Matos

  1. Moshe spoke to the leaders of the tribes first. Why?

  2. Was this a one-time or a regular happening? Then why is it mentioned here?

  3. “This is the thing,” etc. What is emphasized and excluded here?

  4. How was Moshe’s prophecy similar to, and different from, the other prophets?

  5. An expert nullifies vows with different language than a husband. How?

  6. What kind of a neder (vow) cannot be made?

  7. At what age is a girl considered under her father’s jurisdiction? Until when?

  8. If a son makes a neder, can the father nullify it? Proof?

  9. At what age do we have to check the maturity of the child? When do we not?

  10. If her father cancelled her vows, why does the daughter need atonement? (See posuk 30:6.)

  11. A woman who is engaged to be married, who can nullify her vows? At which age?

  12. A woman who is divorced or widowed, who can cancel her vows?

  13. A married woman’s vows could be cancelled by her husband. Which kind of vows?

  14. If a husband consents to the wife’s vows, then changes his mind, are the vows cancelled? What if she goes and violates them; who is at fault?

  15. When a person causes someone to sin, who is punished? Proof?

  16. Why were the Midyanites punished, not the Moabites? (Two reasons.)

  17. What kind of people were chosen to fight this war? How many? From how many tribes?

  18. Did the soldiers volunteer for this war? Why? Why was Pinchas sent, not Elazar?

  19. Why did they have to take along ‘holy vessels’ with them to the war? (Three reasons.)

  20. What did Bilam try to do to save himself and his royal friends?

  21. How came Bilam was there at that time? What happened to him? What ‘exchange’ took place between Bilam’s methods and the Jews’ method?

  22. The war on Midyan was motivated as “a revenge for Hashem,” and also as a “revenge for Bnei Yisroel.” Who described it in these ways? Why? Is it contradictory?

  23. Why did Moshe get angry at the officers when they returned from the war?

  24. Who wanted to grab some of the spoils for themselves? How were they stopped?

  25. Why did the soldiers have to stay out of the camp for seven days? Which camp?

  26. There are differing opinions about the tumah of non-Jews. What are they?

  27. Some of the soldiers did not have to stay out. Which? Why?

  28. Why did Elazar, not Moshe, teach the laws of purifying vessels?

  29. Still, Moshe got credit for these laws. How?

  30. Where else did Moshe fail because he got angry?

  31. Elazar started his lesson with the word ach (but, only). Why? (Two reasons.)

  32. Koshering dishes is done according to a certain rule. What is it?

  33. Besides koshering, what else must be done to dishes obtained from non-Jews?

  34. Basically there are three methods of koshering by fire and water. What are they?

  35. The soldiers and the rest of the Jews gave different portions for Hashem. How? Why? From which spoils were these ‘tax portions’ taken?

  36. To whom were these tzedakah portions given?

  37. A certain part of the spoils was not taxed at all. Which? Who got it?

  38. The officers came up with a special proposition to Moshe. What?

  39. How did Moshe react to their proposal? What did the regular soldiers do?

  40. What was the special request of the tribes of Reuven and Gad?

  41. What did Moshe answer to the request of these tribes?

  42. What did Moshe fear might happen because of this request (as far as the nation’s reaction)?

  43. What did the two tribes answer to Moshe’s objection?

  44. What was wrong with the new proposition according to Moshe?

  45. Moshe made a ‘double condition’ with them? What?

  46. Another half-tribe entered the scene here. Who? Why?

  47. Which countries did the above tribes get?

  48. What did they do to cities that had idol names?

  49. Who called the villages that he built after his own name? Why?

  50. How do we find encouragement from this parsha during the ‘Three Weeks’?

← Previous: Pinchas | ↑ Up: Chumash Bamidbar | ⌂ Home: The Chumash Questions | Next: Masei →