Torah Teasers
Parshas Devorim
1. “Eicha Esa Livadi Tarchachem U’Masachem V’Rivchem; How can I carry you alone, your bother, your load, and your quarrels (Devorim 1:12).’ Rashi says that Tarchachem means that they were nudnicks, and Masachem means they were Apikursim. Tarchachem clearly means Tircha, bothersome, but how does Masachem or heavy load come to Apikursis? Ans… Rav Nachman of Breslov answers that while intellectuals may consider people with emuna simple and naive, in a sense they are right. With emuna life becomes easier, as not everything must be explained and rationalized. Emuna is a great tool to lift the weight from you. However, an Apikores is constantly plagued by doubt and questions that nag him endlessly, leaving him no peace. This constant state of turmoil eats at him and becomes a huge burden on his own shoulders. This explains why Rashi says that Masachem means Apikursis, as there is no greater burden around.
2. Moshe Rabbeinu retells how he told Hashem that the burden of leading Bnei Yisrael alone was too much for him. Moshe then tells Klal Yisroel (Devarim 1:13), “Havu Lachem Anashim…” – Provide yourselves men, wise and understanding and renowned to your tribes… What is meant by “men”? Ans… Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky points out that the plural for men is Anashim instead of the more logical “Ishim” which would be plural for the singular for of the word man “Ish”. What is Anashim and what is the basis for this word that has no root in the singular? He answers that one individual man and a group of men are two non-related concepts. A group of men is not multiple individuals. It is a new concept that is totally unrelated. This is why the Torah uses a word that is not related to the singular form. He also adds that we find this in other languages as well including Russian, German, and Lithuanian.
3. “UShifatitem Tzedek Bein Ish U’Bein Achiv U’Bein Geiro; You shall judge righteously between a man and his brother and his Ger.” (Devarim 1:16) In one pshat Rashi says that the word “Geiro” does not mean convert, but rather his opponent. The Sifri says that it means his father-in-law. Where does a father-in-law come into the picture and why does the Torah need to tell us this? Ans… Rav Chaim Kanievsky answers that the Taz paskens (YD 241:2) that a son cannot take his father to court because it may cause his father to be cursed if he needs to swear. “What the son should do,” suggests the Taz, “is to sell his claim to someone else who is halachacally free and clear to sue his father. Since the halacha is that when it comes to kavod, one is obligated to honor his father-in-law just like his father, you might think that you cannot sue your father-in-law either, therefore, the Sifri tells us that unlike your father, you are free to litigate against your father-in-law and there is no problem of the issur klala. Interestingly, there was a famous court case where the Taz sued his father-in-law, the Bach.
4. When Moshe before his death gives mussar to Bnei Yisrael for all they have done wrong in the Midbar, he includes the episode of the Meraglim. “Vatikrivun Eilai Kulchem; Everyone approached me to send Miraglim to Eretz Yisrael.” (Devarim 1:21) Rashi says that they came “B’arvuvia” in a charging crowd, with the young pushing the old and the old pushing the leaders. In the last moments of Moshe’s life where he rebukes Bnei Yisrael for major history changing aveiros, was it necessary to nitpick and complain about the pushing? Ans … The Netziv brings from his father-in-law, Rav Itzele Volozhin, that for the chait of the Meraglim Bnei Yisrael claimed that they had the best of intentions. It was only after that, that the Meraglim themselves ruined everything with their evil intentions. Moshe tells them that it is clear from the way they came pushing and shoving that their intentions were not kosher and the end will turn sour. People who are running L’Shem Shamayim do not push and shove along the way. For good things, you proceed with Derech Eretz.
5. Moshe Rabbeinu says, “Lo Uchal Livadi Si’ais Es’chem; I could not carry the nation alone (Devarim 1:9).” Why? The next pasuk explains the reason. “Because Hashem made you numerous like the stars in the sky.” Why did Moshe Rabbeinu specifically use the mashal of the stars and not the sand on the beach. Ans… “Both the stars and the sands are too numerous to count. However, there is a big difference between the two. The grains of sand are pressed one against the other to form a beach, while the stars on the other hand are spread out. Each star is a world in itself and separated from its nearest neighbor by billions of miles.” Moshe Rabbeinu says that it is not because of your great masses that I cannot lead you. If you had achdus and were close to each other, if there was no “Pirud Levavos”, then leading any amount of people is possible. However, when there is a nation of people, who each is a star in his own right, and therefore is far removed from his friends around him, then leading alone becomes impossible.
6. Devarim begins the mussar that Moshe tells Bnei Yisrael before he dies. In it, Moshe warns Bnei Yisrael to remain loyal to HaShem, and repeats many of the individual mitzvos. The Chizkuni (Devarim 11;26) points out that there was a very deliberate order here. Before repeating any of the mitzvos, Moshe first speaks to Bnei Yisrael about the subject of Yiras Shamayim in general. In fact, it is not until parshas Re’eh that the repetition of individual mitvos begin. Why? ANS…The theme is that Yiras Shamayim is the basis for Torah and Mitzvos, as the Gemara says in a few places (eg Shabbos 31a-b). This is exactly how HaShem ordered the proceedings at Matan Torah too. First, He showed us the awesome spectacle of Har Sinai with its thunder and lightning, to instill within us a new degree of Yiras Shamayim, and only then did we get the rest of the indivudial mitzvos. The message for us is to do mitzvos, but realize that they go hand in hand with increasing one’s Yiras Shamayim and awareness of HaShem.

DEVORIM Test Me….Just Test Me…..I Dare You!
1. How do we see from the beginning of Parshat Devarim that Moshe was concerned for the Jewish Peoples honor?
Moshe mentions only the names of the places where the Jewish People sinned, but not the sins themselves.
2. How much time elapsed between leaving Mt. Sinai and sending the spies? – 40 days.
3. Moshe rebuked the Jewish People shortly before his death. From whom did he learn this? – From Yaakov, who rebuked his sons shortly before his death.
4. Why did Moshe wait until he had smitten the Amorite kings before rebuking the Jewish People? – So that no one could say, “What right has he to rebuke us; has he brought us into any part of the Land as he promised?”
5. What were some of the achievements that resulted from the Jewish People “dwelling” at Mt. Sinai? – They received the Torah, built the mishkan and all its vessels, appointed a Sanhedrin, and appointed officers.
6. Why does the Torah single out the names of the avos in connection with the giving of the Land? – Each of the avos possessed sufficient merit for the Jewish People to inherit the Land.
7. What did Moshe convey to the Jewish People by saying: “You today are like the stars of the Heavens” – They are an eternal people, just as the sun, moon and stars are eternal.
8. “Apikorsim” (those who denigrate Talmud scholars) observed Moshe’s every move in order to accuse him. What did they observe, and what did they accuse him of? – They observed the time he left home in the morning. If Moshe left early, they accused him of having family problems (which drove him from his home). If he left late, they accused him of staying home in order to plot evil against them.
9. Moshe was looking for several qualities in the judges he chose. Which quality couldn’t he find? – Men of understanding.
10. Moshe told the judges, “The case that is too hard for you, bring it to me.” How was he punished for this statement? – When the daughters of Tzlofchad asked him a halachic question, the law was concealed from him.
11. Why did Moshe describe the desert as great and frightful? – Because the Jewish People saw huge, frightening snakes and scorpions in the desert.
12. Which tribe was not represented among the spies? – Levi.
13. Which city did Calev inherit? – Chevron.
14. How many kingdoms was Avraham promised? How many were conquered by Yehoshua? – Avraham was promised the land of ten kingdoms. Yehoshua conquered seven. The lands of Moav, Ammon and Esav will be received in the time of the mashiach.
15. Why were the Jewish People forbidden to provoke Ammon? – This was a reward for Lots younger daughter, the mother of Ammon, for concealing her father’s improper conduct.

Created By Avrohom Sherman
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