The Chumash Questions

“And these are the laws,” etc. What are the two connections to the previous parsha (Yisro)?

In what connection is the term Shulchon Oruch mentioned in the first posuk? (See Rashi.)

What is wrong with bringing a dispute to the non-Jewish courts?

How was the eved Ivri (Jewish slave) purchased? Would the law be different if he sold himself?

What kind of eved can get a shifcha Cnaanis (a gentile maidservant)?

What happens to this shifcha Cnaanis after the eved goes free? Source?

What if the eved Ivri refuses to leave until after six years?

Can an eved nirtza‎ be a slave forever? Until when? Source?

Which ear is pierced? Why the ear (not the nose)? (Different reasons for different avodim, slaves).

The door and the door post are connected with piercing the ears. How? Why?

Which kind of child may the father sell into temporary slavery? Can a mother sell too?

How do non-Jewish slaves (men and women) go free from slavery?

How does a young girl go free from slavery? (Three or four ways.)

Explain these terms: yi-ud, simanim, naarus, bagrus, שְׁאֵר‎, כְּסוּת‎, עֹנָה‎.

Which two laws in the punishment for killing do we derive from posuk 12?

Why does Hashem make it happen that one person should kill another? Find a parallel to this thought in Pirkei Avos (Ethics of our Fathers).

If a doctor mistakenly kills his patient or a father his son are they punished? Source?

What reason would you give a doctor not to operate on his parents?

Which person gets the death penalty just for saying some words?

What kind of thief gets punished by death?

What kind of payments are required if one maimed a person?

Explain these terms: nezek‎, tzaar‎, ripui‎, sheves‎, boshes‎.

If the master (or a stranger) kills a non-Jewish slave, what is his punishment?

If one kills a pregnant woman, what is his punishment? What if she survived the attack?

“An eye for an eye,” etc. How do we prove that it means monetary payment? (See Gemora Baba Kama p. 84.)

The knocking out of a eye or a tooth sets a slave free. Which other limbs do the same?

If someone’s lion (or chicken) kills a person, what happens to the animal? What happens to the owner?

When a person’s ox kills another ox what happens to the owner?

Explain the terms: mazik‎, nizak‎, tam‎, mu’od‎, kofer‎.

When a person makes a pit (bor‎), which kind of damages is he responsible for?

For which kind of stealing does the thief pay 4 times as much? 5 times? Why this difference?

If a thief who dug into a home gets killed by the owner, is there a punishment? Why?

What happens to a person whose fire went and damaged others’ property?

If animals went and trampled or ate someone’s grain, who pays for it?

If a shomer khinom‎ claims the article was stolen, what happens to him?

In the case of a shomer sokhor‎, when is he held responsible?

A person who is a sho’eil‎ (one who borrowed), could he ever be exempt from payment?

What about a person who rents a tool from someone (a soicher‎), how is he responsible?

For which kind of worship-of-idols does one get the death penalty?

What kind of prohibitions are written concerning a ger‎ (convert)? Reason?

What are the punishments for the mistreatment of orphans and widows?

Which are the priorities for lending money? What two prohibitions are connected with it?

What comparison is made between the soul (neshamah) at night and taking a pledge?

Where is the din‎ of modeh b’miktzas‎ (partial admission) derived from?

What are the warnings given about bikurim‎ (first fruits), terumah‎ and maaser‎?

Why is the din‎ of pidyon ha’ben (redemption of the first born) mentioned here again?

“And holy people you shall be unto Me…”, etc. How do we become holy?

How do we see that Hashem does not diminish the reward of any creature?

Within the same posuk are contained warnings to a judge, and about loshon horo. What are they? What is the connection between these two?

When do we need a majority of one judge and when is a majority of two necessary for a verdict?

The non-Jews (idol worshippers) are in the majority, while we are the minority. Why don’t we follow them?

Where is there a prohibition, against treating a poor man too well?

Why is an “enemy” mentioned by the Mitzvah of Prikah (unloading)? When are you exempt?

After a verdict when do we return the defendant for rejudgement and when not? Why?

What are the punishments of a judge who takes bribes to judge correctly?

Which entire year is called ‘Shabbos’? Why? Do we still keep in it the regular Shabbos? Source?

It was said that one who uses forbidden conveniences on Shabbos claiming that he enjoys it is compared to an ox. How?

How should one avoid any references to idols in giving travel directions? In partnerships?

What names are given here to the holidays of Pesach, Shavous, and Sukkos? Why?

Which warnings are given here about the Korban Pesach? About bikurim?

Why did the Torah write three times “don’t cook the goat in its mother’s milk”?

“… Behold I am sending an Angel…”, et. Why? What warning is given here in that connection (in the next posuk)?

If the last Parsha here was actually said before Mattan Torah, what does it mean “all the laws”? “and Moshe wrote down all the words of Hashem”?

The Sages said: “from here we know that our ancestors entered the covenant with Milah, T’vilo, and sprinkling of blood”. How do we know?

What “sights” did the elders see? Did they get punished for it? When? Why? Which five words in the posuk tell us this?

What did Reb S’adya Gaon find in the Ten Commandments?

Why is Yehoshua mentioned here? And why Khur? Where was Moshe called to?

What are the opinions about the six days that Moshe was covered by the cloud? Why was Moshe called on the seventh day?

Why so we read Parshas Sh’kolim this Shabbos?

Who was obligated to give machatzis ha’shekel?

What were these Sh’kolim used for at the Mishkon?

Do we have any Minhag of machatzis ha’shekel today?

Usually each person gives according to his ability. Why not here?

How many Torahs are taken out this Shabbos? Why?

In which portion is the Parshas Sh’kolim found?

What is the (general) content of the Haftoiroh for this Shabbos?

Which are the other three special Parshios we will read (on other Shabbosim)?

What special saying of our sages describes our mood this month (get to know the Hebrew words)?

Why is this month more special than other months?

When is Rosh Chodesh? How many days of Rosh Chodesh?