[Par-reg] Naso - questions for self study
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Wed May 28 05:03:14 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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PARSHAT NASO
Part I - Questions for the 'Shabbat Table'
1. In Parshat Naso, we find the famous psukim
of "birkat kohanim" [the priestly blessing;
see 6:22-27] 'sandwiched' between the laws of
Nazir (chapter 6) and the story of the
dedication of the Mishkan (chapter 7).
Can you suggest a thematic reason for the
juxtaposition of these three parshiot?
[After trying on your own], see Ibn Ezra,
Ramban, and Chizkuni on 6:23!
[See also Rashi and Rashbam for important
halachot that they learn from these psukim.]
2. Now that you've had a 'warm-up' with
"smichut parshiot," can you suggest a
thematic connection between the laws of
"sotah" (5:11-31) and the laws of "nazir"
(6:1-21)?
After trying on your own (again), see
Rashi and Ibn Ezra on 6:2. [See also
Chizkuni (like Ibn Ezra). What important
"musar" can we learn from this Ibn Ezra?!]
3. Recall that Chumash had already recorded
the story of the dedication of the Mishkan in
Shmot chapter 40 and in Vayikra chapters 8-9.
Why do you think that yet another aspect
of that event are recorded here in Sefer
Bamidbar?
In your answer, relate to 7:3-9 in
relation to the general topic in chapters
1-4! [Relate as well to the theme of
'leadership' in Sefer Bamidbar.]
4. In regard to "nedarim" [vows, in relation
to the laws of "nazir" in chapter 6] Chazal
make a very interesting statement:
"He who makes a vow - it is as though he
builds a bamah [an altar on a high place];
when he fulfills that vow - it is as though
he offers a sacrifice on that bamah..." [See
Mesechet Yevamot 109a.]
In your opinion, is this a positive or
negative statement concerning one who makes a
vow [or possibly both]?
[Recall that a bamah is an altar built for
God, but one is permitted to set up a bamah
only when a permanent Mikdash does not exist.
However, once the permanent Mikdash was build
by Shlomo HaMelech in Yerushalayim, bamot
became forbidden forever. See Rambam Hilchot
Beit Ha'bechira 1:1 thru 1:4.]
Why do you think that Chazal chose
specifically this comparison to a bamah
rather than simply say that "nedarim" are not
advisable?
Is there a time when "nedarim" are
advisable?
How does this compare to the times when a
bamah is permitted?! [Relate to Rambam
Hilchot Day'ot chapter 1.]
5. Sefer Bamidbar opens on the 1st of Iyar,
as God commands Moshe to take a census.
Note the order the tribes as they are
organized by camps in chapter 2. [See last
week's shiur for discussion of the reason for
this order.]
Now, note the tribal order of the
n'si'im, as they offer their korbanot during
the twelve day dedication ceremony in chapter
7.
Is the order the same or different? Can
you explain why?
Note the date of when these korbanot were
offered a month before the census was taken!
What does this tell you about reason for
the order by which the n'si'im offered their
korbanot? [See Ramban 7:12]
Part II - Questions for Preparation (for
weekly shiur)
1. Take a careful look at the last pasuk in
Parshat Naso (7:89), and its relation to the
entire chapter that precedes it.
Would you say that this pasuk simply
doesn't belong here?!
Explain why yes, or why not.
2. Based on Shmot 25:21-22 and Vayikra 1:1,
is this pasuk at all necessary? If so, where
should it have been written?
Why do you think that it is written here
at the conclusion of the korbanot of the
n'si'im?
3. Based on chapter 7, can you determine on
what date this pasuk 'takes place?'
[Is it after the 12 n'si'im offer their
korbanot?]
4. Now, take a careful look at 7:1-11,
especially 7:10!
Based on 7:10-11, what did all of the
n'si'im bring on the first day of the
dedication ceremony? Why did they only offer
those korbanot over twelve days instead of
all together on the first day?
How does this help explain the reason for
the Torah's summary of all of their korbanot
in 7:84-88? [Note the date that is implicit
from 7:84 and its connection to 7:10!]
Now, answer question #3 again.
5. Based on Shmot 33:7 (and its context),
from where did God speak to Moshe in the
aftermath of Chet Ha'Egel?
How does this relate to the purpose of
the Mishkan and especially to Shmot 25:7-8
["v'shachanti b'tocham"]?
After Chet Ha'Egel, when is the first
time that God speaks to Moshe from within the
camp of Israel again?
In other words, on what day is the
Mishkan dedicated?
According to Bamidbar 7:89, after what
event did God begin to speak to Moshe from
the Mishkan?
Can you relate this to the above
questions?
6. What can you conclude from these sources
concerning the importance of unity among the
tribes?
Can you explain now why the last pasuk in
Parshat Naso belongs exactly where it is?
How (and why) can it be considered the
climax of the entire chapter?
[Now that you've prepared, go to the
shiur titled "The Nsiim"].
Part III - Parshanut
1. In regard to 7:89 (and the questions in
Part II above), see:
Rashi -
What question in pshat does Rashi
address?
Does he relate to why this pasuk is
placed here?
Ibn Ezra (and Chizkuni) -
What question in pshat do they address.
Can this help you answer the questions in
Part II?
Seforno -
What point does Seforno come to add?
How does he relate this pasuk to chet
ha'egel?
Why does he compare this pasuk to Bayit
Rishon and Sheni?
2. Finally, see Ramban on 7:12 and his
argument with Rashi.
In your opinion, which approach seems to
be closer to "pshat"? How do the points
raised by Ramban relate to the questions in
Part II above?
See also questions 1 and 2 in Part I
above.
=====
Questions for preparation for shiur relating
to the overall structure of Sefer Bamidbar
1. Before we begin, attempt to compose a
Table of Contents (or outline) for Sefer
Bamidbar based solely on your previous
knowledge of the book. Be as concise as
possible, i.e. it shouldn't be more than
15-20 lines long. Based on your outline, can
you identify an overall theme?
2. Next, we will construct this same
outline, but this time a bit more carefully.
To do so, start with a blank sheet of paper,
on which we will dedicate one line for each
chapter (and when necessary - sometimes two
or three lines).
Quickly scan each chapter, and attempt to
write a short phrase that summarizes its
primary topic. Note as well if the primary
topic is a story (narrative) or a mitzva.
[For example, for chapter one, you could
write - counting the tribes; for chapter six
- the laws of Nazir; for chapter 16 - the
story of Korach's rebellion.] Be as brief as
possible; the idea is not to read the entire
book, rather just to review it to get the
general picture.
[Ideally, it would best to dedicate one line
for each 'parshia', but as that would
probably take too long, one line for chapter
will usually suffice. However, for chapters
5,6, 9,10,15, and 27 it is recommended that
you dedicate one line for each parshia
instead of one line for the entire chapter.]
3. When you have completed your list for all
36 chapters, take your list and group
together any chapters that share a common
topic, and give a name for that common topic.
For example: chapters 1 thru 4 could be
'counting & organizing the camp', while for
chapters 22 thru 24 you could simply write
the story of Bil'am.
Those common topics now become the
'headers' of each section of your outline.
If several of these 'common topics' can group
together, then you've found a general topic -
which can become a sub-title for a certain
section of your outline.
If possible, continue this process in
an attempt to identify a title for your
entire outline - if so, you've found the
primary theme of the Sefer.
4. As you review your outline, attempt to
identify the progression of topic. Can you
explain where (and why) there are certain
sections where the topic does not seem to
flow logically?
Notice in your outline how there are
several transitions from 'stories' to
'mitzvot'. In those transitions, does the
flow of topic usually make sense? If not,
can you explain why?
5. To clarify the point raised by the last
question, review your outline once again,
this time paying careful attention to whether
each topic is either a narrative (story) or a
mitzva (a commandment).
Then, if it is a mitzva, make note if it
is a 'mitzva le-dorot' - i.e. a commandment
that applies to future generations, or a
'mitzva le-sha'a' - i.e. a one-time
commandment given only for that generation in
the desert.
Then, make a new list, this time
writing down only the narratives and the
mitzvot le-sha'a, while leaving out any topic
that is a mitzva le-dorot, i.e. which does
not form an integral part of the ongoing
narrative.
Now, take this second list (i.e. the
one without the mitzvot le-dorot) and turn it
into an outline (as before), and identify its
primary topics.
Does the flow of topic in this outline
make more sense that the flow of topic in
your first outline? If so, can you explain
why?
How would you title this new outline?
6. Next, construct a separate list for all
of the parshiot of mitzvot le-dorot - i.e.
the ones which you 'filtered' out of your
original list.
In your opinion, are these mitzvot in
any way connected to one another? Are any of
these mitzvot thematically connected in any
matter to the narrative in Sefer Bamidbar?
If so, explain how.
Can you find any similarities between
these mitzvot and the mitzvot found in either
Sefer Shmot or Sefer Vayikra?
7. In your opinion, when do you think that
these mitzvot were first given to Moshe
Rabbeinu? In other words, were they given
early, when Moshe was on (or at) Har Sinai;
or were they given at different times during
the journey through the desert, i.e. at the
same time that they are recorded in Sefer
Bamidbar?
Do any of these mitzvot seem to continue
topics that had already been discussed
earlier in Chumash? Are any of these mitzvot
'repeats' from earlier in Chumash?
Is there one category that seems to be
common to most of these mitzvot? If so,
where else in Chumash have we found mitzvot
relating to that category? Can you suggest a
reason why these mitzvot are recorded in
Sefer Bamidbar instead?
8. Finally, see Ramban's introduction to
Sefer Bamidbar (before his commentary to
Bamidbar 1:1). At first glance, some of
Ramban's conclusions appear to be rather
strange. Based on your analysis of the
Sefer, attempt to explain how (and why)
Ramban reached those conclusions. What
question does Ramban leave unanswered?
See also Seforno's introduction to
Sefer Bamidbar (usually found in his
introduction to Chumash, before Sefer
Breishit).
9. Based on your answers to the above
questions, can you explain why we find so
many 'drashot' that attempt to explain the
juxtaposition between certain parshiot in
Sefer Bamidbar?
[For example, why the laws of 'para aduma'
(chapter 19) were recorded before the story
of the death of Miriam (chapter 20), or the
questions that Korach asked re: the need for
'tzizit' in a garment that was made out of
pure 'techelet' (see end of chapter 15).
b'hatzlacha,
menachem
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