Questions tagged [parshanut-torah-comment]
interpretation of parts of Tanach by close reading, not derivation (Pronounced "par-sha-noot")
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1answer
40 views
How would Yossef's story turn different if he was truly prophesying?
Following my last question "why-did-brothers-take-yossefs-dreams-seriously".
How would the development of events be different if instead of simply dreaming, Yossef was having G-d's prophecy of the ...
1
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2answers
44 views
Why did brothers take Yossef's dreams seriously?
In my understanding, the whole story of the brother's revenge to Yossef started with Yossef's dreams, which he told his father and brothers.
Yossef wasn't a prophet, he showed no signs of genius or ...
5
votes
0answers
62 views
Is there a connection between the two times 7 cows, ears and years that Yaakov worked for his wives?
Is there any connection or relationship between the seven fat & seven lean cows, the seven beautiful and seven parched ears of grain that Pharaoh dreamt and Yosef interpreted, and the seven years ...
3
votes
1answer
38 views
Significance of Yosef's Goblet
Is there any significance to Yosef's goblet aside from being a prop used to show Yosef's powers and frame the brothers? It seems to be mentioned a lot in the Torah throughout the parsha (especially in ...
2
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0answers
40 views
“Practicalities” of the Egyptian famine
B"H, most of us have not witnessed a famine. So, I hope you will excuse my lack of understanding what actually occurred during the famine mentioned in parshat Miketz. I understand a famine to mean ...
1
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0answers
63 views
What can not be a legitimate Orthodox interpretation of the Torah?
I understand that in theory everyone can interpret the Torah and find his own Chiddushim from a renown Rabbi to a secular Jew, young and old, Jew and non-Jew. Today we can see myriads of Perushim and ...
0
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0answers
26 views
What part of Yossef's behavior is permitted by the Rabbinical Halachah?
This question is a follow-up to @SAH's "time-to-act-for-Hashem-and-doing-whatever-you-want". I'm trying to understand, according to Meforshim, what part of Yossef's behavior with his father and ...
3
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1answer
25 views
Yossef brothers - not learning from previous experience?
My boy asked me a tricky question I was unable to answer - please help. He just returned from a trip to Rome and went through the airport security checking the bags reading the Parashat Shavua (Miketz ...
0
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0answers
16 views
Yitroh's advice - why Moses does not mention Yitroh to the Dor Ha'Aretz?
In Shmot 18 Yitroh gives Moses an advice to appoint chiefs/judges for the entire nation.
However, when Moses recalls this event to the Dor Ha'Aretz in Chumash Dvorim 1,11 he takes all the credit and ...
2
votes
2answers
649 views
Avraham's knife was called Ma'achelet. Why?
What is the reason behind the word Ma'achelet used for the knife used by Avraham in the binding of Yitzchok? Is it an indication of specific function? Is this name used elsewhere? Does it indicate any ...
4
votes
3answers
78 views
Why would Yosef interpret the baker's dream for bad?
The Gemara in Brachos 56 brings various accounts about dreams and makes mention that a dream is based on the interpretation.
Why would Yosef interpret the baker's dream for bad? Was his ...
2
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2answers
46 views
Difference between זונה and קדשה
We've seen that the Torah uses the two words as "prostitute/harlot" in several places, for example in Yehudah and Tamar:
"וַיִּרְאֶהָ יְהוּדָה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לְזוֹנָה כִּי כִסְּתָה פָּנֶיהָ"
"...
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0answers
25 views
Why the brother didn't sit down and study Torah?
I would expect from Yaakov that was "איש תם יושב אהלים" for 60 years and then 14 years more in the shul of Shem, to educate his kids in a similar manner.
Luckily, the Torah describes them as very ...
0
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1answer
51 views
Why is it important to stress the “prostitute” part of Tamar's plan regarding Yehuda?
The Torah could get around easily without "incriminating" Yehuda, by saying "ויחשביה לזונה" for example or describing that when he's looking for her (with his fellow) he uses this term of a "...
-1
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1answer
73 views
How did Tamar know that Yehuda will sleep with a prostitute?
Following the question "understanding-Tamars-plan", how was Tamar sure Yehuda will turn to a prostitute the moment he sees her?
Needless to say how bad is the transgression and how great and pious ...
0
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0answers
25 views
Was Josef sold in Egypt by the Midianites or the Ishmaelites? [duplicate]
In Bereishit 37:28 it says, "The Midianite traders passed by...and sold him (Josef) to the Ishmaelites..."
In Bereishit 37:36 it says. "Now the Midianites had sold him (Josef) in Egypt to Potiphar..."...
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0answers
11 views
What is the “covenant of peace” in Ezekiel 37:26?
What is the meaning of "And I will form a covenant of peace for them" (Ezekiel 37:26)? Does this mean a new covenant will be formed or does the verse speak about the everlasting peace when the ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views
Esav “kissed” (vayishakheihu) have dots over this word, is there an explanation? Or is it a scribal error?
In Bereishit 33:4 Esav "kissed" Jacov. In some Torah scrolls the word for kissed (bite) is, "VAYISHAKHEIHU" which has dots over each letter. I have seen some explanations that the dots represent "bite ...
2
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1answer
45 views
Why does Rashi's explain “bread” as Putiferah's wife?
In Breishit 39:6 it says that Potiphar did not pay attention to anything that Yosef handled "except for the bread that he (Potiphar) eats."
"וַיַּעֲזֹב כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ בְּיַד־יוֹסֵף וְלֹא־יָדַע ...
6
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2answers
90 views
Why Did Yosef Get Punished For His Hishtadlut While Yaakov Didn't?
Putting Dinah's box situation aside, Yaakov wasn't punished for taking multiple measures in preparation of his confrontation with Esav. He should have just prayed, but he also sent gifts, separated ...
0
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0answers
31 views
Yaakov becoming Ish-Sadeh?
"וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים׃"
Yaakov was sitting down and studying (Rashi) and Eisov going to the fields: "...
6
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0answers
27 views
Tribes' names with את and without?
"וַתַּהַר לֵאָה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ רְאוּבֵן"
"וַתַּהַר עוֹד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן ... וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן"
"וַתַּהַר עוֹד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן ... עַל־כֵּן קָרָא־שְׁמוֹ לֵוִי"
"וַתַּהַר עוֹד ...
4
votes
4answers
93 views
Why does the Torah list all of Esav's Tribes?
What is significance the Torah wants us to learn from the seemingly exhaustive list of Esav's tribes? (The entire chapter Bereishis 36, which is 43 pesukim long)
Note: I heard the Gra says it hints ...
4
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1answer
44 views
Esav Tribal Wives
Most the tribes of Esav do not have wives listed among the husbands, yet we find (Bereishis 36:39)
וַיָּמָת בַּעַל חָנָן בֶּן־עַכְבּוֹר וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו הֲדַר
וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ פָּעוּ וְשֵׁם ...
6
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0answers
54 views
Nimrod - Righteous?
The Torah tells us the following about Nimrod (Bereishis 10:8-9, alhatorah translation):
ה֣וּא הֵחֵ֔ל לִֽהְי֥וֹת גִּבֹּ֖ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
הֽוּא־הָיָ֥ה גִבֹּֽר־צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֣י י״י֑ עַל־כֵּן֙ יֵֽאָמַ֔ר ...
1
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2answers
46 views
Eisav's angel fought Yaakov. Why Eisav's angel and not Gavriel?
I saw this dvar torah in a forum.
"וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ" (לב/כה) פירש רש"י ז"ל : "הוא שרו של עשיו"
שואלים: בפסוק הנאמר על יוסף "וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ וְהִנֵּה תועֶה
בַּשָּׂדֶה" (לז/טו) אומר ...
1
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0answers
33 views
Leah's marriage: why not normally?
Yaakov had to marry Leah by surprise/error. But why?
Why not making such that he wanted to marry both Leah and Rachel, and everything nice?
An answer given somewhere(?), is because Leah represents ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Shepherd and Evil Connected?
Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch often finds connections between similar words in the Torah. What is the connection between evil - רעה - and shepherd - רועה - (especially in the same verse Bereishis 37:2 - ...
2
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0answers
39 views
Parents' Statement problem with Ben Sorer U'Moreh
The source (Dvorim 21:18):
כִּי־יִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה אֵינֶנּוּ שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקוֹל אָבִיו וּבְקוֹל אִמּוֹ
וְיסְּרוּ אֹתוֹ וְלֹא יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיהֶם׃
וְתָפְשׂוּ בוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ ...
3
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0answers
28 views
Could Yaakov/Esau Berachot crisis be resolved in a peaceful manner?
The stories of our forefathers describe a world where conflicts can be generally resolved either by violence, deceit, accident or some heavenly intervention but not through a civilized negotiation and ...
4
votes
1answer
47 views
Why does Rivka have ruach hakodesh at the end of parsha Toldot, but not at the beginning?
It says in the beginning of Toldos (Beireshit 25:22-23) that Rivka had stomach-aches, so she went to "ask Hashem" about her pregnancy.
Rashi says that since she didn't have ruach hakodesh, it was ...
5
votes
2answers
42 views
According to Rashi, how old was Avraham at B'rit Bein HaB'tarim?
Rashi to Shemot 12:40 says that B'rit Bein HaB'tarim took place thirty years before the birth of Yitzchak (when Avraham was one hundred years old), meaning that Avraham was seventy years old at the ...
3
votes
2answers
57 views
Yitzchak as an Olah Temima - Yes to Egypt - No to Shifcha?
Yitzchak and Rivka waited many years to have kids, until they davened.
The Medrash is quoted saying that Yitzchak didn’t take a Shifcha - maidservant- like Avrahm did (Hagar) because he knew that ...
1
vote
1answer
146 views
Is the king of Israel called 'God' at Psalm 45:7a as the Septuagint, Aquila, and Theodotion Render?
Psalm 45 is a wedding song for the marriage of a king of Israel. At verse 7a the lyric says:
כִּסְאֲךָ אֱלֹהִים, עוֹלָם וָעֶד
The Jewish Greek translation which came to be called the Septuagint ...
2
votes
1answer
64 views
A holistic explanation of King David's use of Avishag
Melachim 1:1:
וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים וַיְכַסֻּהוּ בַּבְּגָדִים וְלֹא יִחַם לוֹ׃
King David was now old, advanced in years; and though they covered him with bedclothes, he never ...
-1
votes
2answers
108 views
Importance of describing the lack of Rivkah's intimate experience
Gen 24:16:
"וְהַנַּעֲרָה טֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד בְּתוּלָה וְאִישׁ לֹא יְדָעָהּ"
The maiden was very beautiful, a virgin, whom no man had known.
We know (Rashi on Genesis 34:7) that the nations ...
5
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0answers
25 views
Is Nehemiah's description of Abraham's events out of order?
In Nechemia 9, we read a recap of God's interaction with Avraham:
אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּחַ֙רְתָּ֙ בְּאַבְרָ֔ם וְהוֹצֵאת֖וֹ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וְשַׂ֥מְתָּ שְּׁמ֖וֹ אַבְרָהָֽם׃
וּמָצָ֣אתָ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ֮ ...
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Promised Land vs Promised Ground in the Torah (ארץ vs אדמה)
The Torah refers to the Promised Land with two different words: ארץ and אדמה.:
"וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת־ה"א עַל־הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן־לָךְ׃" (Deut 8,10)
"כַּבֵּד אֶת־...
1
vote
1answer
59 views
Nephilim after the Flood
Goliath might have been from the Nephilim whom are mentioned in Bereishis 6,4 pre-flood and fought famously with Dovid. The Nephilim are also mentioned in the incident with the spies (Bamidbar 13,33) ...
7
votes
2answers
97 views
Hashem's inconsistent responses about Sedom
In parshas Vayeira there is a whole back-and-forth between Hashem and Avraham. Each time Avraham pleaded to save everyone if a certain number of righteous individuals would be found. Each time Hashem ...
2
votes
2answers
120 views
Guests are masters?
Rashi to Genesis 19:2 said that Lot called the angels his masters because:
"וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּה נָּא־אֲדֹנַי סוּרוּ נָא אֶל־בֵּית עַבְדְּכֶם וְלִינוּ וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּם ...
2
votes
1answer
35 views
Why are Avraham (and Sarah), Yehoshua and David set apart?
Avraham's advanced age is referred to as "zaken ba bayamim" in Ber. 24:1. His age (along with Sarah) is similarly labeled in Ber. 18:11.
Yehoshua is called the same way in Yeh. 13:1 and 23:1, while ...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
Why did Avraham Have to Give a Recipe to Sarah?
When the 3 visitors show up, Avraham indicates he will get them bread. He then runs off and tells his wife not just what to make but what recipe to use (Gen 18,6):
"וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה ...
2
votes
0answers
29 views
Different methods of naming the 70 nations
When listing the descendants of Noah in Gen 10,1 and on the Torah uses different naming methods:
Names in the singular: "וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת בְּנֵי־נֹחַ שֵׁם חָם וָיָפֶת וַיִּוָּלְדוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים ...
2
votes
0answers
21 views
Naming [most] of the 7 nations within ה and י
When listing the families of the 12 tribes, the Torah wraps the names between ה and י. Rashi brings Yalkut Shimoni (Num 26,5):
משפחת החנכי. לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ הָאֻמּוֹת מְבַזִּין אוֹתָם ..., לְפִיכָךְ ...
1
vote
0answers
70 views
Uncomfortable Discussions Around Guests
Why doesn't Avraham wait until escorting the angelic "men" out of the tent before having the conversation with Sarah about "laughing" - the pesukim (Bereishis 18:15-16) follow one after the other.
...
1
vote
0answers
29 views
Avraham's Strange Happiness to Death?
Since והיה generally refers to something not bad,
Vayikra Rabba (11:7) - כל מקום שנאמר ויהי אין שמחה והיה אין צרה
why does Avraham use the word to start the following potentially tragic ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
Was Africa destined for the Europeans - descendants of Yefet?
A little follow-up to my previous question:
There are two interesting Targumim suggesting that Africa was oroginally destined for the descendants of Yefet (Gen 10,2):
תרגום ירושלמי, בראשית י׳:ב׳:
...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Dividing the world for the sons of Noah
Rashi (Gen 12,6) mentions that Noah divided the world between his sons and that Israel was given to Shem and his descendants:
והכנעני אז בארץ. הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְכוֹבֵשׁ אֶת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל ...
3
votes
0answers
35 views
Why is Shimon's name not mentioned?
Why in V'zos Brachah, is Shimon not mentioned?
Except for Rashi that said he is included in Yehudah name because of the incident with Cozbi Bat Tzur.
