Bechukotai #3- Eretz Yisrael

“וְנָתַתִּ֤י שָׁלוֹם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין מַחֲרִ֑יד וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֞י חַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙ מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְחֶ֖רֶב לֹא־תַעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאַרְצְכֶֽם”

“I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down untroubled by anyone; I will give the land respite from vicious beasts, and no sword shall cross your land.”

(26:6)

Why does the passuk say that we will have “peace in the land”, that we will live “untroubled by enemies”, and “no sword shall pass through the land”? Isn’t this redundant and repetitive?

Rashi answers this by saying that each phrase has a different meaning. First, Hashem grants us peace among everyone living in Israel, that no enemies will come to harm us. He also promises that no enemy will ever even come near us, will not harm us even while passing through the land into another land.

When is another time in Tanach that Hashem says He will protect us when we are in Eretz Yisrael?

Why does it say here that Hashem will protect us if it has already said this before in Tanach?

Bechukotai #2- Mitzvot x2

 ויקרא פרק כ״ו פסוק ג: אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתַ֣י תִּשְׁמְר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָֽם׃
If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments,

What is the purpose of saying “בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י” and “מִצְוֺתַ֣י”? Rashi says that “אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ” means that one should diligently study Torah and “וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתַ֣י תִּשְׁמְר֔וּ” means that you should study Torah with the intention to fulfill all of the commandments. 

What other interpretations are there of these words?
Why is pasuk ג the first pasuk in בחוקותי and where else in the Torah do we see things like this? 
Is there a difference between a Mitzvah and a Chok?

Bechukotai #1- Avot

26: 42 -    וְזָכַרְתִּ֖י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י יַעֲק֑וֹב וְאַף֩ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֨י יִצְחָ֜ק וְאַ֨ף אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶזְכֹּ֖ר וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֶזְכֹּֽר׃

Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob; I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land.

Why does it say Yaakov, Yitzchak, Abraham? Isn’t normally in the opposite order?

Rashi answers this by saying that Yaakov has merit that his children should be redeemed, but if his merit isn't sufficient enough then Yitzchak merit is with him. And finally if Yitzchak merit isn’t enough then Abraham is here and surely has enough merit.

-What do other mefarshim say about the order of these names?

-Why does it say remember before each person's name?

-Why is there a specific order for the names of the avot?

-Is there another place where there are names and/ or other things in an unusual order for a certain reason?

Behar #3- Idols

לֹֽא־תַעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֖ת עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

You shall not make idols for yourselves, or set up for yourselves carved images or pillars, or place figured stones in your land to worship upon, for I the LORD am your God.   26:1

Why does it mention to not serve idols again and why now?

The Ibn Ezra says that it mentions it now because it’s actually talking about how when you are a slave to someone who serves idols  you yourself should not serve those idols.

1. what other reasons are there for having to say to not serve idols now?
2. Where else does something in the Torah seem out of place but there is a reason for it?
3. Where else does it say to not serve Idols?

Behar #2- Shabbos and Shemita

Behar

25:2

2.דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְשָׁבְתָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לַיהוָֽה׃

3.שֵׁ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ תִּזְרַ֣ע שָׂדֶ֔ךָ וְשֵׁ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים תִּזְמֹ֣ר כַּרְמֶ֑ךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ֖

אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃

Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I assign to you, the land shall observe a sabbath of the LORD.
Six years you may sow your field and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather in the

yield.

What is the connection between Shabbat and shmeta? The Sforno says that just like on Shabbat you stop your work for the week to just serve Hashem so to shmeta you stop serving the ground and save a year to serve Hashem.

Questions:

1. What do other commentaries say on why these two are connected ?
2. What other mitzvot does shmeta or Shabbat connect to?
3. Where else does it connect two mitzvot?
4. What are other places where there is  סמיכות פרשיות or סמיכות mitzvot or topics?

Behar #1- Fear Hashem?

לואַל־תִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ נֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֔ית וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְחֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ עִמָּֽךְ:

36. You shall not take from him interest or increase, and you shall fear your God, and let your brother live with you.

What does it mean when it says “and you shall fear your G-d”?

Rashi says that naturally, a person would be inclined to taking interest from his fellow Jew, so it specifically adds in that we should fear Hashem, as a deterrent against sneakily taking interest, because we should acknowledge that Hashem knows all our inner thoughts.

What are other explanations of “and you shall fear your G-d”?

Where else in the Torah does it discuss interest?

Where else in this Parsha, or in Tanach in general, do we see sources for different Mitzvot?

What are other possible reasons we are not allowed to charge interest on others?

Emor #3- Leaving Aharon Out?

אמר אל הכהנים בני אהרן ואמרת אלהם לנפש לא יטמא בעמיו"

“Say to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and tell them: none shall defile himself to a [dead] person among his people.” (21:1)

Why was Moshe only told to tell Aharon’s sons and not Aharon himself?

The Midrash Rabbah (Shemot 32:1) explains that when Bnei Yisrael were at har sinai and said naaseh vinishma, Hashem said they were worthy to live forever. But at chaet haegel, death returned to them. Since Aharon was involved in chaet haegel, he was therefore directly connected with death returning to the Jewish people. He wasn’t included, so he wouldn’t be caused any pain, even though in reality he didn’t do anything wrong at chaet haegel he still would be caused pain. (chabad.org)

Where else do we see someone left out in the torah? What purpose did it serve?

Were Aharon’s sons told for a specific reason?

Where else in the Torah do we see someone trying to be kept out of pain by someone else?

What else do the words בני אהרן imply?