SEFER YEHOSHUA - QUESTIONS FOR SELF STUDY CHAPTERS 11-12: The Capture of the Northern Kings 7. Was the fact that the northern kings were organized against Yehoshua to his advantage or disadvantage? Explain. In what way was the battle with the northern kings similar to the battle with the southern kings? In what way was it different? Locate the cities mentioned in this chapter on a map. 8. How did God help Yehoshua in these battles? See chapter 11 psukim 6-9. Why did the Jews destroy all the captured chariots and horses? 9. See chapter 11 psukim 16-19. Find these areas on a map. Compare with the places in chapter 12. Do the places in chapter 11 coincide with the places in chapter 12? See chapter 11 pasuk 20. What point is the Navi trying to explain? Why is this point important? 10. Trace the major battles in Sefer Yehoshua as a function of God's intervention. Is there a definite pattern? Can you explain why? Relate this to life in Eretz Yisrael vs. life in the Desert. (Is it better for battles to be won through miracles? Is it better to eat bread from heaven (man), or bread from the ground?) 11. Why are the defeated kings listed as a shira (song)? Compare this shira to others in Tanach. (See the commentaries). CHAPTERS 13-17: Nachala (inheritance) 1. Chapter 12 summarizes all of the battles. Why are the conquests of Moshe included here? Why are the names of the kings written in the form of a shira? Can this chapter also be seen as an introduction to the second half of Yehoshua, dealing with the portions of land that each shevet would receive? 2. What was the geographical nature of the land that had not yet been captured? Why wasn't it captured? Why were the nachalot given out before the total conquest was completed? Was this to enable the conquered areas to be settled, or to help the unconquered areas be conquered? (Explain!) Why didn't all of the tribes complete the conquest together? Why are the stories of some of the battles included in the second half of Sefer Yehoshua instead of being written in the first half of the sefer, which dealt with the conquest of Eretz Canaan? 3. Why are the portions that Reuven and Gad will receive repeated, even though they are already mentioned in Sefer Dvarim? Is the kedusha (holiness) in their portions any different than the kedusha in Eretz Canaan? What other descendants of Avraham lived on the other side of the Jordan River? 4. Why did the tribe of Yehuda receive the area of Har Chevron? Why did the tribe of Yosef receive the area surrounding Shechem? (See the sale of Yosef in Breishit chapter 37, and Breishit 48:22). What was the attitude of the tribes of Yosef and Yehuda regarding their nachalot? How detailed are their nachalot (in regard to their cities and borders) in comparison to the nachalot of the other tribes? Why? 5. Five tribes receive their nachalot in the chapters through chapter 17. Compare the attitude of these tribes to their nachalot to the attitude of the remaining seven tribes. How does Sefer Yehoshua differentiate between them? (Explain chapter 18 pasuk 5) 6. What was the significance and reason for moving the Mishkan to Shiloh? Where was it until now? (See Mishnayot Zevachim chapter 14 and Sefer Devarim chapter 12 psukim 4-11). In your opinion, were the lots cast in Shiloh needed to choose which tribe would receive which portion, or to make the borders of all the tribes official? Based on your answer, explain: Breishit 49:13, Devarim 34:1-4, Bamidbar 33:50-56 and chapter 34). When did the obligation to separate terumot (gifts to the priests) and ma’asrot (tithes) begin? (See Rambam Hilchot Terumot 1:1-3 and Hilchot Shemita 10:1-2). CHAPTERS 18-24: Nachala Chapter 18 1. The first tribe to receive its nachala is Binyamin. In what way is the description of its nachala different from the description of the nachalot of the remaining tribes? Notice the extensive use of the word ‘ketef’ in Binyamin's border. Is this word used in the description of the border of any other tribe? If so, which tribe and on which border? See Devarim 33:12. Based on this, explain the significance of the word ‘ketef’ in Sefer Yehoshua chapter 18. 2. Which tribes border Nachalat Binyamin? Draw the surrounding Nachalot in your notebook. See Bamidbar chapter 2 - Which tribes surrounded the Mishkan? (Draw them in your notebook and compare them to the previous drawing). Based on this comparison, why is Binyamin called Nachalat Shechina (the portion of the Divine presence)? Explain the meaning of the words: 'U'vein ketaphava shachein.’ In what way are the portions of land given out to the tribes similar to the arrangement of the tribes around the Mishkan? What is the significance of this similarity? (See the Ramban’s introduction to Sefer Bamidbar). Chapter 19 3. How are the nachalot of the tribes mentioned in chapter 19 different than the nachalot of the other tribes? Why? What can be learned from the Navi's attitude to these tribes? Chapter 20 4. Using a topographical map with major roads marked, find the location of the three Arei Miklat (cities of refuge) in chapter 20. Explain why these cities were chosen to be Arei Miklat. Who lived in these cities besides the murderers? Chapter 21 5. Why didn't the tribe of Levi receive a 'proper' nachala? Why were their cities scattered among the portions of the other tribes? Relate your answer to the job of the Levi’im. See Breishit 49:7, Devarim 33:10, Bamidbar 18:21-24 Without having a nachala, how were the Levi’im supposed to make a living? Was the fate of the tribe of Shimon in any way similar to that of the tribe of Levi? Why? Chapter 22 6. What is the definition of Eretz Canaan based on Breishit 17:8, Shmot 6:4, and Bamidbar 34. Relate this definition to Breishit 15:18! How did Aiver HaYarden (the other side of the Jordan River) receive its kedusha (holiness)? Is its kedusha any different than that of Eretz Canaan? What other descendants of Avraham received their ‘nachalot’ in Aiver HaYarden? Based on the above, explain the fear of the 2 1/2 tribes that future generations will think that they are not an integral part of Bnei Yisrael. Why do you think they choose a mizbeach as a sign of their unity with the rest of the tribes, and why did they decide to erect this monument specifically on Gelilut HaYarden? Why did the other tribes misunderstand Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe? Why was it forbidden to build a mizbeach in addition to the one in Shiloh? (See Rambam Hilchot Beit HaBechira chapter 1 halachot 1-5). [*** Trace the use of Hashem's two names throughout the chapter. Relate this usage to the above questions and to the final name of the monument in pasuk 34.] Chapter 23 7. Compare pasuk 1 to Devarim 12:10. In your opinion, did Yehoshua fulfill the commandments of chapter 12 in Sefer Devarim? Find other similarities between chapter 23 and Moshe Rabeinu's speeches in Sefer Devarim. Why is Yehoshua now in a position similar to the position that Moshe was in in Sefer Devarim? If the conquest has not yet been completed (pasuk 5), why does Yehoshua say that Hashem has kept everything that He promised (pasuk 14)? Chapter 24 7. Compare Yehoshua's speech in this chapter to his speech in chapter 23. Are there any similarities between the two speeches? Which speech do you think came first? Where was each speech given? What was the purpose of each assembly? Why are the people gathered in Shechem as opposed to Shiloh? When was the king of Shechem defeated and when was his city captured? Are all of Bnei Yisrael gathered or are only the leaders gathered? Why does Yehoshua give the people a choice to worship idols if they want to? Attempt to explain the chapter as a conversion ceremony for inhabitants of Shechem.