- Miketz #2- Shimon?

It says in perek 42, pasuk 7 that Yosef recognized that the men before him were his brothers, but he could not differentiate between them. It then says in Pasuk 24, that he jailed Shimeon. How did Yosef know that it was Shimeon if before it mentioned that he couldn't tell which brother was who?

Miketz #3- What's in a name?

מהוַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה שֵׁם יוֹסֵף צָפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ וַיִּתֶּן לוֹ אֶת אָסְנַת בַּת פּוֹטִי פֶרַע כֹּהֵן אֹן לְאִשָּׁה וַיֵּצֵא יוֹסֵף עַל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

45 And Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath Pa'neach, and he gave him Asenath the daughter of Poti phera, the governor of On, for a wife, and Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt

Questions Why did Pharaoh Change Yosef’s name to Zaphenath Pa'neach? What is the significance of his new Name?

This is discussed in "Around The Shabbat Table" by Aryeh Ben David

Miketz #1- Dreamer

Parshat "Mikeitz" starts in Perek 41 and begins with the two famous dreams Pharaoh had. In his first dream, seven skinny/emaciated cows ate the seven healthy cows and after doing so still remained skinny. Additionally, seven withered ears of grain swallowed seven healthy ears of grain and still remained thin and withered (pesukim 1-7). When Pharaoh was looking for an interpretation and eventually summoned Yosef as an interpreter the Torah restates the entire dreams again in great detail (pesukim 17-24). The Haamek Davar asks: We all know the Torah never says things that are unnecessary, even a single letter, why then does the Torah tell us Pharaoh's dreams twice, the first time when they happened and the second time when Pharaoh was telling them to Yosef, instead of just saying "and Pharaoh said over his dreams to Yosef"?

Netzavim #4- The Hidden are for Hashem

In Parshat Nitzavim, Perek 29 Passuk 28, it says, “The hidden are for Hashem, our God, but the revealed are for us and our children forever, to carry out all the words of this Torah.” What does the Torah mean when it says “The hidden are for Hashem"? Rashi, explains it refers to Bnai Yisrael’s future sinning through idolatry and ignoring their brit with Hashem but that “the hidden sins” that are committed by an individual personally or privately are between him/her and Hashem, but no other person will be held responsible.  answer, however, may be inferred from the second part of the pasuk which says, “…the revealed” meaning the public sins are the responsibility of the whole nation. Is there more meaning to the phrase “The hidden are for Hashem…”???

Netzavim #2- Including EVERY person

In parshat nitzavim, which starts in Perek כט Pasuk ט, Moshe gathers all of Bnei Yisrael, And spends two psukim specifying the different people in Bnei Yisrael standing before him, ranging from "your elders and your officers" to "your water drawers". In Pasuk yud it says "your convert who is within your camp both your woodcutters and your water drawers", which rashi comments on and says that Moshe did not accept these converts to be Jews, so he made them the water drawers and wood cutters. Why does Moshe take the time to address every single type of person he gathered and who stood before him?

Netzavim #1- Wood Choppers and Water Carriers

Perek 29 pussukim 9-10 say that everyone is gathered together- all the men of Israel. The pussuk after says, your children and women- which we can understand why they aren't included in the "Men of Israel" but then the pussuk says the convert in your midst who are the hewers of wood and the drawers of water. Rashi then asks who are these water drawers and wood choppers and why are they mentioned separately? Rashi notes how this relates to another story in Tanakh- what is the message of these people?

Ki Tavo #4- Who knows 11?

In parshat Ki Tavo eleven curses were spoken on Mount Eval. What is the significance of this number?
Rashi on 27:24 says each curse corresponds to one of the shevatim, except for the shevet of Shimon. Since Moshe didn't intend to bless the tribe of Shimon before his death, he did not want to curse them either. Why else is the number 11 significant? Why didn't Moshe want to bless Shimon?

Ki Tavo #3- Why Wait?

This week in parshat Ki Tavo Perek 26 Pussuk 1 and 2 it talks about Bikkurim, when the first fruit a farmer grows is brought as a gift to Hashem. This teaches us to be grateful for everything we have in life. This mitzvah only took place 14 years after they got to israel. 7 years to conquer the promised land and another 7 to get settled in. Rabbi Yossy Goldman questions this and says, some people got settled in faster than others, so how come those people couldn't start showing appreciation to Hashem before the others? 

Ki Tavo #2- What do these things have in common?

The Parsha talks about the mitzvah of bikurim (giving the first fruits of the land) and the Bracha one should say while doing this mitzvah. The Lubavitcher Rebbe finds it interesting that the Bracha singles out two Mitzvos - Ya’akov’s escape from Lavan and Yitzias Mitzrayim. Why are these singled out? The Rebbe answers (adapted by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks) that these miracles had a special connection to Bikurim, and it analyses the importance of this offering and it’s corresponding function in our own time.

Why else would these miracles in specific be mentioned?

Ki Tavo #1- Why to the Kohein?

"And you shall take of the first of every fruit of the ground." (26:2) 

In this pasuk, Hashem commands the Kohenim to take from the farmers their first fruit that grows. Rav Moshe Feinstein comments that a farmer would take so much joy from their first fruit that grows, while to a Kohen it makes no difference. Therefore, why would Hashem command to take away a farmers most precious product to the Kohenim who won't have such an appreciation for it?

Ki Teitzei #4- Remember Amalek?

In Perek 25 passuk it says we must remember Amalek. Now the question remains, why is it so important to remember to remember them if we are no longer able to destroy them? Rambam addresses this question with the answer that we must never forget what evil was done to us, and to carry it in our hearts.Why do we have to remember what Amalek did? What exactly are we supposed to remember? 

Ki Teitzei #3- Whose Captive?

“When you will go out to war against your enemies, and G‐d, your G‐d, will deliver them into your hand and you will capture its captivity.” (21:10)

Question: The word “שביו “translates to “its captivity” but it literally means “his captive.”

Shouldn't the pasuk have said, “shivyecha” “your captive” or “shevi” “a captive”?

Comment: During wartime generals try to determine the strategy and plan their defense

accordingly. Similarly, in the battle with the yeitzer hara a person should pay careful attention to

how he becomes “shivyo” “his captive.” Therefore one should focus solely on capturing, taking

control and eliminating the weaknesses of the yeitzer hara.

(בעל שם טוב)

Further question- where else in the Torah is a word translated one way but should be translated a different way?

Ki Teitzei #2- Holy Camp?

In this weeks parasha, parashat ki teitzei, it mentions keeping the Jewish camp holy. In דברים perek כג Pasuk טו it says וְהָיָ֥ה מַחֲנֶ֖יךָ קָד֑וֹשׁ וְלֹֽא־יִרְאֶ֤ה בְךָ֙ עֶרְוַ֣ת דָּבָ֔ר וְשָׁ֖ב מֵאַחֲרֶֽיךָ. Make it so that Hashem only sees holy in your camp. Don't let him find anything bad/ unholy. The Sforno questions exactly what "unholy" is referring to. He says that it refers to ritual impurities along with anything that would be considered repulsive. What else may be considered unholy and something that they may have not been able to have in their camp?

Ki Teitzei #1- Why make her ugly?

This question comes from the first perek of the parsha in pesukim yud through yud daled. In the pesukim it explains if a man is at war, and he seems someone who he becomes attracted to he has to make her ugly. (Eshet yefat toar) Rashi says he should make her ugly so that way this women will become repulsive. He should shave her head, and let her nails grow.  My question is, why is Hashem making this man make this women ugly? What is the purpose of it if hashem is going to allow this man to marry her anyways after he makes her ugly?