Questions tagged [parshanut-torah-comment]
interpretation of parts of Tanach by close reading, not derivation
1,736
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כי לא את בניכם אשר לא ידעו… ?Is this literal
Eikev, chapter 11:1
ואהבת את השם... ושמרת משמרתו...
כי לא את בניכם אשר לא ידעו ואשר לא ראו... כי עיניכם הרואת את כל מעשה השם
Are the children excluded from this requirement to love God and keep his ...
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Why prohibitions and their corresponding punishments are separated in the Torah?
I was arguing with a Documentary Hypothesis supporter who claimed that we consistently find that Biblical prohibitions and their punishments are not written in one place. The Ten Commandments are a ...
2
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1answer
73 views
Was Lavan White?
Sometimes names in Tanakh are just names, but sometimes they're descriptions. Are there any commentaries that talk about whether Lavan is called Lavan because he's an oddly white man in the middle ...
3
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54 views
“as is still the case”; in Devarim 3:14
The passuk in Devarim 3:14 says:
יָאִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה לָקַח֙ אֶת־כׇּל־חֶ֣בֶל אַרְגֹּ֔ב עַד־גְּב֥וּל הַגְּשׁוּרִ֖י וְהַמַּֽעֲכָתִ֑י וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֹתָ֨ם עַל־שְׁמ֤וֹ אֶת־הַבָּשָׁן֙ חַוֺּ֣ת יָאִ֔יר ...
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How is it possible that Numbers 33 talks about 48 camps instead of 42?
How is it possible that Numbers 33 talks about 48 camps instead of 42?
To what peshat did these mefarshim source this enumeration?
Some of these mefarshim conclude that instead of 42 locations, there ...
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51 views
Does the בְ in לֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר only mean against?
Does the בְ in לֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר
only mean against or can it mean about with the idea of claiming the innocence of a guilty person as well as accusing an innocent person? Or, maybe ...
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Why does the Torah repeat itself in Matos?
במדבר לא יא says:
וַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הַשָּׁלָ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת כׇּל־הַמַּלְק֑וֹחַ בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה
They gathered all the spoil and all the booty, man and beast,
במדבר לא יב says:
וַיָּבִ֡אוּ אֶל־...
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Is it true the Torah states that no one will claim national revelation?
Many kiruv/outreach Rabbis, in an attempt to prove the veracity of the Torah, will base their claim on the concept of National Revelation. Part of that proof, they say, is that the Torah states that ...
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1answer
139 views
Biblical attribution of intelligence and feelings to the human heart
Traditionally, the human heart was considered the residence of the animated soul and numerous Biblical passages refer to that ancient belief:
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your ...
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2answers
153 views
What תוֹרָ֔ה is referred to in Isaiah 2:3?
Isaiah 2:3
Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of
the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For ...
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Looking for a chassidic Torah commentary on the level of Pshat
I'm looking for a chassidic Torah commentary on the level of pshat or a chassidic commentary easy to read?
5
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Who is Filwarg?
I have seen a number of articles on Ibn Ezra that quote a supercommentator known as "Jonah Filwarg" (usually just referred to as "J. Filwarg") who wrote a book known as "Bnei ...
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Which species does or do בקר refer to in the Torah?
Are only cows and bulls included?
Or perhaps other related species as well?
Is this subject to disagreement?
And does context make a difference?
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Do the words “Omer” (as in counting the Omer) and “Amar” (to speak or to say) have a connection to each other?
Do the words "Omer" (as in counting the Omer, starts with Ayin) and "Amar" (to speak or to say, starts with Alef) have a connection to each other?
If so, what were the ...
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1answer
84 views
Why mention “the wilderness” in the opening of Bamidbar?
The Torah says:
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֛ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינַ֖י בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד
-- The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting. [Numbers 1:1]
Ibn Ezra and ...
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Repetition in Bamidbar
In Bamidbar (1,18) it says:
וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־הָעֵדָ֜ה הִקְהִ֗ילוּ בְּאֶחָד֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י
וַיִּתְיַֽלְד֥וּ עַל־מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר
שֵׁמ֗וֹת מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה ...
3
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Why does the Torah write Vayikra 25:51 & 25:52?
Vayikra 25:50-52:
נ וְחִשַּׁב֙ עִם־קֹנֵ֔הוּ מִשְּׁנַת֙ הִמָּ֣כְרוֹ ל֔וֹ עַ֖ד שְׁנַ֣ת
הַיֹּבֵ֑ל וְהָיָ֞ה כֶּ֤סֶף מִמְכָּרוֹ֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שָׁנִ֔ים כִּימֵ֥י
שָׂכִ֖יר יִהְיֶ֥ה עִמּֽוֹ׃ נא אִם־ע֥וֹד ...
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Why does the torah repeat itself regarding מומין in Kohanim?
In Emor, perek:21 posuk:17 the Torah says:
דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞ לְדֹרֹתָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בוֹ֙ מ֔וּם לֹ֣א יִקְרַ֔ב לְהַקְרִ֖יב לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
Speak to Aaron and ...
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Metzudat David on Nechemiah 6:12
I was debating with a chavruta today how to understand the following explanation from Metzudat David. The verse in Nechemiah 6:12 says:
"Then I realized that it was not God who sent him, but ...
5
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1answer
69 views
Bilam: a prophet/magician?
Bilam is often considered to be a gentile prophet. However, he isn't explicitly described as such in the Torah. In Bamidbar (perek 22) it describes how the elders of Moav brought sorcery/magic/...
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1answer
77 views
Who is 'Yehuda' in Yermiah?
In Yermiah 3:10 it says:
וְגַם־בְּכָל־זֹ֗את לֹא־שָׁ֨בָה אֵלַ֜י בָּגוֹדָ֧ה אֲחוֹתָ֛הּ יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּכָל־לִבָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י אִם־בְּשֶׁ֖קֶר נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה
Yehuda is referred to as the sister of Israel. Who ...
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3answers
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What commentators follow approach of Remez
I mean, could you please name some commentators on the Torah?
For example:
Pshat (Rashi, Rashbam, Radak, Ibn Ezra).
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2 Samuel 8:4 vs Chronicles 18:4
In Samuel 2 8:4, it says: David captured 1700 Horsemen, but in Chronicles 18:4, it says that he captured 7000 horsemen.
How many did he actually capture, and what is the answer to this contradiction?
2
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Megilla: 2nd runners overtake first set that left 70 days earlier (Rashi). How?
In Esther 3:12 it records that Homon sent out his runners with the decree on 13th Nissan. Mordechai sent out his runners on 23rd Sivan to mitigate the decree. Rashi in 8:14 tells us that these second ...
3
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0answers
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Shmot 24:3, why is there no preposition?
In Shmot 24:3 the second half of the pasuk reads, "וַיַּ֨עַן כָּל־הָעָ֜ם ק֤וֹל אֶחָד֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְק֤וָ֖ק֤ נַֽעֲשֶֽׂה" "and all the people answered ...
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Why is Betzalel (the constructor of the mishkan), only mentioned after the entire building process of the mishkan?
Being that in Parashat Terumah and a portion of Tezaveh discusses the building of the Mishkan with all its vessels, the Torah hadn't told us who the constructor of the Mishkan was until Parashat Ki ...
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70 views
Malbim’s grammatical argument in Parashat Tzav
Can someone help me to understand the grammatical/ interpretive point that the Malbim is making in his commentary to Leviticus 6:21 (the entries numbered 67 and 68 on Sefaria)?
2
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1answer
54 views
Midrash on Novach
In Ruth Rabbah 5:5 it says:
"...And similarly "And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name (Numbers 32:42) this teaches that her own ...
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1answer
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Why did Sarah demand to expel Hagar?
IIRC, Hagar was [happily] married to Abraham for at least 17 years (one or two for pregnancy, 13 of Yishmael before his circumcision, one for Sarah's pregnancy, and two for Itzhak's Gmilah). If it was ...
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2answers
101 views
Why was Abraham cheap with Hagar and his son Yishmael?
Following "why-would-Hagar-go-to-the-desert-to-die", IIRC Abraham was freakishly wealthy and he should be full of Chessed (toward his former wife and his own son), Sarah didn't deny any ...
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1answer
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Why would Hagar go to the desert to inevitable death?
"Early next morning Abraham took some bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar. He placed them over her shoulder, together with the child, and sent her away. And she wandered about in ...
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Why doesn't the Torah start with “And God spoke to Moses: In the beginning God created, etc”?
Both Talmudic opinions about the dictation of the Torah to Moses (either at once or scroll by scroll, Gittin 60), agree on the fact of the dictation. Therefore the Torah must reflect that fact and, ...
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How did they bake the showbread in the desert
B"H
If they had no flour what did they use to bake it? The mawn? If so, whose portion of the mawn was used? Aharoyn's? Other koyhawneem? Did a unique portion fall just for it? Sources would be ...
2
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62 views
13 ways in which the Torah is trampled
I've found a reference in a book to a medieval Italian document which refers to "the 13 ways in which the Torah is trampled and profaned". Can anyone tell me more about these 13 ways?
5
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1answer
203 views
Where was Malkitzedek of Jerusalem at the time of the Akedah?
ארץ המוריה: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (Rashi Genesis.22.2)
"And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine...", Targum "וּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶק מַלְכָּא דִירוּשְׁלֶם" Genesis.14.18
If ...
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Why is God unspecific with directions to Abraham?
The LORD said to Abram, “Go forth ... to the land that I will show you." Genesis.12.1
And He said, “Take your son... and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will ...
3
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0answers
36 views
Why does God curse and how does it align with justice?
וְעַתָּה אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן־הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר פָּצְתָה אֶת־פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת־דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ מִיָּדֶךָ׃ - >Therefore, you shall be more cursed than the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your ...
0
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1answer
55 views
How could Cain know that Hebel was actually dead?
Maybe I'm missing something in the story, but I see no obvious way for Cain to know that he actually killed Hebel and the latter will not wake up, heal or resurrect.
How could Cain know that Hebel was ...
0
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0answers
36 views
Why was Gan-Eden a garden?
The narrative says there was a place called Eden or being eden (a watered valley) and then God planted a garden inside of it where Adam was placed.
Why was this place a garden, and not a city, a ...
3
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2answers
70 views
Multiple Tribes of Binyamin?
In the book "Sefer Yosef Breslevi", there's an essay by Yisrael Ben-Shem in which he raises multiple questions related to various appearances of people from the Tribe of Binyamin throughout ...
4
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1answer
114 views
When (day, month, year) did Avshalom son of king David die?
When (day, month, year) did Avshalom son of king David die?
Please cite a source as to exactly when this happened.
II Samuel 18:15 And there circled about ten young men who were Joab's
armor bearers, ...
1
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1answer
132 views
When did Adoniahu die?
When (day, month, year) did Adoniahu die, as according to the pasuk below?
1 Kings 2:24 And now, (as) the Lord lives, Who has established me, and set me on
the throne of David, my father, and Who has ...
5
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2answers
370 views
Moshe and Aharon never sinned
The gemarra in Shabbos 55a says a rule: אין מיתה בלא חטא, no one dies without having sinned. As an attempt to refute this rule, the gemarra brings a baraisa that says:
מֵיתִיבִי: אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי ...
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0answers
37 views
Pre-plagues hail?
In Shemot 9:24, it says about the plague of hail:
"וַיְהִי בָרָד וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת בְּתוֹךְ הַבָּרָד כָּבֵד מְאֹד אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיָה כָמֹהוּ בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מֵאָז הָיְתָה לְגוֹי."
&...
2
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0answers
45 views
Do the commentators describe how Amram and Yocheved felt through the events involving Paro's daughter and Moshe?
The intervention of Paro's daughter in the life of Moshe was clearly miraculous. Basya went against her father's wishes and Moshe's mother was paid to nurse him. One can imagine the feelings of wonder ...
0
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3answers
77 views
Why the choice of Abraham preceded finding him righteous?
We say it daily in the morning prayer:
אַתָּה־הוּא ה"א אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בְּאַבְרָם וְהוֹצֵאתוֹ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים וְשַׂמְתָּ שְּׁמוֹ אַבְרָהָם׃ וּמָצָאתָ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ...
You ...
2
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3answers
111 views
Meaning of “You alone are YHWH”
אַתָּה־הוּא יְהוָה לְבַדֶּךָ ...׃ - You alone are YHWH... Nehemiah.9.6
YHWH is God's proper name as God openly testifies:
... וּשְׁמִי יְהוָה לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם - but I did not make Myself known ...
3
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1answer
76 views
Why didn't Ezra mention Shofar on Rosh Hashanah?
In Nehemiah.8.10, after reading Torah on the first day of the seventh month (Rosh Hashana - Rashi ibid):
וַיָּבִיא עֶזְרָא הַכֹּהֵן אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּהָל ... בְּיוֹם אֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ ...
0
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1answer
42 views
What does the following mean from the meshech chochma?
The Meshech Chochmah, Vaeschanan, Deuteronomy 6:5, says something which I don't understand. Here it is:
וא"ל (ואמרי לה) לקיים מילי דנזיקין, כי האדם מדיני בטבע, ואוהב הקבוץ לרוב חסרונו.
Here is ...
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0answers
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Does a person’s soul see through the navel when the person passes away (Ben Ish Hai)
I was studying with someone earlier today and he mentioned that he once read in the Sefer Ben Ish Hai that when a person passes away, his soul can ‘see’ (I don’t really know what that means) through ...
