In 2025, I asked 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.
1. The word for counting, Naso, or Se'u, which has the positive connotation of "lift up," is used for all the Bnei Yisrael, with one family excluded. Which family was the exception.
2. Three brothers: the youngest
gets two thirds, the bechor gets one third, the middle gets nothing.
3. Which two sons of Yaakov are
not mentioned as participating in the korbanos of the Nesiim.
4. In Devarim 33:18 Rashi cites
Breishis Rabbah 99:9 saying that Zevulun preceded Yissachar in receiving
Moshe’s bracha because that shevet enabled Yissachar to learn Torah by
providing for their material and financial needs. Here, however, in 7:18,
Yissachar offers his Korbanos before Zevulun and Rashi says that he was the
second of the tribes to offer korbanot because he was learned in Torah. Here,Rashi’s criteria for precedence is being learned in Torah. In Devarim, Rashi said Zevulun’s support of Yissachar’s Torah learning was
more important and earned them precedence. How can we resolve
the contradiction.
5. Which Nasi brought his korban
on Shabbos.
6. Did the twelve Nesiim bring all
their korbanos on the same day or on separate days.
7. The legend of
Narcissus is that a beautiful young shepherd refused the advances of a wood
nymph, and was punished by seeing his reflection in the water and dying of
hunger because he could not tear himself away from admiring his beauty. What
are the similarities and differences between the legend of Narcissus and the
din of Nezirus.
8. There are three kinds of
Nazir: Limited term, Permanent, and Shimshon. Each has unique halachos: For example, a Permanent Nazir may cut his hair once a year if it is burdensome. A Shimshon Nazir is not prohibited from becoming tamei. Which of these types of Nazir is
allowed to drink beer and whiskey.
9. Who does the Korban of the
Sota belong to, the husband or the wife.
10. The Gemara tells us that a curse of a Talmid Chacham will have an effect; even if it was conditional and the condition never occurred (Makkos 11a) ; even if it was simply based on a mistake; it will have an effect. Find a case in our Parsha where this may occur.
1. The word for counting, Naso, or Se'u, which has the positive connotation of "lift up," is used for all the Bnei Yisrael, with one family excluded. Which family was the exception.
Merari. 4:29
בְּנֵי מְרָרִי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם תִּפְקֹד אֹתָם
Of all the 625,850 people counted,
only the 8,580 members of the family of Merari were counted without the word
‘Seu.’
Chasam Sofer turns around the standard explanation, which belittles Merari, and says:
נשא את ראש בני גרשון גם הם מה לשון גם הם ומ"ט לא ישא ראשם כמו בני
קהת והנה בבני מררי לא כתיב נשיאות ראש כבר כתבתי במק"א כי שלשה בני לוי בהם
מרומזים כל אשר אירע לישראל
כי קהת הוא על זמן קהלת ישראל בארצם ומקדשם וה' עמהם והיינו קהת לשון קהלה
לו יקהת עמים ובניו עמרם שהם ברומו של עולם יצהר כצהר צחר וחברון חברותא ודביקות
ועוזיאל תוקפו וגבורתו של אל אמנם
גרשון בזמן שמגורשים ובנים גלו מעל שולחן אביהם בעו"ה מלבן עוונותיהם
במקום קרבן כשהם שומעים לחכמים שביניהם כדכתיב בכל מקום מוקטר ומוגש לשמי ומנחה
טהורה ודרשו חז"ל אלו ת"ח שבבבל שעוסקים בתורה כאלו הקריבו כל הקרבנות
והיינו בני גרשון לבני ליבון עונותיהם כמו בהר הלבנון (וכמו שדרשו חז"ל לבנון
שמלבין עונותיהם של ישראל) ע"י ששומעים פי חכמים ואמר נשא בני קהת למשפחותם
לבית אבותם שימשיך ראש נשמתם לבית אבותם הראשונים ואבות העולם ואמר נשא ראש בני
גרשון אעפ"י שהם מגורשים בגלות מ"מ אפי' מחיצה של ברזל אינו מפסקת ונשא
גם הם לבית אבותם כמו בני קהת.
אך מררי הם דורו של שמד רח"ל אשר מררו חייהם ביסורין קשים ובניו מחלי
כל חולי מכה אשר לא כתובה סבלו ושם השני מושי משו מאהליהם ובחוצות הושלכו לעוף
השמים בעו"ה ואין ברי' יכולה לעמוד במחיצתם (כמו שאחז"ל דורו של שמד אין
ברי' יכולה לעמוד במחיצתם) ומה יאמר אליהם נשא ראשם לבית אבותם הלא אבותם טפלים
להם והם גדולים מהם כנלע"ד:
2. Three brothers: the youngest
gets two thirds, the bechor gets one third, the middle gets nothing.
Gershon Kehas and Merari, dividing the
six wagons and and twelve oxen.
3. Which two sons of Yaakov are
not mentioned as participating in the korbanos of the Nesiim?
Yosef is not mentioned since his tribe
is split into the tribes of Ephraim and Menashe. Levi is not mentioned because
his Nasi did not bring an offering in this parsha. In fact, in next week’s
parsha Rashi says that Aharon was sad that he did not participate in these
korbanos.
4. In Devarim 33:18 Rashi cites Breishis Rabbah 99:9 saying that Zevulun preceded Yissachar in receiving Moshe’s bracha because that shevet enabled Yissachar to learn Torah by providing for their material and financial needs. Here, however, in 7:18, Yissachar offers his Korbanos before Zevulun and Rashi says that he was the second of the tribes to offer korbanot because he was learned in Torah. Here,Rashi’s criteria for precedence is being learned in Torah. In Devarim, Rashi said Zevulun’s support of Yissachar’s Torah learning was more important and earned them precedence. How can we resolve the contradiction.
Of course, Yissachar is the greater of
the two, in that they embody the Torah. That is why Zevulun sacrificed so much
to support them. But the brachos were for success and wealth. Yissachar's
financial wellbeing is based on Zevulun's success. A bracha for Zevulun is a
bracha for Yissachar.
5. Which Nasi brought his korban
on Shabbos?
Ephraim. 7:42. Assuming the rishon was
on Sunday. Ibn Ezra and Daas Zkeinim etc.
I saw a good explanation for why this
Korban Yachid was brought on Shabbos:
וכתב רבינו ה‘מגן אברהם‘ בספרו ’זית רענן‘ על ’ילקוט שמעוני‘, וכ“כ במהרז“ו
וב‘יפה תואר‘ על המדרש, כי מה שקרבן הנשיא דחה את השבת, הוא רק משום שיש להם דין
קרבן ציבור, שהרי קרבן יחיד אינו דוחה את השבת, מה שהיה משקלן ארכן ורחבן שוה, בכך
קבלו דין קרבן ציבור. וכעין מה שמצאנו בקרבן פסח אע“פ שהוא קרבן יחיד הרי הוא דוחה
את השבת משום ’דאתי בכנופיא‘, הגם שלמדוהו מפסוק להקריבו בשבת, אמרו חז“ל סברא
שמכיון שהכל מביאים הקרבן פסח בזמן שוה, הזמן המשותף משוה אותם כקרבן ציבור. שם
אין השואה מצד הקרבן עצמו, אחד מביא כבש ואחד עז, אחד מביא גדול ואחד מביא קטן,
ההשואה שם היא שהוא בא בזמן אחד, בי“ד אחר חצות מביאים כל קהל עדת ישראל את
פסחיהם. אבל בנשיאים היה הבדל זמן, כל אחד ביומו, מה שמאחד אותם הוא שהיה קרבנם
נראה שוה בשוה עם קרבנות שאר הנשיאים.
See also Reb Chaim Brown's words on this topic.
6. Did the twelve Nesiim bring all
their korbanos on the same day or on separate days?
They presented them all on the same day. Hashem then told Moshe that they should be brought on the Mizbeiach on separate days. (Medrash Rabbah 12:21.) So the answer is: They were all brought on one day. But they were each brought on separate days.
7:10-11
וַיַּקְרִ֣יבוּ הַנְּשִׂאִ֗ים אֵ֚ת חֲנֻכַּ֣ת הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ בְּי֖וֹם
הִמָּשַׁ֣ח אֹת֑וֹ וַיַּקְרִ֧יבוּ הַנְּשִׂיאִ֛ם אֶת־קׇרְבָּנָ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י
הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה נָשִׂ֨יא אֶחָ֜ד לַיּ֗וֹם נָשִׂ֤יא אֶחָד֙
לַיּ֔וֹם יַקְרִ֙יבוּ֙ אֶת־קׇרְבָּנָ֔ם לַחֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
This would also support the idea that
this had a din korban tzibur: They brought them all the same day. That Hashem
said to bring them in daily sequence does not take away their having been
brought all together.
This is important in dealing with the issue of Linah; if the soles was in
a kli shareis, keeping it overnight would cause a Linah problem. See, for
example, Reb Meir Simcha here on this issue.
7. The legend of Narcissus is
that a beautiful young shepherd refused the advances of a wood nymph, and was
punished by seeing his reflection in the water and dying of hunger because he
could not tear himself away from admiring his beauty. What are the similarities
and differences between the legend of Narcissus and the din of Nezirus?
They both gazed upon their beautiful
reflection in a pond. (Nedarim 9b) The former was punished for not satisfying
his and others’ desires. The latter is given guidance in ensuring that he does
not fall prey to his desires.
8. There are three kinds of Nazir: Limited term, Permanent, and Shimshon. Each has unique halachos: For example, a Permanent Nazir may cut his hair once a year if it is burdensome. A Shimshon Nazir is not prohibited from becoming tamei. Which of these types of Nazir is allowed to drink beer and whiskey.
Every single one.
All Nezirim can drink whatever they
want and get as drunk as they want, as long as their drink is not derived from
grapes. When it says Sheichar in 6:3, it means only sheichar that is a product
of grapes.
When the ibn Ezra brings that
“acheirim” say sheichar includes all intoxicating drink, those Acheirim are the
Karaim.
מִיַּ֤יִן וְשֵׁכָר֙ יַזִּ֔יר חֹ֥מֶץ יַ֛יִן וְחֹ֥מֶץ שֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א
יִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וְכׇל־מִשְׁרַ֤ת עֲנָבִים֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַעֲנָבִ֛ים לַחִ֥ים
וִיבֵשִׁ֖ים לֹ֥א יֹאכֵֽל׃
כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ מִכֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵעָשֶׂ֜ה מִגֶּ֣פֶן הַיַּ֗יִן
מֵחַרְצַנִּ֛ים וְעַד־זָ֖ג לֹ֥א יֹאכֵֽל׃
Ibn Ezra-
וטעם מיין ושכר. אם נדר להיותו נזיר וקדוש מיין ושכר יזיר על דעת המעתיקים
ששכר גדול מהתירוש ואחרים אמרו שכר ממש כל דבר שישתכר האדם ממנו:
9. Who does the Korban of the
Sota belong to, the husband or the wife?
5:15-
וְהֵבִ֨יא הָאִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ֮ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵן֒ וְהֵבִ֤יא
אֶת־קׇרְבָּנָהּ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ
Ramban, Chizkuni, ibn Ezra,
Rambam, it is the husband’s.
Gemara in Sota 23a as understood by
Tosfos there, Reb Akiva Eiger Tshuvos II:100, Steipler Sotah 1, say it was
owned by both the husband and the wife.
This is a very important issue,
because of the pigul problem.
10. There is a rule in the Gemara that a curse of a Talmid Chacham will have an effect; even if it was conditional and the condition never occurred (Makkos 11a) ; even if it was simply based on a mistake; it will have an effect. Find a case in our Parsha where this may occur.
By Sotah. That is why Chazal tell us that if she is innocent, ואם לא נטמאה האשה וטהרה הוא ונקתה ונזרעה זרעת, she is blessed with easy pregnancies. This is not because she is a role model of כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה: it is so the words of the Kohen can be fulfilled in a positive manner. (Example: the story of Reb Shimon bar Yochai and his son in MK 9a.) The point is that the ominous words of the kohen - her stomach will swell and her thighs will collapse - can be fulfilled as a blessing, that people will smile at her when they see her lugging around her large belly, and that when she gives birth her legs will not support her.
(This observation is my brother's, Harav Akiva. He said it to the Gaon Rav Sternhell of Baltimore, around 1970, and he liked it. If Rav Sternhell liked it, it is gold.)