[Par-reg] Acharei Mot - Questions for self study

Thu Apr 14 06:41:49 EDT 2011

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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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