Parsha Q&A - Parshas Pinchas

Parshas Pinchas

For the week ending 24 Tammuz 5758 / 17 - 18 July 1998

Contents:

Parsha Questions

Sherlox Holmes

I Did Not Know That!

Parsha Questions

Answers | Contents

Why was Pinchas not originally a kohen?
Why was Moav spared the fate of Midian?
Why was Moshe commanded to conduct a census after the plague?
To which family name were the letters yud and heh not added? Why not?
The Torah states that Korach and his congregation became a sign. What do they signify?
Why did Korach's children survive?
In Bereishis 35:18, Rachel named her younger son Ben Oni (my unfortunate son). How was her prophecy fulfilled?
Who was the only living granddaughter of Yaakov at the time of the census?
How long did it take to conquer the Land? How long to divide the Land?
Two brothers come out of Egypt and die in the midbar. One brother has three sons. The other brother has only one son, Ploni. When these four cousins enter the Land, how many portions will Ploni actually receive?
Why did the decree to die in the desert not apply to the women?
What trait did the daughters of Tzlofchad exhibit that was exhibited by their ancestor Yosef?
Why does the Torah change the order of the names of the daughters of Tzlofchad in different places?
Tzlofchad died because of his own sin. What was it?
When asking Hashem to appoint a successor, why did Moshe use the phrase "Hashem of the spirits of all flesh"?
Moshe "put some of his glory" upon Yehoshua. What does this mean?
Where were the daily offerings slaughtered?
Goats are brought as musaf sin-offerings. For what sin do they atone?
Why is Shavuos called Yom HaBikkurim (the day of the first-fruits)?
What do the seventy bullocks offered on Succos symbolize?

Solution Contents	Sherlox Holmes "I'm having difficulty. The person whom I'm currently investigating has a clever way of evading all my questions. I can't tolerate a statement which is neither here nor there," said world famous detextive Sherlox Holmes. "I'm also having difficulty," said Watstein. "I'm having difficulty with the following verse. The text says: And the sons of Korach didn't die (Bamidbar 26:11). Rashi explains with a midrash which states that they, too, fell into gehinom (purgatory); yet because at the last moment they had thoughts of repentance, a high place was forged for them in gehinom which saved them from falling all the way in." "What one little thought can do," sighed Sherlox. "But Mr. Holmes, we have a rule: Rashi doesn't resort to a midrash unless there is a textual need to do so. What is it about the above verse that needs explaining? Why can't the verse be understood in the simple sense: The sons of Korach didn't die? What's bothering Rashi?" "I can't tolerate a statement which is neither here nor there," said Sherlox.

Solution
Contents

Sherlox Holmes

"I'm having difficulty. The person whom I'm currently investigating has a clever way of evading all my questions. I can't tolerate a statement which is neither here nor there," said world famous detextive Sherlox Holmes.

"I'm also having difficulty," said Watstein. "I'm having difficulty with the following verse. The text says: And the sons of Korach didn't die (Bamidbar 26:11). Rashi explains with a midrash which states that they, too, fell into gehinom (purgatory); yet because at the last moment they had thoughts of repentance, a high place was forged for them in gehinom which saved them from falling all the way in."

"What one little thought can do," sighed Sherlox.

"But Mr. Holmes, we have a rule: Rashi doesn't resort to a midrash unless there is a textual need to do so. What is it about the above verse that needs explaining? Why can't the verse be understood in the simple sense: The sons of Korach didn't die? What's bothering Rashi?"

"I can't tolerate a statement which is neither here nor there," said Sherlox.

I Did Not Know That!

Why did the Torah require a wheat offering on Shavuos? On Shavuos, judgment is passed on the fruit harvest of the entire year. We offer a wheat offering so that Hashem should bless the fruit trees. But what is the connection between wheat and fruit? Rashi explains that wheat is considered a type of fruit, since before Adam sinned, wheat grew on a tree. After Mashiach's arrival it will do so again.

(Rosh Hashana 16a)

Answers to this Week's Questions

Questions | Contents

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

Why was Pinchas not originally a kohen?
25:13 - The kehuna - priesthood - was given to Aharon and his sons (not grandsons), and to any of their descendants who would be born after they were anointed. Pinchas, Aharon's grandson, was born prior to the anointing.
Why was Moav spared the fate of Midian?
25:18 - For the sake of Ruth, a future descendant of Moav.
Why was Moshe commanded to conduct a census after the plague?
26:1 - Like a shepherd counts his flock after it has been ravaged by wolves, G-d wanted to count his children who had survived the plague. Alternatively, when the people left Egypt they were given over to Moshe with a counting; now that Moshe was near death, he wanted to return them with a counting.
To which family name were the letters yud and heh not added? Why not?
26:5 - Yimnah, because the name Yimnah already has its own yud and heh at the beginning and end.
The Torah states that Korach and his congregation became a sign. What do they signify?
26:10 - They are a reminder that the kehuna was given forever to Aharon and to his descendants, and that no non-kohen should ever dispute this right.
Why did Korach's children survive?
26:11 - Although they originally participated in the plot against Moshe, they repented and were spared.
In Bereishis 35:18, Rachel named her younger son Ben Oni (my unfortunate son). How was her prophecy fulfilled?
26:24 - Binyamin had ten sons, only five of whose descendants entered Eretz Yisrael. Also, nearly the entire Tribe of Binyamin was destroyed in the incident of pilegesh b'Givah (Shoftim 20:35).
Who was the only living granddaughter of Yaakov at the time of the census?
26:46 - Serach bas Asher
How long did it take to conquer the Land? How long to divide the Land?
26:53 - Seven years to conquer, and seven years to divide.
Two brothers come out of Egypt and die in the midbar. One brother has three sons. The other brother has only one son, Ploni. When these four cousins enter the Land, how many portions will Ploni actually receive?
26:55 - Two portions.
Why did the decree to die in the desert not apply to the women?
26:64 - In the incident of the meraglim only the men wished to return to Egypt. The women wanted to enter Eretz Yisrael.
What trait did the daughters of Tzlofchad exhibit that was exhibited by their ancestor Yosef?
27:1 - Love for the Land of Israel.
Why does the Torah change the order of the names of the daughters of Tzlofchad in different places?
27:1 - To teach that they were equal in greatness.
Tzlofchad died because of his own sin. What was it?
27:3 - According to Rabbi Akiva, Tzlofchad was the one who gathered sticks on Shabbos. According to Rabbi Shimon, Tzlofchad was among those who attempted to enter Eretz Yisrael after the sin of the meraglim.
When asking Hashem to appoint a successor, why did Moshe use the phrase "Hashem of the spirits of all flesh"?
27:16 - He was asking Hashem, who understands the multitude of dispositions among the Jewish People, to appoint a leader who can deal with each person according to that person's nature.
Moshe "put some of his glory" upon Yehoshua. What does this mean?
27:20 - That Yehoshua's face also shone. Moshe's face beamed like the sun, Yehoshua's face beamed like the moon.
Where were the daily offerings slaughtered?
28:3 - At a spot opposite the sun. The morning offering was slaughtered on the western side of the slaughtering area, and the afternoon offering on the eastern side.
Goats are brought as musaf sin-offerings. For what sin do they atone?
28:15 - For ritual defilement of the Sanctuary or its vessels, of which no one is cognizant.
Why is Shavuos called Yom HaBikkurim (the day of the first-fruits)?
28:26 - Two loaves of bread were brought as an offering on Shavuos. They were the first of the wheat-offerings brought from the new grain.
What do the seventy bullocks offered on Succos symbolize?
29:18 - They allude to the seventy nations of the world.

Mystery Contents	Solution to Sherlox Holmes "Had the verse meant that the sons of Korach lived, it would have said so," said Sherlox. "How so?" asked Watstein. "The verse would have said: The sons of Korach lived. The verse did not say this, but rather chose the round-about way, saying that they didn't die." "What is the implication?" asked Watstein. "Let me give you an analogy. Let's say you are asking about the health of a patient at the hospital, and they tell you 'he isn't dead;' what does that indicate?" "It indicates that the situation is bleak indeed; that he is hanging between life and death. His only claim to life is that he's not dead ... yet." "Here too, by telling us they didn't die, the verse indicates that their situation was indeed not a good one, that they were not quite alive and not quite dead; rather they were hanging somewhere in limbo between the two states." "They were neither here nor there!" said Watstein. "Indeed," said Sherlox. (Based on Devek Tov)

Mystery
Contents

Solution to Sherlox Holmes

"Had the verse meant that the sons of Korach lived, it would have said so," said Sherlox.

"How so?" asked Watstein.

"The verse would have said: The sons of Korach lived. The verse did not say this, but rather chose the round-about way, saying that they didn't die."

"What is the implication?" asked Watstein.

"Let me give you an analogy. Let's say you are asking about the health of a patient at the hospital, and they tell you 'he isn't dead;' what does that indicate?"

"It indicates that the situation is bleak indeed; that he is hanging between life and death. His only claim to life is that he's not dead ... yet."

"Here too, by telling us they didn't die, the verse indicates that their situation was indeed not a good one, that they were not quite alive and not quite dead; rather they were hanging somewhere in limbo between the two states."

"They were neither here nor there!" said Watstein.

"Indeed," said Sherlox.

(Based on Devek Tov)

Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Eli Ballon
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Parsha Q&A - Parshas Pinchas

Parshas Pinchas

Parsha Questions

Sherlox Holmes

I Did Not Know That!

Recommended Reading List

Answers to this Week's Questions

Solution to Sherlox Holmes