(Numbers: 19:1- 22:2)    

(Shoftim 11:1-33)    

(Pirkay Avot 4)

1. [19:2] “…this is a statute of the Torah…” A “chok” is a commandment whose reason we don’t or cannot understand. Why did God command commandments like this? There can be both positive and negative results of having such commandments. What might be some positive results (humility…), and what might be some negative results (cynicism…)?
2. [20:10] “…listen, you rebels, will we bring water for you out of this rock?” The Rambam (Spain, Egypt, 1135-1204) says that Moshe’s sin here was that he angrily said to the people, “Listen you rebels…”.       Moshe had gotten angry at the people before. Why is this event considered worse than the other times?
3. [21:9] “And Moshe made a serpent of brass…” When the Israelites were attacked by poisonous snakes, God tells Moshe to put a statue of a snake on a high stick. Whoever would look up at the model of the snake would be cured of the poisoning. How can we understand this and what lessons can we learn from this?
4. [Pirkay Avot 4:14] “Every gathering which is for the sake of Heaven will have permanent results…” “…For the sake of Heaven…” means that the people at the gathering are not selfish. But even a “pure act” gives a person the satisfaction of having done something good or pure. What is an example of a totally selfless act?
5. [Pirkay Avot 4:17] “Greater is one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world than all of the world to come. And one hour of bliss in the world to come is greater than all of this world.”       What is the meaning of this mishna?

This study page is dedicated to the memory of Sarah Bella bat Yitzchak Kummer, Chaim Yosef Yechiel ben Eliyahu Kummer and Eliyahu and Margaret Kummer