[Par-reg] Tazria - questions for self study

Tue Mar 25 09:43:32 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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          for PARSHIOT TAZRIA & METZORA

PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'

TUM'A - CAUSE AND EFFECT

  [As Parshiot Tazria / Metzora deal with the
laws of 'tum'a',

  a few general questions to 'think about' on
this topic:

1.  A very popular translation of the word
tum'a is spiritual

uncleanliness.  Do you agree?  Base your
answer on the various

causes of tum'a described in Vayikra chapters
11, 12, & 13.

     Can you identify any 'physical' reason
for tum'a?  If so,

could this be the only reason?  [Relate to
what is required to

rid oneself from this tum'a.]

     In what manner do the various types of
tum'a relate to

death?  Can you explain why?

2.  Let's say someone is 'tamei' - how does
this affect what

he can or cannot do?  How many of your
answers relate in some

manner to the bet ha-mikdash (or mishkan)?

     Can you explain why?

     Relate to Vayikra 12:4.

3.  [During the time of the Temple], let's
say someone was

planning a visit to the bet ha-mikdash - how
would these laws

of tum'a affect his visit?  How would they
affect how

'careful' he needs to be already a week
before his planned

visit?  How careful must he be on the day of
his visit?

[Relate to the causes of 'one-day' tum'a (in
chapter 11), and

'seven-day' tum'a (see Vayikra chapters 12
thru 15).]

     Based on your answer, can you suggest
how the laws of

tum'a (i.e. not becoming tamei) may actually
enhance the

experience of visiting the bet ha-mikdash?

     [See Seforno on 12:8.]

4.  In regard to the connection between the
laws of "tzaraat"

(in clothing) and the Land of Israel, see
Ramban on 14:37.

WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THE NUMBER 'EIGHT'?

               [for shiur on Parshat Tazria]

1.  Both in the beginning of Parshat Shmini
and in Parshat

Tazria we find that the number eight (i.e.
the eighth day) is

quite significant.  Can you find a thematic
connection between

these two mitzvot - i.e. between the special
events on yom ha-

shmini in the mishkan and brit mila on the
eighth day after a

child's birth?

2.  Where else in Sefer Vayikra do we find
that the 'eighth

day' is significant?  Can you find a
connection between all of

the instances?

  [Be sure to note Vayikra chapter 14,
especially 14:10-19,

  Vayikra 22:26-33, and Vayikra 23:33-39.]

3.  Review Breishit 17:1-10 [better known as
brit mila].  Does

the Torah explain why brit mila should be
performed

specifically on the 'eighth day' (and not
earlier or later)?

Can you suggest any logical (or medical)
reason?

     In that narrative of brit mila, i.e. in
Breishit 17:3-10

- make special note of the written Name that
the Torah uses to

describe God.  Compare this Name, to the
written Name of God

that the Torah has used up until this point
in all of the

prior conversations between God and Avraham
Avinu (i.e. since

chapter 12).

4. Can you explain why specifically the Name
Elokim is used at

brit mila, even though same "Havaya" was
consistently used

beforehand?

  Attempt to explain why brit mila is the
first time that we

find shem Elokim speaking to Avraham Avinu -
by relating the

Torah's use of shem Elokim in the story of
Creation in chapter

one!

5.  When earlier in Chumash has the Torah
used 'shem Elokim'

to describe God?  Be sure to relate to
Breishit 1:1-2:3 and

9:1-17, and their respective topics!

PART II - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION (for
weekly shiur)

1.  Using a Tanach Koren, make a brief
outline of all of the

parshiot of mitzvot in Sefer Vayikra,
beginning with chapter

10 (i.e. after the death of Nadav & Avihu)
until the end of

chapter 17.  Be sure to use only a one line
summary for each

parshia.

  [Look at the opening psukim of chapter 18
and explain why we

  concluded our outline with chapter 17.]

2.  Note the 'tiny' narrative that is
implicit in the

introductory pasuk to chapter 16 (i.e. 16:1).
Based on this

short narrative, where in Sefer Vayikra
should this section of

laws (i.e. 'avodat Yom Kippur') have been
recorded?  In your

answer, relate to the events that transpire
in chapter 10.

[Is there any obvious reason why the Torah
does not record

these laws until chapter 16?]

3.  Is there a common topic for all of the
mitzvot from

chapters 11 thru chapter 17?  [In other
words, can you find

one title for this section of your outline?]

     Can you divide the outline into several
sub-categories?

If so, what are they, and what is the logic
of flow from one

topic to the next?  Based on your outline,
how 'accurate' are

the chapter divisions?

     Re: the flow of topic, see Seforno on
11:2 (rather

amazing!) and Rashi & Ibn Ezra on 12:1.

     See also Ramban in his intro to Sefer
Vayikra (before

1:1).

4.  In what manner do the mitzvot (in
chapters 11-17) relate

to:

     the korbanot of yom ha-shmini?

     the death of Nadav & Avihu?

     to the mishkan in general?

     to the overall theme of Sefer Vayikra?

5.  Review these chapters one more time,
noting the headers of

each 'dibbur'.

    [i.e. note 10:8,12; 11:1-2; 12:1-2; 13:1;
14:1,33; 15:1-

    2; 16:1-2; 17:1-2.]

  Can you explain to whom each dibbur is
directed, and why?

    [Note both the opening psukim in each
dibbur, as well as

    the 'closing' psukim of each.]

     In your opinion, when were these mitzvot
first given to

Moshe Rabeinu [and/or Aharon]? -

     On Har Sinai?  If so, during which set
of forty days?

     From the ohel mo'ed?  If so, on what
day?

    [Answer this question for each dibbur /
parshia!]

6.  Review now your 'outline' of Sefer
Vayikra from chapter 1

thru chapter 17.  Can you identify a topic
that would include

all of the subtopics in these 17 chapters?
[i.e. a common

theme]

     Attempt to explain the logic of the flow
from one topic

to the next?

7.  Based on your outline, in our opinion
what is the primary

topic of chapter 11 - the laws of kashrut, or
the laws of one-

day tum'a?  Explain your answer.

     Compare Vayikra chapter 11 to Devarim
14:3-21.  What is

the same, and what is different?  Can you
explain why?

Relate as well to Shmot 22:30, and to the
concept of tum'a.

8.  As you review your outline, note the
differences between

'one day' tu'ma and 'seven day' tu'ma.  Can
you explain the

difference between them, and how they relate
to one another?

PART III - PARSHANUT

For shiur on 'The CAUSE of TZARA'AT'

1.  To the best of your recollection, what
causes 'tzara'at'

[leprosy]?  Does Sefer Vayikra provide a
reason?  If not, what

is the source of your answer?

     Does Sefer Vayikra give a reason for the
cause of any

type of tum'a?  Can you explain why it does
or why it doesn't?

     Have you heard of a reason before?  If
so, what it the

source?

2.  For general background, review two key
stories that

discuss someone contracting tzara'at - the
story about Miriam

in Bamidbar 12:1-16, and the story about
Uziyahu, King of

Yehuda, in II Divrei Ha-yamim 26:11-22.)

     Based on these two stories, what appears
to be the cause

of tzara'at?

3.  Carefully study Devarim 24:8-9.  In your
opinion, which of

these two psukim makes the primary point, and
which pasuk is

'secondary' (or is the Torah making two
unrelated statements)?

     Based on these psukim, does the Torah
'hint' to a

specific cause of tzara'at?

     How do these psukim relate to Bamidbar
12:1-16?

     In what manner is 24:9 similar to other
psukim in Chumash

that begin with 'zachor'?

     How does the topic of these two psukim
relate to other

topics that are discussed in Parshat Ki
Tetzeh?

4.  Now, let's see how the various
commentators relate to this

topic in Sefer Devarim.  To appreciate the
various opinions,

read Devarim 24:8-9 once again and carefully
try to understand

each phrase, and explain how each phrase
relates to the next.

Be sure that you can explain how 24:9 relates
to 24:8, and

what the word 'hishamer' implies [i.e. does
it imply something

you must do or something you must not do?]

5.  We'll start with Rashi on 24:8-9.

     Note how Rashi begins by providing a
precise explanation

of what hishamer is referring to [basically
that one should be

careful not be 'his own doctor' when he sees
a sign of

leprosy, i.e. hishamer is telling you not to
cut off the sign,

but instead to show it to the kohanim.

     Based on this, how does Rashi understand
the second half

of 24:8?

     Now see Rashi on 24:9.  According to
Rashi, how do these

psukim relate to one another?

     From where does Rashi learn that 'lashon
ha-ra' causes

leprosy?  [As we continue, note how other
parshanim answer

this question.]

6.  See now Ramban.  Is his commentary to
24:8 the same as

Rashi's or different?  Explain your answer.

     How does Ramban explain why the laws of
tzaarat found in

Sefer Vayikra are not recorded in Sefer
Devarim?

     Now see Ramban on 24:9.  Note how he
quotes Rashi and

then offers an alternate opinion [i.e. that
zachor implies

something active that one must do!].  How
does he prove his

opinion?

     In your opinion, is Ramban's approach
more methodological

than Rashi's?  How does each commentator
explain the

connection from 24:8 to 24:9?

[Note how Ramban considers this pasuk a 'full
fledged'

'mitzvat asei', thus arguing with all of the
others who

counted the mitzvot before him.  See also
Sefer Mitzvot of the

Rambam, at the end of his list of mitzvot
asei, where Ramban

lists and explains the mitzvot that he feels
that Rambam left

out.  See Ramban's addition #7!  See also
Sefer ha-Chinuch

mitzva #584; note that he seems to disagree
with Ramban.]

  [Do you think that it is 'worthwhile' for
one to be

  'choshesh' for the Ramban's shitta?]

7.  See Ibn Ezra on 24:9.  Note how he is
short and to the

point.  Why do you think that Ibn Ezra finds
it important to

support a Midrash from Vayikra Rabba [16:1]
from these psukim

in Sefer Devarim?  How does this relate to
Ibn Ezra's general

approach to Midrashim (in contrast to pshat)?

8.  Now, for a totally different approach -
see Rashbam!

     How does he explain hishamer and the
connection between

24:8 and 24:9!!  In your opinion, is
Rashbam's explanation

closer to pshat?  What do you think leads
Rashbam to his

peirush?

9.  Finally, see Chizkuni. Is his commentary
the same as

Rashbam's?  If so, why do you think that he
prefers Rashbam's

commentary to Rashi & Ramban's?

     According to Rashbam & Chizkuni, is
there any connection

between tzara'at and lashon ha-ra?  If so,
why don't they

mention it in their peirush to Devarim
24:8-9?

[The answers to this section are discussed in
the TSC shiur on

Parshat Ki Tetzeh /
www.tanach.org/dvarim/kitey2.txt.]

                              be-hatzlacha,

                              menachem

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