Mishpatim #4- No Blood?

In perek 22 passuk 1 it says "If while breaking in, the thief is discovered and he is struck and dies he has no blood." Rashi comments on that wondering why it would say that the person has no blood. He answers saying that since the intruder should know that the homeowner would use self defense, even to the extent of killing, that he was a dead man when he broke in. What are other reasons this could have been said?

Mishpatim #3- Na'aseh V'nishma

In this week's parsha one of the most famous phrases makes its appearance. The phrase has often been used to define the Jewish faith as a whole. This phrase consists of two words: “na’aseh venishma” “we will do and we will hear” (Ex. 24:7). What does this mean and why is it so significant?

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks says that there is a few ways to interpret this phrase. One way to understand it is that na’aseh venishma means, “We will do and we will understand.” From this

We can learn that the only way to understand judaism is by doing it, by performing the commands and living a Jewish life. We are constantly looking to understand what we are committing ourselves to before making the commitment. That is fine when what is at stake is a new phone or a new subscription, but not when making a deep existential commitment. The only way to understand a way of life is to take the risk of living it. So according to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: na’aseh venishma, actually means “We will do and eventually, through extended practice and long exposure, we will understand.

How else can one translate “na’aseh venishma”?

Mishpatim #2- Pierce his ear?

"ורצע אדניו את אזנו במרצע ועבדו לעלם"
“And his master shall bore his ear with an awl, and he shall serve forever.”

Any part of the body could have been pierced, so why was the ear the chosen part? Because on Har Sinai God said, "Thou shalt not steal", yet the person stole - didn't listen to the word of God. Another answer is that on Har Sinai we were told to have HaShem as our master, yet the slave took on a different master. 

With all these answers in mind, one would think that as soon as the sale doesn't follow one of the rules they should have their ear pierced. Yet, only after six years of being a slave to a particular owner, the slave is then obligated to pierce his ear. 

Why do we delay piercing the slaves ear until hen decides to stay on as a slave, instead of immediately when he is sold or sells himself as a slave?

Mishpatim #1- What Sentences?

In פסוק א׳ of משפטים, it says "these sentences". Why does it add the word these? Why can't they just have written 'sentences'? Rashi interprets the word 'these' as adding to something previously stated. He explains that these sentences are an addition to the Ten Commandments from Mount. Sinai, which was already given to us before these sentences were. 

Yitro #5- Plan B?

In this weeks parsha, Yitro, moshe's father in law, suggests a new strategy for Moshe to most effectively lead Bnei Yisrael: delegation. Rashi comments that when Yitro says in pasuk yud Chet "you will surely wear yourself out...the matter is too heavy for you" that the weight of being the nations constant confidant would be too heavy for Moshe both physically and mentally. One can only wonder how is it that after so long, with Moshe literally waiting on Bnei Yisrael ALL DAY, he never thought of appointing people to help him? And if he did, what other reasons could there be for him not implementing that plan? 

Yitro #4- Fasting?

It says in perek יח pasuk יב  that aharon and all the zekanim came to eat bread with yitro. Why didn't moshe join in this meal?

Rashi says after  receiving the Torah,  Moshe went up to shamyim three times and came back the last time on Yom Kippur. The next day he gave the Torah to beni yisroel. Since Moshe already knew about fasting on Yom Kippur, he did not participate in the meal. However, all the other Jews, who first learned the Torah on the following day, were able to eat because they did not yet know the laws of fasting on Yom Kippur.

Yitro #3- How to Judge?

In Perek 18, Pasuk 14, Yitro asks Moshe why he has to sit and judge for all the people every day. He says, "Why do you have to sit with all the people standing by you from morning to evening?"

Rashi, as usual, has a question. How could it be that Moshe sat and judged the people from morning till night? Did he ever have time to learn Torah, or teach the Torah to the people? 

According to Rashi, the sages say that a judge who presides over a case honestly and justly is like a great tzaddik who has studied Torah all day. 

Why else did Moshe judge the way he did?

Yitro #2- Relative

Why does the Torah describe Yitro’s already-mentioned relationship to Moshe and his position? (18:1)

In the times of Melech Dovid and Melech Shlomo, the Jews did not accept converts because the Jewish people were then at the height of their glory, and it was suspected that the motivation of converts was to seek glory, not necessarily keep the Mitzvot.

If so, why did Melech Shlomo want to marry the daughter of a different king, even though she was a convert? The answer is that she was an exception to the rule. As the daughter of a King, she did not lack glory, and therefore her only interest in converting was her love for Torah and mitzvot (Yevamot 24b, see Tosafot).

When Bnei Yisrael left Mitzrayim and the Yam Suf split, the entire world witnessed the greatness of the Jewish people. From all over people wanted to convert and become part of the Jewish nation. They were motivated by the glory of the Jewish people rather than keeping all the mitzvot and Torah. However, when Yitro decided to convert to Judaism, he was accepted because he was the  High Priest of Midyan, and already had glory. Therefore, he only wanted to convert because of his love of Torah.

Yitro #1- What did Yitro hear?

Perek 18 pussuk 1 says:  

״וישמע יתרו כהן מדין חתן משה את כל אשר עשה אלוהים למשה ולישראל עמו כי הוציא ה’ את ישראל ממצרים״

This pussuk gives a brief description of Yitro and mentions multiple descriptions of who he is and says that he heard a report describing all the things that Hashem did for Moshe and Bnei Yisrael. What report did Yitro hear that had such a tremendous effect on him and his perspective on Hashem and Bnei Yisrael? Rashi explains that he had heard about the splitting of the Yam Suf and the war Bnei Yisrael faced against Amalek. In addition to that question, why does the pussuk describe Yitro in so many different forms (כהן מדין, חתן משה…)? Isn’t it unnecessary?

Beshalach #3- Fight or Flight?

In perek 13 pasuk 18 it states, “So God led the people around [by] way of the desert [to] the Red Sea, and the children of Israel were armed when they went up out of Egypt.” The Chasam Sofer asks, why didn’t Hashem command Bnei Yisrael to fight the Egyptians at the Yam Suf rather than Hashem killing them by drowning them in the sea? The Chasam Sofer answers that it would have been ethically improper for the Jews to fight against their former owners. Hashem had them enter the sea where they then drowned rather than commanding the Jews to fight them in order to teach us this ethical lesson, that a person should never turn on his former master. Can you think of any more possibilities as for why Hashem preformed this miracle of splitting the sea and drowning the Egyptians as opposed to commanding the Jews to fight them? 

Beshalach #2- Sick Egyptians?

In this weeks Parsha theres the first latte and learning, as Bnei Yisroel are being giving newly sweetened water and being taught MItzvot by Moshe Rabeinu Hashem shares with them the following

וַיֹּאמֶר אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע לְקוֹל | יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה וְהַאֲזַנְתָּ לְמִצְו‍ֹתָיו וְשָׁמַרְתָּ כָּל חֻקָּיו כָּל הַמַּחֲלָה

אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם לֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה רֹפְאֶךָ

If Bnei Yisroel keep Hashem's Mitzvot then the illness that the Egyptians suffered from will not befall them. What illnesses did the Egyptians have? Rabbi Elchanan Samet informs us that archeologists have discovered that the ancient Egyptians suffered from a form of jaundice..... probably coming from a kidney disease. This is probably because they all drank from the Nile which is the same place they used as a sewer, the Jews living in Egypt probably suffered from the same illness. Here at Marah as Hashem is providing them with sweet clean water He tells them that in their future they will no longer be sick like the Egyptians, He will give them clean water. Is it possible that this is really all about water hygiene? Is this the only way to understand the illness of the Egyptians? 

Beshalach #1- Vayehi

The gemara (megilla 10b) says that the word “vayehi” (13:17) is usually used in a time of stress. The Jews were slaves for so long and eagerly wanted to be freed, so why does the pasuk say “vayehi”?

Even though Moshe begged Pharaoh to let the Jews go, he kept saying no until Hashem brought all the makkos. Even after all these miracles, some Jews gave thanks to Pharaoh for letting them go - not to Hashem. The pasuk therefore says “vayehi” to show how sad it is that even after all the suffering in Egypt and the miracles from Hashem, they still thanked Pharaoh for letting them go instead thanking Hashem. (aish.com)

Why else would the Torah use the word “Vayehi” here?