Moshe and the Hot Coal
Question: Where in the Torah does it describe Moshe putting a hot coal in his mouth so that he had a speech defect and where does it state that Aaron was sent with Moshe to Egypt to speak for the Jews?...
View ArticleMt. Sinai and the Burning Bush
Question: What was the difference between G-d's revelation to the Jews at Sinai and His revelation at the burning bush. Answer: There are several differences, but the main differences are: Moshe...
View ArticleThe Ten Plagues
Question: How long did the ten plagues last? Answer: According to the Mishnah (Eduyos 2:10), the punishment of the Egyptians lasted for 12 months. This implies about a month for each plague; some say...
View ArticlePlague of Darkness
Question: I read Rabbi Kirshblums article (questions to ponder) where he writes about 2,400,000 jews dying during the plague of darkness. I cant find this in the bible. Please help me to understand why...
View ArticleLamb Blood on the Door Posts
Question: Why is the blood of the lamb (and not the blood of any other animal) used to make the mark on the door posts of Jewish homes for the angel of death to pass over in the story of the Exodus?...
View ArticleWhen was the Torah taught to Moshe and the Jewish People?
Question: When did Hashem (G-d) teach Moshe (Moses) the laws, and when did He teach them to the Jewish People. Answer: Moshe learned the entire Torah at Sinai, and when he came down he taught it to the...
View ArticleCalculating the Years Since Mt. Sinai
Question: When was the Torah written? By whom? Answer: The Torah was shown in its entirety to Moses at Sinai, who wrote it precisely as shown. G-d himself penned the "Ten Statements" on the two...
View ArticleTwo Sets of Tablets, Aaron and the Golden Calf
Question: How long was it between the first and second tablets? Was Aron punished for the golden calf? Answer: Moshe went up to receive the first tablets on 7 Sivan and broke them on 17 tamuz. He...
View ArticleTwo Types of Slaves
Question: My professor pointed out that many people who have been slaves, often became slave owners themselves, and to illustrate this he cited Deuteronomy where Jews who were slaves in Egypt, and upon...
View ArticleTorah Sanctioned Slavery and Morality
Question: Why did the Torah permit slavery even if the system was better than the prevailing practice? Answer: Forgive me for writing so briefly about such an important issue. I have, by the way, dealt...
View ArticleFetus vs. Newborn
Question: In Mishpatim, 21:22, we are shown that if a man injures a pregnant woman and she miscarries the crime is treated as bodily harm to the woman and not murder of the fetus. The guilty party is...
View ArticleAdvice for a Prosecutor
Question: What advice does the Talmud have for a prosecutor? Answer: The Talmud's statements about prosecution were made in the context of a legal system rather different from ours; they dealt with a...
View ArticleEating Sacrifices in the Time of Abel
Question: If eating animals was not allowed at the time of Abel, how could he make an animal sacrifice? Answer: Animal sacrifice isn't similar to eating animals. Animal sacrifice is a way of coming...
View ArticleCurrent Obligation of Animal Sacrifice
Question: Nowadays, are Jews supposed to bring animal sacrifices? Answer: It depends on how you look at it. God commanded the Jewish Nation to perform certain daily sacrifices in the Beis HaMikdash...
View ArticleA Modern Perspective on Animal Sacrifices in the Temple
Question: Why are there so many details about animal sacrifice in the Torah? How should a modern Jew view animal sacrifices? Answer: Animal sacrifices are indeed difficult to comprehend in the context...
View ArticleTorah Sanctioned Slavery and Morality
Question: Why did the Torah permit slavery even if the system was better than the prevailing practice? Answer: Forgive me for writing so briefly about such an important issue. I have, by the way,...
View ArticleMaror - Bitter Herbs
Question: Why do we eat the Maror (Bitter Herbs) on Passover? Answer: God commanded us to eat 3 foods on the first night of Passover to remember 3 aspects of the miraculous way we were freed from...
View ArticleMoses, Pharaoh and Egypt in the Hagada
Question: Moses is mentioned only once, in passing, in the Hagadah. I have learned that the reason is that we want to emphasize that it was G-d who took us out of Egypt and not an emissary or an...
View ArticleBread of Affliction …or Freedom?
Question: Why is it that on Matza represents freedom if we also consider Matza a poor mans bread that we had in Egypt as slaves? Answer: I attended Rabbi Soloveithchick’s (The Rav’s) lectures where he...
View ArticleFirst Passover
Question: When was the first Passover? Answer: 1312 BCE. This was the year of the Exodus. The first Seder took place the night before the Exodus. Take care, Pinchas
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