[Par-reg] Kdoshim / questions for self study

Mon Apr 30 14:20:04 EDT 2012

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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 KEDOSHIM

PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'

'TALKING REVENGE' & 'HOLINESS'

1.  Review 19:18, noting how it discusses a
very important

mitzva of "lo tikom" (which unfortunately is
often

overlooked).  As you study the first half of
19:18 (not to

mention the second half), be sure to see
Rashi's commentary

(and Ramban's) re: the meaning of both
phrases: 'lo tikom' and

've-lo titor'.

     According to Rashi's interpretation of
what these phrases

imply, isn't it rather amazing that this type
of behavior -

which most of us would consider 'normal' (or
even 'expected')

- is actually an 'issur de-oraita' [a Torah
prohibition]!

  Can you explain why the Torah forbids this
type of behavior?

Also, how does it relate to being "kadosh"
(holiness), which

is the primary topic of this unit of mitzvot?

  In your opinion, why do you think that
there are so many

people (and unfortunately sometimes even
rabbis) who arre not

familiar with this law?   [And why is it that
many people who

do know these laws have trouble observing
them?]

2.  Based on the above question, attempt to
explain how 19:18

thematically relates to 19:14-17.

     Then, note the sudden change of topic in
19:19, and

especially its 'header' [that introduces the
laws in the next

set of psukim).  Can you explain the thematic
nature of this

transition?

     Finally, review the finale of this
chapter, i.e. 19:33-

36.  Use these psukim [and their finale (i.e.
19:36)] to

explain how this can explain the transition
from 19:18-19.

SHABBAT & the MIKDASH

3.  Review 19:30, noting the connection
between the mikdash

and Shabbat.  Where else in Chumash do we
find a similar

thematic connection between Shabbat & the
mikdash / mishkan?

          [If you give up, see Shmot 31:12-16
and 35:1-4.]

     Can you explain why this pasuk is
located specifically at

this point in Parshat Kedoshim?

     [Relate to "kedushat zman" vs. "kedushat
makom".]

  If you have ample time, note as well the
various

  commentaries on 19:30, noting how each one
takes a slightly

  different angle.

WHY THE REPEAT?

4.  Note how the commandment 'lo ta'aseh avel
ba-mishpat' is

stated twice in chapter 19 (see 19:15 &
19:35).  Read each of

these psukim carefully, noting their context;
and attempt to

ascertain whether this is simply a repeat of
the same law, or

if each commandment relates to a different
type of situation.

     Then, see Rashi on 19:35, noting the way
he explains how

each commandment in unique.

  See the interpretation of Ibn Ezra as well.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PARSHAT KEDOSHIM

                    [for shiur #1 this week]

1.  Many commentators have noted that one can
find an example

of each of the Ten Commandments (or a very
similar mitzva) in

the opening psukim of Parshat Vayikra.

     Before seeing the commentaries inside,
carefully review

chapter 19 and attempt to find these
parallels on your own.

     When you finish, record your answers so
that later on,

you can compare your conclusions to those of
the various

commentators.

2.  Review your conclusions once again, this
time organizing

them as follows:

     a) Commandments that have an obvious
parallel.

    [for example - 'honoring parents' / see
19:3]

  b) Commandments that have only a tangential
parallel

  c) Commandments that appear to have no
parallel

  Considering that there are so many
Commandments that have

parallels, can  you explain why the
commentators are so eager

to find parallels for all of the ten
commandments?

  Can you explain why only some of the
parallels are obvious,

why others or only 'alluded' to?

3.  For the Commandments that you did find
parallels for, note

their order within Parshat Kedoshim.  How
does that order

relate to their order in the original Ten
Commandments?

     Note as well the phrases 'Ani Hashem'
and 'Ani Hashem

Elokeichem' that repeat themselves so often
in this section,

and note especially where we find each
phrase.  Does this

appear to be random, or organized?  If you
find some type of

'organization' - attempt to explain its
logic.

  Relate these two phrases and where they
appear to the Ten

Commandments that the psukim that precede
each phrase

corresponds to.

4.  Now, let's see how the commentators
related to these

parallels.

  First see the Chizkuni on 19:2, and make a
list of all of

his conclusions.  Did your list match his?
Can you explain

the differences (if there are any)?

  Next, see Ramban on 19:4 (towards the end),
where he too

finds all of the Ten Commandments in this
parsha.

     Finally, see also the Ibn Ezra on 19:2
('ki kadosh...')!

     Using your list, make note in regard to
which

Commandments everyone agrees (on the
parallel), and on which

we find differences of opinion.

  Based on your own attempt to identify these
parallels,

attempt to explain why.

5.  Even though these mitzvot are similar to
the Ten

Commandments, they are not identical.  There
are also many

examples of additional mitzvot.  Try to
define the manner in

which the mitzvot in Kedoshim are different
than the dibrot

(i.e. are they more strict or lenient etc.),
even though they

may also be 'parallel'.

     Is this difference significant?  Can you
relate it to the

title of the Parsha - 'Kedoshim tihiyu'?

6.  Review the first 18 psukim of chapter 19
once again, this

time noting how often the phrase ANI HASHEM
is repeated.  Is

there a pattern to this repetition?

     Note when it states ANI HASHEM and ANI
HASHEM ELOKEICHEM.

Does this also fit into a pattern?

     Does this pattern relate in any way to
the division of

the DIBROT into 'two halves'?

     How does this observation relate to the
parallels that

you found between the DIBROT and the mitzvot
in chapter 19?

[See questions #1 & #2 above.]

     Which mitzva in Parshat Kedoshim seems
to 'ruin' this

pattern?  Can you explain why?

7.  Review 19:5-10.  Based on the pattern set
by "ani Hashem

Elokeichem", can you explain why this set of
psukim could be

considered a 'sub-unit'?  Are these psukim
connected in any

manner to the Ten Commandments, or did you
list them in any of

your parallels?

     In you opinion, what is the connection
between 19:5-8 and

19:9-10?  How do either of these mitzvot
relate to the other

mitzvot in chapter 19?

8.  Review Shmot 20:19-23, noting how these
psukim are the

first mitzvot that Bnei Yisrael receive after
the Ten

Commandments.  Can you find a parallel
between these mitzvot

and the DIBROT as well?  Then, continue
reading into chapter

21 [Parshat Mishpatim] and see if this
pattern continues.

Relate these parallels to your answers to the
above questions.

    [See also the TSC shiur on Parshat
Mishpatim.]

=========

PART TWO - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION

          for SHIUR #2

- The Header: "KOL ADAT BNEI YISRAEL"

1.  In what manner is the header of Parshat
Kedoshim (19:1-2)

different than the standard header
introducing a parsha of

mitzvot that is usually found in Chumash?

     Does Rashi comment on this?

     If so, what is his comment?  How does it
explain the

reason for this difference?

2.  Where else in Chumash do we find a parsha
of mitzvot that

also includes the header of "KOL ADAT BNEI
YISRAEL"?

     Does it relate in any way to Parshat
Kedoshim?

          [If you give up, try Shmot 12:1-3,
and 35:1]

     Do any of these sources help you better
understand the

Rashi referred to above/ 19:2 -
"daber...melamed she-ne'emar

be-hakhel..."?

     See also Vayikra 8:3-5!

3.  What does the word 'eida' mean?  What is
the Hebrew

'shoresh' of this word?

     Can you relate this shoresh to the
reason why this parsha

was given to the entire eida?

4.  In what context do Bnei Yisrael serve as
'eidim'

[witnesses?] when they fulfill the
commandments of KEDOSHIM

TIHIYU?

     See Seforno on 19:2, and relate his
commentary to your

answer?

5.  See also Chizkuni on 19:2, and compare
his peirush to that

of Rashi on 19:2 [in regard to 'daber el kol
adat Bnei

Yisrael'].  In what way is Chizkuni similar,
and in what way

is his statement different from Rashi's?
Attempt to explain

why.

=======

for SHIUR #3

THE REPETITION OF THE 'ARAYOT'

1.  Even though the 'arayot' [forbidden
marital relationships]

were already detailed in chapter 18, most all
of them are

repeated again in chapter 20.  After
verifying this point,

attempt to determine in what manner their
presentation is

chapter 20 is different.  At this point,
relate only to the

laws of the arayot themselves in 20:10-21 AND
to the laws that

'surround' them in 20:1-9 and 20:22-27.

     Can you suggest a reason for this
repetition of the same

set of laws twice?  In your answer, relate as
well to the

placement of chapter 19 in between them.

2.  Next, carefully review the psukim that
surround these

arayot (in 20:10-21), i.e. to 20:1-9 and
20:22-27.  Attempt to

understand (and explain) the internal
'structure' of chapter

20.

     Then, compare this structure to the
internal structure in

chapter 18, where we also find psukim that
'surround' the

arayot, i.e. to 18:1-5 and 18:24-30 that
surround 18:6-23.

     In what manner is this structure similar
to the pattern

in chapter 20?  In what manner is it
different?

3.  What specific laws does chapter 20
contain that were not

found in chapter 18?  What 'general'
statements are found in

both chapters, and what is their importance?

4.  In regard to the structure of chapter 20,
what is

especially difficult about its final pasuk
(i.e. 20:27)?  In

your opinion, why is this pasuk 'out of
place' and where in

this chapter does it belong?

5.  If you are familiar with 'chiastic
structures', see if you

can find one within chapter 20.  Use this
(and your answer to

question #1) to explain the final pasuk of
chapter 20.

     Be sure to compare the overall structure
of chapter 20 to

that of chapter 18.  Attempt to explain the
nature of this

parallel.

     How does the topic of chapter 19 [i.e.
kedoshim tihiyu]

relate to one of the levels of the chiastic
structure found in

chapter 20?

6.  For those of you familiar with the sugya
in the Gemara of

"ein onshin ela im kein mazhirin" [there is
no punishment (by

Bet Din) unless first this is a warning],
relate this

principle to the above question!

=======

PART III - PARSHANUT

PARSHAT KEDOSHIM AS PART OF SEFER VAYIKRA

1.  See Ramban on 19:2.  How does Ramban
explain why Parshat

Kedoshim is recorded in Sefer Vayikra?

     Review Ramban's introduction to Sefer
Vayikra (on 1:1).

Relate this to his peirush on 19:2.

2.  Next, see Ibn Ezra on 19:2.  How does he
answer this

question?

     How and why are their answers different?

3.  Finally see Seforno on 19:2.  Study it
very carefully!

     According to Seforno, why is Parshat
Kedoshim in Sefer

Vayikra?  How does Seforno use this to
explain the progression

of parshiot in Sefer Vayikra?

     In what manner is his approach TOTALLY
different than

Ramban's (in regard to this question)?

     Note carefully how Seforno finds not
only a thematic

connection between Parshat Kedoshim and the
first half of

Sefer Vayikra, but also how he connects this
progression to

primary themes in both Sefer Shmot and Sefer
Breishit!

     Explain how, and how this is consistent
with Seforno's

overall [thematic] approach to Parshanut.

     [Relate this as well to his intro. to
Chumash!]

THE FLOW OF TOPICS IN CHAPTER 19

4.  See the first Ibn Ezra on Vayikra chapter
19, noting how

he explains his entire approach to his
interpretation of sets

of mitzvot in the Torah (like chapter 19),
and why he tries to

find a reason for the progression of topic
from one mitzvah to

the next.

     Then, if you have time, review the
entire commentary of

Ibn Ezra on chapter 19, noting how he
explains the flow of

topic from one pasuk to the next.  If you
have even more time,

before you see each Ibn Ezra, attempt to
suggest a reason

first on your own.

                         be-hatzlacha,

                         menachem

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