interpretation of parts of Tanach by close reading, not derivation (Pronounced "par-sha-noot")
5
votes
4answers
203 views
3
votes
1answer
60 views
What was the composition of Yaakov's two camps?
In Parshat Vayishlach Yaakov divides his group into two camps so that if one is attacked the other might escape. How did he divide people between them? Did Leah go in one and Rachel in the other, ...
4
votes
1answer
53 views
How did 'Eli know HaShem was calling to Shemuel?
In Shemuel I (3:1) the Pasuk tells us that prophecy was a very rare phenomenon. How, then, did 'Eli realize that Shemuel was receiving prophecy and not merely dreaming?
5
votes
2answers
88 views
Why did Yosef's brothers speak freely in the presence of the interpreter?
In Parashat Miketz, Yosef's brothers encounter him disguised as the viceroy of Egypt, and he accuses them of espionage, jails them for three days, and makes a demand that they know their father would ...
6
votes
2answers
413 views
What was the name of Rachel and Leah's mother?
What was the name of Lavan's wife, the mother of Rachel and Leah?
2
votes
2answers
82 views
Was Yackov really simple?
The Posuk (Gen. 25:27)says:
וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם
Translated: Yackov was a simple man
Rashi says on this comment:
מי שאינו חריף לרמות קרוי תם
Translated as:A person who is not astute at ...
13
votes
2answers
147 views
What happened to the Yeshivas Shem v'Aiver?
What happened to the Yeshiva of Shem v'Aiver and all who learnt there?
11
votes
1answer
98 views
Were Avraham's tactics in rescuing Lot typical of the time?
Parshat Lech L'cha describes how Lot was captured in the battle of four kings against five kings. When Avraham heard, he mounted a night-time attack to rescue him. This got me wondering: was a ...
2
votes
4answers
81 views
Why Bless Eisav and not Yackov
Why was that Yizhak originally chose to Bless Eisav and not Yackov, at least he should have Blessed both equaly what was his thinking?
6
votes
3answers
523 views
Moses lived 120 years, and tradition says no one can live longer, so why do they?
Genesis 6:3: And the LORD said: 'My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.'
In Deut. 34:7 the age of Moses upon his ...
2
votes
4answers
98 views
Yitzchok falls for Eisav's tricks?
The Posuk says:
ויהי עשיו איש יודע ציד וגו' (בראשית כה, כז)
Translated as: ... and Eisav was a man who knew how to hunt ...
Rashi comments:
יודע ציד, לצוד ולרמות את אביו בפיו
...
7
votes
6answers
202 views
Why was Moshe buried alone?
Why did Hashem bury Moshe in an unknown place, and did not do so with other great Tzadikim like Avraham, Yitchak and Yaakov?
3
votes
1answer
38 views
אוּלַי means we want it to happen
The Posuk says:
אוּלַי יְמֻשֵּׁנִי אָבִי
Translated as: maybe my father will tap me (and realize, and curse me)
The question is accoring to the GRA the word אוּלַי indicates that you want the ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Why the name Beer Sheva
The Posuk says:
וַיִּקְרָא אֹתָהּ שִׁבְעָה עַל כֵּן שֵׁם הָעִיר בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה
Translated as:
And he named it Shibah; therefore, the city is named Beer sheba until this very day
...
3
votes
2answers
65 views
How many factors did Esav need to prompt him to marry Machalas?
At the end of parashas Toldos (28:6-8), the pesukim indicate factors in Esav's decision to add Machalas, who was not a Canaanite, as a spouse:
א וַיִּקְרָא יִצְחָק אֶל-יַעֲקֹב, וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ; ...
7
votes
3answers
164 views
Why did Rivka consult Shem, and not Avraham or Yitzchok?
The Posuk says (Gen. 25:22) regarding Rivka:
וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת יְ־הֹוָ־ה
Translated as: And the children ...
8
votes
3answers
110 views
Why does Rashi not comment on the repetition of the word “shono” in the age of Yishmoel?
Rashi comments on the repetition of the word “shono” in the ages of both Soroh Braishis 23 (1) and Avrohom Braishis 25 (7). Why is there no comment for the age of Yishmoel which also repeats “shono” ...
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 ...
6
votes
1answer
57 views
Wasn't Yishmael already sent away from Avraham's house?
In Bereshit 22:3, Rashi tells us that when Avraham went to sacrifice Yitzchok, the two lads he took with him were Yishmael and Eliezer.
Wasn't Yishmael already gone from Avraham's house? In Bereshit ...
6
votes
3answers
132 views
Good inclination or evil inclination in the womb?
The Posuk says:
ויתרוצצו הבנים בקרבה (בראשית כה, כב)
To which Rashi comments:
כשהיתה עוברת על פתחי תורה של שם ועבר יעקב רץ ומפרכס לצאת, וכשהיתה עוברת על פתחי עבודה זרה עשיו מפרכס לצאת
...
4
votes
2answers
96 views
Why did Eisav say “red” twice?
Genesis 25:30 says:
... הַלְעִיטֵנִי נָא מִן הָאָדֹם הָאָדֹם הַזֶּה ...
... "Pour into [me] some of this red, red [pottage] ..."
Why did Eisav feel the need to say "red" twice?
3
votes
2answers
64 views
How did Rivkah give Yackov Eisav's clothing? Borrowing without asking is stealing
How did Rivkah give Yackov Eisav's clothing without asking?
וַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו בְּנָהּ הַגָּדֹל הַחֲמֻדֹת אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ בַּבָּיִת וַתַּלְבֵּשׁ אֶת יַעֲקֹב בְּנָהּ הַקָּטָן
...
4
votes
2answers
67 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?
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?
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 ...
1
vote
2answers
70 views
Kos Shel Bracha but no bread
The angels blesses Sarah and sends a Kos Shel Bracha (Rashi Breshit 18:9 based on Bava Metzia 87a). the question is how was there a Kos Shel Bracha if there was no bread as it says Sarah became a ...
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 ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Do religious Jews generally believe the serpent of Gan Eden was Satan?
Upon reading the recent CNN article, That Actually Isn't In The Bible, one not-really-in-the-Bible misconception they cite is the idea that serpent in the Garden of Eden was the Satan.
The article ...
6
votes
2answers
85 views
First it says everyone had their own language; but then it says all spoke one before being split
First, in Noach, pasuk Chof perek Yud, it says אֵלֶּה בְנֵי חָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לִלְשֹׁנֹתָם; then again a few pasukim later, pasuk Lamed Aleph, אֵלֶּה בְנֵי שֵׁם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לִלְשֹׁנֹתָם. So ...
7
votes
2answers
90 views
How did Hevel offer an animal sacrifice, wasn't it forbidden to kill animals?
In Bereshit 4:4, Hevel offers his choicest sheep as a sacrifice to G-d.
However, in Bereshit 1:29-30, Adam is told he is only allowed to eat vegetables, and Rashi explains that he was forbidden to ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
The list of Binyamin's cities
When Y'hoshua 15:21–62 lists the cities of Y'huda, it does so by area/topography. M'tzudas David to 15:37 says that "everywhere it counts some separately and others separately", it does so by area or ...
5
votes
3answers
56 views
Noach: why the people's food mentioned first
בראשית ו כא:
ואתה קח לך מכל מאכל וכו' והיה לך ולהם לאכלה
Why is Noach and his family's food mentioned before the animals' food? The halacha is animals eat before humans.
7
votes
2answers
92 views
Why didn't Noach Pray for his generation like Avraham did for Sodom
Why didn't Noach Daven to save his generation like Avraham Davened for Sodom?
6
votes
2answers
88 views
Promising not to Destroy the World, and “I will Return the World to Water”
After the Mabul Hashem promised that he would not destroy the world. Yet we know from Tisha Bav and Yom Kippur's "Asarah Harugay Malchus" (“The Ten Martyrs”) poem that when they were going to kill Reb ...
6
votes
1answer
68 views
Noach and the Birds
Why is it that Noach sent out the Birds to see if the Flood had subsided and when he did find out he just waited for Hashem to tell him to leave.Why send the Birds if you are going to wait for Hashem ...
3
votes
6answers
182 views
What else was in the Ark (Teiva)?
I heard that there is a Medrash that says that besides Noach, his wife, 3 sons, 3 daughters-in-law, animals, birds, and garbage there were others in the Teiva. What else was in the Teiva?
4
votes
1answer
640 views
Where did the Plishtim (Philistines) come from?
Concerning the Plishtim (Philistines), Easton's Bible Dictionary (quoted here) says:
They occupied the five cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath, in the south-western corner of ...
4
votes
1answer
85 views
How could Yaakov name his children Gad and Dan?
Shabbos 67b says Gad was the name of an idol of the Amorites, and Dan was an idol of Samaria. If we're not supposed to even say the name of idols, how could Yaakov name his sons after them? (or is it ...
3
votes
1answer
78 views
Why was Noach allowed to eat fish?
The Ramban (Bereshit 1:29) says the reason Noach was allowed to eat animals is because he maintained them in the Ark. If he would not have brought them into the Ark they would all have perished, so ...
7
votes
3answers
200 views
Did all animals come into the Teiva?
Were there any type of animals that were destroyed completely by the Mabul? (For example - Is there any source that there were dinosaurs or any other type of wildlife and they were destroyed by the ...
2
votes
2answers
98 views
3
votes
2answers
115 views
Was there space in the Aron for two sets of Luchot?
The Holy Ark was 2 1/2 Cubits, by 1 1/2 Cubits, by 1 1/2 Cubits (Shemot 25:10).
The Talmud discusses (Baba Basra 14A-B) how much space the Luchot occupied in the Ark. The Talmud says that each tablet ...
2
votes
3answers
110 views
difference between תולעים and רמה
In Beshalach 16:20:
וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹתִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִמֶּנּוּ עַד בֹּקֶר וַיָּרֻם תּוֹלָעִים וַיִּבְאַשׁ וַיִּקְצֹף עֲלֵהֶם מֹשֶׁה:
A few Pesukim later in 16:24:
...
3
votes
2answers
100 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?
...
1
vote
2answers
120 views
Why did God select Abraham, when it also mentions that Abraham didn't even know God's name
The bit where Abraham asks for God's name sounds like they are still strangers to each other having spent little time discussing things, and yet God selects him. Why is that?
2
votes
1answer
42 views
“Placing” oil, but “placing” frankincense
When discussing the מנחת חוטא (the mincha form of the קרבן עולה ויורד), the Torah (Vayikra 5:11) instructs that
לֹא יָשִׂים עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן וְלֹא יִתֵּן עָלֶיהָ לְבֹנָה
he will not place on it ...
3
votes
3answers
100 views
Why did Efron have such an extreme change of heart?
When Avram wanted to buy the field that belonged to Efron, Efron said I want to give it to you for free, then after Avram said that I wanted to pay for it Efron charged him a ridiculous price for it.
...
9
votes
1answer
123 views
Selah ~ Does it mean 'forever' 'certainly' 'basket' 'pause', 'yahoo', a kabbalistic meditative device, or none of the above?
Does anyone know a Jewish interpretation of "selah" in the psalms? Literally it seems to mean something about basket or hanging, but I don't know how this works into psalms.
Jewish sites say it may ...
5
votes
4answers
175 views
Why does there seem to be different standards for future sinners?
In Bereshit (21:17) Rashi tells us that the Angels wanted G-d to kill Yishmael, but G-d said that He wouldn't judge him according to his future deeds, but rather according to his present state:
In ...
2
votes
2answers
89 views
Why did God invite Moshe to stand on “*the* rock”?
In Parashat Ki Tisa, during the atonement for the Golden Calf, God says to Moshe (Exodus 33:21):
הִנֵּה מָקוֹם אִתִּי; וְנִצַּבְתָּ, עַל-*הַ*צּוּר
Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou ...
