Parshat Pinchas - Questions for Self Study
Questions for the 'Shabbat Table'
Questions for Shiur Preparation
Questions on Parshanut
Part I - Questions for the 'Shabbat Table'
1.
In the sin of "bnot moav" (see 25:1-9), both the daughters of
Moav and Midyan participate.
Afterward, in 25:16-18, God commands
Bnei Yisrael to attack only the Midyanites (and not Moav).
Can
you explain why?
[In your answer, relate to Devarim 2:9-10,17-19.]
[see also Rashi and Ramban on 25:18.]
2.
Why was Moav interested in causing Bnei Yisrael to sin?
[Relate to 22:2-8.]
Why was Midyan interested in causing Bnei Yisrael to sin?
[Note which of these two countries borders with Israel.]
Whose sin would you consider worse?
3.
When Bnei Yisrael finally go to war with Midyan (see 31:1-8),
they send only 1,000 soldiers from each tribe (total 12,000) and
the army is led by Pinchas the kohen.
How is this form of going to battle different than other
battles which Bnei Yisrael have fought (and later fight)?
Who
usually leads them in battle?
We do not have exact population figures of how large of an
army Moav had; however we can extrapolate a rough estimation from
the number of female children (most likely under the age of 13)
who were taken captive = 32,000 (see 31:35).
[Note also that not
all of Midyan was destroyed. This nation appears again many other
times in Tanach - see Shoftim chapter 6.]
Based on that figure, how many adult males would you
estimate lived in Midyan?
Would this make it logical to send an
attack force of only 12,000 from a potential of 600,000 army aged
men?
Based on all of the above, what do you think is significant
about "milchemet Midyan?"
[Relate also to the special tax that is taken - see 31:25-54.]
[Can you relate this as well to Moshe's special
relationship with Midyan? Note Bamidbar 10:29-32.]
4.
Is there any relationship between Midyan and Amalek?
Relate to Bilam's final blessings in Bamidbar 24:20-25
and Sefer Shoftim 4:11,17-20.
[See also Breishit 25:1-6.]
5.
As long as we are dealing with numbers [in Numbers], what is
the population drop in Shevet Shimon between the census in
Bamidbar chapter 1 and chapter 26?
Is there any other shevet in
which we find such a drastic drop?
Can you relate this to 25:14 and 25:9?!
Does Shimon receive a blessing from Moshe Rabbeinu in Parshat
V'zot ha'Bracha (Devarim chapter 33)?
If so, what is it? If not,
why not?
Is this similar to any other "shevet?"
Part II - Questions for Preparation (for weekly shiur)
Shiur #1 - The Order of Parshiot in Parshat Pinchas
1.
What is the reason for the mifkad (census) that is taken in
chapter 26?
Answer this question based on:
2.
Carefully compare the 'style' of this census (i.e. how the
people are counted by families) to the census in the first
chapter of Sefer Bamidbar.
What is the main difference?
Note also what takes place in Bamidbar chapter 2.
Is there
anything similar in chapter 26?
Based on this comparison:
What was the purpose of that census (Bamidbar 1-2)?
What is the purpose of this new census (Bamidbar 26)?
Does your answer explain the reason for the differences?
3.
In 25:16-18, God commands Bnei Yisrael to attack Midyan.
Where
in Sefer Bamidbar do we later find the details of this battle?
List the parshiot which are recorded in the interim.
Does this make any sense?
Compare 31:1-2 to 27:12-13.
Where in Sefer Bamidbar (if at all) should 27:12-23 be?
In what Sefer should chapters 28-29 be?
4.
Scan till the end of Sefer Bamidbar, listing all of the main
topics.
Try to 're-organize' all of the parshiot from chapter 25
until chapter 36 based on their 'logical' order.
Would you consider chapters 26-27 one unit?
If so, why?
In your opinion, where does this unit belong?
Can you explain why the Torah places it after chapter 25?
Read Rashi on 26:1 once again.
Explain the two answers that Rashi suggests based on the
above analysis.
See also Chizkuni.
5. Based on your answers to the above, what can we learn from the 'parsha break' in the middle of 26:1!?
Shiur #2 - The Internal Structure of Parshat T'midim U'Musfaim
1.
Chapters 28-29 form a unit.
Explain why, and give a title to
this unit.
Would the title "The Jewish Holidays" be a precise title
for this unit?
Explain why yes and why not.
Does your title of this unit explain the repetition of the
phrase "milvad olat ha'tamid..." for each holiday?
[If it doesn't, it should.]
What does the word "musaf" mean?
Did you include it in your
title?
When we doven "tfilat musaf," do we ever quote the psukim
from Parshat Pinchas?
If so, when, where and why?
When we read the Torah on yom-tov, do we ever read from
Parshat Pinchas?
If so, for which aliyah?
Can you explain why?
2.
How does this parsha relate to Vayikra chapter 23?
Is it simply a repeat?
If not, what it is?
[See shiur on the chagim in Chumash.]
3.
Based on the korban Musaf for each holiday, group the holidays
together based on similar korbanot.
Can you find a reason for the
groupings that emerge?
According to these groupings, should Shmini Atzeret be
considered one of the shalosh regalim or one of the Days of
Judgement?
4.
In your opinion, should the special Musaf offering of Rosh
Chodesh be offered on Rosh Ha'shana as well, or does the special
Musaf offering of Rosh Ha'shana override it?
Now, look at the parsha carefully, and see if you arrived
at the same conclusion that Chumash does (see 29:6)!
Part III - Parshanut
1.
Pinchas is awarded a "brit shalom."
He is also given a "brit
kehunat olam" (see 25:10-13).
Are these two britot identical or are they different?
If they are different, what does "brit shalom" imply?
After you have thought about this, see:
Rashi 25:12-13. Ramban 25:11-13. Ibn Ezra 25:12-13. Sforno 25:12.
2.
Note the word "shalom" in birkat kohanim (Bamidbar 6:26).
These are the only two instances in
Sefer Bamidbar where we find the word "shalom."
Could this parallel help us understand the connection
between brit shalom and brit kehunat olam?
Would this imply that
brit shalom is the same as brit kehunah?
3. In Sefer Breishit we discussed two approaches to the concept of brit:
4.
In relation to question #1 in 'shabbos table questions,' be
sure to see Rashi and Ramban on 25:18 concerning why only Midyan
is attacked [and not Moav].
Does Ramban argue with Rashi, or does his interpretation
'add' to Rashi's explanation?
Explain!
Now see Chizkuni on 25:18.
What does his pirush add?
What problem in 'pshat' does Chizkuni's pirush answer?
5.
Even though the commandment to attack Midyan is given now, the
actual battle is only described in chapter 31 (in Parshat Matot).
Based on the preparation questions in Part II, how did we
'solve' this problem?
See now Chizkuni on 25:17.
How does he 'solve' this problem?
[See also Ramban on 25:17. How is his pirush different?]
6. In regard to the 'strange' progression of parshiot in Parshat Pinchas (as discussed in Part II above) - note how the following parshanim relate to these problems of "smichut parshiot":
Rashi on 27:12.
See also Ibn Ezra.
Relate to Rashi's two "mshalim" in his pirush to 26:1!
See also Chizkuni on 27:12.
Can you explain his pirush?
Finally see Ramban on 27:12.
How is his pirush here
affected by his opinion of "yeish mukdam u'muchar?"
7.
In regard to why Parshat T'midim u'Musafim is recorded here,
see Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Ramban on 28:2.
Explain how (and why) each pirush is different.