interpretation of parts of Tanach by close reading, not derivation (Pronounced "par-sha-noot")
5
votes
2answers
140 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
97 views
Timing of the Commandment of Gid Hanashe
The Torah mentions, after the story of Yaakov getting injured in Parshas Vayishlach,
that we do not eat the Gid Hanashe for this reason.
The Meforshim seem to concur that this mitzvah was included in ...
1
vote
3answers
99 views
Egel- Why EILEH is Plural
Why when the Jews made the egel, a single bull, they use the words Eilah Elohecha Yisroel which is plural?
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Ma'ase avos siman l'banim - prescriptive or descriptive?
The concept of the actions of the forebears being an indication of their descendants' actions is referred to by many commentators and midrashim, including the famous Ramba"n on B'reshis 12.
What is ...
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, ...
5
votes
1answer
97 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
400 Years in Egypt (?)
I know that Samuel David Luzzatto (1800-1865) said that we served all 400 years in Egypt as opposed to just 210. Are then any other "famous" commentators that say this?
1
vote
1answer
53 views
צִרְעָה Pshat or definition
וְגַם אֶת הַצִּרְעָה יְשַׁלַּח יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּם עַד אֲבֹד הַנִּשְׁאָרִים וְהַנִּסְתָּרִים מִפָּנֶיךָ (Deuteronomy 7:20)
What is the הַצִּרְעָה mean in this posuk?
1
vote
4answers
114 views
Interpretations of the Akeidah
Our Torah class in school is studying the Akeidah. What different approaches do the meforshim take in interpreting it (e.g. Rashbam says it was a punishment, lehavdil Kierkegaard says it was about ...
4
votes
3answers
113 views
Rachav's home in the wall
Rachav's home was built into the wall of Y'richo, with an outward-facing window (Y'hoshua 2:15, M'tzudas David). This window had to be recognizable when the Jews destroyed the city, so they'd know to ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
To Fear or not to Fear that is the question
The Posuk starts off:
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם אַל-תִּירָאוּ
Then it goes on too say:
וּבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל-פְּנֵיכֶם לְבִלְתִּי תֶחֱטָאוּ
The question is she we fear or not?
2
votes
1answer
40 views
Moshe Judges דָּבָר הַגָּדֹל or דָּבָר הַקָּשֶׁה
In the first Posuk it says:
וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם בְּכָל עֵת וְהָיָה כָּל הַדָּבָר הַגָּדֹל יָבִיאוּ אֵלֶיךָ
Then in the later Posuk it says:
אֶת הַדָּבָר הַקָּשֶׁה יְבִיאוּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה
The ...
4
votes
2answers
132 views
Why does the Torah list animals before converts?
אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ
Why would the Torah List animal before the Geirim?
2
votes
2answers
54 views
Took you out of Egypt and the house of slaves
אָנֹכִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים
Why does it say both מִצְרַיִם then בֵּית עֲבָדִים seems to be the same thing to me?
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Why does the Torah repeat the prohibition against touching Har Sinai?
First it says
כָּל הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהָר מוֹת יוּמָת
Then a Posuk later:
אִם בְּהֵמָה אִם אִישׁ לֹא יִחְיֶה
Why is there a double death warning?
3
votes
2answers
96 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?
1
vote
2answers
64 views
Daughters First
כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
Rashi say that בֵית יַעֲקֹב refers to the women He has an answer to this question but I know there are other good ones Why the Women first?
3
votes
4answers
96 views
Why does Yisro appear to have higher standards for judges than Moshe does?
First Yisro says:
וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה מִכָּל הָעָם (1)אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל (2)יִרְאֵי אֱ־לֹהִים (3)אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת (4)שֹׂנְאֵי בָצַע וְשַׂמְתָּ עֲלֵהֶם
Then when He selected it says he got:
...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Number then Names
וְאֵת שְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר שֵׁם הָאֶחָד גֵּרְשֹׁם כִּי אָמַר גֵּר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה
וְשֵׁם הָאֶחָד אֱלִיעֶזֶר כִּי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי בְּעֶזְרִי וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה
Why tell us how ...
1
vote
3answers
58 views
Moshe and Klal Yisroel Seprate
כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱ־לֹהִים לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ
Why are they separate did something happen to one that did not happen to the Other?
3
votes
3answers
135 views
Why does Rashi say Yisro heard *two* things?
Shemot 18:1:
וישמע יתרו: מה שמועה שמע ובא, קריעת ים סוף ומלחמת עמלק
Now…Jethro…heard: What news did he hear that [made such an impression that] he came? The splitting of the Red Sea and the ...
3
votes
3answers
191 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. ...
9
votes
1answer
184 views
2.4 million killed according to Rashi in B'shalach. Why does no one talk about it?
In the begining of Parshat B'shalach, Rashi says that one p'shat for "Vachamushim" means one fifth, because during Makas Choshech, 4 out of 5 were killed out, and it happened during the time it was ...
2
votes
3answers
112 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:
...
1
vote
2answers
120 views
Why complain about Graves?
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה הַמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם (Ex 14:11)
About what were the Jews complaining in particular?
8
votes
2answers
200 views
What's the difference between כשב and כבש?
What's the difference between כשב and כבש? Why does the Torah use both?
1
vote
2answers
70 views
Pesukim seemingly out of order in Parshas Bo
יד וְהָיָה כִּי-יִשְׁאָלְךָ בִנְךָ, מָחָר--לֵאמֹר מַה-זֹּאת: וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו--בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְהוָה מִמִּצְרַיִם, מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים.
טו וַיְהִי, כִּי-הִקְשָׁה פַרְעֹה לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ, ...
2
votes
2answers
106 views
Web sites where I can post divrei Torah
Can anyone suggest a good site where I can post a weekly list of marei mekomos in Ramban on the Parsha?
3
votes
2answers
48 views
תֹּאכַל Versus יֵאָכֵל
Why does the Posuk from one posuk to the Next change the word for eating they could have both said יֵאָכֵל?
Also why in one Posuk is it spelled מַצֹּת and the next posuk מַצּוֹת?
Posuk Vov:
...
2
votes
2answers
69 views
And all the Army of Hashem Left
What does the Posuk mean when it says all of the Army of Hashem Left when did Bnei Yisroel turn into an Army or is it referring to Bnei Yisroel?
יָצְאוּ כָּל צִבְאוֹת יְ־הֹוָ־ה מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Tell Children and you will Know
The Posuk says:
וּלְמַעַן תְּסַפֵּר בְּאָזְנֵי בִנְךָ וּבֶן בִּנְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר הִתְעַלַּלְתִּי בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֶת אֹתֹתַי אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בָם וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי ה
If your are telling your ...
4
votes
1answer
71 views
Did the Jews in Egypt gain monetary benefit from the miracle of the first plague?
There is a well known Medrash Rabbah that the Jews during the Plague of Blood sold water to the Egyptians for exorbitant amounts of money. The question is how was this allowed as we have a rule that ...
7
votes
3answers
142 views
Why did the Mitzryim turn water into blood rather than vice versa?
Why didn't the Mitzryim magic makers just take away the blood from the first makkah to prove to Moshe that he was just doing magic and Hashem had nothing to do with it: why did they add blood (Exodus ...
3
votes
2answers
110 views
Pharoh's privacy at the Nile
How did Pharaoh prevent people from seeing him use the Bathroom at the Nile?
We know he went early morning, but what prevented others from seeing him?
A source for this information would be ...
4
votes
1answer
138 views
The Frogs Plague [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Moshe cried out” - really?
For this plague, the posuk says Moshe left and "cried out" (tzoak) to God that the plague should stop.
Why did this plague affect ...
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
5answers
132 views
The Meaning of Aishdas
I have read that Aishdas (Deut. 33:2) means "fiery law" or something of the sort. However, doesn't the word das with the meaning of law/religion come from Persian (i.e. did not have the meaning of ...
1
vote
0answers
42 views
Yocheved giving birth so late [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
(Neis) Miracle of Sarah giving birth at 90
I think the RambaN ask the question that if Yocheved was born when Yaakov came down,
then why doesn't the Torah mention the ...
5
votes
1answer
78 views
Order of birth of Ya'akov's children
The back of my Feldheim Tanakh has a timeline which gives the birth and death years of various Tanakh characters. The birth years of the sons of Ya'akov are not listed in the order given in Parashat ...
3
votes
1answer
517 views
Why did Moses raise the brass serpent in the wilderness?
I would like to know the meaning for God's command to Moses to lift a serpent of brass and set it on a pole in the desert, so that all those who had been bitten by serpents would look at the brass ...
4
votes
1answer
62 views
Shiurim on Approaches of Meforshim
Does anyone know of any good shiurim that I could find online going through the approaches of the various meforshim on Torah?
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 ...
11
votes
6answers
220 views
Why Didn't Yosef tell Yaakov He was Still Alive?
What do the meforshim say on why Yosef didn't tell Yaakov he was still alive? Do any critique him?
6
votes
2answers
425 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?
4
votes
4answers
292 views
What's the Meaning of Shiloh in the Last Blessing of Yaakov on his Children?
According to Genesis 49:10, when Yaakov was at his deathbed, he called in his sons and desired to bless them. At Judah's turn, his father said that the scepter should not depart from Judah, nor a ...
11
votes
2answers
259 views
Let there be light! But from where?
According to Genesis 1:3, "And G-d said, Let there be light; and there was light." What light is the Torah referring to if the sun which produces light by day was created only on the 4th day of ...
3
votes
1answer
109 views
5
votes
6answers
179 views
Chanukah and Miketz
What is the connection between Chanukah and Miketz — as, in most years, Chanukah falls out in this Parsha?
3
votes
1answer
89 views
Black Magic by Pharaoh's Magicians
What are the various opinions regarding the efficacy of the magician's in the Exodus story?
