* PARSHA Q&A * In-Depth Questions on the Parsha and Rashi's commentary. Parshat Ki Teitze For the week ending 9 Elul 5760 / 8 & 9 September 2000 ===================================== PARSHA QUESTIONS 1. Why must a captured woman mourn her family for a month in her captor's house? 2. What fraction of the inheritance does a first-born receive if he has a) one brother? b) two brothers? 3. What will become of a ben sorer u'moreh if his parents don't bring him to court? 4. Why is it a degradation to Hashem to hang a criminal's body on the gallows overnight? 5. What do you do if you find a lost object that costs money to maintain? 6. Why does the Torah forbid wearing the clothing of the opposite gender? 7. Why does the Torah link the mitzvah of sending away the mother-bird with the mitzvah of making a railing on the roof of your house? 8. What mixture of wool and linen is permitted to be worn? 9. What three things happen to a man who falsely slanders his bride? 10. Although the Egyptians enslaved the Jewish People, the Torah allows marriage with their third-generation converts. Why? 11. Why is causing someone to sin worse than killing him? 12. If one charges interest to his fellow Jew, how many commandments has he transgressed? 13. What is the groom's special obligation to his bride during their first year together? 14. When is a groom required to fight in a non-obligatory war? 15. What type of object may one not impound as collateral? 16. "Remember what Hashem did to Miriam." To what event does the Torah refer? 17. If a poor person finds money, the one who lost it receives a blessing. From where do we derive this? 18. Who has the primary obligation to perform yibum? 19. Which two people in this week's Parsha are required to speak in Lashon Hakodesh. 20. How does the Torah describe those who cheat in business? ================================== KASHA! (kasha means "question") How would you answer this question on the Parsha? "Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite may marry into Hashem's community...because they did not offer you bread and water on the journey when you left Egypt, and because they hired Bilaam ben Be'or from Aram's Twin Rivers to curse you." (23:4) KASHA: The above verse portrays the Moabites as not offering food to the travel-weary Jews. But an earlier verse implies that the Moabites did offer food. In the earlier verse Moshe asks King Sichon to allow the Jews passage, food, and water "as the Children of Esav who dwell in Seir and as the Moabites who dwell in Ar did for us." (Devarim 2:29). How do you resolve this contradiction? ANSWER: The above verse criticizes the two nations of Amon and Moav for two sins: Denying food and hiring Bilaam to curse. But the verse does not necessarily mean that both nations were guilty of both sins. Rather, the Ammonites alone denied food and water to the Jews, while the Moabites were free of that blemish. The Moabites alone, on the other hand, are the ones who hired Bilaam to curse the Jews. * Siftei Chachamim, Devarim 2:29 DO YOU HAVE A KASHA? Write to kasha@ohr.org.il with your questions on any Parsha! ================================== I DID NOT KNOW THAT! "Don't wear shatnez, a mixture of wool and linen. (22:11) If there is a long fabric (a blanket, for example) with wool and linen mixed together at one end, it is forbidden to cover yourself even with the other end. * Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 301:3 ================================== RECOMMENDED READING LIST Ramban 21:18 Gluttony and Rebellion 21:22 Hanging 22:6 Reason for Mitzvos 23:10 Wartime Morality 23:20 Usury 24:9 Lashon Harah 25:17 Remembering Amalek Sforno 21:16 The Birthright 21:23 Hanging 22:7 Torah Ecology 23:20 Kindliness Sefer Hachinuch 533 Avoiding Exploitation 545 Compassion 550 Unnatural Combinations 552 Marriage 561 Ingratitude 579 Divorce 599 Filial Responsibility ================================== ANSWERS TO THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated 1. Why must a captured woman mourn her family for a month in her captor's house? 21:13 - So her captor will find her unattractive. 2. What fraction of the inheritance does a first-born receive if he has a) one brother? b) two brothers? 21:17 - a) 2/3 b) 1/2 3. What will become of a ben sorer u'moreh if his parents don't bring him to court? 21:22 - He will eventually rob and kill to support his physical indulgences. 4. Why is it a degradation to Hashem to hang a criminal's body on the gallows overnight? 21:23 - Because humans are made in Hashem's image; and because the Jewish People are Hashem's children. 5. What do you do if you find a lost object that costs money to maintain? 22:2 - Sell it and save the money for the owner. 6. Why does the Torah forbid wearing the clothing of the opposite gender? 22:5 - It leads to immorality. 7. Why does the Torah link the mitzvah of sending away the mother-bird with the mitzvah of making a railing on the roof of your house? 22:8 - To teach that one mitzvah leads to another, and to prosperity. 8. What mixture of wool and linen is permitted to be worn? 22:12 - Wool tzitzit on a linen garment. 9. What three things happen to a man who falsely slanders his bride? 22:18 - He receives lashes, pays a fine of 100 silver selah, and may never divorce her against her will. 10. Although the Egyptians enslaved the Jewish People, the Torah allows marriage with their third-generation converts. Why? 23:8 - Because they hosted Yaakov and his family during the famine. 11. Why is causing someone to sin worse than killing him? 23:9 - Murder takes away life in this world, while causing someone to sin takes away his life in the World to Come. 12. If one charges interest to his fellow Jew, how many commandments has he transgressed? 23:21 - Three; two negative commandments and a positive commandment. 13. What is the groom's special obligation to his bride during their first year together? 24:5 - To gladden her. 14. When is a groom required to fight in a non-obligatory war? 24:5 - When he remarries his ex-wife. 15. What type of object may one not impound as collateral? 24:6 - Utensils used to prepare food. 16. "Remember what Hashem did to Miriam." To what event does the Torah refer? 24:9 - Hashem punishing Miriam with tzara'at for speaking lashon harah. 17. If a poor person finds money, the one who lost it receives a blessing. From where do we derive this? 24:19 - From the mitzvah to leave the "forgotten bundle" for the poor. 18. Who has the primary obligation to perform yibum? 25:6 - The eldest brother. 19. Which two people in this week's Parsha are required to speak in Lashon Hakodesh. 25:8 - The yavam (brother-in-law) and the yavamah (his childless brother's widow). 20. How does the Torah describe those who cheat in business? 25:16 - "An abomination (to'evah) to Hashem." ================================== If you like this e-mail please share it with a friend. ================================== Do you know about ALL of Ohr Somayach's e-mail lists? Ohrnet, Torah Weekly, Parsha Q&A, Ask the Rabbi, The Weekly Daf, Seasons of the Moon, OS-Special, Judaismo, Judaismo-p, Light Lines, Ohrnews, Simcha, OS-Alum, Torah and Nature. To subscribe, write to info@ohr.org.il ================================== If you want to unsubscribe from this list, send the message: unsubscribe parasha-qa to: listproc@vjlists.com ================================== Dedication opportunities are available for Parsha Q&A. Please contact us for details. ================================== Written and Compiled by Rabbi Reuven Subar General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman ================================== Ohr Somayach International 22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103 Jerusalem 91180, Israel Tel: 972-2-581-0315 Fax: 972-2-581-2890 E-Mail: info@ohr.org.il Home Page: http://www.ohrnet.org ================================== (C) 2000 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved. This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you contact us beforehand for permission, and then send us a sample issue.