[Par-reg.w] V zot ha'Bracha - questions for self study
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Mon Oct 13 14:06:23 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 VE-ZOT HA-BRACHA
PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'
YAD HA'CHAZAKA
1. As you are probably aware, even though
the Rambam titled
his famous halachic work Mishneh Torah, the
more popular name
of this work is Yad Ha-chazaka. [In his
introduction to the
Mishneh Torah, Rambam explains the reason for
this name.]
This 'alternate' name [Yad Ha-chazaka] was
not given by the
Rambam himself, but rather it became popular
a generation or
two later.
Based on the last two psukim of Chumash, can
you suggest a
probable reason for why this name was chosen?
Can you suggest a reason why there was
'need' for an
alternate name, i.e. why the name yad
ha-chazaka was
'preferred' over the name mishneh torah?
[In your answer, relate to the fact that
Mishneh Torah is
also an alternate name for Sefer Devarim
(as well of course
to the 'gematria' of the word yad].
2. In the final pasuk of Chumash (34:12) we
find two phrases:
'yad ha-chazaka' & 'mora gadol'.
In your opinion, what do each of these two
phrases refer to?
See Rashi & Ramban. How do they answer
this question?
Note how both offer the same, but opposite
interpretation!
Can you explain why?
How do they each support their respective
peirushim?
See also Seforno. Is this identical to
Ramban or different?
3. See the final Ramban on Chumash from
34:11(till the end)
& enjoy!
TORAH TZIVA LANU MOSHE
1. The famous pasuk: "Torah tziva lanu
Moshe, morasha kehilat
Yaakov" (33:4) - the very first pasuk that we
teach our
children - is found in the opening section of
Parshat Ve-zot
Ha-bracha.
How would you translate the word morasha
in the context
of this pasuk? [Did you say 'inheritance' or
'tradition'?]
What is the 'shoresh' [root] of this
word?
2. What precisely does the word morasha
imply, and how does
this relate to our connection [or obligation]
to Torah study?
Can you recall any other use of this
word (or its
shoresh) in Chumash? If so, where, and how
does it relate to
its use in this pasuk? [If you have time,
see the TSC shiur
on Parshat Mas'ei.]
3. Next, review Shmot 6:7-8; noting the
meaning of the word
morasha and its context. Does it have the
same meaning as it
did in Devarim 33:4?
Can you explain why yes, or why not?
How does that pasuk (i.e. Shmot 6:8)
relate to Breishit
15:7-8,18-19. [Note shoresh 'yerusha' &
'brit'.]
Relate this to Shmot 6:2-5!
Relate this to this same shoresh in
Bamidbar 33:50-54.
Note also Sefer Shoftim 1:27-33.
4. Based on the above sources, would say
that morasha [/
yerusha] implies something active or passive?
Explain.
How would this affect your understanding
of Devarim 33:4?
How would this affect the nature of our
obligation to
study Torah, and the manner by which we
acquire it.
[How would this relate to Torah study
methods like these
questions (i.e. that require effort), or
studying Gemara 'be-
iyun' etc.?]
5. See Avot 2:12 ('hatken atzmecha...'),
relate this mishna
to the above questions.!
PART II - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION (for
weekly shiur)
1. Review 33:1-27 (i.e. the 'blessings' of
Parshat Ve-zot Ha-
bracha), noting primarily the order by which
Moshe Rabbeinu
addresses the 'shvatim' (tribes). [Make a
list or their
order.] Also, if you have time, try to
understand the primary
topic of each of these blessing (a
translation will probably
be helpful, as the words are quite
difficult).
Can you discern any logic to the order
of the shvatim, or
does the order appear to be rather random?
Is there anything special about the
location of the
blessings to the 'bnei ha-shfachot'?
2. Do all of the tribes receive 'brachot'
from Moshe? If
not, which shvatim are missing? Can you
suggest a reason why?
Compare Moshe Rabbeinu's blessing to
those of Yaakov in
Breishit 49:1-28. [Relate this to the above
question.]
What is the order of the shvatim in
Yaakov's brachot?
Can you explain how and why it is different
than the order of
Moshe's brachot?
3. Review Parshat Bamidbar (chapters 1 & 2),
noting the order
of the shvatim (there are three examples /
see TSC shiur on
Parshat Bamidbar).
Is the order of any of those lists similar
in any manner to
the order of Moshe Rabbeinu's brachot in
Ve-zot Ha-bracha?
4. When Yaakov blessed his children (in
Parshat Vayechi), in
what order did he address them?
Is the order in Ve-zot Ha-bracha similar
in any way to
any of these previous orders?
If so, explain in what manner it is
similar';
explain as well in what manner it
is different!
5. In your opinion, (and based on their
content) what is the
purpose of these brachot that Moshe bestows?
In what manner does this purpose affect
their order?
6. If you are familiar with the map of
Israel and the
locations where each tribe received their
inheritance (as
detailed in Sefer Yehoshua chapters 13-19);
then attempt to
relate both the topic of these brachot as
well as the order of
the shvatim to the 'nachalot' that each
shevet will later
inherit when they conquer the land..
Can you relate their order to any other
aspect of the
nachalot or 'kibbush ha-aretz' (conquering
the land).
If so, can you explain the thematic
connection of this
order to the context of these brachot?
7. See first two questions in the Parshanut
section below.
[For 'extra credit']
8. Note the division of the individual
'parshiot' in chapter
33. Can you explain its logic? [What
appears to be
difficult?]
Does each shevet receive its own
'parshia'?
If not, which shvatim are exceptions?
[Is there a logic behind these
'pairs' of shvatim?]
Compare this now to the division of
'parshiot' in the
blessing of Yaakov Avinu in Breishit chapter
49. In what
manner is it similar, in what manner is it
different?
PART III - PARSHANUT
1. In case you didn't figure it out from the
above questions,
Shimon is not mentioned in Moshe Rabbeinu's
brachot. Note how
the various commentators relate to this:
First, see Ibn Ezra on 33:6. Note how he
connects this to
the events of chet bnot Midyan in Bamidbar
25:1-18.
[Relate his approach to our previous
shiur on Parshat
Pinchas relating to 'mifkad ha-nachalot' and
that sin!]
Note how Ibn Ezra provides two approaches.
Explain how they
reflect two different exegetical approaches.
Next, see Rashi on 33:7 ['shma Hashem kol
Yehuda...'].
Is Rashi the same as Ibn Ezra's first
approach or
different?
Note how Rashi understands 'shma
Hashem...' as alluding
to Shimon. To appreciate this Rashi, note
Breishit 29:33!
See also Chizkuni at the end of his peirush
to 33:7.
How is this peirush similar to Rashi &
how is it
different?
Relate his peirush to Rashi on Breishit
42:24!
See also Seforno's commentary on 33:7. In
your opinion,
does this Seforno allude to an answer to the
above question
regarding the lack of a blessing to Shimon?
Finally, see Ramban on 33:6. It is very
long, but very
important. Note how he relates to the two
approaches raised
by Ibn Ezra. What is the main point the
Ramban adds in his
peirush.
Note (once again) how Ramban bases his
approach on a very
comprehensive analysis comparing all of the
other instances
when the 'twelve' tribes are mentioned.
2. Return to the Ramban on 33:6. Note how
Ramban explains
the reason for the order of the shvatim.
Note all of the different considerations
that Ramban
relates to as he explains the order.
See Ibn Ezra's explanation (above) as
well in regard to
the order.
In your opinion, how are these two
approaches different, and
how are they similar?
Finally, see Rashi on 33:7, 33:12 &
33:18, noting how he
explains the logic of the order of the
shvatim.
In what manner is Rashi's approach
different than
Ramban's? In your opinion, which explanation
seems most
convincing?
BLESSINGS or 'PROMISES'?
3. Review 33:1-5, noting how Moshe
Rabbeinu's blessing begins
with a general statement to all of the
shvatim, which later
follows with specific blessings to each
shevet in 33:6.
In your opinion, is this 'opener'
(33:2-5) a blessing; a
statement, a promise, a review? Explain your
answer.
How does this 'opener' relate to the
actual blessings
that are later given to each shevet? [Is
there a thematic
connection?]
Now (on the flip side of these brachot),
note how the
blessing to Asher concludes (i.e. study
33:24-29). In your
opinion, is this entire section a blessing
only to Asher, or
does it contain a section that relates (once
again) to all of
the shvatim? If so, where does the blessing
to Asher end, and
this 'closing section' for all the tribes
begin?
As above, is this 'closing section': a
blessing, a
statement, a promise, or a review? How does
it relate to the
individual brachot to each shevet?
Next, note the 'machloket' on this issue
between Rashi 33:25
and Ibn Ezra on this topic.
Note also the interpretations of Ramban
& Seforno. In
your opinion, do they agree with Rashi or Ibn
Ezra?
Can you explain the reason for these
differing opinions?
WHO IS 'VAYEHI'?
4. Read 33:5 -'vayehi bi-yeshurun melech'.
In your opinion -
who is the 'melech' that this pasuk refers
to?
See Rashi and Seforno, in contrast to
Ibn Ezra, Ramban
and Rasag!
As usual, can you explain the reason for
this machloket.
How does it relate to the topic of the
brachot themselves?
.
WHO WROTE THE LAST 8 PSUKIM?
5. What is problematic concerning chapter 34
(in relation to
31:24-26), especially from 34:5-34:12.
How does the Gemara in Bava Batra 14b
(bottom) answer
this question. [Quoted by Rashi on 34:5.]
Note also Rashbam on 34:1. How does
this Rashbam relate
to this question?
Finally see the famous Ibn Ezra on 34:1,
see also Ibn
Ezra on 34:6 (to the end). What makes this
Ibn Ezra so
controversial?
In what manner does this Ibn Ezra contradict
the Gemara in
Bava Batra 14b. How could you explain that
Ibn Ezra actually
bases his peirush on that 'sugya'?
Note also Ibn Ezra on Devarim 1:2 where
he alludes to
what he calls 'sod ha-shteim asar'. Do you
understand what
this has to do with the number 12 (relate to
chapter 34, and
the amount of psukim in that chapter)?
Why do you think that Ibn Ezra refers to
this as a 'sod'?
be-hatzlacha,
ve-chazak,
chazak, ve-nitchazek
menachem
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