Questions tagged [parshanut-torah-comment]
interpretation of parts of Tanach by close reading, not derivation
1,792
questions
3
votes
1
answer
90
views
Does Numbers 5:27 involve an induced miscarriage/abortion?
I have heard someone identifying as a Christian argue that the process in Numbers 5 supports abortion since a woman suspected of being unfaithful to her husband involves an induced miscarriage/...
- 335
3
votes
1
answer
44
views
Me’am Lo’ez online in English or Hebrew
Is there a translation of Rabbi Culi’s Me’am Lo’ez available online or as an ebook in either English or Hebrew?
- 1,496
1
vote
1
answer
71
views
Why is "the righteous" (Chavakuk 2:4) a reference to "Jeconiah the king"?
Why is "the righteous" (as in Chavakuk 2:4) in reference to "Jeconiah the king"?
The passage in question reads:
"but the righteous shall live by his faith." Chavakuk - ...
- 545
0
votes
1
answer
45
views
Keeping Shemittah "When you enter the land"?
The mitzvah of Shemittah is introduced in the following way in Parshas Behar (Vayikra 25:1-4):
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃ דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ ...
- 20.2k
0
votes
1
answer
29
views
Kli Yakar to B’midbar 26:64
Can anyone help me with the final words of the quoted passage (below) from this commentary? Beginning with the asterisks, to the end. Thanks!
אבל הנשים של אותו דור צדקניות היו והיו אוהבים הצדקה, הן ...
- 1,496
1
vote
2
answers
110
views
Second plague was crocodiles?
The Ohr Somayach website's 'Ask a rabbi' column quotes Abarbanel as saying that the second plague was crocodiles, rather than frogs, and that one of Abarbanel's reasons was:
The Egyptians worshipped ...
- 1,496
0
votes
0
answers
35
views
Emptying out Mitzrayim [duplicate]
If when the Jews left Egypt it says וינצלו את מצרים, they emptied out Mitzrayim, then where did all the silver and gold that the Egyptians had at the Yam Suf come from? And the spoils at the sea were ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
34
views
What happened to a tzarua when Bnei Yisrael moved?
Bamidbar 12:15 tells us that Bnei Yisrael waited for Miriam when she got tzaraat, which seems to be an anomaly:
וַתִּסָּגֵ֥ר מִרְיָ֛ם מִח֥וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְהָעָם֙ לֹ֣א נָסַ֔ע עַד־...
- 11
2
votes
2
answers
512
views
Six verses with the same ending, except one difference
There's an unusual phenomenon in parshas Metzora, where there are six verses with the exact same second half (after the אתנחתא). They are Leviticus 15:5-8,10,11. The six are also together, with four ...
- 18.4k
1
vote
1
answer
94
views
What exactly did Reuben do with/in his father's bed?
On the verse "...Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine..." the Gemmorah (Shabbat 55b) explains: "And the verse ascribes to him as if he had actually lain with Bilhah .....
- 24.6k
0
votes
1
answer
55
views
Implications of "[Tora] ascribes as if..." ("מעלה עליו הכתוב") (Reuven case)
The Torah states (Gen. 35:22):
Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine
The Gemmorah explains (Shabbat 55b):
Rabbi Shemuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonathan said: Anyone who says ...
- 24.6k
0
votes
1
answer
26
views
Translating a passage from Ma'asei ha-Shem
I'm struggling with two short phrases from the Ma'asei ha-Shem commentary on Parashat Korach. I've bolded the relevant bits below, can anyone help?
אשמים אנחנו כאשר נתרשל מלחקור בסתרי תורתנו באמרנו ...
- 1,496
2
votes
1
answer
69
views
How did Moshe, Ahron and all the Jews find out about Nadav and Avihu's death?
In Parshas Shemini, Perek Yud, Psukim Alef-Beis, it relays what Nadav and Avihu each did.
And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, took each of them his censer, and put fire in it, and put incense on ...
- 67
1
vote
1
answer
93
views
Are there still animals in the garden of Eden?
Genesis 3:22-24
כב וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים, הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ,
לָדַעַת, טוֹב וָרָע; וְעַתָּה פֶּן-יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ, וְלָקַח גַּם מֵעֵץ
הַחַיִּים, וְאָכַל, וָחַי לְעֹלָם. 22 And ...
- 9,643
3
votes
1
answer
45
views
English translation of word in Kli Yakar Shemos 6:3
וע"כ נקט ראיה, וידיעה בדרך לא זו אף זו, כי הרעות לא זו ידיעה אלא אפילו בראיה עין בעין נראה
להם, והרחמים גמורים לא זו שלא ראו אותם עדיין אלא אפילו לא נודעתי להם
(Kli Yakar, Shemos 6:3)
Trying to ...
- 273
1
vote
0
answers
129
views
What did the sages of blessed memory say about this phrase "sons of the priests"?
1 Chronicles 9:30 And some of the sons of the priests were compounders
of the mixture for the spices.
https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16529/showrashi/true
Ezra 10:18 And it was found of ...
- 545
2
votes
0
answers
14
views
Devarim 20: division of roles
Devarim 20:1-9 is a list of instructions that must be given orally to soldiers before setting out to battle. Rashi (on verse 8) explains that a priest says the words in verses 3-4, and that they also ...
- 1,496
-1
votes
2
answers
132
views
According to 1st century Jewish interpretations of Ecclesiastes, what part of man goes to Sheol?
Note: this is an adaptation of the question According to Ecclesiastes, what part of man goes to Sheol? which I previously asked on Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange. On that site the question ...
1
vote
2
answers
94
views
How would Pharisees of the 1st century AD have interpreted Ecclesiastes 9:5-10?
Ecclesiastes 9:5-10 (ESV):
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and ...
0
votes
1
answer
82
views
Philistines destroyed the Temple?
Posting for someone else:
The Rashbam on Bereshis 22:1 brings that Hashem, in retaliation for Avraham giving 7 sheep to Avimelech, says that Avimelech's descendants will destroy 7 sanctuaries of ...
- 20.5k
1
vote
1
answer
184
views
Why are these verbs in the past tense
If I understand the rules of the vav hahipuch properly, which reverses the tense of a word from past to future or vice-versa, where the accent is placed plays a big role.
For example, the word אהבת ...
- 18.4k
2
votes
1
answer
94
views
Why are the forefathers called רועי צאן and not רועי בקר?
In my poor townsman's understanding, confirmed by the scriptures, both sheep (צאן) and cattle (בקר) need shepherding, as it says (Exodus.34.3):
"וְאִישׁ לֹא־יַעֲלֶה עִמָּךְ וְגַם־אִישׁ אַל־יֵרָא ...
- 24.6k
3
votes
3
answers
138
views
Parshanut Theory/Intro Books
I am currently looking for a book that gives a thorough introduction into the Rishonim's and other Meforshim's understanding of the Chumash in their compilations and a guide to Parshanut and (Jewish) ...
- 618
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How exactly did the Jews get enough water in the desert?
The Torah does not give details as to how the Bnai Yisrael got water in the desert. Given that there were 600,000 men between twenty and sixty (about 2 - 3 million people total) they could not have ...
- 41.9k
4
votes
1
answer
97
views
Beside "לא תבשל", what phrases appear several times in the Torah and interpreted as different Halachot?
Famously, "לא תבשל" appears three times in the Torah in different verses:
"רֵאשִׁ֗ית בִּכּוּרֵי֙ אַדְמָ֣תְךָ֔ תָּבִ֕יא בֵּ֖ית ה"א לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמֹּֽו׃" ...
- 24.6k
0
votes
2
answers
128
views
Why does Midrash refer to "New Torah" not found in the original verse?
Rabbi Abin builds a Drasha on a phrase not found in the text (Vayikra_Rabbah.13):
"אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (ישעיה נא, ד):
"תּוֹרָה חֲדָשָׁה מֵאִתִּי ...
- 24.6k
3
votes
2
answers
152
views
Explanation for episode with Moshe's near death at the hotel
Exodus 4:24-26 describes one of the strangest stories in the Chumash. Moshe was on his way to save the Jewish people, and the Torah says that he stayed with his wife and children in a hotel. Next, we'...
- 18.4k
-2
votes
1
answer
86
views
The miraculous nature of the incident with Bas Paroh and baby Moshe; why is it not mentioned in the text?
Shemos 2 (5 – 11). To escape the decree of Paroh to kill Jewish male babies, Yocheved places her son in a basket in the water. None other than Paroh's daughter discovers him and saves him. Paroh's ...
- 45.8k
0
votes
0
answers
37
views
ויהיה ערב ויהיה בוקר - what's the nature of those emergences?
"וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד׃"
"God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.
And there was evening ...
- 24.6k
2
votes
1
answer
69
views
Why all the Bnei Yakov (the holy tribes) went to Egypt for food
What is the reason that all the holy tribes (except for Benjamin) went to Egypt for food? Couldn't they send only several of them or to split themselves and go in different time? Or even send some of ...
- 787
1
vote
0
answers
45
views
Parshat Miketz in one bloc
I am looking for any significance about why parshat Miketz is written in one solid bloc, with no break at all, except the fact that the Parsha begins at the beginning of a line.
Unlike parshat ...
- 797
1
vote
0
answers
23
views
Why is there no differentiation between drashos and asmachtos in shaas?
Similar to this quesion, I have been bothered for a while now with the following question: How is it that the Talmud was written with no indication at all between drashos gemuros and asmachtos?
- 1,047
1
vote
0
answers
53
views
What happened to Bnei Yakov?
From the time of the sale of Yosef (Chapter 37) until the decision to head to Egypt (Chapter 42) we don't hear about the story/goings on of brothers (excluding Yehudah). We have flash references for a ...
- 618
1
vote
1
answer
82
views
Does Scripture Mention Jacob eating meat?
I remember that Jacob gives Esau some of his lentil stew, and that he makes a big deal telling Lavan that he never ate of Lavans flock. Is there a scripture that shows or talks about Jacob eating meat?...
- 9,643
2
votes
0
answers
48
views
Why were the shevatim named by their mothers, not Yaakov
Yitzchok and Yishmael were named by Avraham. Yaakov and Eisav were seemingly named by Yitzchok. Yet all of the Shevatim were named by their mothers, based on their situation at the time, without any ...
- 5,094
2
votes
1
answer
69
views
Yaakov's travel from Be'er Sheva to Haran: a spiritual journey?
The Torah tells us that Yaakov went from Be'er Sheva towards Haran (Bereishit 28:10).
If you look at the map, Haran is somewhere in modern day Turkey (if I'm correct), so the journey was upwards. When ...
- 2,240
0
votes
0
answers
41
views
Is Historical (or narrative) Present Used in Tanakh?
In the beginning of ויצא, the first couple of verses are written in past tense but Yaakov's dream is in present tense. I assumed that a possible explanation for this is that the Torah is using the ...
- 371
1
vote
1
answer
122
views
How could Leah daven to change her fetus's gender?
The gemara brachos 60a asks how could Leah daven for her fetus to change genders if the mishna calls that a wasted tefilla.
The gemara gives 2 answers.The first is, acts of miracles are different. I ...
- 1,833
5
votes
1
answer
100
views
Why did God listen to Lot's prayer to save Sodom, yet didn't listen to Abraham's?
After all of Abraham's wondorous prayers to Hashem to save Sodom the posuk says (י״ח:לג):
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ
God 'went' when ...
- 522
2
votes
3
answers
84
views
Why did they want to murder Eliezer?
Various Midrashim say that Rivka's family put poison in front of Eliezer, in an attempt to kill him (Bereishis Rabbasi by Rav Moshe HaDarshan to Genesis 24:30 and v. 33; Yalkut Shimoni Chayei Sarah § ...
- 18.4k
4
votes
0
answers
110
views
Angels visiting Abraham during Pesach
I start it from the end: regarding Lot it is written (Bereishit 19:3):
וַיִּפְצַר־בָּ֣ם מְאֹ֔ד וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ אֵלָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וּמַצּ֥וֹת אָפָ֖ה וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃...
- 7,025
1
vote
0
answers
55
views
The angels who accused Yishmoel – what action were they suggesting?
Beraishis 21 (17)
Hashem judges Yishmoel “בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם " - “in that condition in which he now is”. The ministering angels according to the Medrash said, “Master of the Universe, for him ...
- 45.8k
1
vote
2
answers
150
views
Were there any Tzaddikim in Sodom?
In Vayera, Avraham asks HaShem to save Sodom if even 10 righteous people exist. Sodom gets destroyed. Are there any sources that say Sodom had any righteous people, even if less than ten?
- 780
4
votes
0
answers
116
views
How to understand the Ruzhiner's understanding on Noach's righteousness
So a family member sent me a very nice idea on Parshas Noach from the Ruzhiner Rebbe. The text reads as follows:
Noach was a righteous man, he was perfect in his generation (Bereishis 6:9) - there ...
- 20.2k
1
vote
1
answer
225
views
What does "Britain" have to do with "the destruction of the second Beis HaMikdosh"?
Abarbanel on Torah, Deuteronomy 28:49, writes
"Now he mentions the destruction of the second Beis HaMikdosh. From
afar. Who came from Britain and other distant countries speedily."
I only ...
- 545
2
votes
0
answers
25
views
'Anshei' vs 'B'nei'
Ezra 2 contains a big list of the size of different families. However, some of the verses (eg 16, 17, 18) introduce those they count as בני, and some of the verses (eg 22, 23, 27) introduce those they ...
- 1,496
2
votes
1
answer
40
views
When did עבודה זרה start?
Rashi says on the posuk (בראשית,ד,כ) of:
וַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י יֹשֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל
וּמִקְנֶֽה
וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה בּוֹנֶה בָתִּים לַעֲ"זָ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר
סֵמֶל ...
- 522
2
votes
1
answer
46
views
Daniel 9:12 k’ri-k’tiv
Do any commentators or other sources address the rationale of דבריו becoming דברו in Daniel 9:12? I’ve so far been unable to find any explanation for this.
- 1,496
1
vote
0
answers
75
views
Mashiach ben Yosef and the relation to Yaakov
In parashas Toldot it is explained that Yaakov stayed in his tent, "[...] but Jacob was a mild man who stayed in camp". The Haamek Davar on this pasuk says that "his tent" or "...
- 2,240
-4
votes
1
answer
88
views
During the Exodus, why didn't God house the Israelites in real Succot?
"לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ דֹרֹתֵיכֶם כִּי בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהוֹצִיאִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם...׃
in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people ...
- 24.6k