פרשת בשלח

Dvar Torah

Every person is important

(שמות יג:יז) וַיְהִי בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת־הָעָם וְלֹא־נָחָם אֱלֹהִים דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא כִּי אָמַר אֱלֹקים פֶּן־יִנָּחֵם הָעָם בִּרְאֹתָם מִלְחָמָה וְשָׁבוּ מִצְרָיְמָה:

The Torah tells us that when Hashem took the Jewish people out of Egypt, instead of taking them on a direct route,  He took them in a roundabout way.  The Pasuk tells us that Hashem did this because, “Perhaps the people will reconsider (being free) if they see war, and they will return to Egypt” (13:17)

Hashem did not want them to see a war???  We find that right after the Jewish nation crossed the sea, the Plishtim attacked them, so they did see a war!

The Medrash tells us that many years before the Jewish people were to be taken out of Egypt, some of the children of Ephraim decided that the time had already come for them to leave slavery.  They set out on their own to go up to the land of Israel.  Since it was not yet time for this, Hashem did not protect them and they were attacked and killed by the Plishtim.  Hashem did not want to take the Jewish people in the same way as the children of Ephraim had gone since their bodies and bones were still there.  For if some of the Jews would see their remains, they might be scared and want to go back to Egypt.   

For some of the Jews! How many Jews would recognize the bones of people that they barely knew?!  They went the long and roundabout way because MAYBE SOMEONE MIGHT recognize them!?!?

The Torah is teaching us a very important lesson about how careful we need to be about everyone’s feeling, even people who are over-sensitive.  For a group of ten or so Jews, Hashem had an entire nation of around three million people travel out of their way.  

With this in mind, how careful should we be when dealing with other people in school, at home or anywhere.

Shabbat Shalom and Tu BiShvat Sameach!

Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Questions

1)  Why did Hashem lead the בני ישראל out of מצרים in a roundabout way? Explain.

     (רש"י שמות יג:יז)

2) What did משה take with him when he left מצרים? Why? ([רש"י] שמות יג:יט)

3) What went in front of the בני ישראל by day and by night? (שמות יג:כא-כב)

4) Why did the מצרים think that they could pursue the בני ישראל after all that they had been through? (רש"י שמות יד:ב)

 

5) If all of the animals of the Egyptians had been killed in דבר, where did the מצרים get animals to pull their chariots? (רש"י שמות יד:ז)

6) What did the בני ישראל say to משה when they saw the מצרים behind them? ([רש"י] שמות יד:יא)

7) How did משה respond to them? (שמות יד:יג)

8) Using your own words, but based on the words of the פסוק, how did the בני ישראל get to the other side of the water? (שמות יד:כב)

9) How did the בני ישראל know that they would not be chased again by the מצרים and that they were now free? (רש"י שמות יד:ל)

10) Upon seeing what Hashem had done for them, how did the בני ישראל react? (שמות טו:א-כא)

11) Based on your knowledge, why do you think that they chose this method to thank Hashem?

12) Why did the בני ישראל need to be moved away from the ים סוף? (רש"י שמות טו:כב)

13) What problem did the בני ישראל encounter in מרה? (שמות טו:כג)

14) What was established for the בני ישראל when they were in מרה? Why? (רש"י שמות טו:כה)

15) What happened to the בני ישראל on טו אייר? (רש"י שמות טז:ב)

16) What did the בני ישראל question about Hashem? (שמות טז:ג-ו)

17) How did the מן test the בני ישראל to see if they would trust in Hashem? (רש"י שמות טז:ד)

18) Explain לקטו לחם משנה. (רש"י שמות טז:כב)

19) ארון took a צנצנת of מן to put away for future usage. When was it used and why? What can we learn from this? (רש"י שמות טז:לב)

Virtual Classroom Check-in!

Questions about what we are learning online!

1) If one sleeps under a bed in a Sukkah, do they fulfill their Mitzvah?

2) What can we see from the story that Rabbi Yehuda told?

3) What might be one reason that the Rabbis did not wake Rabbi Yehuda?

Torah Math

What was it that made the Jewish people sing after they saw the splitting of the sea? Had they not seen enough miracles during the ten plagues?

While living in Egypt their surroundings of the Egyptians prevented them from seeing that everything was from Hashem’s hand. Yet, once they left Egypt it was clear to them that Hashem hand’s had been there all along and that Hashem is above nature.

We can see this from the first word in the Shira. The number 7 represents nature, but the word אז as the numeric value of 8, which represents מעלה מין הטבע above nature!!!!

The Jewish people saw that Hashem controls nature, so they sang to praise Him!!

  TORAH TRIVIA!

Super Stumper Question:

This a question to ask others and discuss the answers.

Last week’s question: How many Shirot (songs) are there in Tana”ch?

Answer to last week’s question: There are 10 Shirot (songs) in Tana”ch. Can you name all of them?

Question of the week: What should one Daven for on Tu  Bishvat???

Kollel Quiz 

#1 Who Am I?

1. I am the opposite of raw.

2. To avoid me they detoured.

3. I could be the Mitzvah.

4. My root is bread.

#2 Who Am I?

1. I am said daily.

2. I indicate resurrection.

3. My prophecy was greater than any Prophets.

4. I appear as a wall.

Submit this answer by clicking here

 FOOD Section!

Can you guess what this recipe connects to this week’s Parsha?

BANANA SPLIT CAKE

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 1 - 9x12 inch pan

 2 cups graham cracker crumbs

 1/2 cup melted margarine

 2 cups confectioners' sugar

 2 eggs

 1 cup margarine, softened

 6 bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise

 1 (20 ounces) can of crushed pineapple, drained

 1 quart fresh strawberries, halved

 1 (16 ounces) package frozen whipped topping, thawed

 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Combine cracker crumbs and melted margarine or margarine thoroughly and press into bottom of 9x12 inch baking pan. Chill in freezer for at least 15 minutes.

In the medium bowl of an electric mixer combine confectioners sugar, eggs, and softened butter or margarine; beat at medium speed for 20 minutes. (This step is important, so don't try to save time).

Spread buttercream mixture evenly over chilled crust. Place bananas, cut side down, evenly on top of buttercream and spoon crushed pineapple evenly over top of bananas. Distribute strawberries over pineapple and spread the whipped topping evenly all over. Sprinkle with walnuts and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.

פרשת בא

Dvar Torah

Respect

(שמות י:יא)  לֹא כֵן לְכוּ נָא הַגְּבָרִים וְעִבְדוּ אֶת ה' כִּי אֹתָהּ אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֹתָם מֵאֵת פְּנֵי פַרְעֹה:

“And he chased them from before Pharaoh” (Sh’mot  10:11)

The Torah tells us that Moshe and Aaron were chased out of Pharaoh's palace.  Why did they not leave after speaking with Pharaoh the same way that they would normally have left?  Why did they need an escort out this time?

Unlike the other trip to see Pharaoh, on this particular visit to the king's palace, Moshe and Aaron had been summoned by the king.  Since they did not anticipate the meeting they waited until Pharaoh, the one who did, told them that they were finished and now could leave.  The reason for waiting was simple and proper respect.

Proper respect!?!?  Pharaoh was so bad to the Jewish people and to Moshe and Aaron thus far, why did they need to show him any respect, let alone extra respect?

The Torah is teaching us a very important lesson.  Even if someone is not the same as we are, in any way, we still need to show them respect.  Moshe and Pharaoh did not agree, but Pharaoh was still the king and therefore Moshe waited and showed respect to him.

With this in mind, how much more so should we try to respect our family, friends, teachers, and neighbors.  How hard should we try to respect all of mankind?

Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Questions

1) What was the purpose of מכת of ארבע and חשך? (שמות י:ב)

2) How did משה answer פערה‘s question of מִי וָמִי הַהֹלְכִים? (שמות י:ח-ט)

3) What was פערה implying in the words מִי וָמִי הַהֹלְכִים? What was משה’s response?

(שמות י:ט ועוד עיין בעל הטורים, שמות י:ח)

4) Whom did פרעה want to permit to leave? Why? (שמות י:י-יא)

5) What did פערה mean when he said רְאוּ כִּי רָעָה נֶגֶד פְּנֵיכֶם? (רש"י שמות י:י)

6) Describe how מכת ארבע began. (שמות י:יב-יד) 

7) Why did the hoppy-bugs come with the east wind? (רש"י שמות י:יג)

8) How did the locusts in the time of משה differ from those in the days of יואל? (רש"י שמות י:יד)

9) How did the first three days of darkness differ from the last three? (רש" י שמות י:כב)

10) What did the בני ישראל do during the מכת חושך? (רש"י שמות י:כב)

11) Why should they not take anything from the Egyptians at this time? (רש"י שמות י:כב)

12) After חשך whom did פערה say could leave מצרים? (שמות י:כד)

13) What were the בני ישראל to ask for before the last מכה? (שמות יא:א-ב)

14) Who respected משה now? (שמות יא:ג)

15) Why did משה change the words that he was to tell פערה and say כחצי הלילה and not בחצי הלילה? (רש"י שמות יא:ד)

16) Hashem told משה “so that my wonders will be multiplied”. What three wonders was Hashem referring to? (רש"י שמות יא:ט)

17) What is the מצוה of החודש הזה לכם? (רש"י שמות יב:ב)

18) Describe the scene of the קרבן פסח as Hashem told it to משה? (שמות יב:ו-כ)

19) How could the תורה say אֵין בַּיִת אֲשֶׁר אֵין־שָׁם מֵת, were there no homes without oldest in them? Explain.  (רש"י שמות יב:ל)

20) When did פערה insist that the בני ישראל leave מצרים? Whom did he say needed to go?

      (רש"י לא & שמות יב:לא-לג)

21) Why where they insistent that the בני ישראל leave right away? (רש"י שמות יב:לג) 

22) What was the exact time and date that the בני ישראל left מצרים? (שמות יב:מא)

23) The only non-כשר animal whose firstborn is redeemed is the donkey. What did the donkeys do to “earn” this distinction?

24) What is the source of the “milk and honey” found in ארץ ישראל? (רש"י שמות יג:ה)

Virtual Classroom Check-in!

Questions about what we are learning online!

1) What is a “leaning wall”?

2) Where is this Halacha from?

3) What is a large Sukkah?

4) How much space from the walls to the Schach would render a Sukkah not usable for the Mitzvah?

Torah Math

 TORAH TRIVIA!

When Moshe came to Pharaoh to ask for the Jews freedom Pharaoh asked, “who and who is going”?  In these words, Pharaoh was telling Moshe that only Kalev and Pinchus would enter into the land of Israel.  Moshe answers we are going with those younger than 20 and older than 60, who also enter our homeland.  

So where do we see this in the Pasuk?

מי ומי ההלכים  =  כלב ובן נון

Super Stumper Question:

This a question to ask others and discuss the answers.

Last week’s question: What begins on Rosh Chodesh Shvat and continues until around Shavuot????

Answer to last week’s question: Beginning Rosh Chodesh Shevat, each two weeks is a holiday (classified by not saying Tachanun)! This ends around Shvuot time.

Question of the week: How many Shirot (songs) are there in Tana”ch? What are they?

Kollel Quiz 

#1 Who Am I?

1. Wrap me.

2. To Remember the exodus.

3. One of one.

4. Four of one.

#2 Who Am I?

1. I am the first.

2. I am the sixth.

3. I am not an Altima.

4. HaChodesh heralds me.

Submit this answer by clicking here

 FOOD Section!

Can you guess what this recipe connects to this week’s Parsha?

Heart

C o o k i e s

Ingredients:

- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter

- 2 cups sugar

 -2 large eggs

 -2 teaspoons vanilla

- 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

3) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (if you have one), cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon juice and beat until well combined.

4) With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing until just incorporated. Turn dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and pat into flattened rectangles; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

5) Working with one piece at a time, on a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 5-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts. (if you don’t have a cookie cutter, you can cut them with the blade of a knife.)

6) Transfer to prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat process with remaining rectangle of dough. Gather all the scraps, and roll out again. Chill 15 minutes; cut out more heart shapes, and place on baking sheets.

7) Bake, rotating baking sheets halfway through cooking until cookies are golden around the edges and slightly firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.

8) Decorate however, you’d like!