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1)

(a) Chanamel, Baruch ben Neriyah, and Sarayah ben Machseyah were all Nevi'im. Chanamel was Yirmiyah ha'Navi's cousin.
What did Baruch and Sarayah have in common?

(b) From where do we know that Neriyah and Machseyah were also prophets?

(c) What do we know about ...

1. ... a Navi whose hometown is not mentioned?
2. ... Nesanyah and his father Elishama (father and grandfather respectively of Yishmael, the murderer of Gedalyah ben Achikam)?

(a) If, as Rav Nachman maintains, Mal'achi was Mordechai, why was he called Mal'achi?

(b) Which four people, besides Baruch ben Neriyah, Sarayah ben Machseyah and Daniel, does the Beraisa list as Nevi'im that proves Rav Nachman wrong?

(c) When did all of these prophesy?

(d) According to the Rabbanan, Mal'achi was not Ezra.
On what basis does Rav Nachman prefer the opinion of Rebbi Yehoshua ban Korchah, who says that he was?

(a) Two of the four most beautiful women in the world ever were Sarah and Rachav.
Who were the other two? Why is Chavah not included (see Tosfos DH 'Arba')?

(b) Who was the fourth according to those who hold that Esther was green?

(c) The name of Rachav and the voice of Yael evoked the deepest feelings in a man.
Which aspect of Avigail and Michal (Shaul's daughter) had the same effect?

(d) Why did Rav Nachman remain unaffected when he said 'Rachav Rachav'?

(a) According to Rav, Mordechai cried out that Haman had prevailed upon Achashverosh (who was afraid to annihilate the Jews).
What does Shmuel say?

(b) According to Rav, "va'Tischalchal ha'Malkah Me'od" means that she had a sighting of Dam Nidus.
How does Shmuel explain it?

(c) Hasach was Daniel. According to Rav, he was called by that name because they cut him down (from the Lashon 'Chatach') from his greatness.
What does Shmuel say?

(d) What did Esther mean when she sent to Hasach "la'Da'as Mah Zeh ve'Al Mah Zeh"?

(a) Why did others (and not Hasach) go and inform Mordechai that Esther initially refused to go into the king?

(b) What did Esther mean when she sent to Mordechai ...

1. ... that she would go in to the king "Asher Lo cha'Das"?
2. ... "ve'Cha'asher Avadti Avadti"?

(c) Rav interprets tha Pasuk "va'Ya'avor Mordechai" to mean that the three- day fast initiated by Mordechai incorporated the first day of Pesach.
How does Shmuel interpret the Pasuk?

6)

(a) What do we learn from the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "va'Tilbash Esther Malchus" (Esther) and "ve'Ru'ach Lavshah es Amasai"?

(b) What B'rachah did ...

1. ... Aravnah confer upon David?
2. ... Daryavesh confer upon Daniel?

(c) What do we learn from there?

(d) Avimelech's curse on Sarah also came true.
What was that curse? What do we learn from there?

(a) A human being first places the pot on the stove and then fills it with water.
What does Hashem do (with regard to rain)?

(b) What do we learn from the fact that Esther informed the King of Bigsan and Teresh's plot in the name of Mordechai?

(c) In what way do we compare a Tzadik who died to a pearl that got lost?

(d) What was Rav Chisda referring to when he said 'Zeh Ba bi'P'ruzbuli ve'Zeh Ba bi'P'ruzbuti'? What nickname was Haman branded with, on account of it?

8) What do we learn from the Pasuk "ve'Chol *Zeh* Einenu Shaveh Li"? What did that have to do with Mordechai sitting at the gate of the King?

9)

(a) "On that day, Hashem will be a crown on the head of every Tzadik that does His will and hopes for His glory" (Yeshayah). Six additional conditions however, are still required: Two of them are "li'She'ar Amo" (that one is exceedingly humble) and "u'le'Ru'ach Mishpat" (that one compels oneself to do Teshuvah - however difficult it might be).
What is the meaning of ...

1. ... "u'le'Yosheiv al ha'Mishpat"?
2. ... "ve'li'Gevurah"?
3. ... "Meshivei Milchamah"?
4. ... "Sha'arah"?

(b) Why were the other people incapable of reaching these levels (see Gemara Sanhedrin 111b and Rashi there DH 'Mah Nishtanu')?

(a) When Esther reached the idol-house, the Shechinah left her.
Why was she surprised, despite the fact that she was about to give herself willingly to a Nochri?

(b) To what did she ascribe the Shechinah's departure? How did she rectify her mistake?

(c) What was the purpose of the three angels who were sent to help her find favor in the king's eyes (when really, she ought to have been killed for her audacity)?

(d) According to the various opinions, the two-Amah scepter that she was holding stretched to unbelievable lengths; twelve, sixteen or twenty-four Amos.
What are the other two possibilities?

12)

(a) The Tana'im and Amora'im give twelve reasons why Esther invited Haman to her party with Achashverosh: all in all, she aimed at manipulating Haman, Achashverosh and his ministers, K'lal Yisrael and even Hashem (Kevayachol).
How did she manipulate ...

1. ... Haman?
2. ... Achashverosh?
3. ... K'lal Yisrael?
4. ... Hashem?

(b) How did she even endanger her own life in the process?

(c) Rabah bar Avuhah asked Elayihu which of the reasons she really had in mind.
What what was his reply?

(a) According to Rav, Haman had thirty children.
What happened to them?

(b) The Rabbanan disagree on the basis of the Pasuk in Shmuel "Sevei'im ba'Lechem Niskaru".
How do they interpret that Pasuk?

(c) Rami bar Aba learns that Haman had two hundred and eight children.
How does he learn this from the word "*Rov* Banav"?

(a) "ba'Laylah Hahu Nadedah Sh'nas ha'Melech". Some explain that "ha'Melech" refers to Hashem. Others say 'Nadedu Elyonim, Nadedu Tachtonim'.
What does that mean (according to Rashi's Rebbes)?

(b) According to Rava, the Pasuk refers to Achashverosh.
Why was he unable to sleep?

(c) What made him take out the Book of Chronicles?

(d) What do we learn from ...

1. ... "va'Yihyu Nikra'im"?
2. ... "va'Yimatzei Kasuv" (instead of 'K'sav')? What 'Kal va'Chomer' do we learn from here?

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