Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 23:04:27 +0300 From: Menachem Leibtag Subject: SEFER DEVARIM - Questions for self study To: all@tanach.org, parsha@tanach.org, yhe-parsha.ml@vbm-torah.org Reply-to: tsc@bezeqint.net Priority: normal Reply To: Menachem Leibtag Error-To: Listproc Error X-ListMember: cypess@ymail.yu.edu [all@tanach.org] [Note: Questions for Parshat Devarim will be sent separately.] ************************************************************* THE TANACH STUDY CENTER/ In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag [http://www.tanach.org] ************************************************************* SEFER DEVARIM / Questions for self-study PART I - WHAT SEFER IS or ISN'T It is commonly understood that Sefer Devarim is a REVIEW or REPEAT of Chumash. The following set of questions will help you determine if this assumption is indeed correct. 1. If indeed Sefer Devarim is a review of Chumash, then we would certainly expect that it review its main stories. To verify this, let's start with Sefer Breishit. In Sefer Breishit, we find the story of Creation, the Flood and the story of the Avot. Are any of these stories repeated in Sefer Devarim? If so, which story and where it is repeated? Which stories are 'missing'? 2. In Sefer Shmot we find the stories of Moshe's birth, the Ten Plagues, the Exodus, Matan Torah, Chet ha'egel, and building the Mishkan. Can you find any of these stories in Sefer Devarim? If so, in what Parsha? Which stories are missing? 3. In Sefer Devarim, we DO find the story of Matan Torah and chet ha'egel. WHERE are they found and in what context? Are they presented as part of an ongoing review of Bnei Yisrael's history? The second half of Sefer Shmot discusses the Mishkan in great detail. Is any of this detail repeated in Sefer Devarim? Is the Mishkan ever mentioned in Sefer Devarim? Is the Mikdash and/or korbanot ever referred to all? If so, where? 4. In Sefer Vayikra, we find numerous mitzvot, most of which deal with the Mishkan and korbanot. Are any of these mitzvot repeated in Sefer Devarim? If so, which mitzvot and in what Parsha? Which mitzvot of Vayikra are not mentioned at all in Sefer Devarim? 5. Recall from our study of Sefer Bamidbar how it contains both 'narrative' and 'mitzvot'. While the narrative focussed on the story of Bnei Yisrael's journey from Har Sinai towards Eretz Canaan [including the preparation for that journey], most of its mitzvot seemed to have 'belonged' in Sefer Vayikra. 5. To the best of your recollection, which stories which took place during that journey are repeated in Sefer Devarim? Are the stories which are repeated presented in an orderly fashion? Explain! Can you identify the stories that are missing and why? Are the stories of Korach, Bilam, and Mei Meriva mentioned? If so, as complete stories, or are they just referred to in passing? Explain why. 6. The story of the meraglim is 'repeated' in chapter one of Sefer Devarim. Can you explain why that story receives so much detail and is first in Sefer Devarim? The story of the conquest of Sichon & Og is also quite detailed in Sefer Devarim (chapters 2->3). Can you explain why? Relate to the final psukim of Parshat Devarim (3:20-22)! 7. Are ANY of the mitzvot found is Sefer Bamidbar repeated in Sefer Devarim (e.g. nazir, sotah, tzizit, chalah, nsachim, para aduma, tmidim u'musafim, etc.). If not, can you explain why? 8. Are there any mitzvot listed in Sefer Devarim that were never mentioned earlier in Chumash? If so, name a few examples. If Sefer Devarim is a repeat or review of Chumash, would it make sense that it would contain mitzvot that were never mentioned earlier? 9. Based on your answers to all the above questions, would you still say that Sefer Devarim is a review or repeat of Chumash? If not, then what is it? PART II - A BOOK OF SPEECHES 1. Scan through the Sefer, noting how most of the Sefer Devarim is written in the first person (i.e. as though Moshe himself is talking). Can you explain the reason for this style? Do we find this style in any other Chumash? 2. Now, read the first seven psukim carefully. Note that the Sefer begins in third person. In what pasuk does the Sefer switch to first person. Can you explain why? Until where does this 'first person' style continue? [If you give up, scan until [towards the] end of chapter 4.] In case you didn't notice, you just identified a speech, the first of many speeches found in Sefer Devarim. What is the main topic and purpose of Moshe's first speech (i.e. chapters 1:5->4:40)? [Attempt to explain the flow of topics.] Can you explain the short narrative (third person) in 4:41-49? [See Ramban on Devarim 1:1 (towards the end).] 3. Next, examine chapter 5 and note where the next speech begins. [This one's a bit easier to identify.] Once again, scan this speech (noting that is written in first person) and try to find where it ends. [You should give up after a while, since this speech continues until the end of chapter 26, but if you have time, try to verify this by yourself. If you have even more time, see if you can identify the next set of speeches in Sefer Devarim (after chapter 26) and their purpose.] Can you explain why this 'main speech' of Sefer Devarim is commonly referred to as "ne'um ha'MITZVOT"? 4. Read chapter five (the opening chapter of the main speech) very carefully, especially from 5:20 to 6:4. How does this chapter explain the purpose and the background for the main speech? Is 5:28 and 6:1 talking about the same set of mitzvot? If so, where are they recorded? When were these mitzvot first given to Bnei Yisrael. Why haven't they been recorded in Chumash up until this point? 5. In your opinion, how does this main speech (chapters 5->26) relate to the first speech (chapters 1->4)? [Hint: When would have the main speech of Sefer Devarim been given had Bnei Yisrael not sinned in the desert?] 6. Carefully read Shmot 34:27-33! According to this parsha, when Moshe came down from Har Sinai, he taught Bnei Yisrael all of the laws which God had instructed him on Har Sinai. What specific mitzvot is that parsha referring to? Are those laws recorded in Sefer Shmot. If so, where? If not, why not. [Relate to Shmot 35:1-5.] If these mitzvot are not recorded in Sefer Shmot, the where are they recorded? How does your answer relate to your answer to question #4? 7. Based on all of the above, what would you say is the main theme, or main purpose of Sefer Devarim? Why do you think that Chazal refer to it as MISHNEH TORAH? From what "shoresh" does the word "mishneh" stem from? [Relate this to the meaning of MISHNEH as in "mishnayot".] Relate in your answer to Devarim 6:7 - "v'shinantam..." Relate this to "ha'devarim ha'eyleh" in 6:6? Are these the same "devarim" as in Devarim 1:1? Shmot 34:27? Relate also to Devarim 17:18 - "...mishneh ha'torah..." 8. How does your answer to question 7 help you understand the first several psukim in Sefer Devarim? [See Ibn Ezra and Ramban on 1:1-4.] PART III - PARSHANUT 1. See Ramban and Ibn Ezra on Devarim 1:1. Are these two pirushim the same or different. If they are different, in what manner are they similar? If they are similar, in what manner are they different? How do these two pirushim relate to the questions in Part II? 2. See Emek Davar on Devarim 1:1. How does his pirush relate to the above questions. In what manner is his pirush different than Ramban & Ibn Ezra. b'hatzlacha, menachem ********************************************************* To SUBSCRIBE or to UNSUBSCRIBE to this shiur: send e-mail to: lists@tanach.org with the following message in first line of TEXT: join all or leave all ********************************************************* Previous shiurim are available on the TSC WEBSITE: http://www.tanach.org *********************************************************** If you would like to support the TSC Project or dedicate a shiur, please e-mail: ml@tanach.org *********************************************************** Internet & e-mail list hosting for the TSC provided courtesy of: The Yerushalayim Network (http://www.yerushalayim.net) a Centennial Project of the Orthodox Union (http://www.ou.org) *********************************************************** Copyright (c) 1999 Menachem Leibtag. All rights reserved.