[Par-reg.w] Breisthit - questions for self study

[Menachem Leibtag]

*********************************************
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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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           for PARSHAT BREISHIT

 

PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'

 

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

1.  As you study Parshat Breishit, you'll
probably notice

several instances when NAMES are given,
either by God or by

man.  As your review the first two chapters,
make note of each

instance when a name is given; then see if
you can discern a

pattern.

     For example, see Breishit 1:5, 1:8,
1:10, AND 5:1-2,

noting the names that God Himself gives to
His various

Creations.  Note especially on which days
(and stages) of

creation these names are given (and on what
days God does not

give names).

     Is there a pattern?

     In what manner to those creations (to
which God gave

names) relate to our daily life, and man's
relationship with

God?

 

2. Next, review chapter two, noting what (or
who) God gives

names to.  Then review 2:18-25, noting that
man also gives

names to certain items of Creation.

  What is the meaning of these names that man
gives, and (in

your opinion) how does this relate to man's
relationship with

those creations.

 

3. In our daily lives, we use names when
addressing others.

Explain the underlying reason why people give
significance to

names, and why they are more meaningful than
calling someone

by simply an identification number (or just
'hey you').

     How (and why) does a 'name' often relate
to the nature of

a relationship between individuals? For
example, can you

explain why we often find that people who
share a more intense

relationship (of either love or hate) often
use 'special'

names?

     How could this phenomenon relate to the
above questions,

i.e. in regard to the names that both God and
man give in the

story of Creation?

 

4. Note the names given to Adam's children in
4:1-2.  Can you

cite other examples in Chumash where we find
not only a name

being given to a child, but also a reason for
that name?  Can

you explain why this is so common?

 

CALLING IN GOD'S NAME!

5. Now, carefully read last two psukim of
chapter four (4:25-

26). Who is naming these children, and what
is the meaning of

each name?

     Then, pay careful attention to the final
phrase - "uz

huchal l'kro b'shem Hashem".  Attempt to
explain what this

phrase means, especially what it means to
'call out in God's

Name'.

     In this pasuk, did you understand that
man is giving (or

not giving) a name to God?  Based the above
questions, explain

why this may be significant. [The various
commentaries on this

pasuk are discussed in the Parshanut section
below.]

 

6. With 4:26 in mind, note the name of
Noach's 'most

important' son (see 5:32, i.e. the one who
receives the best

blessing in Breishit 9:25-27).  Attempt to
explain the

significance of "Shem"'s name, and why Noach
may have chosen

this name for his son.

     Based on 4:26, what do you think was
Noach's hope for the

future of this son?  Did anyone 'special'
ever emerge from

SHEM's descendants (note Breishit 11:10-26!)?

 

7. Finally, note in 12:5-8 how Avraham 'calls
out in God's

Name' immediately upon his arrival in Eretz
Canaan, i.e. after

he builds a MIZBAYACH in Bet-el.  Note also
13:1-4!

     Can you explain why this may (or must)
be significant?

          [Be sure to see Ramban on 12:8!]

 

8. Based on these questions, what in your
opinion is the

connection between God giving a name, and man
giving a name?

Can you identify an ultimate goal in this
process?

     Relate to Tzefania 3:8-9!

    [The TSC shiurim on Parshiot Noach & Lech
Lcha will

    relate to the topic alluded to in these
questions.]

 

THE GENEOLOGIES OF CAIN vs. ENOSH

9.  Review 4:17-19, noting the names of the
seven generations

that follow Cain (i.e. from Chanoch thru
Lemech/ father of

Tuval Kayin).  Then compare these names to
the seven

generations from Enosh found in chapter 5
(i.e. from Keynan

until Lemech / father of Noach)!

     Can find a parallel for each name?  Note
how some names

are almost identical, while others are
slightly different!  In

your opinion, is there any significance
behind these

parallels?

     See Rashi on 4:22 where he explains the
significance of

Tuval Cain's name!  Relate this to the above
parallel.

 

10. Next, note how Enosh is mentioned at the
conclusion of

chapter four, including the very intriguing
mention that in

his lifetime, man began [to profane?] calling
in [to] the Name

of God

(see 4:25-26, noting the wide range of
interpretations of this

pasuk).  Relate this pasuk (and its
ambiguity) to the above

parallel of names between the genealogies of
Enosh & Cain, as

well as to the questions above!

 

11.  Next, review 4:19-22, noting not only
the sons of Lemech

and their 'professions', but also the name of
his daughter

'Naama'!

  Is there any explicit reason for the
mention of Naama's

name?  Based on the 'professions' of her
brothers, would you

expect for there to be something special
about her as well?

  Note Rashi on 4:22, where he quotes
Chazal's interpretation

that Naama was the wife of Noach!   Based on
the parallel list

of names noted in the question above, what do
you think led

Chazal to that conclusion?

     In what manner does Naama's marriage to
Noach reflect the

continuity of 'professional society' after
the Flood.  [Note

who were the 'uncles' of Shem, Cham & Yefet!]

 

12.  Finally, review 4:23-24, where it seems
as though Lemech

had 'accidentally' killed someone (or
possibly two people).

Can you suggest any logical reason for the
Torah's mention of

this conversation between Lemech and his
wives?

  How does it relate to the early details in
chapter four?

  Then, if you have ample time, see the
commentaries of Rashi,

Ibn Ezra, and Ramban on these two psukim;
noting how each

commentator offers a totally different
interpretation!  Note

however, how each commentary relates back to
Cain (the opening

topic of this chapter); and how both Ibn Ezra
and Ramban

relate to the fact that seven generations
have passed!

  Attempt to relate the opinions of these
commentators to the

topics discussed in the above questions, and
to the purpose

(or underlying theme) of Sefer Breishit as a
book of "nevuah".

 

YESHAYAHU'S 'COMMENTARY' ON SEFER BREISHIT!

13.  Review Yeshayahu 42:5-6; which just so
happens to be the

first two psukim of the Haftara for Parshat
Breishit - noting

the rather obvious parallel to Breishit 2:7.

     Attempt to explain how Yeshayahu may be
relating to an

overall theme in Sefer Breishit - in regard
to purpose of the

Creation of man, and to the purpose of God's
choice of Am

Yisrael to become His nation.

  As you study this Haftara, note how it
relates to the

recognition of God's Name by the nations of
the world (as do

many other chapters in Yeshayahu, see the
famous psukim in 2:1-

6).

  Likewise, as you continue your study Sefer
Breishit, and

attempt to better understand its theme - keep
these questions

in mind.

 

PART II - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION (for
weekly shiur)

  [The TSC shiur on Parshat Breishit will
discuss the meaning

  of the 'double presentation' by Chumash of
the story of

  Creation. The following questions will help
guide your

  preparation.]

 

PEREK ALEPH [Chapter One of Sefer Breishit.]

1. Quickly scan from 1:1 to 2:3 noting how
(and why) these

psukim form a distinct unit.  How would you
title this entire

unit?

     Clearly, this unit divides into seven
individual

"parshiot", corresponding to each day of
Creation.  Carefully

study its first six 'parshiot', noting how
there are certain

key phrases that are repeated on each day
(e.g. "va'yomer

Elokim...", va'yar Elokim...", "va'yhi
erev...", etc.).

  As you study this pattern, pay attention to
the topics that

follow each of these phrases; and attempt to
identify a basic

'form' that repeats itself in each day of
Creation?

  Up until what point does this pattern
continue? Can you

explain why?

  If you are able to discern a pattern,
attempt to explain its

significance.

  

2. Relating to this pattern (created by these
repeated

phrases), determine what phrase introduces
each day. Then, by

relating to this phrase, determine what was
the primary

Creation of each day.  [It will be helpful to
keep a list.]

     Based on this opening phrase, are there
certain days that

contain two 'acts of Creation'? If so what
are these days, and

how are they thematically related?

     Review your list of the primary
creation(s) of each day,

and then try to subdivide these six days of
Creation into two

sub-units: i.e. contrasting the first three
days and the

second three days.  [In other words, compare
day #1 to day #4,

day #2 to day #5, and day #3 to day #6.)

     If you notice a pattern, attempt to
explain its meaning!

 

3. Review chapter one once again, this time
noting each time

the verb "bara" (to create) is used in its
active form. To the

best of your recollection, is this verb ever
used again in

Chumash (after chapter one). If so, where?

  [If you give up, see Bamdibar 16:30. Note
as well that

  whenever this verb is used in Chumash, it
describes an act

  of God, but never an act of man.]

 

     Based on the Torah's use of the word
"yatzar" (in 2:7 and

2:19), in what manner is the verb "bara"
different than the

verb "yatzar"?  In your answer, relate to
creation from

'nothing' vs. creation from 'something'.

  [Relate this as well to the definition work
(according to

  Halacha) that is forbidden on Shabbat!]

 

4.  As you should have noticed, the Hebrew
verb "bara" is used

in the opening pasuk of  Breishit (1:1), at
the beginning of

the fifth day, and when man is created on the
sixth day.

     Can you discern a pattern that may be
significant?

     Is there anything 'evolutionary' in this
pattern?

     [See also Ramban on 1:26 (towards the
middle).]

 

5.  According to what transpires on the
seventh day, the

'process of creation' (that took seven days)
is now complete.

Explain what is now 'complete', compared to
what existed (or

didn't exist) beforehand.

  In your opinion, does this 'complete'
universe now remain

'static', or does there remains something
'dynamic' about it?

  If so, what can 'change' and what cannot?

     For example, we find common
characteristic that all

living things created on the third, fifth and
sixth days, are

able to re-produce (even though the
individuals die).  [See

1:11-12,21-22, and 1:25-28.]

     How does this relate to a 'completed'
universe?

  Relate what has been created during these
seven days to what

we refer now of days to as 'nature'.  [Would
be correct to

conclude the creation of 'nature' completed
during these seven

days?]

 

6.  In your opinion, is [what we call]
'nature' a phenomenon

that man can discern on his own?  Is there
any way for a

person to figure out on his own that the
creation of nature

was the act of one God?

  How would this relate to what the Torah
informs us in Perek

Aleph of Sefer Breishit?

  Is it clear to man where nature comes from,
or who controls

it?  Would it be logical to arrive at other
conclusions in

regard to the underlying reasons for the
various phenomena

that we call nature?

  Relate your answer to what may be the
'prophetic purpose' of

the first chapter of Sefer Breishit?

 

7. Note how the Torah use the name ELOKIM to
refer to God

throughout this entire unit.  What is the
meaning of the word

"elo-him" in Hebrew? What does the Hebrew
word "el" imply, and

why is it used in the plural form to describe
God?

     Can this word refer to anything (or
anyone) else in

Chumash?

     See Ramban's explanation of this Name in
1:3!  Relate

this to the above questions. [See also Sefer
Kuzari - fourth

ma'amar!]

 

PEREK BET

      [The second & third chapters of Parshat
Breishit]

1. Note that 2:4 begins a new "parshia" that
continues almost

all the way until the end of chapter 3. What
can we infer from

this in regard to the thematic connection
between the details

in chapters two three?

 

2.   Review the 'story of creatoin' as
detailed in chapter

two, while carefully following the sequence
of these events

(and their purpose). In your opinion, do
these details

complement or contradict the details of the
story of Creation

as detailed in chapter one?   According to
either answer, can

you explain why these details were not
included in chapter

one?

     In its context, would you say that 2:4
forms an

introduction to what follows in chapter two,
or a summary of

what has transpired in chapter one? Why would
(or should) this

affect how you understand the connection
between these two

units?

 

3. Review 2:5, noting its statement that
nothing could grow

without man to work the field.  Technically
speaking, is this

statement correct? See Rashi on this pasuk.
How does Rashi

relate to this question?

     How is the description of the creation
of man, as

described in 2:7-25 different from his
creation as described

in 1:26-29.

     In your answer, relate to the difference
between a

commandment (see 2:16) and a blessing (see
1:28).

 

4. Many modern commentators have suggested
that there are TWO

INDEPENDENT stories of Creation:

  I. 1:1->2:3 / The story of Creation in
seven days [better

  known as PEREK ALEPH]

  II. 2:4-> 3:24 / The story of Gan Eden
[better known as

  PEREK BET]

 

  Attempt to either support or refute this
suggestion, based

on a literary and textual analysis of those
chapters. In your

answer, relate to:

     a. God's Name in each account

     b. The progression and order of events

     c. How and when Chava was created

     d. The purpose (implied by the text) of
man's creation

     e. Man's relationship with his
surroundings, and with God

     f. The overall flow and structure of
each story

 

5. If you did notice two accounts of the
story of creation, in

your opinion which of these two accounts more
closely reflects

man's physical existence and which account
would you say

reflects his more 'spiritual' side?

 

PART III - PARSHANUT

 

1. "LIKRO B'SHEM HASHEM"

  Carefully review 4:25-26, and attempt to
translate each word

of 4:26.

     In your opinion, did the word "huchal"
mean: to begin

(like "hatchala") or to defile (like
"chilul")?

  How would these two possible translations
affect your

understanding of this pasuk?

  See how the commentaries of Rashi, Rasag,
Ibn Ezra, &

Seforno relate to this question.

 

2.  In regard to the actual 'message' of this
pasuk, do these

commentators agree or disagree?  See Rambam
Hilchot Avoda Zara

1:1. How does Rambam understand this pasuk?

     In your answer, relate to the fact that
this pasuk ends

the literary unit (which uses shem Havaya)
which began in 2:4!

 

3. How does this pasuk relate to the story
of:

          the Mabul (Note 6:1)?

          Migdal Bavel (Note 11:4)?

          Avraham Avinu? (Note 12:8, 13:4)?

 

THE 'FIRST RASHI'

1. The famous first Rashi on Chumash quotes
the Midrash of

Rabbi Yitzchak, which explains why the Torah
begins with

Breishit.

     a) In your opinion, does this Midrash
explain why Chumash

begins with the STORY OF CREATION, or why it
begins with SEFER

BREISHIT?

     b) See Ramban's question on this Rashi.
Did you not ask

yourself the same question?  Which approach
appears to be most

logical?

     c) Note that the first pasuk that the
Midrash quotes is

from Tehillim chapter 111.  Read this entire
perek, making

special note of its final pasuk.  What is the
perek talking

about?  What does it have to do with
"Breishit"?  In your

opinion, does the gist of this perek agree
with the Ramban's

question on Rashi?

     d)  Note the phrase in the Midrash
"v'natna l'asher

yashar b'ainav...". According to this Rashi,
who is giving

what land to whom? Now, look at the source of
this phrase in

Yirmiyahu 27:5 (See also its context in
27:1-8!)  According to

the pasuk in Yirmiyahu, who is giving what
land to whom?!!!

     According to Yirmiyahu, why is this
about to take place

(see Yirmiyahu 25:1-11 for a more complete
explanation)?  What

does this have to do with why the Torah was
given, and to whom

it was given?

     e) In your opinion, do you think that
the Midrash assumes

that the reader is familiar with these two
sources in Tehillim

& Yirmiyahu? [Back then (in Rabbi Yitzchak's
time), did most

people know Tehillim and Nviim?]  If so, what
point do you

think the Midrash intended on making?  Does
this help answer

Ramban's question on Rashi?

 

               b'hatzlacha,

               menachem

 

==========

 

 

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