Insight 5773-23: The Excellent Mystery Writer

For Tetzaveh
Not yet available on the Nishma website.

Study Questions

1) The kal v'chomer presented by the gemara to derive a need to be conscious of tefillin from the Tzitz truly is worthy of further contemplation. If the gemara was discussing the normal case of inner consciousness of the wearer -- which would be the simple way of approaching the subject -- why would the fact that the name of God on the Tzitz is publicly displayed matter

Insight 5733-22: The Three Crowns

For Terumah
Not yet available on the Nishma website.

Study Questions

1) In the Insight, I presented a way of possibly showing how the Mizbe'ach could be seen as both connected to Malchut and the Kehuna based upon a distinction in focus between effect and basis of honour. One may wish to consider how this approach could be applied to the Shulchan.

2) Rabbi Hochman continues in his discussion with a focus on the final statement in the mishna regarding how the crown of a good name is superior to the other three. His question is: why is this fourth crown not then included in the count, namely the mishna should have began with a statement that there are four crowns? 
See comment from Rabbi Hecht

Insight 5773-21: The Significance of Civil Law

For Mishpatim
Not yet available on the Nishma website.

Study Question

1) There was a technical question regarding one of the ideas presented in the Insight which I wanted to include in a footnote but did not have the space. The Rav speaks of the intellectual strength of Nezikin to which he brings a proof text from the gemara in Baba Batra. I further built upon this idea with the statement of the Torah Temima. In fact, the Torah Temima uses the word da'at, somewhat applying it to our issue, but I put his words together with the words of the Rav to further substantiate the intellectual value of Nezikin. The problem is that T.B.  Shabbat 31a states that if one wants to develop da'at, one should learn Taharot. According to the gemara, the motivation for studying Nezikin is yeshu'ot which literally means salvation which Rashi understands to mean in this case pragmatically how one can stay away from paying for damages, etc. I do not believe this completely challenges the idea of the elite Torah intellectual nature of Nezikin but it is something to ponder in regard to this question.

Insight 5773-20: Yitro's Conversion

For Yitro
Not yet available on the Nishma website.

Study Question

1) The major question of the Insight actually still remains: What did motivate Yitro to convert? According to the three opinions cited: What did Yitro see in each event that led him to wish to become a member of Klal Yisrael? 

The one hint that I offered that might assist in this search is that, it is my belief, within the three events Yitro saw something unique in how the Universal God related to this specific nation. This was not like all the other nations each having their own specific deities nor was it like all other universal theologies who project one form of Divine connection for all humanity (albeit making distinctions on actual theological yardsticks such as between believer and non-believer). In each event he saw the absolute benefit of being a Jew -- and this is what he now desired. And most significantly this desire was actually very unique. The challenge is to define this pursuant to the three variant opinions -- if they, in fact, are different or only simply different reflections of the same idea (which is one approach in the commentators).

Insight 5773-19: Why Were You Bothering Us?

For Beshalach
Not yet available on the Nishma website.

Study Question

1) The theory expressed in this Insight would seem to challenge the Chassidic view of the rebbe. This is something you may wish to investigate.

Insight 5773-18: The Pattern of the Makkot

For Bo
Not yet available on the Nishma website.

Study Question

1) One question is the one mentioned in the footnote: why would hatra'ah apply here in the case of Divine punishment? A warning ensures the court that the sinner knew that his/her activity was against the Torah law, i.e. a sin. God would know this in any event, so why the warning in this case? A possibility is that a warning also informs the individual that the intended behaviour is a sin -- thus the warning before sin actually is intended also to possibly prevent the sin. Was that the case here? Or could we say, in this case, it was simply intended to inform Pharaoh of the law, one of which he may not have known?

2) We postulated a possible sin for Pharaoh in rejecting "specific aspects of the knowledge of God." Can there be a sin in not knowing something?

Insight 5773-17: The Challenge of Biblical History

For Va'era
Not yet available on the Nishma website.

Study Question

1) The resultant basic question is thus: how do we then fully understand bechira? The fact is that it does not just represent the possibility of choice but the possibility of choice between good and evil. The further problem with a definition of bechira that is predicated on the possibility of alternative explanations of events would be the need to define one of the choices as evil. If one explains such an event as magic, for example, rather than the action of God -- given a world in which magic exists -- why would such a choice necessarily be an evil one? Has would someone thereby know that they are choosing evil? Simply arguing that bechira is possible because of alternative explanations actually continues the complication for there is still the need to understand not only what is evil but that the one making this choice knows it to be evil.