13
votes
Moses' Hebrew name was given to him in Egyptian?
You had a number of very good suggestions.
Ibn Ezra to Exodus 2:10 suggests 2 possibilities, namely, that Pharaoh's daughter had learned the Hebrew language, or that she asked someone how to say this ...
- 21.2k
9
votes
When Did Moses Receive the Torah
This is an excellent question and there is nothing to be embarrassed of. The traditional approach states that the entire Torah was given to "Moses" at Sinai (Rashi beginning of chapter 25 Vayikra). ...
- 2,811
7
votes
What is the inherent connection between 5 and being armed?
The Baal Haturim there connects the idea of being armed with the number five; corresponding to the five types of weapons mentioned in Yechezkel.
וחמושים. מזויינים על שם חמשה מיני כלי זיין הנזכרים ...
- 19.1k
7
votes
Moses' Hebrew name was given to him in Egyptian?
Some thoughts from Rabbi Kaplan's Living Torah on that passuk.
He writes that moshe means son in Egyptian. He quotes Ibn Ezra & Hadar Zekenim who say this and uses this idea to translate the ...
- 34.1k
7
votes
In Psalm 105:39 why is the cloud said to "cover" rather than "precede" the people?
Rashi to Numbers 10:34:
Seven times is the word ענן used in the account of their journeys alluding to four clouds which screened them on all four sides, one that was above them, one beneath their ...
- 46.6k
6
votes
Accepted
Is Psalm 107:4-7 ascribing the forty years of wandering in the wilderness to Moses refusing to ask for directions?
Goodness no. The "Moses not asking directions" is a famous joke, but just a joke.
The 40 years in the desert were a punishment decreed early-on; once the years were up, G-d said "okay, ...
- 136k
5
votes
Why was Yoseph the first of Ya'aqov's sons to die?
This is addressed in Brachos 55a. The reason given is that he conducted himself ברבנות. Seemingly an excessive degree of acting in command.
דא״ר חמא בר חנינא מפני מה מת יוסף קודם לאחיו מפני שהנהיג ...
- 34.1k
5
votes
Why didn't Par'oh have Moshe killed from the outset?
According to the medrash, after Moshe was put into the water, the astrologers (who had warned him before) came and told him that the baby he was worried about had been cast into the Nile. Thus, he did ...
- 43.5k
5
votes
Why does the Torah say, in Exodus 19:13, that those that try to see G-d will be 'stoned or shot with arrows'?
The issue derived from the verse
No hand shall touch it, for he shall be stoned or cast down; whether man or beast, he shall not live. When the ram's horn sounds a long, drawn out blast, they may ...
- 38.7k
5
votes
Why krias yam suf, not bkias
Rabbeinu Bachya says that the water opened up like a zipper. The further they walked the more it opened up. That is similar to kriah which is tearing. One must say that two things happened. First ...
- 51
5
votes
In Exodus 2:2 why is the baby Moses described as TOV?
Sotah 12a:
(שמות ב, ב) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא תניא ר"מ אומר טוב שמו ר' יהודה אומר טוביה שמו רבי נחמיה אומר הגון לנביאות אחרים אומרים נולד כשהוא מהול וחכמים אומרים בשעה שנולד משה נתמלא הבית כולו ...
- 34.7k
5
votes
Who was first to show that the first nine of the ten plagues could be grouped into three groups of three?
According to many commentators (esp. Maharal), this was the intent of Rabbi Yehudah when he broke the plagues into three groups in his mnemonic:
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָיָה נוֹתֵן בָּהֶם סִמָּנִים: דְּצַ&...
- 9,564
5
votes
Why were the Bnei Yisrael exiled to Egypt?
You are asking why bad things happen to good people. The standard answer is that it's somehow part of God's plan, whether we understand it or not. OK, what are possible good reasons why we were ...
- 23.6k
5
votes
Accepted
Egypt 2309-2362
Rashi in Parshas Vaeira 6:16 says that the slavery started after Levi passed away. This was 23 years after Yosef passed away (see sifsei chachamim there that makes the calculation, Levi was 4 years ...
- 13.4k
4
votes
Is Redeeming the Firstborn Son Optional?
The redemption of every first born child is mandatory as we see in the pesukim that I reference.
Shmos Bo 13:13
And every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, and if you do
not redeem [...
- 43.5k
4
votes
Accepted
Why is the Pasuk for Vayareiu Osanu Hamitzrim a Pasuk where nothing happens?
According to Perush Kadmon (printed in Mossaf HaRav Kook's Torat Hayyim Haggada), וירעו means calculated evil. Therefore the citation about deliberation and planning is appropriate. This is quoted by ...
- 36k
4
votes
Why is the Pasuk for Vayareiu Osanu Hamitzrim a Pasuk where nothing happens?
Rabbi Yochanan Zweig asks this very question. He gives a beautiful and simple answer: the worst thing you can do for a person is to label them as a problem. Once they have a negative label placed on ...
- 34.7k
4
votes
Contradiction between Shemos 9:6 and 9:20-21?
Art Scroll commentaries deal with this question. In Va'eira 9:3 ArtScroll points out that 9:2 uses the phrase that are in the field implying that only the animals in the fields would be in danger. ...
- 43.5k
4
votes
How did we live in Goshen in our own houses while still being slaves?
While the Jews did live in Goshen, that was where their families lived and where they lived on Shabbos (after Moshe Rabbeinu convinced Paroh that they needed one day off a week see shemos rabbah 1-38 ...
- 518
4
votes
In Psalm 105:39 why is the cloud said to "cover" rather than "precede" the people?
M'tzudas Tziyun on the spot suggests a way to reconcile both descriptions as the same cloud: it led them when they were moving and covered them when they were stationary. The predictability of this ...
- 24k
4
votes
Accepted
In Exodus 2:2 why is the baby Moses described as TOV?
Rashi says:
THAT HE WAS GOODLY — When he was born the whole house became filled
with light (Sotah 12a).
Ramban says:
All women love their children, whether they are beautiful or not; and
...
- 48.7k
4
votes
Population of Jews at exodus seems unrealistically large
I am surprised by the question, because the answer is explicate in the Torah text (Exodus 1:9):
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־עַמּ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֗ה עַ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
And he said to his ...
- 3,560
4
votes
Pharaoh ruled Nineveh for 500 years?
In Otzar Hamidrashim there's a midrash called Divrei Hayamim Lemoshe which says:
"...ויוליכוהו לנינוה העיר הגדולה, וימלוך פרעה על נינוה ד׳ מאות שנה."
Translation: "...And they led him ...
- 28.4k
4
votes
Accepted
How did the Israelites borrow garments from the Egyptians?
Rashi writes that the reason the clothes were mentioned is because to the Egyptians they were regarded as being of greater value than their silver and gold.
Based off this, the Maharal in Gur Aryeh ...
- 34.5k
4
votes
Accepted
Why did Rashi deduce Keruvim faces look like human infants (כְּר֨וּב = כְּיֶּ֔לֶד)?
Rashi's explanation comes from the Talmud on Sukkah 5b:
וּמַאי כְּרוּב אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ כְּרָבְיָא שֶׁכֵּן בְּבָבֶל קוֹרִין לְיָנוֹקָא רָבְיָא
Apropos the cherubs, the Gemara asks: And what is ...
- 8,320
4
votes
Accepted
Moshe sees Hashem's back
It's the Chasam Sofer on the posuk (among other possible sources I've heard the vort so many times that I doubt the Chasam Sofer is the only source but it is the only one that I know of)
Note: It's ...
- 6,164
4
votes
How did the Jewish people have livestock when leaving Egypt?
The Bnai Yisrael were shepherds and had flocks that they maintained during the years of slavery. Note that the Torah says that during the plagues, the flocks of the Bnai Yisrael were not affected (...
- 43.5k
4
votes
Accepted
How did the Jewish people have livestock when leaving Egypt?
Slavery was not a monolithic concept in the ancient world. Some slaves could own money, others could own property, and others only had a tax they had to pay. And although it's tempting to think/...
- 11.8k
4
votes
Accepted
What’s the source for this midrash about Pharaoh?
Midrash Tanchuma Vaera 5:
When they finally stood before Pharaoh, he said: “What do you desire?”
Moses replied: The God of the Hebrews has sent me to you to say: Let
My people go that they may serve ...
- 5,019
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