Parsha Q&A - Ki Savo « Ohr Somayach

Parshas Ki Savo

For the week ending 18 Elul 5757; 19 & 20 September 1997

Contents:

Parsha Questions

Bonus Question

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Parsha Questions

Answers | Contents

When did the obligation to bring bikkurim (first fruits) begin?
From which crops must one bring bikkurim?
What does 'v'anisa v'amarta' mean (verse 26:5)?
How does one designate bikkurim?
Who shakes the basket containing the bikkurim?
"An Arami tried to destroy my father....(26:5)" Who was that Arami?
Starting when in the year are bikkurim brought? Until when are the special verses recited?
Someone declaring that he separated trumah and maaser says "and I didn't forget (26:13)." What didn't he forget?
Eleven curses were spoken on Mt. Eval. What is the significance of this number?
What were the Jewish People to do with the 12 stones on Mount Eval?
Six tribes were to stand on Mount Eval, and six on Mount Grizim. Who and what were in the middle?
Who "causes the blind to go astray?"
How does one "strike another secretly?"
Why is the word "ashteros" used in reference to sheep?
How is the manner of expressing the curses in Parshas Bechukosai more severe than in this week's Parsha?
What is meant by "the Jewish People will become a proverb?"
"...And there you will serve other gods...." What does this mean?
"In the morning you shall say, 'If only it were (last) evening' and in the evening you will say, 'If only it were (this) morning' (28:67)." Why?
To which tribe did Moshe give the Torah first?
How long does it take to understand the depth of one's teacher's wisdom?

Answer Contents	Even though the Mitzva of bringing bikurim to Jerusalem is no longer applicable, there are two customs that we perform up to this very day, whose origins are found in the ceremony of bringing the bikkurim. What are they?

The promise that the Jewish People would be exiled from the Land of Israel was fulfilled twice. Once with the destruction of the First Temple and again when the Second Temple was destroyed. However, the first exile was for seventy years whereas the second, current, exile has been for almost two thousand. Why is there such a huge difference? The three cardinal sins, murder, idolatry and immorality, were the cause of the destruction of the First Temple but it was baseless hatred that was the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple. The three cardinal sins are generally more obvious and therefore it is simpler to atone for them. Baseless hatred is something that is frequently kept hidden from view and is difficult to identify. Often a person is not even aware of the fact that such feelings are baseless hatred, making it that much more difficult to atone for. As long as such a state remains our exile will continue.

Yoma 9a

Answers to this Week's Questions

Questions | Contents

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

26:1 - After the Land was conquered and divided.
26:2 - The seven species for which Eretz Yisrael is praised.
26:5 - Speak loudly.
26:2 - When he sees the first fruit ripen on a tree, he binds a piece of straw around it to mark it as bikkurim.
26:4 - The kohen places his hands under the hands of the one bringing it, and they wave the basket together.
26:5 - Lavan.
26:11 - Bikkurim are brought starting from Shavuos (until Channuka). The verses are recited only until Succos.
26:13 - To bless Hashem.
27:24 - Each curse corresponds with one of the tribes, except for the tribe of Shimon. Since Moshe didn't intend to bless the tribe of Shimon before his death, he did not want to curse them either.
27:2 - Build an altar.
27:12 - Kohanim, Levi'im and the Ark.
27:18 - Any person who intentionally gives bad advice.
27:24 - By slandering him.
28:4 - Because they 'enrich' (m'ashiros) their owners.
28:23 - In Bechukosai, the Torah speaks in the plural, whereas in this Parsha the curses are mentioned in the singular.
28:37 - Whenever someone wants to express the idea of extraordinary suffering they will use the Jewish People as an example.
28:64 - You will pay taxes to the idol worshipping priests.
28:67 - Because the curse of each hour will be greater than that of the previous hour.
29:3 - To the tribe of Levi.
29:8 - 40 years.

Question Contents	We stand up in the presence of a brit and a funeral procession. When the owners of the bikkurim brought the produce up to Jerusalem all the inhabitants stopped what they were doing and stood up in their honor. (Bartinura on Mishna Bikkurim 3:3)

Question
Contents

We stand up in the presence of a brit and a funeral procession. When the owners of the bikkurim brought the produce up to Jerusalem all the inhabitants stopped what they were doing and stood up in their honor.

(Bartinura on Mishna Bikkurim 3:3)

Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Eli Ballon
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Parsha Q&A - Ki Savo

Parshas Ki Savo

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