interpretation of parts of Tanach by close reading, not derivation (Pronounced "par-sha-noot")
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
48 views
(Psalms 69 (14)) How do we understand אלקים ברב חסדך, rather than ה׳ ברב חסדך
I am used to the idea that the name אלקים connotes judgement and ה׳ mercy.
So how is it in Psalms 69 (14) , the Psalmist says “אלקים ברב חסדך”?
11
votes
2answers
126 views
David called “hamelech”, “hamelech David”, and “David”
My son noticed in Ⅱ Sh'muel chapters 5–6 that, although David is generally called "David", there are times he's called "hamelech" (="the king") or "hamelech David" (="the king David"). (I'm ...
4
votes
0answers
60 views
Why does Yakov bless Ephraim and Menashe at the same time?
Why does Yakov bless Ephraim and Menashe at the same time? Why not bless them one after the other?
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 ...
2
votes
3answers
286 views
How many Kosher animals were in Noach's Ark?
How many animals total of each Kosher species were in the teivah during the flood?
3
votes
1answer
94 views
the land from which you brought us out = Egypt?
Dvarim 9:28 reads:
פֶּן יֹאמְרוּ הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָנוּ מִשָּׁם מִבְּלִי יְכֹלֶת
יְהֹוָה לַהֲבִיאָם אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָהֶם וּמִשִּׂנְאָתוֹ
אוֹתָם הוֹצִיאָם לַהֲמִתָם ...
1
vote
2answers
66 views
Why does Eliezer address his prayer to Hashem, [24(12)], “Hashem, the G-d of my master Avrohom”?
Why does Eliezer address his prayer to Hashem, 24(12), “Hashem, the G-d of my master Avrohom” and repeat this formulation in verses 27 and 42. He himself was after all a believer.
In verse 35, he is ...
8
votes
2answers
188 views
Is the way of the torah pleasant or painful?
In Avot (6:4) we read - כך היא דרכה של תורה, פת במלח תאכל ומים במשורה תשתה ועל הארץ תישן וחיי צער תחיה
This is the way of torah... and a life of pain you shall live.
contrast this with Mishlei ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Why does Rashi comment on some verb-לו phrases and not others?
A feature of lashon hakodesh (Biblical Hebrew) is that a verb is sometimes followed by "לו", inflected for the person, number, and gender of the subject, without the "לו" indicating an object of the ...
4
votes
2answers
83 views
Who was expelled from Avraham's house and married an Egyptian?
Vayera 21:9–21 speaks repeatedly of Hagar's son without once naming him. In no particular order, Rashi (:17), pseudo-Yonasan (:11), the Rav miBartinura (:14), Ramban (:9), Chizkuni (:14), Toldos ...
2
votes
2answers
108 views
What was Moshe Rabbeinus argument against the angels?
Breishis 18:8 says that Avraham served the angels milk and meat together. Rashi in the name of the Medrash says that it only seemed like they were eating. Medrash Shocher Tov Tehilim 8 says that one ...
3
votes
2answers
86 views
Washing feet before coming inside: Avraham vs. Lot
When the angels came to visit Avraham, he asked them (Bereishis 18:4) to "Bathe your feet, and recline under the tree". Rashi explains:
He thought that they were Arabs, who prostrate themselves to ...
3
votes
2answers
109 views
How was Er considererd to be married to Tamar?
The gemarah (yevamos 34b) indicates that Er slept with Tamar sh'lo k'darka. If this is the case how was Er ever married to Tamar if the injunction of the pasuk וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ (Bereshis 2:24) is ...
14
votes
8answers
420 views
Why did Avraham take gifts from Pharaoh, but not the King of Sodom?
In Bereshit 12:11-16, we see that Avraham was willing to receive gifts from Pharoah:
11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: 'Behold ...
6
votes
2answers
68 views
Neither from a thread to a shoe strap [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why did Avraham take gifts from Pharaoh, but not the King of Sodom?
After Avram saved Lot and the people of Sodom from the 4 kings, the king of Sodom offered him the ...
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, ...
8
votes
1answer
137 views
Song of the 5 Kings?
In Joshua 12:9-24 there is Joshua's famous song of triumph over the 31 Kings of the Land of Canaan which he conquered. The song (and it is a song per the Talmud Megillah 16b) is structured in two ...
0
votes
0answers
46 views
Why are Psalms 136 verses 17 & 18 apparently out of historical order?
In Psalms 136, verses 17 and 18 refer to kings smitten or slain after Sihon and Og mentioned in verses 19 and 20. Why are the verses apparently out of historical order?
3
votes
1answer
96 views
Why use an active verb with no subject?
In parshat Noach, perek 7, pasuk 23, The opening word "וַיִּמַח" is presented as an active verb, attested to by the presence of the word אֶת (I am summarizing the discussion of rashi and the ...
7
votes
4answers
171 views
Why build migdal bavel in a valley?
If the point of migdal bavel was to reach the heavens, why not build it on a mountain instead of a valley?
וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אֶחָת וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים:(ב) וַיְהִי בְּנָסְעָם מִקֶּדֶם ...
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 ...
14
votes
3answers
144 views
Why did Avraham name his son before the Bris (circumcision)?
Why does the Torah seem to imply that Avraham named his son before the bris?
First:
וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם אֶת שֶׁם בְּנוֹ הַנּוֹלַד לוֹ אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לּוֹ שָׂרָה יִצְחָק
And Abraham called ...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
What did it mean for Saul to make David's father's house free?
In 1 Samuel 17:25 it says:
And the men of Israel said: 'Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to taunt Israel is he come up; and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will ...
4
votes
1answer
75 views
How did Shaul consult the Urim and Tumim?
During the events of chapters 27–31 of I Sh'muel (David's stay among the P'lishtim), David had the Urim V'sumim with him, as is clear from 23:2–6 and from 30:7–8. Yet in 28:6, Shaul consults Hashem ...
3
votes
1answer
64 views
Who killed Shaul?
Ⅰ Sh'muel 31:3–5:
וַתִּכְבַּד הַמִּלְחָמָה אֶל שָׁאוּל…. וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לְנֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו שְׁלֹף חַרְבְּךָ וְדָקְרֵנִי בָהּ… וְלֹא אָבָה נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו כִּי יָרֵא מְאֹד וַיִּקַּח שָׁאוּל אֶת ...
3
votes
2answers
110 views
Who is “thrusted through” in Zechariah 12:10?
How do Jews generally view/regard this verse?
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto Me ...
0
votes
1answer
75 views
The application of “harm” in Shemot (Exodus) 21:22
Shemot (Exodus) 21:22:
And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow, he shall be surely fined, according as the woman's husband shall ...
3
votes
2answers
216 views
In Judaism, does God have a body?
In the Bible it says [Gen 3:8]: "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day". It seems God has carnal body (thus he could walk). In Judaism compared with ...
4
votes
0answers
69 views
Hazi“v La”kh: what's behind the division?
The Talmud (Rosh Hashana 31a) tells us that the Haazinu song (Devarim 32) was sung weekly in the Temple and divided into six segments, given by the mnemonic HaZIV LaKh הזיו לך (where each letter is ...
6
votes
1answer
85 views
What does מִלְמַעְלָה in Gen 7:20 mean?
Genesis 7:20, describing the flood, says:
חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִלְמַעְלָה, גָּבְרוּ הַמָּיִם; וַיְכֻסּוּ, הֶהָרִים.
Almost everybody translates the first clause as some approximation of ...
1
vote
1answer
69 views
The mishkan and the fencepost problem
Rashi (Shemos 26:6,26) counts out the number of poles for the chazer on each side in parshas Terumah. He seems to ignore what is called the Fencepost Problem. The same problem exists for the 20 amah ...
1
vote
2answers
52 views
Rashi on Bereishis 37:12: Only their sheep, or also their father's?
I'm having some trouble understanding the Rashi in Bereishis 37:12. Rashi says (as I understand it) that we cut out the word es because they only went to to feed their own sheep. If so, then why does ...
2
votes
1answer
92 views
Confusion in Yeshayahu's Propechies..?
I was looking through Isaiah and come across these weird passages:
(2) And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they shall war one man against his brother, and a man against his friend, ...
-1
votes
4answers
131 views
Return *his* dress?
After the command to return a lost ox, we find: "You should do likewise for his dress (לשמלתו)."
However, two pesukim later, we see וְלֹא-יִלְבַּשׁ גֶּבֶר שִׂמְלַת אִשָּׁה (and a man shouldn't wear ...
6
votes
1answer
317 views
How were Achiman, Sheshai and Talmai “Sons of Giants”?
In Bamidbar 13:22, the Torah tells us that the spies saw Achiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the sons of Giants. Rashi tells us they were the descendants of Shamchazai and Azael, angels who fell from heaven ...
5
votes
1answer
111 views
If the Canaanites occupied the land in Moses’ day, why would Moses write that they were in the land then?
What does the Torah imply when it notes 'the Cannannites were then in the land' (Gen. 12:6)? It seems to suggest they were in the land then (when the tale took place) but not now (when the book was ...
0
votes
1answer
70 views
What does God's answer to Yona the prophet (4:11) really mean?
Sefer Yona 4:11 reads:
וַאֲנִי לֹא אָחוּס עַל נִינְוֵה הָעִיר הַגְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר יֶשׁ בָּהּ הַרְבֵּה מִשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה רִבּוֹ אָדָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע בֵּין יְמִינוֹ לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ וּבְהֵמָה רַבָּה
...
2
votes
1answer
46 views
Why not give tzeddakah before shmittah?
Devarim 15:7 cautions us not to withhold help to others because of the approach of the shmittah year. However, the help we would expect to give would be charity and thus would not be repaid. If ...
2
votes
0answers
45 views
Who were the pre-Lekh Likha righteous men?
BS"D
In Hilkhoth Avodhah Zarah RaMBaM lists the central figures in the transmission of ethical monotheism, and I was wondering if there were any other figures in our mesora not mentioned. Since the ...
9
votes
2answers
120 views
verb + its infinitive
Many, many times in Tanach, including Chumash, a verb has its infinitive nearby. Examples include B'reshis 2:16 מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל (I think that's the first example in Chumash) and ...
8
votes
1answer
92 views
How did Yaakov hear about Dinah?
Genesis 34 tells about Shechem's rape of Dinah and the events that follow. 34:5 says that Yaakov heard ( שָׁמַע) about this (and didn't act immediately).
He didn't hear it from Dinah because she ...
10
votes
1answer
106 views
How did the fish live through the flood?
If the waters were boiling as the flood continued, how did the fish survive throughout the Mabul?
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, ...
0
votes
0answers
142 views
What is the meaning of the story of Noah's nakedness? [closed]
What is the meaning of the Biblical story of Noah becoming intoxicated with wine and then being discovered naked by his son Ham (Genesis 9 from verse 18 on)? Since the stories in the Torah are as ...
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Who is the Nasi in Ezekiel?
BS"D
I was rereading Yehhezqei'l and was curious about the context of something towards the end.
In pereq 46 from 1-18 it talks about a Nasi (prince), for example :
"And the prince, when they go ...
3
votes
0answers
72 views
Referencing Iron before the Iron Age [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why does the Torah mention iron when the Torah was given in the Bronze age?
A guest brought up this question at the shabbos table, and no one had an answer.
In D'Varim ...
8
votes
2answers
196 views
What's the difference between כשב and כבש?
What's the difference between כשב and כבש? Why does the Torah use both?
6
votes
1answer
103 views
Universal theory of Biblical eye-raising
Do any of the commentaries or Midrashim offer a universal interpretation (perhaps of the form "any time you see this, it means that") of Biblical idiom of "raising eyes"?
Below are some examples that ...
1
vote
2answers
66 views
Adding to Torah and connection to Hashem [closed]
The torah has these two Posukim right next to each other: Dovarim 4:2 has:
לא תספו על הדבר אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם ולא תגרעו ממנו לשמור את מצות ה׳ אלקיכם …
And 4:4 has:
ואתם הדבקים בה׳ ...
