[Par-reg] Va'eyra - 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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                        PARSHAT  VA-ERA

 

    PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS
TABLE'

 

WHAT'S A 'PROPHET'?

1.  The standard translation for the Hebrew
word 'navi' is the

English word 'prophet'.  According to the
popular

understanding of this word, would you say
that a 'prophet' [in

the Biblical sense] is someone with the
ability to foresee the

future?

  If not, what is the meaning of the word
navi [prophet]?

  

  In the Tanach, many different people are
described as

nevi'im [including God's prophets, false
prophets, prophets of

Ba'al, Ashera etc.].  Can you explain why the
Torah uses the

same word - navi - to describe all of them?
[Relate to the

'shoresh' [root] of this word.]

     Now, read 7:1-2, noting its context
based on 6:29-30.

Based on these psukim - how would you explain
the meaning of

the word navi?  [Be sure that you can explain
(in 7:1) what it

means that 'Aharon will be Moshe's navi?'.]

  How can the word navi in its context in
this pasuk help you

understand its meaning in the rest of Tanach?
Relate your

answer to the meaning of the Hebrew word
'niv' (see Yeshayahu

57:19) & the shoresh 'nun.bet.aleph'.

     [See also Parshanut question #3 in
below.]

 

2.  See 4:10-16, noting Moshe's reluctance to
be God's

spokesman.  Then review 6:29-30, noting
Moshe's complaint that

he cannot speak to Pharaoh, and God's
response in 7:1-2

appointing Aharon to be his spokesman
'instead'.

     In your opinion, are these two versions
of the same

conversation, or are these two totally
different events?  To

support your answer, be sure to read both
sections carefully

(in their context), and find the differences
between them, and

why there is a need for both.

     Relate this as well to the difference
between the stories

in 7:8-13 and 4:1-5 (& 4:27-30), and the need
for both.

 

3.  In your opinion, when we do find that a
navi speaks of the

future, is his goal to 'predict' history, or
to 'shape' it?