CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS B'HAALOS'CHO 5766 - BS"D

2) Ch. 8, v. 2: "El mul pnei ha'menorah yo'iru SHIVAS ha'neiros" - It would seem that the verse should have said SHEI'SHES, the SIX lights, if "pnei ha'menorah" means the central stem.

3) Ch. 9, v. 2: "V'yaasu vnei Yisroel es haPosach" - And the bnei Yisroel shall make the Pesach - Parshas Bo is replete with commands to offer the Paschal lamb. Why was it necessary to repeat this?

4) Ch. 11, v. 4: "Hisavu taavoh .. va'yomru mi yaachi'leinu bosor" - Lusted a lusting .. and they said, 'Who will feed us flesh' - Since they had large herds of cattle, why didn't they have a steady supply of meat? As well, the manna could take on the flavour of almost any imagined food.

5) Ch. 12, v. 7: "B'chol beisi NE'EMON hu" - What does NE'EMON mean?

Answer to questions on parshas Nosso:

1) Ch. 4, v. 32: "U'v'sheimos tif'k'du" - Whom or what was appointed by name?

1) The Ramban says that specific people by name were given specific amounts of the Mishkon components to carry.

2) The Medrosh Hagodol says that names were given to the "kroshim," the beams that formed the walls of the Mishkon, which are mentioned in the previous verse. This means that numbers are to be written upon them so that upon re-assembly each beam would be placed in its same position.

2) Ch. 5, v. 15: "V'heivi ho'ish es ishto el haKohein" - If we are in doubt if a wife was faithful to her husband, why don't we simply approach this as we do to all doubts? The woman has a status of kashrus unless proven otherwise. If there are witnesses to her sinning, then she is guilty and is punished accordingly. If there are no witnesses then she should be considered innocent. Why does the Torah create a new status of doubt, carrying in its wake restrictions on their marital relations, and entailing a complicated ritual that includes erasing of Hashem's Holy Name and the bringing of sacrifices?

This question is raised by the Moshav Z'keinim in the name of "the Chosid," (perhaps Rabbeinu Simchoh Baal Machazor Vitri or Rabbi Elozor of Garmeiza Baal Rokei'ach). He answers that if the Torah would not give us this new ruling, which carries with it the risk of the woman dying as a result of the Sotoh ritual, almost no man would fulfill the mitzvoh of "aliyoh l'regel," - the pilgrimage thrice a year to Yerusholayim. Although all men above the age of thirteen years are required to make the pilgrimage, no doubt some men would stay behind, as there are some exemptions that are perfectly legitimate. Although women should also make the pilgrimage, it is obvious that many women can't do so, as they are burdened by bringing up toddlers, and the trip is simply impossible. The husband will fear that while he is away his wife might stray. Because of this fear, many men would not leave their homes for "aliyoh l'regel." Now that there is the fear of being brought to the Beis Hamikdosh for the shameful public display of the "sotoh" process coupled with the possibility that if found guilty, the wayward wife would suffer a celestially orchestrated gruesome death in public, weighing over the wife's head, the husband will be confident that even in his absence his wife will walk the straight and narrow. If he fears that an infidelity has taken place he can use the "sotoh" procedure option.

3) Ch. 5, v. 20: "V'AT ki sotis" - The word "v'at" seems totally superfluous, as the Kohein is addressing the "sotoh." What need is there for this pronoun of direct address?

The Apirion answers that the gemara Sotoh 47b says that for the "sotoh" water to do its supernatural work requires that only the woman has acted immorally and her husband is free of all sin in this realm. Hence the verse stresses, "v'AT ki sotis," - You, and only you, have turned away from the right path, and because of this you will be punished as per verse 20. If, however, your husband has likewise sinned, the "sotoh" water will not bring about this result, hence "AT" and not your husband too.

4) Ch. 7, v. 3: "Sheish eglos TZOV" - What is the translation of the word TZOV?

1) COVERED wagons. This is explained as the same source word "m'tzupoh," Tzadi- Beis - Tzadi-Pei, as the Beis and Pei are interchangeable (Rashi Vayikroh 19:16) since their sound is produced by the same part of the mouth. Rabbi S.R. Hirsch explains that they were covered out of respect for their contents. Although the Mishkon's vessels were covered by "bigdei srod," the beams of the Mishkon and other Mishkon components were not, thus the need for covered wagons. (Rashi as per M.R. according to the opinion of Rebbi)

2) HANDSOME appearance, as in Shmuel 2:1:19, "haTZVI Yisroel." (variant text in Rashi)

3) Calves that are specially suited to pull wagons. Perhaps the word source is "tzovo," - army. People who are active in army duty are usually very strong. (Ibn Ezra, Rda"k, and Rabbeinu Bachyei)

4) FULL and BULGING, as in Bmidbar 5:21, "bitneich TZOVOH." Some say that the source is "tzov," a rodent that has a bulging round cover, perhaps a turtle. (Ramban and Ibn Ezra)

5) PAIRED calves. The source is the Aramaic "tzavso," meaning a pair. (Targum Yerushalmi and M.R.)

6) COLOURFULLY PAINTED. The source word is "tzeva," paint. (M.R. according to the opinion of Rabbi Yishmo'eil)

7) WHOSE CONTENTS ARE ORDERLY. This is a second opinion into the words of Rabbi Yishmoel who says both "tz'vu'os" and "m'tukosos." (Haksav V'hakaboloh) Perhaps the source word is similar to "nitzov," - standing erect and orderly.

8) Wagons to which the animals are TIED. The source word is the same as "tzvosim" - tied bundles of grain (Rus 2:16). (Haksav V'hakaboloh)

9) ARMY wagons. The structure of these wagons was similar to that which people who are in the army use to carry their supplies with them. (Rabbi Yitzchok ben Rabbi Shimshon Katz, son-in-law of the Mahara"l of Prague)

10) DURABLE wagons. In spite of the great weight that they carried they were durable. The source word is similar to "mutzov" or "nitzov." ((Rabbi Chaim Paltiel and Paa'nei'ach Rozo)

11) SLOW MOVING. Because of their great size and the tremendous weight of their cargo, they could only proceed slowly. This is the nature of the rodent called "tzov," perhaps a turtle, which moves slowly. This fits very well with Yeshayohu 66:20, "U'vaTZAVIM u'vaprodim u'vakirkoros." The "tzavim" were large heavy slow moving wagons, while the wagons called "kirkoros" where light-weight, small, and fast moving, from the source word "m'charkeir" (Shmuel 2:6:14), describing King Dovid's dancing in a quick and light-footed manner. (Ramban and Rivosh)

5) Ch. 7, v. 13: "V'korbono" - Since Nach'shon was the first to bring the donations and sacrifices for the dedication of the Mishkon, why do we have a connecting Vov at the beginning of this word? It would seem to indicate that he was not the first to bring a dedication sacrifice.

1) Rabbeinu Bachyei answers that it is exactly because he was the first that we have a Vov which SEEMS to indicate that he was not the first. This way he would not feel overly proud.

2) The Ibn Ezra and Rashbam say that since the previous verse tells us that he brought his sacrifice, but did not specify what it was, the next verse is saying, "AND the sacrifice (mentioned in the previous verse was) ......"

A GUTTEN SHABBOS KODESH. FEEL FREE TO DISTRIBUTE BY COPY OR ELECTRONICALLY.

FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. TO SUBSCRIBE, KINDLY SEND REQUEST TO: SHOLOM613@AOL.COM

See also Sedrah Selections, Oroh V'Simchoh - Meshech Chochmoh on the Weekly Parsha and Chasidic Insights