[Par-reg.w] Acharei Mot - questions for self study
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Mon Apr 7 20:15:56 EDT 2014
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THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag
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PARSHAT ACHAREI MOT
PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'
THE 'MURDER' OF ANIMALS
1. Review 17:1-7, noting how these psukim
forbid slaughtering
any animal, unless it is brought as an
offering to God in the
Mishkan. Note as well the reason(s) that the
Torah provides
for this prohibition!
In your opinion, does this law apply
only to 'offerings'
[korbanot], or to any animal? In other
words, according to
the simple meaning of these psukim, would it
be permitted to
slaughter an animal (that was not intended to
be a korban) to
eat its meat?
Compare this prohibition to a similar
set of laws about
offering animals outside the Mikdash in
Devarim 12:20-28.
What is similar to Vayikra 17:1-7, and what
is different? Can
you explain why (i.e. how the laws in Devarim
relate to the
situation in the land of Israel, while the
laws in Vayikra may
apply to the desert)?
Then, see Ramban on 17:2-3 - and enjoy!
It's a bit
lengthy, but very interesting.
2. Next, note that the Torah compares this
slaughter of
animals (outside the framework of a offering
in the Mishkan)
to 'murder' - see 11:4 - "dam ya'chasehv
l'ish ha'hu - dam
shafach" - it is though this person has
spilled blood!
Furthermore, this transgression falls under
the severe
category of "karet" - being cut off from the
Jewish nation
(see 11:4).
In your opinion, what is so terrible
about this sin?
Compare the wording of this prohibition
to God's blessing
to the children of Noach after the Flood in
Breishit 9:1-6,
noting what they are permitted to eat,
compared to what was
permitted to Adam ha'Rishon in Breishit
1:29-30! In your
opinion, is there any meaning to the textual
parallel between
Vayikra 17:4 and Breishit 9:4-5?
Then, see the short commentaries of
Ramban and Seforno on
17:4 - for a very interesting insight!
3. In 17:5, the Torah explains that a reason
for this
prohibition is to prevent Bnei Yisrael from
making offerings
to the "seirim" - which literally would be
translated as
'goats'! In your opinion, does this reason
make any sense?
Then, see commentaries of Rashi, Ibn
Ezra, and Ramban,
noting how they pretty much agree to a very
different
translation here for the word "se'irim".
Note how they
provide a textual reason for this translation
as well.
Then, see Rashbam on 17:5, noting how
his interpretation
is slightly different. In your opinion,
would he agree with
Rashi?
Finally, compare this pasuk to the
special offering of
"seirim" on Yom Kippur, as describe in
Vayikra 16:5-10 and
16:21-22. Could this parallel provide us
with a different
explanation for the mention of "seirim" in
17:5? Could this
also explain the juxtaposition between
chapters 16 & 17 in
Sefer Vayikra?
==========
WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THE LAND OF ISRAEL?
1. Review the closing psukim of chapter 18
(i.e. 18:24-30), in
light of the opening psukim of that chapter
(i.e. 18:1-5).
According to these psukim (especially
18:25-28), how (and
why) does the land of Israel 'punish' Am
Yisrael for not
keeping God's laws.
Then, see the famous Ramban on 18:28 -
where he
articulates his approach to what is special
about the land of
Israel.
See also Ramban on Breishit 28:21, in
regard to the
meaning of Yaakov's statement of "v'haya
Hashem li l'Elokim".
[No matter what your 'political' opinions
may be, it will
serve as something appropriate to study on
Yom Atzmaut!]
=============
AVODAT YOM KIPPUR
1. In the Torah, we find the concept of
KEDUSHA in three
realms:
"kedushat zman" - in time
"kedushat makom" - in space (or
geographic place)
"kedushat adam" - man (or living
things)
Based on your previous knowledge, bring
an example of
each type of KEDUSHA. What would you consider
the highest
level of KEDUSHA in each of these three
realms?
As you study chapter 16, can you find an
example of each
of these three types of KEDUSHA?
If so, would you consider this
significant? Explain why.
Relate your answer to the importance of
the AVODAH of the
KOHEN GADOL on Yom Kippur? [The questions in
Part Two (for
this week's shiur) will relate to this topic
in greater
detail.]
2. Note how chapter 16 discusses the special
AVODA performed
on Yom Kippur while chapter 17 discusses the
prohibition
against offering sacrifices OUTSIDE the
confines of the
MISHKAN.
Are these two chapters thematically
related? If so, how?
Bring at least two examples to support
your answer.
[Be sure to relate to the "se'irim"
(see 17:7).]
Why do you think that they are
juxtaposed?
Based on their respective headers (16:1
& 17:1), would
you conclude that these two parshiot were
given at the same
time?
Explain why yes, or why not.
Relate your answer to the overall
structure of Sefer
Vayikra as discussed in our introductory
shiur and the nature
of the laws that relate to the Mishkan.
===========
FORBIDDEN BLOOD
3. At the end of chapter 17 we find once
again in Sefer
Vayikra the prohibition against eating blood.
Why do you think
that these laws (i.e. 17:10-16) are included
in the same
'parshia' together with the laws of
"shechutei chutz" (i.e.
17:1-9)? [In other words, how are the laws of
eating the blood
of any animal relate to the prohibition
against offering an
animal outside the Mikdash?]
Note as well that the prohibition to eat
blood was also
discussed earlier in Sefer Vayikra - note
3:17 & 7:26-27?
How are the details of this prohibition
here in chapter
17 different than those details in 3:17 and
7:26-27?
Relate to WHERE in Sefer Vayikra each
'parshia' is
located and its local context.
============
TO'EY'VOT
4. In chapter 18 we find a lengthy list of
prohibitions that
are all later defined in 18:26 as
"TO'EY'VOT". Based on this
list, how would you define a TO'EY'VA? In
general, what
category of law would you consider this list?
[i.e. bein adam
l'chaveiro, la'makom, / social justice,
morality, ritual,
social?]
Note the use of the word "to'eyva" in
Breishit 43:32,
46:34 and Shmot 8:22. Is its usage in those
contexts similar
to its usage in chapter 18?
In your opinion, how are these laws
different that than
the laws found in the Ten Commandments or
Parshat Mishpatim
(which are not defined as TO'EY'VOT)?
Finally, note the phrase "toeyvat
Hashem" in Devarim
22:5, 23:19 & 25:16, and their contexts. Can
you explain the
difference between what the Torah refers to
as a "toeyva" in
contrast to a "toeyvat Hashem" (and why)?
In general, what makes a certain action
a "to'eyvah"?
===========
KIPPURIM & THE MIZBACH KETORET
5. In Shmot 30:10, the concept of "kippurim"
is mentioned (in
relation to the MIZBACH KTORET), even though
the precise date
for when this korban is to be offered is not
mentioned. [See
Shmot 30:10 and its context.]
How does that parshia (Shmot 30:1-10)
relate to our
Parsha (i.e. Vayikra chapter 16)?
In your opinion, why do you think that
no specific date
is given for this YOM KIPPUR korban in Shmot
30:10?
[In your answer, relate to the events of
chet ha'egel, and
WHY the 10th of Tishrei was chosen for YOM
KIPPUR, as
detailed in Vayikra chapter 23!
In your opinion, and based on this
question, had it not
been for "chet ha'egel", would there have
been a 'YOM KIPPUR'
in the holiday cycle? Explain!
[Relate to the holidays that are mentioned
in Chumash before
the story of chet ha'egel.]
============
PART II - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION (for
weekly shiur)
1. Read chapter 18, paying careful attention
to its opening
and closing psukim. In what way is the
overall topic of this
chapter different than the topics discussed
in chapters 16 &
17 (and for that matter in all of Sefer
Vayikra thus far)?
2. How does the topic of chapter 18,
especially its header
(see 18:1-5), relate to the topics found in
chapter 19 [i.e.
Parshat Kedoshim], and to the primary topics
found in the
remainder of Sefer Vayikra? [Be sure to
relate to the
"tochacha" in chapter 26 as well, especially
to its closing
pasuk!]
3. Review 18:1-5. How would you define this
set of psukim?
In what manner do they form a unit?
Is the commandment in 18:1 something
new, or have Bnei
Yisrael heard this before; and if so, when?
[Be sure to
relate to Shmot 6:2-8 & 20:1-2.]
In these psukim, what is the meaning of
the phrase "ani
Hashem elokeichem", and why is it repeated so
many times?
Has this phrase been mentioned earlier
in Sefer Vayikra?
Is it mentioned again later in Sefer
Vayikra?
If so, where and how often?
Relate these five psukim to 18:24-30;
19:19,37; & 20:22.
4. Make a very general outline of the major
topics of Sefer
Vayikra (from chapter 1 to 27), paying
careful attention to
where we find laws that relate to the
Mishkan, and where we
find laws that relate to 'daily life'.
How does chapter 18 relate to your
outline?
From what perspective could you consider
chapter 18 a
'transition' point in Sefer Vayikra?
Would you say that there are TWO halves
to Sefer Vayikra?
If so, what are they, and do they relate
to 18:1-5?
If not, how do chapters 18->20 relate to
chapters 1->17?
[See also Parshanut section below.]
5. Which topics in your outline relate in
one form or other
to the concept of "kedusha - i.e. something
being designated
or set aside to serve God"? How does this
relate to 19:1-2?
6. Note the phrase "chukim u'mishpatim" in
18:1-5 as well as
in 18:24-30). Compare this with that same
phrase in Vayikra
26:46 (note also 26:27-33), and relate this
to your answer to
the above question. [Note as well Devarim
5:1, 6:1, and
26:16!]
Similarly, can you suggest a connection
between the word
"torot" in 26:46 and a certain part (or
section) of Sefer
Vayikra? In your answer relate to the phrase
"zot torat..."
that appears numerous times from chapter six
through chapter
15.
7. In general, which mitzvot in Sefer Vayikra
relate to the
Mikdash itself, and which mitzvot related to
the daily life of
an individual living in the land of Israel?
How does (or should) the Mikdash affect
daily life? Or re-
phrased - how (and why) should the fact that
God's "shechina"
rests among Bnei Yisrael in the Mishkan
affect what God
expects from our general behavior?
PART III - PARSHANUT
THE INTERNAL ORDER OF SEFER VAYIKRA
1. See the first Ramban in Sefer Vayikra (his
intro. to the
book), where he discusses the overall theme
of the Vayikra and
its flow of topic. Based on this Ramban, how
would Ramban
explain the logic behind the change in topic
that begins in
chapter 18 (or basically, why are the laws of
forbidden
marital relationships included in this book)?
Note how Ramban relates to this
introduction in his
commentary to 19:2! See also Ramban on 16:1,
where he relates
once again to the entire structure of Sefer
Vayikra, and where
he explains his approach that Chumash is
written in
'chronological order' (and when and why he
accepts certain
exceptions to that rule).
WHEN THE LAWS OF AVODAT YOM KIPPUR WERE GIVEN
2. The first pasuk in Acharei Mot (16:1)
tells us WHEN this
commandment was given to Moshe, i.e. after
the death of Nadav
and Avihu.
Why do you think it is necessary for the
Torah to include
this information?
Does the Torah usually inform us
concerning when each
mitzva was given?
Can you think of any other examples of
mitzvot which are
introduced in a similar fashion?
If indeed this mitzvah was given after the
death of Nadav
and Avihu, where in Sefer Vayikra should it
have been
recorded?
Relate this to Vayikra 10:1-11.
How does this relate to the
controversy of "ein
mukdam u'muchar ba'torah"?
Next, read Rashi 16:1.
How does Rashi answer the above
questions?
Read Ibn Ezra 16:1.
How does Ibn Ezra answer the above
questions?
On what do they argue, on what do they
agree?
Does either commentary relate to
the chronological
issue of when this parsha was first given?
Then, read Ramban on 16:1.
How does Ramban answer the above
questions?
How does he relate to the chronological
issue?
Does he agree or disagree with Rashi?
[Note that he quotes Rashi at the end
of his
commentary.]
WHICH MIZBEIACH NEEDS KAPARA?
3. Review 16:18 in its context from 16:14-20.
Based on your
understanding of this pasuk, WHICH Mizbeiach
does 16:18 refer
to: the Mizbach ha'nchoshet [ha'olah] -
outside the Mishkan,
or the Mizbach ha'zahav [ha'ktoret] - located
inside the
Mishkan?
On what did you base your answer?
Now, see Rashi on 16:18. How does he
answer this
question, and how does he deal with the
problematic verb that
seems to contradict his interpretation?
Next, see Ibn Ezra. How is answer
different than
Rashi's?
In your opinion, which pirush makes
more sense?
[Relate in your answer to 16:16.]
Finally, see Ramban on 16:18 (the first
part is enough).
How does he answer this question. Be
sure that you
understand his proof from the Mechilta (and
from 16:20).
Note also Shmot 30:10 (in relation to
30:1-10). How does
this pasuk affect one's interpretation of
16:18?
A PLACE TO CHANGE CLOTHING?
4. Review 16:23, in its context from
16:14-26, paying
attention to the flow of events. What is
problematic with
16:23, both in simple pshat of the pasuk, and
in relation to
WHEN Aharon was supposed to do this?
See Rashi, noting how quotes Yoma 32a in
his
interpretation.
Then, see Ramban, noting not only how he
quotes Rashi,
but especially how he explains these psukim
in accordance with
that Gemara. [Note how he explains that in
pshat - this pasuk
needs to be read in search of "drash"!]
b'hatzlacha,
menachem
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