Yitro #1- Why Yitro?

Why was Yitro praised so much if all he did was think of a simple plan for Moshe to appoint a hierarchy of judges to assist him in governing and administering justice to the people? Anyone could have thought of that!

Michael Zaroovabeli says that Yitro was so great because on top of giving advice to Moshe that would help govern Bnei Yisroel, he also converted despite growing up surrounded by idolatry. He was so dedicated and God fearing that he even went through the circumcision process though he was older. What are other reasons that Yitro was so great and particularly special?

Beshalach #4- Why did they need to see?

Perek 14 Pasuk 30
The Pasuk makes sure it's known to Bnai Isreal that they saw the Egyptians dead
Rashi asks why is it important that they saw them dead
He answers by saying so that Bnai Isreal could be absolutely sure that the Egyptians weren't still alive on the other side of the yam suff
why is it important that they saw them dead?

Beshalach #3- looking back

In this week’s parsha, parsha besholach, bnei yisroel are taken out from mitzrayim by the hand of Hashem. It says in Beshalach Perek yud daled pasuk lamed

On that day the Lord saved Israel from the hand[s] of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dying on the seashore.

ל. וַיּוֹשַׁע יְהֹוָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד מִצְרָיִם וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת מִצְרַיִם מֵת עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם:

Rashi explains the scene of “Bnei yisroel seeing the Egyptians dying on the seashore” to mean that the sea spewed the Egyptians out onto the shore, so that bnei yisroel would not say, "Just as we are coming up on this side of the sea, the Egyptians are coming up on another side and they will pursue us." -[from Mechilta and Pes. 118b]

My Questions:

1.         Is this rashi consistent with rashi’s view of bnei yisroel in our perek? Explain why or why not

2.         Whats the significance of bnei yisroel “looking back” at the Egyptians dying on the seashore? Why should we never look back in life?

Beshalach #2- Excited?

Perek 13, Pasuk 21:

" וַיהוָה הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן, לַנְחֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ, לְהָאִיר לָהֶם--לָלֶכֶת, יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה.

 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:

If they traveled day and night, then wouldn't bnei Yisrael get tired?

R' Bachya says that they were were so excited to get the Torah, that they traveled day and night.

But how does this pertain to the opinion that Bnei Yisrael ran away from the mitzvot after Har Sinai (Ramban)? What happened?

Beshalach #1- Don't ask, do something!

טו. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִסָּעוּ:

The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel.

What does Hashem mean by asking, "why do you cry out to me"?

Midrash Rabbah Explains, Bnai Yisrael already cried out to Hashem (in pasuk yud) and then Moshe davened after them. Hashem says to Moshe, why do you cry to me, Bnai Yisrael already prayed and I have heard their prayer.

Is there another explanation of Hashem's question?

Vayechi #3- buried in Egypt

In this week's parsha, in פרק מז, פסוק כט Yaakov asks Yosef to make sure that he will not bury his father in מצרים. The pasuk says: 

״וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת וַיִּקְרָא | לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אִם נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי וְעָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אַל נָא תִקְבְּרֵנִי בְּמִצְרָיִם״

When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have now found favor in your eyes, now place your hand beneath my thigh, and you shall deal with me with loving kindness and truth; do not bury me now in Egypt.

Why does יעקב care where he is buried? After all, isn't it really his physical body that will buried in Egypt since the important part of his body, his שכינה, will go up to ה׳? Rashi provides three reasons for why Yaakov asked this of Yosef:

1) the soil is destined to become lice which will crawl under his body.

2) those who die and are buried outside of ארץ ישראל will not be resurrected except with the pain of rolling through underground passages.
3) he didn't want the מצריים to deify him.

Q: What are other reasons for why Yaakov cared so much about not being buried in מצרים?

Vayechi #2- Is it really a blessing?

:ו. בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר

6. Let my soul not enter their counsel; my honor, you shall not join their assembly, for in their wrath they killed a man, and with their will they hamstrung a bull.

Right before Yaakov died, he gave blessings to each of his sons. However, Shimon and Levi were given a blessing that would seem to be negative, and a punishment for their actions against the city of Shchem. Yaakov says "Let my soul not enter their counsel." Why does Yaakov say this? What does it mean? What is this counsel he is referring to?

Rashi has an interesting interpretation on this:

Let my soul not enter their counsel: This is the future incident of Zimri (that Yaakov is referring to), when the tribe of Shimon gathered to bring the Midianitess before Moshe, and they said to him, “Is this one forbidden or permitted? If you say she is forbidden, who permitted you to marry Yitro’s daughter?” Let my name not be mentioned in connection with that affair. Therefore, the Torah depicts Zimri as “Zimri the son of Salu, the prince of a father’s house of the Shimonites” (Num. 25:14), but the Torah did not write, “the son of Jacob.” - [from Sanh. 82a, Gen. Rabbah 99:6]

As we see, Shimon and Levi did something worthy of their father's discomfort when being addressed. What are other interpretations of these words? Why does Yaakov seem to be giving these two sons a curse? What did these two brothers do that they deserve this? Is there any positive interpretation of such an outburst?