Shelach

  1. Why is this parsha (about the spies) written next to the previous parsha?

  2. Who sent the spies (meraglim), Hashem or Moshe? Proof?

  3. Was Hashem angry about it? Why? What did Hashem do?

  4. Why does it say “according to Hashem’s consent,” etc. Did Hashem agree?

  5. “They were all (important) men,” etc. But weren’t the spies bad people?

  6. What was the purpose in Moshe changing Yehoshua’s name?

  7. Why were the meraglim told to see the Negev (south) first?

  8. “See what kind of land it is,” etc. What kinds of lands are there?

  9. How could they recognize whether the nations there were strong?

  10. “And…​ are there any trees?” How does Rashi interpret this question? Why?

  11. Who went to the city of Chevron? Why? What was his reward?

  12. Why can’t we say that Chevron was built seven years before Tzoan?

  13. Then why does it say that it was built seven years before Tzoan?

  14. How many people were needed to carry one cluster of grapes?

  15. Which members of the spy group carried nothing? Why?

  16. Why were they able to tour the whole country in 40 days?

  17. There is an open contradiction between the Rashi for pesukim 3 and 26. What is it?

  18. Why did they mention that Amalek is near the Jordan?

  19. Why did the spies have to say, “It is a land of flowing milk and honey”?

  20. What smart device did Kalev use to get their attention?

  21. How did Kalev express his absolute confidence in Moshe?

  22. What were the two main negative factors that the spies mentioned about the land?

  23. How did the spies misinterpret a special kindness of Hashem?

  24. How did the meraglim know that they seemed like ants in the eyes of the natives?

  25. What was the crying complaint that the people voiced to Moshe and Aharon?

  26. What were the people ready to do after complaining? According to our Sages?

  27. How did Moshe and Aharon react to the people then? And Kalev and Yehoshua?

  28. What were the last statements that Yehoshua and Kalev made to the people?

  29. What did the people want to do to these two? What stopped them?

  30. How was Hashem going to keep His oath to the Avos if He punished the whole nation?

  31. What argument did Moshe bring up in defense of the community?

  32. Can you find a passage in our prayers that uses the same argument? (Try Hallel.)

  33. What discussions did Hashem and Moshe have about Hashem’s anger? How was Hashem proven right?

  34. What ‘compromise punishment’ did Hashem give them?

  35. How many times did the people test Hashem in the desert?

  36. It is said that Kalev had two ‘spirits’ (ideas) in his mind. Which?

  37. Why did Hashem mention that the Amalek and Canaanite are in the valley?

  38. How do we know that a ‘community’ (minyan) consists of at least ten people?

  39. The people were told by Hashem, “What you spoke to Me, will happen to you.” How?

  40. Why were they supposed to be punished during 40 years? Which other sin was remembered and punished now?

  41. “And Yehoshua and Kalev lived from those people,” etc. What does this tell us?

  42. What did the people attempt to do against Hashem’s advice? Result?

  43. Why is the subject of wine and oil offerings (nesochim) written here?

  44. How much wine and oil must accompany an offering of a lamb? A ram? A bull?

  45. The obligation to give challa‎ starts at a different time than other gifts. How? Proof?

  46. How much challa‎ must be given? Who gets it? And today?

  47. One who worships idols, what is he comparable to?

  48. What was the atonement procedure for the community that mistakenly worshipped idols?

  49. What if an individual did it mistakenly? And if he did it intentionally?

  50. How is the story of the mekoshesh (wood gatherer) an embarrassment for the community?

  51. Didn’t they know that there is capital punishment for desecration of the Shabbos?

  52. Was the mekoshesh given a proper warning? Proof?

  53. What was done to him while they were waiting for the answer?

  54. What was Hashem’s answer to them? Did they obey?

  55. Which part of the garment is called tzitzis?

  56. Why is there a blue thread in the tzitzis (when available)?

  57. “And you will remember all the mitzvos,” etc. How is this accomplished through tzitzis?

  58. Who are the ‘spies’ and the ‘agents’ for the body to do sins?

  59. Why does it repeat at the end of the last posuk the words from its beginning?

  60. Why is the exodus from Mitzrayim mentioned here?

  61. Why only on a garment of four corners? Is it related to four cups?

  62. Why are these three subjects written next to each other: avodah zorah, Shabbos, and tzitzis? (According to Rabbi Moshe the Darshon.)

  63. Which month is blessed this Shabbos? What are the special days of the month?

  64. If sending spies wasn’t successful the first time, Why did Yehoshua send spies before entering the land?

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