The Chumash Questions

Why weren’t the Jews counted directly? Were they ever counted directly?

What halacha about counting people do we learn from the second posuk?

How was Moshe shown the half-Shekel? What else was he shown in this way?

How many zuzim‎ in a Shekel? How many geira‎ in a zuz‎?

Why is the word terumah mentioned three times?

How did they spend the silver from the two counts?

Why was the count exactly the same both times? Was there a miracle in it?

What was the kiyor‎? Who used it? For what?

Which halacha is derived from the parsha of kiyor‎?

What did the oil contain besides the olive oil?

What was this oil used for? What are the opinions of Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Meir on the preparation of this oil?

What was the weight of the aromatic herbs? The measure of the oil?

“Anything touching them should become holy.” Touching whom? Holy for what?

Our Sages said that all of the oil remained intact. How do we know?

What are the two prohibitions about the oil? Punishment for transgressing?

How many herbs were used for the ketores (incense)? How many are mentioned?

One of the herbs didn’t have a good aroma. Which? What do we learn from this fact?

Into how many portions was it divided? Why? What about the extras?

How does Rashi explain chochma‎, tevuna‎, daas‎? Is this similar to the explanation given in Tanya for chochma‎, binah‎, daas‎? How?

Why is the subject of Shabbos mentioned here?

Shabbos is a sign between Hashem and the Jews. How?

For whom is this sign intended? Purpose?

What are the punishments for desecrating the Shabbos? beshogeig‎, bemeizid‎, behasraah‎?

Why is Shabbos called Shabbos Shabbaton? What else is called by this title?

Prove that the Torah is not necessarily arranged in chronological order.

What wording is used in the Hebrew version of the above rule?

Why is the Torah likened to a kallah‎? (Two reasons.)

How was it possible for Moshe to learn the whole Torah in such a short time?

How did the people mistakenly decide that Moshe was late in his return?

Which two things did the Satan do to confuse the people?

Prove that they only asked for a leader to substitute for Moshe, not for a deity.

Why did Aharon decide to ask for the women’s and children’s jewelry?

Who actually donated the jewelry? Proof?

After Aharon threw the gold into the fire, who produced the egel hazahav‎ (golden calf)? (Two opinions.)

Prove that the mixed multitude of erev rav (Egyptian converts) started the whole thing.

Why did Aharon feel forced to announce a celebration for them? Why for the next day?

Why didn’t he ask them to build the altar instead of building it himself?

What happened to Chur? Why? How was he related to Aharon?

Why was it so easy for them to get up early the next morning? Did they awaken so quickly for Matan Torah? What can we learn from it?

What kind of mussar did Moshe get from the Heavenly Court?

Why does it say “Your nation sinned” rather than “the nation”?

Why were the Jews called a stiff-necked people?

How did Moshe get the hint that prayer might still help?

What reason did Moshe give to Hashem not to be angry at them?

Why did he mention here the three Patriarchs?

How did Hashem respond to Moshe’s prayers?

On which days do we read Moshe’s prayer in the Torah? Why?

“They (the tablets) are the doings of Hashem.” Give two interpretations for this.

When Yehoshua said, “Hear a sound of war in the camp,” what did Moshe answer?

What reason did Moshe have (from a halacha) to break the Luchos (tablets)?

Why did Moshe give the people to drink from the water (with the gold-dust of the golden calf)?

Three different punishments were given there for three different groups. How?

What did Aharon answer when Moshe asked him about the egel?

Did any of the Levi’im participate in the chet ha’egel (sin of the calf)? Proof?

What did Moshe command the Levi’im to do? Why was it so difficult for the Levi’im?

Moshe’s prayer was already accepted (see 32:14); why did he have to plead for them again? (see 32:30.)

What explanation (or cause) did Moshe offer to Hashem for this great sin?

In the parable in Rashi for above why does it say that “He gave him food and drink” (i.e., the father gave to the son)?

Moshe said, “Erase me from Your book.” Why? What did Hashem answer?

How did Hashem make the nation’s punishment easier? Why was He sending an angel with them?

“Go up from here.” (33:1) Why is ‘up’ used here? (Two reasons.)

Why are only six nations mentioned here? Who was the seventh? Where was he?

What reason did Hashem give for not wanting to lead them?

“And the people heard this bad thing,” etc. (33:4) Which thing? How did they react?

How long does Hashem’s anger last? Who tried to use it against the Jews?

What immediate punishment did they get?

Why did Moshe remove his tent from the camp? How far did he move?

What name did Moshe give his tent? Who usually came to see him there?

Who else, besides the Jewish people, came to see Moshe? Proof?

What did the people do when seeing Moshe leave the camp? Any parallel today?

What did the people do after Moshe arrived at his tent? Why?

During which period did Moshe hear Hashem’s voice at his tent? Why not afterwards?

“And he returned to the camp.” (33:11) Why did he have to return? (Two reasons.)

What did Moshe request in pesukim 33:12-13? What was the response?

What did Moshe request after the first response of Hashem? What else did Moshe ask? What was the response?

Then Moshe asked another favor. What? What was the answer to him?

What did Moshe learn from this answer? Do we use it? When?

What special promise did Moshe get concerning the 13 Attributes of Mercy?

What was the reason given why Moshe couldn’t see all he wanted to see?

Is Hashem in the world or is the world in Hashem? What Name of Hashem tells us this?

From what Moshe saw we learn that Hashem ‘puts on tefillin.’ How?

How did Moshe get rich? How were the second Luchos different than the first?

In the mashal that Rashi brings (34:1), who are the maids? Who is the bride?

How was the giving of the second Luchos different than the giving of the first? Why? What kind of proper behavior do we derive from here?

Why is Hashem mentioned twice in the 13 Attributes of Mercy? Explain. Why the need for mercy before the sin?

Explain the following (two meanings): notzer chesed la’alafim; noseh avon vafesha; vechatah; venakeh; lo yenakeh.

Prove that the midoh tovah is 500 times greater than the midoh poranius.

When do children get punished for the parents’ sins?

After Moshe heard the 13 Attributes of Mercy, what request did he make? What was the response?

Why is eating from the idol sacrifices considered so terrible?

Why is there a commandment to chop of the head of a firstborn donkey (sometimes)?

“They shouldn’t come empty handed to see me.” (34:20) What are the two meanings here?

“And you shall rest from plowing and harvesting.” What does this teach us about Shabbos? What other interpretation is there concerning the laws of the seventh year (Shmittah)?

Why are some prohibitions (and mitzvos) repeated several times in the Torah?

What promise is given to those who go up to the Beis Hamikdash for the holidays (Yom Tov aliyas haregel)?

Prove that chicken with milk is not prohibited from the Torah.

How do we know that it’s forbidden to write down Torah Shebe’al Peh (Oral Law)? Then why do we have Mishna, Gemora, Shulchon Oruch?

How do we see the strong destructive power of sin? Where did Moshe get his holy light rays?

Why did Moshe use a mask? How did he teach the Torah to the Jewish people?

When else do we read the first part of this parsha?

When do we recite the pesukim of veshomru‎ (31:16)?

When do we read (from the Torah) pesukim 34:1-10? Why?

When do we read pesukim 33:12-34:10?

How many mitzvos are written in this parsha, positive and negative?

Why didn’t Yehoshua know what was going on at the camp?

Which [yomim-tovim] (holidays) are not mentioned in this parsha? Why?