1)

What are the connotations of "V'Hayah Ki Yevi'acha Hashem .... '?

1.

Rashi (to 13:11) #1: It means, 'When Hashem brings you ... [then perform this Mitzvah].'

2.

Rashi (to 13:11) #2 (citing the Sifra and the Sifrei): It means 'Do this Mitzvah, because on account of it you will merit to enter the Land!'

2)

Which Shevu'ah is the Torah referring to?

1.

Rashi: To the Shevu'ah in which Hashem promised Eretz Cana'an to Avraham, 1 to Yitzchak, 2 and to Yaakov. 3

3)

Why are only five of the seven nations that comprise Eretz Cana'an mentioned here?

1.

Rashi: This really incorporates all seven nations, since they are all included in "Kena'ani" 1 - even though one of the seven nations was called 'Kena'ani.' 2

2.

Ramban: The Torah confines its list to the five nations whose land flowed with milk and honey 3 (to which this Pasuk refers). 4

3.

Gur Aryeh: The two nations omitted here - the Perizi and the Girgashi - were less significant than the others (but according to Rashi, they are nonetheless included in the verse's message). 5


1

See Sifsei Chachamim.

2

Ramban: It is not clear, if that is so, why the Torah lists five of the nations and omits two (the Perizi and the Girgashi).

3

Excluding that of the Perizi and Girgashi, which did not. (According to Rashi, [the land of] all seven nations is included here. But according to Ramban, our Pasuk highlights the best of Eretz Yisrael, the part thereof which flows with milk and honey - which includes only the lands of these five nations.)

4

This is likewise the criterion for Bikurim (see Ramban).

5

Gur Aryeh then disputes Ramban's Girsa in the Mechilta (upon which Ramban bases his interpretation).

4)

What does the Torah mean when it describes Eretz Cana'an as, "Eretz Zavas Chalav u'Devash"?

1.

Rashi: It means that milk flowed from the goats; and honey from the dates and figs.

2.

Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It means simply a land that produces milk and honey. 1

3.

Maharal: "Eretz Zavas Chalav u'Devash" first appears in Shemos 3:8. For its deeper meaning, refer to 3:8:2; to 3:8:4.1:4**, and 3:8:4.5:1.


1

Refer also to Devarim 6:3:2:2 and Devarim 6:3:2:4.

5)

Having instructed us earlier (see 12:25) to perform the Avodah of Korban Pesach in Eretz Yisrael, why does the Torah repeat it here?

1.

Rashi: Because whereas the earlier Parshah tells us about the son who is a Rasha, whom one answers sharply because he excludes himself from the community, the current Parshah teaches us how to react to the she'Eino Yode'a Lish'ol 1 (as we will see in 13:8).

2.

Pesachim 96a: "V'Avadta Es ha'Avodah ha'Zos ba'Chodesh ha'Zeh" teaches us that the Dinim of Korban Pesach listed regarding Pesach Mitzrayim, also pertain to Pesach Doros 2 - both as regards the Korban itself, 3 and as regards its participants. 4

3.

Menachos 82b: See previous answer. In addition, like Pesach Mitzrayim, 5 it must be a Chulin animal (and not from an animal that was Ma'aser Behemah).


1

Rashi: By telling him words of Agadah, that will attract him to pay attention, thereby spreading the miracle.

2

See Torah Temimah, note 20.

3

Pesachim (ibid.): It must be a. a lamb or a kid; b. inspected four days beforehand; c. eaten fully roasted, and not half done or cooked: d. eaten at night-time, e. eaten by a Yisrael who is not an Arel or a ben Neichar, a Toshav or a Sachir, and f. without breaking any bones. See also Torah Temimah, note 21.

4

Pesachim (ibid.): It may not be eaten by an Arel, a Ben Neichar, a Toshav or a Sachir.

5

Torah Temimah: At which point Ma'aser Behemah (which was only initiated when they came to Eretz Yisrael) did not yet exist.

6)

What is the significance of the words, "ba'Chodesh ha'Zeh"?

1.

Oznayim la'Torah: It teaches us to ensure that Pesach falls in the spring by declaring a leap-year when necessary. 1


1

Seeing as the solar year exceeds the lunar year by eleven days.

QUESTIONS ON RASHI

7)

Rashi writes: "... All seven [Canaanite] nations are implied." Surely the number seven is not coincidental; what does it indicate?

1.

Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 64, p. 295): The number seven is associated with sanctity; the fact that the Land had seven 1 nations is an indication of its sanctity. 2


1

Parshas Noach (Bereishis 10:15-18) lists eleven descendants of Kena'an. Later, at the Bris Bein ha'Besarim (Bereishis 15:18-21), Hashem promised Avraham the lands of ten (Canaanite) nations. See Rashi to Bereishis 15:19; and refer to Bereishis 10:15:1 and on. (CS)

2

Maharal (loc. cit.): That is why Eretz Yisrael is called "Artzos ha'Chayim" - Land of the living (Tehilim 116:9).

8)

Rashi writes: "Among the Canaanites, one family had no other name besides for 'Kena'ani.'" How does Rashi derive this?

1.

Gur Aryeh: In all the contexts in which the 'seven Canaanite nations' are mentioned, we never find a seventh specific name; rather, we find the generic "'Kena'ani" amongst their number. 1


1

Hence, "Kena'ani" is a collective name for all the nations of the Land, as well as the specific name of one of its nations. (Which one? See Ramban to Bereishis 10:15. -CS)

9)

Rashi writes: "'[A land] flowing of milk and honey' - [I.e.,] the milk flows from the goats." To be technical, it is not the land itself, but rather the goats, that ooze milk!

1.

Gur Aryeh (to 13:5): "A land... of milk," means that the goats of this land are of such quality. The goats are raised upon the land (i.e. they forage its vegetation); such that we may say that the land flows milk. 1


1

In other words, their output is an indicator of the goodness of the land. Gur Aryeh answers a similar question by the Mizrachi.

10)

Rashi writes: "This Avodah (service)' - [I.e., the Avodah] of the [Korban] Pesach." What else might it have referred to?

1.

Gur Aryeh: Rashi is clarifying that it does not refer to the Mitzvah to sanctify the firstborn, which was the first topic of this section (13:2). 1


1

As that Mitzvah applies throughout the year. It also applied may have applied in the Midbar, prior to our entering the Land (see Bechoros 4b, and Rashi to 13:11). (CS)

11)

Rashi writes: "This Avodah (service)' - of the [Korban] Pesach." Why is the Korban Pesach called an "Avodah"?

1.

Refer to 12:6:2.02:1, 12:3:6.3:1**.

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