Torah Teasers
Parshas NITZAVIM / VAYEILECH
1. The pasuk says (Devarim 29:27), “Hashem will remove them from their land with great anger.” Then the pasuk says, “VaYashlicheim El Eretz Acheres; Hashem will throw them (exile them) to a different land.” The letter “Lamed” in the word “VaYashlicheim” has an unusually long neck. Why? Ans… The MiShulchan Gavo’a brings an answer in the name of the Ridvaz. The Tur (CM 261) paskens that if someone throws his wallet into Reshus HaRabim, the public domain, it becomes Hefker and anyone can claim it since the orginal owner forfeited ownership. However, if there is a string attached to the object, then no matter how far it is thrown, it is still in the possession of the owner. When the pasuk says that Hashem will throw us to another land, it seems that we become Hefker for the other nations to do with us whatever they want, since Hashem forfeited ownership of us. However, that is not the case as the pasuk (Ha’azinu 32:9) says, “Yaakov Chevel Nachalaso.” Chevel literally means rope, meaning that we are always attached to Hashem with a rope, even if we are cast away in His anger. “This,” says the Ridvaz, “is the symbolism of the long Lamed. Although Hashem will throw us into public domain, he is still retaining possession of us by holding onto our rope. This rope is the long neck of the Lamed.”
2. “Yeisei V’Lo Achminei,” meaning, let Moshiach come but do not let me be alive to see him (Sanhedrin 98b). Rebbi Yochanan said that he’d give it the privilege of greeting Moshiach in order to avoid living through the terrible days of the Ikvisa D’Mishicha. With the Geula so close at hand why will they be worse than the rest of the Galus? Ans… Rav Yehonoson Eibshitz says that since the Shechina is with us in the Galus we are protected. However, at the end of the Galus, when it is time for us to return to Eretz Yisrael, the Shechina will need to leave the galus and come to Eretz Yisrael to prepare and facilitate our return. During those waning day of the Galus, we will be left on our own without protection and endless tragedies will befall us. Only then will we realize how fortunate we were to have the Shechina with us.
3. On the day Moshe Rabbeinu was supposed to pass on from this world, he cried to Hashem and said, “Let Yehoshua take my leadership, but let me remain alive.” Hashem agreed and said, “Now go to Yehoshua and act like he does to you.” Moshe ran to Yehoshua’s house and Yehoshua became frightened. “Rebbi, come with me,” said Moshe. When they came to the Ohel Moed the cloud of the Shechina descended on Yehoshua and Moshe was left outside. When the cloud lifted, Moshe asked Yehoshua to tell him what Hashem had said. Yehoshua replied, “When Hashem appeared to you, did I know what you spoke about?” Moshe screamed, “Let me die one thousand deaths and not have an ounce of jealousy.” (Medrash Devarim Rabba 9:9) Moshe preferred to die rather than be jealous, but why didn’t Yehoshua want to tell Moshe what Hashem said?
Ans… Rav Shimon Schwab answers with a Rashi in Vayeilech (31:7). Moshe told Yehoshua, “Ki Ata Savo Es Ha’Am HaZeh,” which the gGemara Sanhedrin (8a) explains that Moshe told Yehoshua to lead Bnei Yisrael together with the Zikeinim. However, Hashem disagreed, as later in the parsha (31:23) Hashem told Yehoshua, “Ki Ata Savi,” meaning that you will lead alone and by force, as each generation can have only a single leader. Rav Schwab says that Hashem told him this when he was in the Anan. Yehoshua did not want to repeat this to Moshe because he didn’t want him to feel bad that Hashem gave him different instructions, and for Moshe’s honor, he refused to tell him what Hashem said.
4. The mitzva of Hakhel requires the attendance of men, women, and children. The Gemara (Chagiga 3a) comments that we understand why the men and women need to hear the King read the Torah, but why the children? The Gemara answers that this is to give a reward to the parents for taking them. Rav Chaim Kanievsky was asked (Derech Sicha) “Why doesn’t the Gemara answer that it is because the young boys will soak in the atmosphere of Torah which will enrich their neshamos.” In fact the Yerushalmi says that Rebbi Yehoshua’s mother would bring his crib to the Bais Medrash so his ears should hear Torah, proving the power of the words of Torah on little children. Ans … Rav Chaim answered that it is certainly true that the Torah can have a strong impact even on a baby. In fact in the Gemara (Pesachim 96b) Rebbi Yehoshua says that he once heard a certain halacha regarding Hilchos Temura. Rav Chaim says that the word says that this is a Halacha he heard in his crib in the Bais Medrash! “Therefore,” Rav Chaim answers, “the Gemara’s question is not on the boys. They have good reason to go. Rather, the question is on the little girls who must also come to Hakhel.”
5. The Meshech Chochma says that we know that a king is commanded not to be haughty, “LiVilti Rum Livavo.” He must deal with every individual with love and compassion. However, this is only in private. Publicly, he must show a tough exterior and may not be Mochel on his Kavod. We even see that Shaul Hamelech was punished for being too soft and compassionate. Where? Ans… There is a remez to this from the pasuk (VaYeilech 31:7) where Moshe called Yehoshua and said to him, “L’Einei Kol Yisroel Chazak V’Ematz.” In a play on words the Meshech Chochma says, “Before the eyes of the people, that is when you must be strong and bold.”
6. Rebbi Yochanan cried when he read the Pasuk (VaYeilech 31:21), “VHaya Ki Simtzena Oso Ra’os Rabos; it will be when a great deal of bad finds you.” He cried and said, “A slave whose master makes him lots of trouble, is there any hope for him?” (Chagiga 4b). Rav Meir Shapiro asks, “On the contrary, a slave goes free when his master knocks out his eye or any other major organ. Why is he despondent? The misery inflicted upon him carries the hope of freedom!” Ans… He answers that the halacha is that the slave only goes free, if he says that the master knocked out his eye. If, however, he says that it fell out by itself, he does not go free. A careful reading of the pasuk says, not that Hashem inflicted upon him great troubles, but rather

the troubles found him. He does not admit that they came from Hashem as a punishment for his aveiros, but merely bad luck. In that case, he is like a slave whose eye is knocked out by his master, but he will never go free. Over this pathetic suffering, yet hard headed Eved, Rebbi Yochanan cried.

Test Me! I Dare You. I Double Dare You.
1. What is the connection between the verse “atem nitzavim” and the curses in the previous parsha?
– The Jewish People asked, “Who can survive such curses?” Moshe responded, “You’ve done a lot to anger Hashem, and yet “atem nitzavim” you’re still standing before Him.”
2. Who were the wood-choppers and water-carriers? – Canaanites who joined the Jewish People under false pretenses.
3. Why can Hashem never “swap” the Jewish people for another nation? – Because Hashem swore to their ancestors that He would never do so.
4. One who ignores the Torah’s warnings “adds drunkenness to thirst.” What does this mean?
– He causes Hashem to reckon his unintentional sins alongside his intentional ones, punishing him for all.
5. What two cities were destroyed along with Sedom and Amorah? – Admah and Tsevoyim.
6. “The hidden things are for Hashem, our G-d, and the revealed things are for us…” What does this mean? – There is collective culpability only for “open” sins, but not for “hidden” ones.
7. According to Rashi, how will the day of the ingathering of the exiles be “great and difficult?”
– It will be as if Hashem needs to take each individual by the hand and lead him out of exile.
8. Moshe said, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in…” How do we know this does not refer to physical inability? – Because verse 34:7 says “His (Moshe’s) eye never dimmed, and his (youthful) moisture never departed.”
9. Which of Moshe’s statements to Yehoshua was later contradicted by Hashem’s command? – Moshe told Yehoshua to share his leadership with the Elders. Hashem later commanded Yehoshua to rule alone.
10. Why does the Torah refer to Succot of the eighth year as though it occurred during the shemita year?
– Because the laws of the seventh year still apply to the harvest.
11. Why does the Torah command that babies be brought to the Torah reading? – To give reward to those who bring them.
12. What does it mean that Hashem “hides His face?” – He ignores their distress.
13. What function does the song Ha’azinu serve? – It warns what will befall the Jewish People if they abandon Torah.
14. Which verse promises that the Torah will never be totally forgotten? – “For (the Torah) will not be forgotten from the mouth of their offspring.”

Created By Avrohom Sherman
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