot named that way?
Was wondering. Why is Parshas Toldos not called Parshas Yitzchok just like Parshas Noach. In addition why is ...
1
vote
4answers
105 views
Why was the letter “Hai” added to Avraham's name?
Avarham Avinu was originally Avram - and Hashem added the letter Hai to his name and changed it to Avraham. Why from all letters was the letter Hai added?
0
votes
1answer
73 views
Questions surrounding Bilam's death
In Parshas Matos (Bamidbar 31:8) it says וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן-בְּעוֹר הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב.
Did Bilam do anything to avoid getting killed? What did he do? And who actually killed him?
-4
votes
1answer
87 views
Which nation in this prophecy of Haggai will shake nations and will be given peace(שָׁלוֹם) [closed]
The following verse in the Torah prophesizes about a nation which will be given "peace" and coming of a praised being:
and I will shake all nations, and the choicest(חֶמְדַּת ) things of all ...
