Thursday, September 3, 2026

Questions for Nitzavim Vayeilech 2026

Nitzavim

1. The Levush in the halachos of Yamim Noraim, brought by the Taz in תרפ'ב, holds that to say מלוך על כל העולם כולו בכבודך is redundant, and you should just say מלוך על כל העולם, or מלוך על העולם כולו. Bring a raya from our parsha that the Torah does use that form.

2. Another language question.   We think of “from x to x” as from beginning to end, like from a to z, from soup to nuts (we would say "from gefilte fish to compot,) or from top to bottom.  But when Avraham told the king of Sedom that he wanted nothing from him, he said מחוט ועד שרוך נעל, from a thread to a leather strap, both trifling items. Apparently, it was used for emphasis, to mean “absolutely nothing,” like gornisht mit gornisht. Where do we find the same expression in this week’s parsha.

3.  The word for master, מר, is a homonym for the word for bitter. Where do we find the same kind of homonym in this week's parsha, where the same word is used for master and for bitter.

4. In last week's parsha, the dikduk of Sefer Torah is feminine. 

28:61, גם כל חלי וכל מכה אשר לא כתוב בספר התורה הזאת

Find where in this week's parsha, Sefer Torah is masculine. 

 5. Only in this parsha are we told that Sedom and Amora had sister cities that were destroyed along with them. What are their names?

6. Pesukim in our parsha that say that if you sincerely resolve to do teshuva, then Hashem will help you do it.

7. A passuk about teshuva in our parsha that hints to the name of the month before Rosh Hashanna.


Vayeilech

1.  There is an opinion among the Rishonim that a Geir is not obligated to come to the Beis HaMikdash for Aliyah l'Regel, because he does not own land from the division of Eretz Yisrael, and the Gemara in Pesachim 8b says that only those who own land are chayav in Aliyah l'Regel. Some Rishonim disagree, and say he is chayav- the Rambam does not bring any such petur and the Meiri clearly argues. But assuming that he is pattur from Aliyah l'Regel, there is one regel when he has to be in Yerushalayim and one where he has to be in the Beis HaMikdash. What are they?

2. Does the Torah obligate people to go to the Mikdash for Hakhel.

3. Find a remez for techiyas hameisim in the parsha.

Corollary: why is it that we never find explicit mentions of kiyum haneshama, much less techiyas hameisim, in Torah she'biksav.

4. Where do we find that in cases of tortious interference, the malefactor is liable for opportunity cost.  In other words- that where a person wrongly disrupts a relationship between two parties, he is liable for the resulting loss of a benefit.


Netzavim

1. The Levush in the halachos of Yamim Noraim, brought by the Taz in תרפ'ב, holds that to say מלוך על כל העולם כולו בכבודך is redundant, and you should just say מלוך על כל העולם, or מלוך על העולם כולו. Bring a raya from our parsha that the Torah does use that form.

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם לִפְנֵי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם רָאשֵׁיכֶם שִׁבְטֵיכֶם זִקְנֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם כֹּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

טַפְּכֶם נְשֵׁיכֶם וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶיךָ מֵחֹטֵב עֵצֶיךָ עַד שֹׁאֵב מֵימֶיךָ

The passuk itemizes everyone, and it could have skipped כולכם. You see that this is an acceptable style of speech. All of you: x, y, and z.

According to the Rama miPano brought in Reb Akiva Eiger on Chulin 4b, the word "kol," even in Tanach, is not meant to be taken literally. I realized this when working on קרוב השם לכל קוראיו לכל אשר יקראוהו באמת. 

In light of Rosh Hashannah, this is a perfect example of סקירא אחת and כבני מרון. As a group-כולכם.  But equally, an examination of every individual -כל איש ישראל.


 2. Another language question.

We think of “from x to x” as from beginning to end, like from a to z, from soup to nuts (we would say "from gefilte fish to compot,) or from top to bottom.  But when Avraham told the king of Sedom that he wanted nothing from him, he said מחוט ועד שרוך נעל, from a thread to a leather strap, both trifling items. Apparently, it was used for emphasis, to mean “absolutely nothing,” like gornisht mit gornisht. Where do we find the same expression in this week’s parsha.

In 29:10.

טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ׃

  In light of Rosh Hashannah, I think the point is that 

הלא כל הגיבורים כאין לפניך ואנשי השם כלא היו. וחכמים כבלי מדע ונבונים כבלי השכל כי רוב מעשינו תוהו וימי חיינו הבל לפניך ומותר האדם מן הבהמה אין

that every human being stands in judgment before the Ribono shel Olam, from the greatest to the least, all face the same judgment. And who knows who is favored? We can not know from our human eyes. 

האדם יראה לעיניים וה' יראה ללבב

and in Shamayim, in the world of truth, 

עליונים למטה ותחתונים למעלה. 

The same span we see between a king and a child might exist between the two who we see as the lowest, the chotev eitzim and the shoev mayim.


3.  The word for master, מר, is a homonym for the word for bitter. Where do we find the same kind of homonym in this week's parsha, where the same word is used for master and for bitter.

29:9

אתם נצבים היום כלכם לפני ה' אלהיכם ראשיכם שבטיכם זקניכם ושטריכם כל איש ישראל

29:17
פן יש בכם שרש פורה ראש ולענה

4. In last week's parsha, the dikduk of Sefer Torah is feminine. 

28:61, גם כל חלי וכל מכה אשר לא כתוב בספר התורה הזאת

Find where in this week's parsha, Sefer Torah is masculine. 

29:20, הכתובה בספר התורה הזה

Rashi explains

הכתובה בספר התורה הזה. וּלְמַעְלָה הוּא אוֹמֵר "גַּם כָּל חֳלִי וְכָל מַכָּה … בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת"? הַזֹּאת — לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה מוּסָב אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, הַזֶּה — לְשׁוֹן זָכָר מוּסָב אֶל הַסֵּפֶר, וְעַל יְדֵי פִסּוּק הַטְּעָמִים הֵן נֶחֱלָקִין לִשְׁתֵּי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, בְּפָרָשַׁת הַקְּלָלוֹת הַטִּפְּחָא נְתוּנָה תַּחַת בְּסֵפֶר, וְהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת דְּבוּקִים זֶה לָזֶה, לְכָךְ אָמַר הַזֹּאת, וְכָאן הַטִּפְּחָא נְתוּנָה תַּחַת הַתּוֹרָה, נִמְצָא סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה דְּבוּקִים זֶה לָזֶה, לְפִיכָךְ לְשׁוֹן זָכָר נוֹפֵל אַחֲרָיו, שֶׁהַלָּשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל הַסֵּפֶר:

In the first, it is tipcha meircha. In the second, it is meircha tipcha. Mercha begins a phrase, tipcha is a separator.

אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א כָת֔וּב בְּסֵ֖פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את

הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּֽה

But this explanation really explains nothing. The difference in trop is a consequence of a difference in meaning. What remains to be seen is why did the Torah change the description of Sefer Torah from Sefer (Torah) to (Sefer) Torah?

I do not know.

 5. Only in this parsha are we told that Sedom and Amora had sister cities that were destroyed along with them. What are their names?

29:22, Adma and Tzevoyim, from the five city axis of  בֶּרַע מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם,  בִּרְשַׁע מֶלֶךְ עֲמֹרָה, שִׁנְאָב מֶלֶךְ אַדְמָה, שֶׁמְאֵבֶר מֶלֶךְ צביים,  וּמֶלֶךְ בֶּלַע הִיא צֹעַר.

Reb Chaim Kanievsky asks why Tzoar was not mentioned here, and he says that it was destroyed in a different manner.

6. Pesukim in our parsha that say that if you sincerely resolve to do teshuva, then Hashem will help you do it.

30:2,

וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְקֹלוֹ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל נַפְשֶׁךָ׃

30:6,

וּמָל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ.

 Ramban-

וּמָל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שבת קד) הַבָּא לִטָּהֵר מְסַיְּעִין אוֹתוֹ, מַבְטִיחֲךָ שֶׁתָּשׁוּב אֵלָיו בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, וְהוּא יַעֲזֹר אוֹתְךָ.

7. A passuk about teshuva in our parsha that hints to the name of the month before Rosh Hashanna.

30:6,

וּמָל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ.

True, the name of the month is not lashon hakodesh and has no more kedusha than Yom Rishon being called Sunday. But I think that simanim were put into the Torah in anticipation of the name the Jewish People will actually use, no less than references to individuals who would be born and named thousands of years later or countries that did not exist at the time of Mattan Torah. Also, once you know that the names of Malachim also came from Bavel, it should be obvious that they have true significance, no less than מנצפ'ך. As the Satmarer says in his Tshuvos Divrei Yoel (OC 15)

ובמ״ר שם ר"ל אומר אף שמות המלאכים עלו מבבל ונראה קצת דבחדא מחתא מחתינהו שמות המלאכים ושמות החדשים ושמות המלאכים בוודאי אינו אלא "התגלות" משמים

In light of Rosh Hashannah, it's kedai to remember how the Kitzur organized them.

קיצור שלחן ערוך קכ״ח:א׳

עוֹד אָמְרוּ דּוֹרְשֵׁי רְשׁוּמוֹת, וּמָל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ, רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת אֱלוּל. 

וְכֵן אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי, רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת אֱלוּל. 

וְכֵן אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת אֱלוּל. 

רֶמֶז לִשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים, שֶׁהֵם, תְּשׁוּבָה, תְּפִלָּה וּצְדָקָה, שֶׁצְרִיכִין לְהִזְדָּרֵז בָּהֶם בְּחֹדֶשׁ זֶה.  וּמָל ה' וְגוֹ' רוֹמֵז לִתְשׁוּבָה. אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְגוֹ' רוֹמֵז לִתְפִלָּה, שֶׁהִיא רִנַּת דּוֹדִים. אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים, רוֹמֵז לִצְדָקָה.

I would only add אנה לידו ושמתי לך מקום, the reference to Arei Miklat, in that the month of Elul and the Yamim Noraim are the refuge for one who wants to be saved from his terrible fate.


Vayeilech

1.  There is an opinion among the Rishonim that a Geir is not obligated to come to the Beis HaMikdash for Aliyah l'Regel, because he does not own land from the division of Eretz Yisrael, and the Gemara in Pesachim 8b says that only those who own land are chayav in Aliyah l'Regel. Some Rishonim disagree, and say he is chayav- the Rambam does not bring any such petur and the Meiri clearly argues. But assuming that he is pattur from Aliyah l'Regel, there is one regel when he has to be in Yerushalayim and one where he has to be in the Beis HaMikdash. What are they?

He has to be in Yerushalayim on Pesach. All but one Rishon, Tosfos in Pesachim 2b mei'alyah, say that land is not necessary for the chiyuv korban.  

From our parsha - 31:12. He has to be in the Beis HaMikdash on Sukkos in the year of Shemittah, for Hakhel. The Torah says clearly וגרך אשר בשעריך that Geirim do have to be there. (Taama d'Kra.)

It is true that the Rambam (3 Chagiga 2) says כל הפטור מן הראיה פטור ממצות הקהל חוץ מן הנשים והטף והערל and does not mention Geirim, but that is because he holds that Geirim are chayav in R'iyah. 

2. Does the Torah obligate people to go to the Mikdash for Hakhel.

The pesukim say (31:11-12)

 תקרא את התורה הזאת נגד כל ישראל באזניהם 

הקהל את העם האנשים והנשים והטף וגרך אשר בשעריך למען ישמעו ולמען ילמדו 

Some people see this as a machlokes Rambam saying it's only an obligation on the king and the leaders to gather the people, and the Chinuch who says every person is obligated to pay attention. Rambam Asei 16-

היא שצונו להקהיל את העם ביום השני של סכות במוצאי שמטה ולקרוא קצת פרשיות ממשנה תורה באזניהם 

Chinuch 612-
שנצטוינו שיקהל עם ישראל כלו אנשים ונשים וטף, במוצאי שנת השמטה בחג הסכות

I don't accept that the Rambam means that. Why would he argue on the Gemara in Kiddushin 34 that says that women would be pattur because of Zeman Grama if not for the explicit obligation. Also, how can it be that the king has an obligation to teach, but the people have no obligation to be taught.  There is no reason to say something when it is so obvious. It's kal vachomer bigger than למה לי קרא, סברא הוא.
The same question would apply to Birkas Kohanim. The Kohanim definitely have a mitzvah. Do the people have a mitzva to be present? Same issue.

Whatever you feel about this question, some want to relate this to the question about our Krias HaTorah, whether it is a personal obligation for individuals- Biur Halacha 146:2 dh יוש מתירים and Igros OC IV:23, or an obligation on the Tzibur as a whole that Krias HaTorah must take place in a minyan- Rosh Brachos 1:7 and Tzitz Eliezer 18:5, that as long as a minyan is paying attention, you can be maavir sedra or do the daf.

On this topic, there is a Chasam Sofer who strongly emphasizes that the Mitzva of Hakhel requires that you pay attnetion to every single word. In the Drashos page 26 he asks that bringing the children is good for the children, but the fathers are going to try to explain what the king is saying to their children, and they won't be able to pay proper attention to their own mitzva. They might hear it, technically, but it will be מתעסק, and they will not be yotzei. He learns this is the Gemara's question of טף למה הן באין. 
Here is his answer:
אמנם כן הוא בטבע בני אברהם אבינו כ''א מתאוה וחושק להעמיד בנו לעמוד חזק ביראת השם ותורתו כדכתיב באאע''ה כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו אחריו ושמרו ואע''פ שעי''ז הוא מפסיד לעצמו מ''מ כאשר בוער בו תשוקה זו ללמוד לבניו תורת ה' ויראתו ובאמת מפסיד מ''ע של עצמו דכוונת מצות חינוךמפסיד כוונת מצוה של עצמו אך לעומת זה שכרו של האב גדול יותר ויותר על שהפסיד לעצמו כדי להעמיד בן צדיק ות'''ח, והיינו כדי ליתן שכר למביאהם 
Yes, he won't be yotzei. But it's worth it to lose this once in seven year national gathering mitzvah of Torah b'Rabbim in order to be mechaneich your children.

3. Find a remez for techiyas hameisim in the parsha.

Corollary: why is it that we never find explicit mentions of kiyum haneshama, much less techiyas hameisim, in Torah she'biksav, until the time of the Neviim.

32:39

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא ואין אלהים עמדי אני אמית ואחיה מחצתי ואני ארפא ואין מידי מציל

אבן עזרא

אני אני. ..... ורבים אומרים כי מזה הכתוב נלמוד חיי העולם הבא והעד שאמר בתחלה 'אמית' ואחר כך 'אחיה' וכן ה' ממית ומחיה והעד ה' מוריד שאול ויעל ואחרים אמרו מפסוק ואך את דמכם לנפשותיכם גם וצדקה תהיה לנו כי היא חייך בעוה״‎ב ואורך ימיך בעולם הזה למען ייטב לך. 

ורבינו האי ז״‎ל אמר כי לא הוצרך הכתוב לפרש דבר העוה״‎ב כי היה ידוע בהעתק' 

ולפי דעתי שהתורה נתנה לכל לא לאחד לבדו ודבר העוה״‎ב לא יבינו א' מני אלף כי עמוק הוא ושכר העוה״‎ב תלוי בדבר הנשמה והנה הוא חלף עבודת הלב ועבודתו להתבונן מעשה השם כי הם הסולם לעלות בו אל מעלת דעת השם שהוא העיקר והנה גם התורה ביארה למשכיל דבר עץ החיים והנה יש כח לנצח הכרובים והאוכל מעץ החיים וחי לעולם כמלאכי השרת וכן במזמור לבני קרח שמעו זאת כל העמים והסוד אך אלהים יפדה נפשי מיד שאול כי יקחני סלה וכן אחר כבוד תקחני והנה עם שניהם לקיחה כאשר עם דבר חנוך ואליהו ואחר שאמר ויקר פדיון נפשם איך אמר יפדה נפשי והמשכיל יבין:

and 31:16, from San 90b, - but it depends on the punctuation, whether the וקם ends the first phrase or begins the next one. We hold that since the word וקם is אין לו הכרע, the pshat in the pasuk is correct either way so it is a raya to techiyas hameisim (Maharsha there in Sanhedrin.) The minim held that it's either/or, and only one is correct, so it's no raya.
שאלו מינין את רבן גמליאל מניין שהקדוש ברוך הוא מחיה מתים אמר להם מן התורה ומן הנביאים ומן הכתובים ולא קיבלו ממנו מן התורה דכתיב (דברים לא, טז) ויאמר ה' אל משה הנך שוכב עם אבותיך וקם. אמרו לו ודילמא וקם העם הזה וזנה.

4. Where do we find that in cases of tortious interference, the malefactor is liable for opportunity cost.  In other words- that where a person wrongly disrupts a relationship between two parties, he is liable for the resulting loss of a benefit.

32:51

על אשר מעלתם בי בתוך בני ישראל במי מריבת קדש מדבר צן על אשר לא קדשתם אותי בתוך בני ישראל



Thursday, August 27, 2026

Questions for Ki Savo 2026

Our Parsha Questions are crafted to be challenging even to Talmidei Chachamim but answerable by anyone who pays careful attention to the Krias HaTorah. I  saw this practiced in Marlboro, NJ. I find that it increases attention to Krias HaTorah and is mentally stimulating both for the audience and for me.  They are meant to be presented before Krias HaTorah and answered afterwards, giving everyone the chance to show the answer chapter and verse. I usually include some that are simple so that everyone can participate.


1. In the parsha of Bikkurim, we mention that we were saved from two threats to our existence. These were not the only enemies we had faced- we do not mention Eisav, or Amalek. What is the common denominator of these two, an aggravating factor that makes what they did particularly relevant to Parshas Bikkurim. 

2.  In the language of the Torah, would borei pri haadama be an acceptable bracha on tree fruit? For people who are learning Daf Yomi, what about borei pri haadama on wine?

3.  Where do we find in the parsha a Haggada that is the matrix for our Haggada shel Pesach.

4.  Our parsha begins with two recitations involving agricultural mattanos. The first is called Mikra Bikkurim and the second Chazal call Viduy Maaser. The Gemara in Sotah says that one should be declaimed, loud and clear, and the other recited in a soft voice. Which and why.

5.  The Mishna in Sotah lists those recitations that can be in any language and those that must be in Hebrew. (For example: Krias Shema, any language. Birkas Kohahim- only in Lashon HaKodesh, to the extent that some poskim say that a person who mesora is the Ashkenazi pronunciation should try to hear duchening from Ashkenazim.) In our Parsha, we find the three such recitals: Mikra Bikurim, Viduy Maaser, and the national oration at Har Grizim and Har Eival. Chazal say that two of these must be said in Lashon HaKodesh, and one can be said in any language.  This halacha is based purely on drashos. פשוטו של מקרא, the simple reading, does not show anything.  Can you suggest a סברא that would explain why two of these are different than the third? Bikkurim, Maaser, and Grizim v’Eival.

6.  The UAE, the United Arab Emirates, is so named for the seven emirates that formed a federation. An Emirate is synonymous with a Sheikdom, and refers to an area ruled by a Sheik, or an Emir. Where do we find this term used in our Parsha.

7.  Usually, no punishment for intention to do an aveira. Avoda Zara is the exception. Where do we see this in the parsha.

8.  The Gemara in Megilla says that a person who wears Kosher Tefillin with the right Kavana will cause fear in his enemies who see him.

תניא רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר אלו תפלין שבראש (מגילה טז:)

(This is only true where the person does the mitzva perfectly without exception, and that the tefillin and his head form one indivisible unit, such as was the case with the Vilner Gaon.) Where do we see this idea in the parsha?

9.  Is a person allowed to marry a centaur or a mermaid.

10.  Just as humility is closely related to empathy, so too arrogance goes hand in hand with cruelty. Where do we see the connection of arrogance with cruelty in this parsha. 

11.  An object mentioned four times in our parsha and nowhere else in Tanach. According to some, it is the same Gematria as the number of masechtos in Shas.




1. In the parsha of Bikkurim, we mention that we were saved from two threats to our existence. These were not the only enemies we had faced- we do not mention Eisav, or Amalek. What is the common denominator of these two, an aggravating factor that makes what they did particularly relevant to Parshas Bikkurim.  

Both Lavan and the Egyptians owed us hakaras tov, and instead of being grateful, tried to destroy us.  Lavan admitted that he became wealthy because of Yaakov, and Chazal say that he knew that it was in Yaakov's zechus that he had sons- נִחַשְׁתִּי וַיְבָרְכֵנִי ה' בִּגְלָלֶךָ. Egypt survived the famine and became fantastically wealthy because of Yosef. But their unwillingness to be makir tov degenerated into murderous hatred. The theme of Bikkurim is Hakaras HaTov. The lesson here is that the absence of gratitude is not indifference. It is hatred. (Based on Rav Shmuel Birnbaum in Tiferes Shmuel.)

2.  In the language of the Torah, would borei pri haadama be an acceptable bracha on tree fruit? For people who are learning Daf Yomi, what about borei pri haadama on wine?

Bikkurim were brought from the Shivas Haminim, most of which are tree fruit, and the Torah calls them  (26:2)  מראשית כל פרי האדמה

Can you make a borei pri haadama (or ha'etz) on wine? The fact is that this is a machlokes haposkim brought in the Mishna Berura 208:sk70. It could be argued that this depends on the drasha that allows you to bring wine for bikkurim. Coincidentally, in 2026 this question is discussed in the daf for Friday August 28, Chulin 120b. The Gemara says that the word "Pri" by Bikkurim excludes juice, but "תביא" is a ribui to tell us that if you designated grapes and olives as Bikkurim and you later processed them into wine or oil, they are fit to be brought as Bikkurim. Mashma that the pashtus of the word Pri excludes wine or oil. 

(The recently found Ritva on Hilchos Brachos 3:11 says from the Re'ah that you are yotzei with ha'aetz and ha'adama on wine.)

You have to keep in mind that the language of the Torah and the language of Chazal are not the same. Even if "pri" in the Torah means davka the original fruit, it's pashut that the word "pri" in Chazal means "the object the tree was planted for." That is why the Chazon Ish (OC 33:5), speaking about that Gemara in Chulin, says that the proper bracha on orange juice (and apple juice) is Peri Ha'Etz, not shehakol.

3.  Where do we find in the parsha a Haggada that is the matrix for our Haggada shel Pesach.

26:3

וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ כִּי בָאתִי אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה' לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ לָתֶת לָנוּ.

The fact that the majority of the Hagada is based on the parsha of Bikkurim is in Pesachim 116a, Mishnayos 10:4, מַתְחִיל בִּגְנוּת וּמְסַיֵּם בְּשֶׁבַח, וְדוֹרֵשׁ מֵאֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי, עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר כֹּל הַפָּרָשָׁה כֻלָּהּ.  The parsha of Bikkurim also says וענית ואמרת לפני ה' אלהיך ארמי אבד אבי, which the Yerushalmi learns to mean literally responsively, that the Kohen speaks and you respond, which is like the responsive character of the Hagada shel Pesach.

So you see from there that the question/answer structure and the מתחיל בגנות elements are dinim in והגדת, not in תספר, in hagaddah, not sippur.

4.  Our parsha begins with two recitations involving agricultural mattanos. The first is called Mikra Bikkurim and the second Chazal call Viduy Maaser. The Gemara in Sotah says that one should be declaimed, loud and clear, and the other recited in a soft voice. Which and why.

26:5, Bikkurim, וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ, loud.

26:13, Maaser, וְאָמַרְתָּ, soft.

Sota 32b

תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר: אָדָם אוֹמֵר שִׁבְחוֹ בְּקוֹל נָמוּךְ וּגְנוּתוֹ בְּקוֹל רָם. שִׁבְחוֹ בְּקוֹל נָמוּךְ — מִן וִידּוּי הַמַּעֲשֵׂר. גְּנוּתוֹ בְּקוֹל רָם — מִמִּקְרָא בִּיכּוּרִים

Rashi
שבחו - לא עברתי ממצותיך ולא שכחתי (דברים כ״ו:י״ג) היינו שבח עצמו: 
בקול נמוך - מדלא כתיב ביה ענייה: 
וגנותו - כגון ארמי אובד אבי היינו גנותו שמתודין שאביהן לבן הארמי היה רשע:

5.  The Mishna in Sotah lists those recitations that can be in any language and those that must be in Hebrew. (For example: Krias Shema, any language. Birkas Kohahim- only in Lashon HaKodesh, to the extent that some poskim say that a person who mesora is the Ashkenazi pronunciation should try to hear duchening from Ashkenazim.) In our Parsha, we find the three such recitals: Mikra Bikurim, Viduy Maaser, and the national oration at Har Grizim and Har Eival. Chazal say that two of these must be said in Lashon HaKodesh, and one can be said in any language.  This halacha is based purely on drashos. פשוטו של מקרא, the simple reading, does not show anything.  Can you suggest a סברא that would explain why two of these are different than the third? Bikkurim, Maaser, and Grizim v’Eival.

Bikkurim and Har Grizim ve'Har Eival are davka in Hebrew. Maaser is in any language.

The simplest explanation is that Har Grizim ve'Har Eival is a national event, and Mikra Bikkurim is the Jewish People speaking through individuals in a recapitulation of the nation's history. Viduy Maaser, on the other hand, is purely personal. לשון הקודש may not be the language of the individual, but when Klal Yisrael speaks, it speaks in לשון הקודש.

6.  The UAE, the United Arab Emirates, is so named for the seven emirates that formed a federation. An Emirate is synonymous with a Sheikdom, and refers to an area ruled by a Sheik, or Emir/Amir. Where do we find this term used in our Parsha.

26:17-18

את ה' האמרת היום להיות לך לאלהים וללכת בדרכיו ולשמר חקיו ומצותיו ומשפטיו ולשמע בקלו

וה' האמירך היום להיות לו לעם סגלה כאשר דבר לך ולשמר כל מצותיו

This word is also the idea behind the Eimurim of Korbanos and the piyut אנו מאמירך ואתה מאמירנו.

7.  Usually, no punishment for intention to do an aveira. Avoda Zara is the exception. Where do we see this in the parsha.

27:15, אָרוּר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה even if he plans to do it. All the others are lashon hoveh, if he does it or if he did it.

8.  The Gemara in Megilla says that a person who wears Kosher Tefillin with the right Kavana will cause fear in his enemies who see him.

תניא רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר אלו תפלין שבראש (מגילה טז:)

(This is only true where the person does the mitzva perfectly without exception, and that the tefillin and his head form one indivisible unit, such as was the case with the Vilner Gaon.) Where do we see this idea in the parsha?

28:9-10

יְקִימְךָ ה' לוֹ לְעַם קָדוֹשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לָךְ כִּי תִשְׁמֹר אֶת מִצְוֹת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ בִּדְרָכָיו: וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה' נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךָּ

Tosfos in Brachos 6a says this is the Shel Rosh and the letter Shin on it. The Maharshal says the letter is both a reference to the Sheim Shakkai and also the number of days in the year that we wear tefillin (If and only If you wear tefillin on Chol Hamoed.)

Story, as written by Ozer Alport in his Parsha Potpourri:

The Vilna Gaon was once lodging at an inn when he heard loud cries and screams for help coming from the innkeeper’s room. Although the Gaon was in the middle of the morning prayers, he quickly ran to the aid of a fellow Jew. He threw open the innkeeper’s door and discovered a non-Jew mercilessly beating him. The attacked looked up at the door, and upon seeing the Gaon wearing his tallis and tefillin, was overcome with terror and promptly fainted.

After pulling himself together and recovering from the shock of the incident, the innkeeper expressed his tremendous gratitude to the Gaon for coming to his rescue. He added that while he was certainly appreciative, he was also curious as to the Gaon’s “magic weapon” which had inspired such fear in the heart of his attacker. The Gaon replied by citing the aforementioned Gemora and explaining that the sight of him adorned in his tefillin had caused the non-Jew to faint. The innkeeper asked for clarification, as he himself had been wearing his tefillin prior to the attack, but they had clearly proven ineffective.

The Gaon pointed out that the Gemora uses a peculiar expression. It doesn’t interpret the verse as referring to the tefillin which are on one’s head but rather to the tefillin which are in one’s head. He explained that merely placing the tefillin on one’s body is insufficient. Rather, one must contemplate the message of the portions contained therein until they are internalized. While the innkeeper had not yet done so, the Vilna Gaon was clearly on such a level, and when the non-Jew perceived his spiritual loftiness, he was overcome with dread to the point of fainting – exactly as promised by the Gemora!

(Also- they say that Reb Chaim Brisker said that the ability to know if tefillin are kosher by looking at them is easily attained and that he himself already possessed it at the age of 6 or 7.)

9.  Is a person allowed to marry a centaur or a mermaid.  

or a satyr or a manticore or a minotaur or a siren or a sphinx. 

No, sorry. 28:21,

אָרוּר שֹׁכֵב עִם כׇּל בְּהֵמָה וְאָמַר כׇּל הָעָם אָמֵן.

even half human-half animal is assur. (Taama d'Kra. I am not making this up.)

Lechoira you shouldn't need this passuk because we would know it is assur from the fact that a half eved can not marry a half shifcha, because their ben chorin side is prohibited from the eved side of the other, אתי צד עבדות ומשמש בצד חירות

On the other hand, when it comes to issurim in the Kilayim family, we look at it as a whole, and there is no issur of אתי צד.

This see this in Tosfos BB 13a dh Kofin 

דהשתא נמי אתי צד עבדות ומשתמש בצד חירות ולא דמי לפרדה דאמר בפרק אותו ואת בנו (חולין דף עט. ושם) דמרביעין עליה מינה ולא אמר דאתי צד חמור ומשתמש בצד סוס דהתם כלאים כתיב דמשמע שני מינים דומיא דשור וחמור דחרישה ופרדה מין אחד בפני עצמו ומטעם זה מותר לרכוב עליה

and more from Tosfos Chulin 79a dh Mahu by ח'ע אסור בח'ש 

מהו דתימא אתי צד סוס ומשתמש כו' קמ"ל - לא דמי לחציו עבד וחציו בן חורין (חגיגה דף ב:) דאסור בחציה שפחה וחציה בת חורין משום דאתי צד עבדות ומשמש בצד חירות דהכא כלאים אמר רחמנא דוקא תרי מיני וכל פרדות הבאין מסוס וחמור מין אחד הוא:

who distinguish between chasnus by chatzi eved and kilayim of choreish with chatzi beheima, that even if kilayim doesn't apply, chasnus is assur.  

(There is one rare case where the issur kilayim applies even to a halfling, but that is because of a special limud - the din in Makkos 22a that

 אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא הַמַּרְבִּיעַ שׁוֹר פְּסוּלֵי הַמּוּקְדָּשִׁים לוֹקֶה שְׁנַיִם אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק הַמַּנְהִיג בְּשׁוֹר פְּסוּלֵי הַמּוּקְדָּשִׁים לוֹקֶה שֶׁהֲרֵי גּוּף אֶחָד הוּא וַעֲשָׂאוֹ הַכָּתוּב כִּשְׁנֵי גּוּפִים)

So: if שוכב עם כל בהמה is in the parsha of arayos, you shouldn't need any special limud. If it is in the parsha of kilayim, you would, because you would say that a chatzi beheima is called one thing, a מין בפני עצמו, and now you have to decide whether that one thing is a person or an animal, so you need our passuk of כל to say it is assur. 

If you think about it for a minute, it will make sense that the issur Shochev im b'heima is an issur kilayim, not ervah.

Here's a nice mareh makom. The Toras Kohanim in Shmini 3:3:7 says that a mermaid (a Siren) is not metamei b'ohel. The Raavad there says that you might think it has a din of a human, ka mashma lon. 

And at the risk of ועל דא אפקוהו לרבי ירמיה מבי מדרשא: Would a Jewish centaur be allowed to marry another centaur? If שוכב עם כל בהמה is a din of arayos, it would be a problem, just like חצי עבד. If it follows the lomdus of kilayim, it would be muttar, just like פרידה ופרידה. 

10.  Just as humility is closely related to empathy, so too arrogance goes hand in hand with cruelty. Where do we see the connection of arrogance with cruelty in this parsha. 

28:50-51

גּוֹי עַז פָּנִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשָּׂא פָנִים לְזָקֵן וְנַעַר לֹא יָחֹן. וְאָכַל פְּרִי בְהֶמְתְּךָ וּפְרִי אַדְמָתְךָ עַד הִשָּׁמְדָךְ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַשְׁאִיר לְךָ דָּגָן תִּירוֹשׁ וְיִצְהָר שְׁגַר אֲלָפֶיךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹת צֹאנֶךָ עַד הַאֲבִידוֹ אֹתָךְ

11.  An object mentioned four times in our parsha and nowhere else in Tanach. According to some, it is the same Gematria as the number of masechtos in Shas.

Teneh.  26:2 and 4 by Bikkurim, and 28:5 and 17 by the Brachos and Klalos.

Shas stands for ששה סדרי משנה. But the Ohr Hachaim in 26:5 uses it as a a remez for the original sixty masechtos in Shas, until they were redivided into 63, by separating the Bavos and separating Sanhedrin from Makkos. טנא בגימטריא ס.  

After pointing out that the Torah is called ראשית, the Ohr HaChaim says

ואומרו ושמת בטנא. ירמוז שצריך כל מפעלות הטובות שעשה יהיו על פי דבריהם, כאומרו (לעיל י"ז י"א) על פי התורה אשר יורוך ועל המשפט וגו', והתורה והמשפטים ביארו אותם חכמים בס' מסכתות כמנין טנא, שזולת זה הגם שיעשה כל מצות שבעולם ישרף הוא והם.

Also 
מדרש שיר השירים רבה (וילנא) פרשה ו, ב ר' יצחק פתר קרייה בפרשיותיה של תורה, ששים המה מלכות, אלו ששים מסכתיות של הלכות

According to the Ohr HaChaim, the Torah is the true and the original cornucopia.


(I bought several of these prutos from Hendin.)

The cornucopia was a Hellenistic motif long before the Chashmonaim adopted it. But they didn't simply adopt it, they adapted it and infused it with Jewish meaning, particularly by placing the pomegranate between the two cornucopias.  To the Jewish people, it symbolized the mitzva and bracha of the Bikkurim and the Mikra Bikkurim of Jewish history. . 


Thursday, August 20, 2026

Questions for Ki Seitzei 2026

Our Parsha Questions are crafted to be challenging even to Talmidei Chachamim but answerable by anyone who pays careful attention to the Krias HaTorah. I  saw this practiced in Marlboro, NJ. I find that it increases attention to Krias HaTorah and is mentally stimulating both for the audience and for me.  They are meant to be presented before Krias HaTorah and answered afterwards, giving everyone the chance to show the answer chapter and verse. I usually include some that are simple so that everyone can participate.


1.  When Hagar and Yishmael were evicted from their home, Hashem was about to reveal water to Hagar so that Yishmael should not die of thirst. The malachim said, Ribono shel Olam, this person, Yishmael, will bring such death and suffering to your people, and you are saving him? Hashem answered that He judges him באשר הוא שם, as he is now, not what he will be in the future. We mention this on Yom Kippur as well, and ask that Hashem judge us as we are right now when we are doing teshuva- not as we were, and not as we might be in the future. In this parsha we see the opposite. Where do we see this, and how would you distinguish between the two. 

2. The word קדש means holy. We say נקדש את שמך בעולם, and אשר קדשנו במצוותיו, and אין דבר שבקדושה בפחות מעשרה. In this parsha, find this word used once in its usual sense, and twice meaning the exact opposite. 

3. The issur of certain people to marry a ישראל כשר; is that because the marriage is an offense against the kedusha of that individual or because it is a sin against the kedusha of the nation as a whole.

4.  Simlah is not gender specific. Examples:  ואהב גר לתת לו לחם ושמלה   and  שמלתך לא בלתה מעליך ורגלך לא בצקה.  So why in 24:5 does it say לא יהיה כלי גבר על אשה ולא ילבש גבר שמלת אשה, a woman should not carry a man’s kli and a man should not wear a woman’s simlah? Aren’t they both words for clothing?

5.  Which unique mitzva is only rewarded if it happened by accident?

6.  In this parsha, four mitzvos of memory. . In two, remembering is a mitzva.   In one, not remembering is a mitzva. In another, remembering is a mitzva and forgetting is a lo saaseh.

7.  What type of object may one not take as collateral?

8.  Two neviim mentioned in the Parsha, a man and a woman.

9.  Three examples of the Torah’s discouragement of the mistreatment of animals, צער בעלי חיים.

10.  Three halachos mentioned in our Parsah that occur at sunset or nightfall.

11.  The Shu”t Divrei Malkiel from the Lomzer Rov and others write that calling a child a name which is used by the opposite gender (like naming a boy 'Sue,') violates the prohibition (22:5) of lo yilbash. Rav Chaim Kanievsky lists 79 names in Chazal and Tanach which are used for both men and women. (The ones who asser, I assume, are talking about cases where the name is used exclusively for one gender.) How many can you identify that are currently used for both genders? (Taima D’Kra)

12.  22:19 seems to mean that a woman can be married to a man who tried to have her murdered. 

וענשו אתו מאה כסף ונתנו לאבי הנערה כי הוציא שם רע על בתולת ישראל ולו תהיה לאשה לא יוכל לשלחה כל ימיו

Is this really true?

13.  What is the military consequence of indecency, pritzus.

14.  A part of the body that is mentioned or even referred to only one time in Tanach, in our parsha.

15.  It is very important to pay attention to the Krias HaTorah. Why would the Irish Rebellion and the troubles that followed have never occurred if only Henry the Eighth had paid attention to the Krias Hatorah of Parshas Ki Seitzei.

16. How many mitzvos are there in the Parsha of Amaleik.

17. There's a common linguistic phenomenon called 'metathesis' or 'שיכול אותיות'.  This is when the letters in a word are exchanged. In English, you have ask/aks, nuclear/nucular, jewelry/jewlery. In Lashon HaKodesh, you have keves/kesev. (Which the Ramban says are the same. Some, like the Baal HaTurim and the Malbim, say they are slightly different, but they are still almost synonymous.) Find two words in the parsha that illustrate this.



1.  When Hagar and Yishmael were evicted from their home, Hashem was about to reveal water to Hagar so that Yishmael should not die of thirst. The malachim said, Ribono shel Olam, this person, Yishmael, will bring such death and suffering to your people, and you are saving him? Hashem answered that He judges him באשר הוא שם, as he is now, not what he will be in the future. We mention this on Yom Kippur as well, and ask that Hashem judge us as we are right now when we are doing teshuva- not as we were, and not as we might be in the future. In this parsha we see the opposite. Where do we see this, and how would you distinguish between the two. 

Ben Sorer Umoreh, who is executed not for anything he has done, but for the crimes his inexorable trajectory will lead to. 

Why are they different? In my experience, people prefer explanations they come up with, and just don't like explanations they are told. So you're on your own. I and my mother זכרונה לברכה preferred the Mizrachi's explanation with a very important modification. Baasher hu sham is only for the בית דין של מעלה PLUS tefilla, Hagar's tears. Without my mother’s addition, just to say “Beis Din shel Maalah is different” seems farkert from seichel hayashar.

It's a harsh thing to say, but the mussardikkeh way to say it is "Without tears, the judgement on Yom Kippur will not be באשר הוא שם."


2. The word קדש means holy. We say נקדש את שמך בעולם, and אשר קדשנו במצוותיו, and אין דבר שבקדושה בפחות מעשרה. In this parsha, find this word used once in its usual sense, and twice meaning the exact opposite. 

23:15
כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִתְהַלֵּךְ  בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶךָ לְהַצִּילְךָ וְלָתֵת אֹיְבֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא־יִרְאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר וְשָׁב מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ׃ 

22:9 

לֹא תִזְרַע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאָיִם פֶּן־תִּקְדַּשׁ הַמְלֵאָה הַזֶּרַע אֲשֶׁר תִּזְרָע וּתְבוּאַת הַכָּרֶם׃ 

23:18

לֹא תִהְיֶה קְדֵשָׁה מִבְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

As Rashi says in 22:9, the word kodesh essentially means "designated for a use that renders it untouchable."

3. The issur of certain people to marry a ישראל כשר; is that because the marriage is an offense against the kedusha of that individual or because it is a sin against the kedusha of the nation as a whole.

It is because of the sin against the nation as a whole. Six times the Torah uses the expression "בקהל השם", and they are all here by issurei kiddushin. 

Even if you did not have the passuk, it would be obvious that it is not to protect the kedusha of the yachid, because the issur is only on marriage, not simply living together. Marriage is an issue that relates to Klal Yisrael, not just individuals. That's why the Mishna in Megilla includes Birkas Chasanim among דברים שבקדושה. 

This (except the sentence about davar shebikdusha) is based on Reb Yaakov's Emes L'Yaakov on 23:3, where he says 

ובהכרח שענין הנישואין אצל בני ישראל אינו ענין פרטי הנוגע לשני הצדדים ומשפחתם בלבד, אלא הוא נוגע לקהל כולו, שעל ידי נישואין נכנס הבחור לקהל ישראל ונהיה חלק מהציבור.

4.  Simlah is not gender specific. Examples:  ואהב גר לתת לו לחם ושמלה   and  שמלתך לא בלתה מעליך ורגלך לא בצקה.  So why in 24:5 does it say לא יהיה כלי גבר על אשה ולא ילבש גבר שמלת אשה, a woman should not carry a man’s kli and a man should not wear a woman’s simlah? Aren’t they both words for clothing?

Because men often carry or  wear non-clothing items that are associated with men only, such as a sword. Such items that are associated exclusively with women are carried in equal part for their decorative qualities, such as a purse, or a wrist watch, which includes them in in Simlah. (In other words, a woman will carry an empty purse and a wrist watch that is not working.) (Taama diKra) I have to think about מחט נקובה in במה אשה. 

There are some who believe that wearing a tie is a problem for a man, because it is only decorative and non-functional. Some argue on the basis of the reference to men wearing earrings in the story of the Eigel:  Shemos 32:2-3,

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אַהֲרֹן פָּרְקוּ נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּאׇזְנֵי נְשֵׁיכֶם בְּנֵיכֶם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶם וְהָבִיאוּ אֵלָי׃

וַיִּתְפָּרְקוּ כׇּל־הָעָם אֶת־נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּאׇזְנֵיהֶם וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶל־אַהֲרֹן׃.

But the ibn Ezra there says this was a habit some picked up in Mitzrayim, not a Jewish behavior:

ויאמר פרקו. על משקל ברכו מהבנין הכבד הדגוש. מנהג מצרים היה לשום נזמים באזניהם. וככה כתוב במדינים כי ישמעאלים הם

and the Radal in Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer, where the Mishna (45:5) says 
רָאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים שֶׁלֹּא קִבְּלוּ הַנָּשִׁים לִיתֵּן אֶת נִזְמֵיהֶן לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן, וְעַד אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיוּ הַנְּזָמִים בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְרִיִּים וּכְמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֲרָבִים, וּפָרְקוּ אֶת נִזְמֵיהֶם שֶׁבְּאָזְנֵיהֶם
says (45:23)
 כמעשה המצרים וכמעשה הערביים. ר"ל שהן קיבלו מנהג זה מן המצריים שהיו נוהגים כערביים שהן הישמעאלים שכתוב עליהן במקרא [שופטים ח] כי נזמי זהב להם כי ישמעאלים הם (אבל בשאר כל האומות אין נוהגים האנשים לשום נזמים באזניהם רק הנשים,

 

5.  Which unique mitzva is only rewarded if it happened by accident?

שכחה.    Rashi says this clearly here: 24:19

למען יברכך. וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁבָּאת לְיָדוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְמִתְכַּוֵּן, קַ"וָ לָעוֹשֶׂה בְמִתְכַּוֵּן. אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה נָפְלָה סֶלַע מִיָּדוֹ וּמְצָאָהּ עָנִי וְנִתְפַּרְנֵס בָּהּ — הֲרֵי הוּא מִתְבָּרֵךְ עָלֶיהָ (ספרי):

Some argue and say that the mitzva is really to leave it there after you remember. But that is not true. It says

כִּי תִקְצֹר קְצִירְךָ בְשָׂדֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ עֹמֶר בַּשָּׂדֶה לֹא תָשׁוּב לְקַחְתּוֹ לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה יִהְיֶה לְמַעַן יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ

As soon as you forgot it, it becomes the property of the poor. Not going back and stealing it is no reason for a bracha. It must be that the bracha and the mitzva is for forgetting it. (Reb Yaakov.)

Also, this is clear in many meforshim, such as the Mizrachi here and the Gur Aryeh. Additional examples:

Aruch Hashulchan Ha'asid Hilchos Peah 9:1

ומשונה מצוה זו מכל מצות שבתורה שכל מצות שבתורה אין באים אלא על ידי זכירה כדכתיב וזכרתם את כל מצות ד' ועשיתם אותם ואם נשכח לא נעשה המצוה ומצוה זו היא להיפך שא"א לקיים המצוה רק ע"י שכחה והקב"ה זיכהו במצוה זו

Tosefta Peiah 3:13

מעשה בחסיד אחד ששכח עומר בתוך שדהו, ואמר לבנו צא והקריב עלי פר לעולה ופר לשלמים. אמר לו אבא מה ראית לשמוח בשמחת מצוה זו [יותר] מכל מצות שבתורה? אמר לו כל מצות שבתורה נתן [להם המקום] לדעתנו, זו שלא לדעתנו. שאילו [עשינוהו ברצון לפני המקום לא באת מצוה זו לידינו. [אלא] הרי הוא אומר (דברים כד) כי תקצור וגו' קבע לו הכתוב ברכה. והלא דברים קל וחומר, מה אדם שלא נתכוין לזכות וזכה מעלין עליו כאילו זכה, המתכוין לזכות וזכה על אחת כו"כ.

 

6.  In this parsha, four mitzvos of memory. In two, remembering is a mitzva.   In one, not remembering is a mitzva. In another, remembering is a mitzva and forgetting is a lo saaseh.

The story of Miriam’s lashon hara, Miriam, 24:9.  That you were an eved in Mitzrayim, 24:18. Shikcha, 24:19 ; Amalek, 25:17.

 

 7.  What type of object may one not take as collateral?

People think that 24:6 לֹא יַחֲבֹל רֵחַיִם וָרָכֶב כִּי נֶפֶשׁ הוּא חֹבֵל prohibits taking any utensils used in food preparation as collateral. According to all but one Rishon, this is only when the loan is past due and you are seizing his property to press him to pay the debt.   But when he is first asking to borrow money, he can collateralize whatever he wants. If he can sell his pots and pans, he also can use them as a mashkon.   The one and only Rishon that says it applies even when the loan is made is the Rambam in Malveh v'Loveh 3.  

The same is true in the case of בגד אלמנה in 24:17. See CM 97:14.


8.  Two neviim mentioned in the Parsha, a man and a woman.

23:5-6, Bilaam.  Lehavdil, 24:9, Miriam.

 

9.  Three examples of the Torah’s discouragement of the mistreatment of animals, צער בעלי חיים.

22:7, Shiluach Hakan.

22:10, Lo Sachrosh beshor vechamor yachdov.

25:4, Lo Sachsom shor bedisho.

 

10.  Three halachos mentioned in our Parsah that occur at sunset or nightfall.

23:12, a person or an object that was tovel becomes fully tahor. (tzeis.)

וּכְבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יָבֹא אֶל־תּוֹךְ הַמַּחֲנֶה׃

24:13, you have to return to the borrower his clothing you took as collateral. (Shkiyah.)
הָשֵׁב תָּשִׁיב לוֹ אֶת־הַעֲבוֹט כְּבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ 

24:15, you have to have paid your laborer his day’s wages (CM 339:3.) (Shkiyah.)

בְּיוֹמוֹ תִתֵּן שְׂכָרוֹ וְלֹא־תָבוֹא עָלָיו הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ

21:23, לֹא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ עַל הָעֵץ כִּי קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, sounds like it might be another. But the Poskim say it is only to leave the body unburied all night. There's a difference between כבוא השמש and לא ילין. See Pischei Teshuva YD 357:1 from the Radvaz-

 בתשו' רדב"ז החדשות סי' שי"א שכתב דדוקא אם מלין את מתו כל הלילה עד הבוקר עובר בלאו אבל מקצת הלילה אינו עובר ואפילו איסורא ליכא אלא כדי להיות משובח יש למהר להוציא מתו כדלקמן סעיף ב' ע"ש


 11.  The Shu”t Divrei Malkiel from the Lomzer Rov and others write that calling a child a name which is used by the opposite gender (like naming a boy 'Sue,') violates the prohibition (22:5) of lo yilbash. Rav Chaim Kanievsky lists 79 names in Chazal and Tanach which are used for both men and women. (The ones who asser, I assume, are talking about cases where the name is used exclusively for one gender.) How many can you identify that are currently used for both genders? (Taima D’Kra)

Yonah, Simcha, Zissel, Shimmy, Yoel, Michal, Micha, Seruya, Ariel/Arielle.


12.  22:19 seems to mean that a woman can be married to a man who tried to have her murdered. 

וענשו אתו מאה כסף ונתנו לאבי הנערה כי הוציא שם רע על בתולת ישראל ולו תהיה לאשה לא יוכל לשלחה כל ימיו

Is this really true?

No. אין אדם דר עם נחש בכפיפה אחת.   My assumption is that he, contemplating a miserable and expensive future, will pay her to accept a get- the present value of everything he'll have to spend to keep her, plus the benefit of not having her sneering at him and poisoning his home atmosphere for his whole life.


13.  What is the military consequence of indecency, pritzus.

23:15, Hashem abandoning us when we face our enemies.

כי ה' אלהיך מתהלך בקרב מחנך להצילך ולתת איביך לפניך והיה מחניך קדוש ולא יראה בך ערות דבר ושב מאחריך


14.  A part of the body that is mentioned or even referred to only one time in Tanach, in our parsha.

צפרנים

21:12

 וְגִלְּחָה אֶת רֹאשָׁהּ וְעָשְׂתָה אֶת צִפׇּרְנֶיהָ.

It does say צפורן שמיר  in Yirmiahu 17:1,  חטאת יהודה כתובה בעט ברזל בצפרן שמיר חרושה על לוח לבם ולקרנות מזבחותיכם, but it doesn’t mean fingernail there. It means a sharp pointed inscribing instrument, like hammer and nails. So the צפרנים  in our parsha still counts as a one time word.


15.  It is very important to pay attention to the Krias HaTorah. Why would the Irish Rebellion and the troubles that followed have never occurred if only Henry the Eighth had paid attention to the Krias Hatorah of Parshas Ki Seitzei.

Henry wanted to marry his brother, Arthur's, widow, Catherine of Aragon, in 1509, but was told he could not because she had been married to his brother. They accepted the issur of a woman once married to a brother, but did not accept the mitzvah of Yibum that we find in this week's parsha. So he called up the Pope, and said "Pope, can you annul Catherine's marriage to Arthur? It was never consummated." And the Pope said, "ok, fine, I'll grant a dispensation."  Henry married her. Catherine didn't have male children and he wanted to get rid of her and formalize his relationship with his mistress, Anne Boleyn. The problem was that the Church did not allow divorce at all, even though it's in this week's parsha. He called the Pope again. He said "Good Yontif, Pontif. It's Henry. I'd like for you to annul the marriage to Catherine." The Pope said, "What are you talking about? I did that like twenty five years ago!" Henry said, "No, I mean the marriage between me and her."   The Pope said, "What, this also wasn't consummated? So where did Bloody Mary come from? Stop bothering me. No more dispensations, and forget about any annulments." So Henry went and created the Anglican church, his Archbishop annulled their marriage, and he married his paramour, Anne Boleyn. (This marriage was also sub-optimal.)

England became Anglican, Ireland remained Catholic, the Anglicans treated the Irish Catholics terribly, and this all led to the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and the endless trouble that followed.

The point is, that if had done Yibum, he could have had Katherine without calling the Pope, and when he wanted to move on to Anne Boleyn, he could have simply divorced Katherine.  There would have been no need to found the Anglican Church.  From here we see that it is important to pay attention to the Krias HaTorah.

16. How many mitzvos are there in the Parsha of Amaleik.

According to the Rambam, three. Zachor, Timcheh, and Lo Sishkoch. Also according to the Ramban and the Smag and the Sefer HaChinuch

Zachor- To read the parsha once a year.

Timcheh- To destroy.

Lo Sishkoch- To never forgive, not to let the passage of time weaken our wrath for their atrocities. 

Rav Saadiah Gaon and the Bahag only count #1. See Rav Yerucham Fishel P for his discussion, especially the ibn Ezra that he brings. It boils down to the idea that there is one mitzva: destroy them. The others are just for emphasis, to stress how important Timcheh is.


As a public service- from a Dirshu sheet.

שאלה: האם צריך השומע להבין הפירוש של כל מילה ומילה שבקריאת פרשת זכור?

תשובה: יש מי שכתב שצריך להבין הפירוש של כל מילה ומילה, ויש שכתבו שמספיק להבין הענין של פרשת זכור.

מקורות: עיין מועדים וזמנים להגר"מ שטרנבוך שליט"א [ח"ב סי' קס"ה] דיש ליזהר להבין הפירוש של כל מילה ומילה שבפרשת זכור דאם אינו מבין אינו יוצא ידי חובה לדעת התוספות (ברכות מה ע"ב) וסיעתם הסוברים שהשומע ברכה מחבירו [אפילו בלשון הקודש] אינו יוצא מדין שומע כעונה אלא אם כן מבין השומע כל מילה ומילה, וכוותיהו פסק המחבר בסי' קצ"ג ס"א. ואף דנהגינן להקל כשיטת רש"י שיוצאים בשמיעה מדין שומע כעונה אף אם אינו מבין פירוש המילים [עיין משנ"ב סי' קצ"ג ס"ק ה'] מיהו לכתחילה ראוי ליזהר ולחוש לדעת התוספות וסיעתם [כדמשמע שם במשנ"ב],

ועל כן יש לעורר ולהזהיר על הדבר משום שמצוי שאין השומע מבין כל מילה ומילה כגון "ויזנב בך כל הנחשלים אחריך" שרבים אינם יודעים פירוש הדברים, וכן "אשר קרך", וכן בפסוק "ולא ירא אלוקים", שאין הכל יודעים שהכוונה על עמלק ולא על ישראל כמבואר בפרש"י על התורה עכ"ד. 

אמנם משמיה דהגרי"ש אלישיב זצ"ל מטו שהעיקר להבין את הענין ולא צריך להבין כל מילה ומילה (פסקי שמועות סי' תרפ"ה), וכ"כ בספר אגרת הפורים (להגרי"ד ספטימוס שליט"א) בשם הגר"נ קרליץ זצ"ל והגר"ח קניבסקי זצ"ל שמסתבר שמספיק להבין העניין של פרשת זכור ואין צריך להבין כל המילים עיי"ש

קרך-happened upon you

ויזנב- tailed you, cut down the people in back

הנחשלים=הנחלשים- the weak or the stragglers.

Amaleik. - ולא ירא אלוקים  

I have to point out that nobody is machmir like Rav Shternbuch. If you were, then every amoretz who got an aliyah would be making a bracha levatala. See Aruch Hashulchan OC 139:3 and Reb Moshe (OC II:72) .


17. There's a common linguistic phenomenon called 'metathesis' or 'שיכול אותיות'.  This is when the letters in a word are exchanged. In English, you have ask/aks, nuclear/nucular, jewelry/jewlery. In Lashon HaKodesh, you have keves/kesev. (Which the Ramban says are the same. Some, like the Baal HaTurim and the Malbim, say they are slightly different, but they are still almost synonymous.) Find two words in the parsha that illustrate this.

Simla in 22:3, וְכֵן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְשִׂמְלָתוֹ and 22:5, וְלֹא יִלְבַּשׁ גֶּבֶר שִׂמְלַת אִשָּׁה

and Salma; 24:13  וְשָׁכַב בְּשַׂלְמָתוֹ וּבֵרְכֶךָּ

Necheshalim, 25:18, וַיְזַנֵּב בְּךָ כׇּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִים אַחֲרֶיךָ. This does not mean stumbling. Stumbling is spelled with a Chof, מכשול. 

Our word is shoresh חשל. According to Rashi, it comes from Necheloshim, weak, shoresh חלש.  See Mizrachi:

כל הנחשלים חסרי כח כו'. פי' נחשלי' כמו נחלשים כמו כבש כשב כבשה כשבה

According to Onkelos, it comes from Neshecholim, stragglers, those who fell behind, shoresh שחל. See Gur Aryeh:

הנחשלים תרגם אונקלוס דהוו מתאחרין. ונראה לי דאונקלוס תרגם לשון "נחשלים" מלשון 'כמשחל'. אף על גב דשם השי"ן קודם, מצינו הרבה כזה. והוא לשון הוצאה, כמו שתרגם אונקלוס "כי מן המים משיתהו" (שמות ב, י) 'שחלתיהו'.

Both Rashi and Onkelos are saying it is a reversal of letters. I believe that in this case, the letters were reversed davka to include this multitude of interpretations, even a remez to stumbling.

Just for showing off my wife: Here are two more exchanged letter words my wife pointed out to me:
תהלים ל'א:כ"ג
וַאֲנִי  אָמַרְתִּי בְחׇפְזִי נִגְרַזְתִּי מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ אָכֵן שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנַי בְּשַׁוְּעִי אֵלֶיךָ
רש"י
נִגְרַזְתִּי. נִכְרַתְּתִי, לְשׁוֹן גַּרְזֶן הַכּוֹרֵת אֶת הָעֵץ. עַל שֵׁם גְּזִירָתוֹ נִקְרָא גַּרְזֶן. כָּךְ פֵּרֵשׁ דּוּנַשׁ.
מלבי"ם ביאור המלות
נגרזתי. כמו נגזרתי:

תהלים נ'ו:י"ד
כִּי הִצַּלְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִמָּוֶת הֲלֹא רַגְלַי מִדֶּחִי
תהלים קט'ז:ח 
כִּי חִלַּצְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִמָּוֶת אֶת־עֵינִי מִן־דִּמְעָה אֶת־רַגְלִי מִדֶּחִי׃

There is one that refers to the molar teeth, which appears as וָאֲשַׁבְּרָה מְתַלְּעוֹת עַוָּל וּמִשִּׁנָּיו אַשְׁלִיךְ טָרֶף in Iyov 29:15 and as אֱלֹהִים הֲרׇס שִׁנֵּימוֹ בְּפִימוֹ מַלְתְּעוֹת כְּפִירִים נְתֹץ יְהֹוָה in Tehillim 58:7.

כסיל in Tehillim and MIshlei, and סכל in Koheles and Yermiahu.

and I think this one too-  mostly in Yeshaya 40 and 44, and once in Melachim 8:5, יעף in place of  עיף. That's where we get הנותן ליעף כח. 

So: 
שמלה שלמה
כבש כשב
נִגְרַזְתִּי נגזרתי - גוזר גרזן
 הִצַּלְתָּ חִלַּצְתָּ
מַלְתְּעוֹת מְתַלְּעוֹת
כסיל סכל
עיף יעף
נֶּחֱשָׁלִים- חשל חלש שחל

תוס ב'ב ק'י
נשוט נבילתא גרסינן בערוך והוי כמו פשוט כי ההיא דחלה (סנהדרין דף ק:) לא תנטוש גילדנא מאוניה דלא ליזיל משכיה לחבלא פירוש דג ששמו גילדנא אל תתחיל לפשטו מאזנו פן ילך העור לאיבוד ואע"ג דהתם נטוש והכא נשוט רוב פעמים מתחלפין האותיות בענין זה כמו (פסחים דף ל:) אין טשין התנור באליה דהוי כמו אין שטין כמו וטח את הבית ומתרגם בירושלמי וישוטון ית ביתא (ויקרא י״ד:מ״ב):

This information is mosif neither chochma nor yirah, it's just interesting. If you're curious about other instances, there is a book called  קונטרס הפך בה printed in תשס'א by a דוב בעריש ראזענבערג  of Switzerland. He has one hundred and forty three instances of hipuch osios in Tanach and thirty six in the words of Chazal.