Questions tagged [pentateuch-chumash]
Questions pertaining to the Five Books of Moses (Chumash)
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Why in Deuteronomy does Moses introduce 200 new Mitzvot?
The Book of Numbers concludes the Torah narrative from the creation, through the Exodus, the Receiving of the Torah, the 40 years of the wilderness to make the Exodus generation go extinct, up to the ...
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Evidence for the king writing his Sefer Torah
One of the most defining characteristics of the Torah's king (Parshas Shoftim) is that he writes himself a Sefer Torah, carries it at all times, is constantly reading it "all the days of his life&...
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Why didn't Moshe have an issue with Gad and Reuven spurning Eretz Yisroel?
Bamidbar 32 portays Moshe's problem with Reuven and Gad's request to settle in Transjordan as one of potentially dissuading the Israelites from finally fighting and conquering the promised land.
Once ...
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Moshe, Aharon, Miriam
Our sages say that there are three crowns - Keser Torah, Keser Kehunah, Keser Malchus - and that Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam represented these three. Moshe gave us the Torah, Aharon was the first Kohen ...
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What is the dikduk of this word?
In Shemos 36:7, it says וְהַמְּלָאכָ֗ה הָיְתָ֥ה דַיָּ֛ם לְכׇל־הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אֹתָ֑הּ וְהוֹתֵֽר׃
I am confused as the dikduk of the last word (and I am far from a grammarian, so bear with me ...
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How can Hashem's language contradict itself in bereishis 2:16-17 when Hashem says אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל you may eat and then לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל you may NOT eat?
I read the parshah over specifically trying to identify if Chava or the snake lied first. I remember learning that if Adam and Chava hadn't sinned by eating the forbidden fruit that the snake would ...
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Why were only men allowed to divorce for sexual impurity? Did men not also commit sexual misconduct? [duplicate]
Note: this question was posted to Biblical Hermeneutics yesterday, and did not attract a response. As this is a question about the Law of Moses, I'm open to a Jewish explanation as well. This question ...
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Satmar Commentary on the Chumash
Is there any particular Sefer/source that is good for learning Satmar outlooks on the Torah? Preferably in English. Or even so, does anyone know of a Satmar interpretation/commentary for Bereshis 19:1-...
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How did Rashi reach the number of eight people carrying the grapes?
The פסוק states:
וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֗ל וַיִּכְרְת֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם זְמוֹרָה֙ וְאֶשְׁכּ֤וֹל עֲנָבִים֙ אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֥הוּ בַמּ֖וֹט בִּשְׁנָ֑יִם וּמִן־הָרִמֹּנִ֖ים
וּמִן־הַתְּאֵנִֽים׃ (במדבר ...
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Why does the Torah add ger sometimes
For some commandments in the chumash the Torah adds "and also the ger with you", and sometimes it does not.
What's the reason for this? Is there a specific reason every time?
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Why did the Israelites only begin complaining about the Torah approx a year after its receipt?
Chazal explicate Bamidbar 11:5 & 10 that Israel was complaining about how onerous the Torah was.
This episode occurred toward the end of the second month of the second year of their leaving Egypt (...
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Where does Baal HaTurim's commentary come from?
A lot of the Baal HaTurim's commentary on the Torah relates to how certain words or phrases have the same gematriya as other words or phrases in the Torah, or phrases that relate, in some way, to the ...
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Connection between Yitro and Malchizedek?
I remember reading somewhere a comparison between Yitro and Malchizedek. Saying they were both Goyish Kohanim who where with אברהם ומשה.
Are there any sources that associate these two figures?
What ...
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Mishkan vs Ohel Moed
What is the difference between the Mishkan and Ohel Moed? These two terms come up in Chumash and I often conflate them.
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Did Moses' face shine forever until his death?
Exodus 34:29-35 says that Moses' face shined after he was in the presence of G-d. Did Moses' face shine forever until his death or did this pass after a certain amount of time much prior to his death?...
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What is the earliest reliable source that prohibits teaching Torah and/or Mishna to gentiles after Moses translated the Torah into 70 languages?
I have read numerous conflicting opinions regarding this subject. I am seeking the first "original" or earliest reliable source that prohibited teaching the Torah and/or Mishna to the ...
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Why does the Torah say bichukosei בחוקותי -- in my "statutes"?
ב"ה
In the Torah Parshas Bichukosei it uses the term "if you walk in my statutes", referring to the kind of Mitzvos known as חוקים -- statues, those which are beyond logic, as it says ...
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Sarah and Hagar [closed]
The story of Sarah and Hagar is very mysterious to me. I wonder if anyone can open a new angle that I haven't heard about.
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Definition of ervah
"ערוה" is the Torah's usual word for a forbidden relationship.
I remember seeing a Rishon, maybe a Tosefos, who says that the fact that kiddushin is impossible, that a permanent relationship ...
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Is the order of the Torah part of the principles of faith?
According to my understanding of Rambam's 8th of his 13 principles of faith it is necessary to believe that the Torah as we currently have it is exactly what was told to Moshe by God. From what I ...
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Why the words "אחרי מות"?
Parshas Acherei Mos begins off saying "And it happened after the death of Ahron's 2 sons..."
The Torah never says when things happen - it just goes in order!
So, why here does the Torah tell ...
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Deep dive into learning about Matriarchs?
I would like to learn more about the Imahot. I am happy to hear about books written focussing on this topic, gathering sources and summarising them into some easy reading, as well as hear any list of ...
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Tzoraas on clothing: the Torah describing which types of clothing?
In the section on negaim on clothing, the first posuk describes various types that get negaim:
וְהַבֶּ֕גֶד כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה ב֖וֹ נֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת בְּבֶ֣גֶד צֶ֔מֶר א֖וֹ בְּבֶ֥גֶד פִּשְׁתִּֽים׃ א֤וֹ ...
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וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר: Same paragraph
In almost all cases in the Torah, when G-d's speech to Moshe is introduced with:
וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר
a new paragraph is begun in the written Torah text at this point.
I'm aware of one possible ...
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What is the origin of the division of the Torah into five books [duplicate]
As we start Sefer Vayikra, my chavruta and I have again looked for and been unable to find a satisfactory answer to the question:
“What is the origin of the division of the Torah into five books and ...
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Kriyat haTorah helper materials
I'm looking for a resource where I could find notes for my Bar Mitzvah parsha (Tazria) along the lines of:
in 4th it's always "hee" and never "huu"
it's always noga in the middle ...
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Why would Moshe's new nation have been considered a one legged chair?
Bavli Berachos (32a) contains the following aggadic assertion
{שמות ל"ב:י'} וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְגוֹ', אֲמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, ...
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List of Aliyos with Different Stopping Points
Have noticed some Aliyos that seem to be different Mesoros where they should end.
For example
Bereishis Chamishi - From 4:19 - some go until 4:22, others until 4:26 (end of Perek)
Terumah Sheini - ...
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Urim and Thumim
I am currently researching the topic of Urim and Thumim and have two questions, maybe someone can help me or suggest sources:
There are 72 letters on the Ephod (50 for the 12 tribes plus Avraham ...
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Can a Jew use someone else’s Chumash for Shnayim mikra
According to Halacha, is it permissible for a Jew to fulfill the mitzvah of Shnayim Mikra V’echad Targum by using someone else’s Chumash (with their consent of course)? Or does one have to own the ...
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Does the Torah itself support a universe older than 5k+ years?
There is a fundamental dispute about how to render the very first word in the Torah, and by extension, the first few pesukim, with wide ranging implication.
Rashi and his grandson Rashbam interpret ...
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Which English translation to use for shnayim mikrah?
According to some poskim, a person can be yotzei his obligation of shnayim mikrah ve'echad targum by reading the pesukim twice and an English translation once. If I remember correctly, this is only ...
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What is the section labeled מענה לשון in a Chumash?
Looking at a sample page of the Chumash Simanim (for ex. here), I see the Torah text, Targum Onkelos, Rashi, and, at the foot of the page, a section labeled מענה לשון. What is this last section, and ...
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Why did shevatim accompany binyomin to egypt?
In Parashat Miketz , yackov understands that to survive he needs to send binyomin to egypt. So why did many brothers of binyomin accompany binyomin to egypt? Why noy just send binyomin to egypt? By ...
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Yosef and three times scaring his brothers
In the interaction between the Viceroy (really Yosef) and his brothers in Parshas Mikeitz, the Torah describes three different ways he frightened them.
First, he claimed they were spies (מרגלים).
...
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Studying Chumash by myself
Is it allowed to study Chumash with commentary (e.g. ArtScroll Chumash) by myself? Which aspects of Torah study are forbidden to do alone?
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Why did Yehuda/Shelah need Yibum with Tamar? She had a Chazaka
Why did Yehuda/Shelah have to Yibum, after all Tamar already has 2 of her husbands die, and even though we pasken chazakah happens after three times we pasken you only need 2 times for a danger?
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Question on Rashi, Bereishis 9:12
In P. Noach (Gen. 9:12) in reference to the phenomenon of the post-deluge rainbow, following Noach's exit from the teivah, the verse states:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים זֹ֤את אֽוֹת־הַבְּרִית֙ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֣י ...
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Strange that Rachel held onto Lavan's idols and did not throw them out
Why was Rachel holding onto Lavan's idols for a few days? Since she was trying to prevent Lavan from doing Avodah Zara she should have thrown them out immediately!
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What are verses that clearly state that tribal lineage comes from the father? [duplicate]
I am trying to find verses in Tanakh that state that the tribal lineage comes from the father.
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Yitzchok being Menachem Avel Yaakov
How come Yitzchok wasn't Menachem Avel Yaakov upon Yaakov's hearing that Yosef was deceased? We know Yitzchok knew that Yosef was alive. Nevertheless, when all of Yaakov's sons and daughters came to ...
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Does Rashi bring contadictory opinions?
Rashi on chumash is based on chazal. Sometimes Rashi appears to bring contradictory opinions and some mefarshim say that its machlokes midrashim.
Is there a source or mesorah that Rashi's shita in ...
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Seeking copy of Torah in Ktav Ivri (Paleo-Hebrew)
Is there a copy of the Torah in Ktav Ivri (Paleo-Hebrew)?
If so, is there a copy online? If not, where might I find it in print?
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Rashi with sources in context
Is there a sefer chumash with Rashi's commentary which brings Rashi's sources in context?
For example, if Rashi were to quote a gemara, this sefer would print the relevant text of the gemara in the ...
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Writing a commentary on Chumash using Microsoft Word
I am trying to write a commentary (in Hebrew) on Chumash. I would like to have a layout where the verses are at the top of the page, and the commentary underneath (adjusted for size based on how much ...
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70 Souls of Jacob
In Bereshit 46 the Torah tells us that there were 70 descendents of Jacob who came to Egypt with him (excluding the wifes)
33 descendants through Leah
16 through Zilpa
14 throgh Rahel
7 through Bilah
...
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Is this idea (dictation model of Torah) by Rambam heretical/blasphemous/idolatrous?
Rabbi David Bigman in his article The Dictation Model of Torah Revelation
convincingly argues that the idea of Torah being entirely dictated to Moses, and then preserved over the generations (...
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The relationship of Adam and Chavah and what does it mean?
In Parshat B'reishis ch. 3 p. 20 Adam names Chavah. Here Rashi points out that Adam names her earlier and the reason for bringing up the name in this location.
What I'm wondering though is about the ...
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Did Benjamin recognize Joseph when he came down to Egypt
The Torah mentions that Yosef recognized his brothers but they didn't recognize him (Bereshit 42:7-8).
Was wondering whether any commentaries deal with the question of when Benjamin came down did he ...
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Status of books printed by the "Society for Distributing Hebrew Scriptures"
There are ostensibly a bunch of Christians who want to encourage Jews to learn Torah and keep mitzvot because they believe that will bring the Moshiach, so they have a Tanach they have printed and ...
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