Parsha Q&A - Parshas Vayikra - Parshas Zachor

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Parsha Q&A

Parshas Vayikra - Parshas Zachor

For the week ending 13 Adar II 5757; 21 & 22 March 1997
This issue is sponsored Herschel Kulefsky, Attorney at Law
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Contents:
  • Parsha Questions
  • Bonus Question
  • I Did Not Know That!
  • Recommended Reading List
  • Answers to Parsha Questions
  • Answer to Bonus Question
  • Back issues of Parsha Q&A
  • Subscription Information
  • Ohr Somayach Home Page
    • This publication is also available in the following formats: [Text] [Word] [PDF] Explanation of these symbols

    Parsha Questions

    Answers | Contents
    1. How do we know that Adam never offered a stolen korban?
    2. What two types of sin does an olah atone for?
    3. What procedure of an animal-offering can be performed by a non-Kohen?
    4. Besides the fire brought on the mizbeach by the Kohanim, where else did the fire come from?
    5. What is melika?
    6. Why are animal innards offered on the altar, while bird innards are not?
    7. Do burning feathers smell good? If not, why is a bird offered with the feathers attached?
    8. Why does the Torah use the term 'nefesh' concerning the flour offering?
    9. How many different types of voluntary mincha offerings are listed in the parasha?
    10. Which part of the free-will minchah offering is burned on the Altar?
    11. Which procedure of the minchah offering requires a Kohen.
    12. What is a minchah al machavas?
    13. The Torah forbids bringing honey with the minchah. What is meant by 'honey'?
    14. Why is the peace offering called a shlamim?
    15. What is the first offering brought on the altar each day?
    16. Concerning shlamim, why does the Torah teach about sheep and goats separately?
    17. Who is obligated to bring a chatas?
    18. For which sins must one bring a korban oleh v'yored?
    19. What two things does a voluntary mincha have that a minchas chatas lacks?
    20. Who brings a korban asham?
    Bonus Question
    Answer
    Contents
    "Remove its intestines and throw them next to the altar...."

    Birds eat food that they scavenge. Therefore, their intestines are tainted with 'theft' and unfit to offer upon the altar. Animals, however, eat food provided by their owners. Therefore, their intestines are fit for the altar (1:16 and Rashi).

    The above implies that dependence on humans is desirable. How does this fit with the lesson of Noah's dove? Noah's dove returned to the ark with a bitter olive leaf in its mouth, as if to say: "Bitter food provided by Hashem is better than sweet food provided by humans. (See Rashi, Bereshis 8:11)

    I Did Not Know That!

    'Elokim' - the name of Hashem which denotes strict justice - is never used in reference to the offerings.

    Rabbi S.R. Hirsch

    Recommended Reading List

    Ramban
    1:9
    Reason for Korbanos
    1:10
    Bulls and Goats
    1:14
    Birds
    2:2
    Role of the Kohen
    2:11
    The Problem of Leaven
    2:14
    Why "If"?
    Sefer Hachinuch
    95
    Concept of Korbanos
    117
    Symbolism of Leaven and Honey
    119
    Salt
    123
    Korban Oleh V'yored
    125
    A Sinner's Offering
    127
    The Sin of Carelessness

    Sforno
    1:4
    Symbolism of the Korbanos

    Answers to this Week's Questions

    All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated

    1. 1:2 - Because he owned everything.
    2. 1:4 a) Neglecting a positive command & b) Violating a negative command which is rectified by a positive command.
    3. 1:5 Slaughtering (i.e., anything before receiving the blood).
    4. 1:7 It descended from heaven.
    5. 1:15 Slaughtering a bird offering from the back of the neck using a fingernail.
    6. 1:16 An animal's food is provided by its owner, so its innards are 'kosher.' Birds, however, eat food that they scavenge, so their innards are tainted with 'theft.'
    7. 1:17 - A person who offers a bird is probably too poor to afford an animal. Therefore, the Torah wants his offering to look nice, and it looks better with feathers.
    8. 2:1 Usually, it is a poor person who brings a flour offering. Therefore, Hashem regards it as if he had offered his 'nefesh' (soul).
    9. 2:1 - Five.
    10. 2:1 The kometz (fistful).
    11. 2:2 From the taking of the kometz and onwards.
    12. 2:5 - A flour offering fried in a shallow pan.
    13. 2:11 Any sweet fruit derivative.
    14. 3:1 It brings shalom to the world. Also it creates 'peace' between the altar, the Kohen, and the owner since each gets a share.
    15. 3:5 The olas tamid.
    16. 3:7 Because they differ with regard to the alya (fat tail). The lamb's alya is burned on the altar but the goat's alya is not.
    17. 4:2 One who accidentally transgresses a negative commandment whose willing violation carries with it the penalty of "kares"(excision).
    18. 5:1-4 a. One who refrains from giving evidence when adjured by oath; b. One who enters the Beis HaMikdash or eats Kodesh food after unknowingly contracting "tuma" (uncleanliness) by touching certain "tamei" (unclean) things; c. One who unknowingly violates his oath.
    19. 5:11 Levona and oil.
    20. 5:17 One who is in doubt whether he transgressed a negative commandment whose intentional violation carries the penalty of kares (excision).
    Bonus Question
    Question
    Contents    		 Independent sustenance is good only if it is earned honestly. (The olive leaf in the mouth of Noah's dove was from an ownerless tree, since all humanity had been destroyed and Noah had not yet claimed ownership.) Charity, however, is preferably to dishonest 'independence.'
    Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
    General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
    Production Design: Lev Seltzer
    HTML Design: Michael Treblow
    HTML Assistance:     Simon Shamoun
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