Acharei Mot #3- Kohen Clothing

In פרק טז פסוק ד it says: כְּתֹֽנֶת־בַּ֨ד קֹ֜דֶשׁ יִלְבָּ֗שׁ וּמִכְנְסֵי־בַד֘ יִֽהְי֣וּ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ֒ וּבְאַבְנֵ֥ט בַּד֙ יַחְגֹּ֔ר וּבְמִצְנֶ֥פֶת בַּ֖ד יִצְנֹ֑ף בִּגְדֵי־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הֵ֔ם וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם אֶת־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וּלְבֵשָֽׁם:

4: He shall wear a holy linen shirt and linen pants shall be upon his flesh, and he shall gird himself with a linen sash and wear a linen cap these are holy garments, [and therefore,] he shall immerse himself in water and don them.

A question that can be asked is, why does it only list 4 of the 8 garments that a  כוהן גדול wears? Well Rashi says that by stating only the four garments of an ordinary kohen, this informs us that the Kohen Gadol does not perform the service inside the קדש קדשים wearing the eight garments with which he performs the service outside the קדש קדשים, because those garments contain gold, and a prosecutor cannot become a defender. I.e since the Kohen Gadol enters the קדש קדשים on Yom Kippur to effect atonement for all Israel, he may not enter wearing gold, because it resembles the golden calf. Instead, he wears four garments, like an ordinary kohen, all of which are made of linen. 
What are other possible reasons why it only has 4 garments stated? 

Additionally, what is the significance of the other 4 garments left out? Why does the Kohen Gadol have more garments than a regular Kohen, and what would happen if he wore more than he was supposed to? Why does the Kohen Gadol go to the קדש קדשים so many times? What is the significance of the קדש קדשים? And is there anywhere else in the Torah were we see that a Kohen Gadol/regular Kohen doesn’t wear all of his garments? 

Acharei Mot #2- Speaking to Aharon

וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֣י מ֔וֹת שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן בְּקָרְבָתָ֥ם לִפְנֵי־יְהוָ֖ה וַיָּמֻֽתוּ׃

The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they drew too close to the presence of the LORD. (Leviticus 16:1)

1)Why is it relevant when Hashem spoke to Moshe that Aaron's sons died?

• Rashi comments that Hashem included the death of Aaron's two sons in order to ‘put him on his guard’. Rashi brings down a mashal to illustrates this: A doctor said to a man not to eat cold things or sleep in a wet place. Then another doctor came and said the exact same things but also said because another man died when he did it. The second doctor was more effective because he said that someone died. This can be applied to our case and that is why Hashem included the death of Aaron’s two sons. I like this answer because the Mashal really helped with my understanding.

2) What else could this phrase mean /What are other interpretation of this pasuk?

3)  Where else in the Torah do we see that Hashem speaks to Moshe after someone dies.

4) What does it mean that the sons of Aaron died after they “drew too close to the presence of the LORD”

5) What is interesting about the tenses/ letters used in this Passuk

Acharei Mot #1- Kol

כִּֽי־בַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה יְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְטַהֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ חַטֹּ֣אתֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תִּטְהָֽרוּ׃
For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you (16-30) shall be clean before the LORD

We see in this possum it says the word כל but it seems like this word is unnecessary since wouldn't we assume it is all our sins even if it did not say all. Ibn Ezra comes and explains that the word חטא is a more general category that could mean unintentional actions in addition to intentional thoughts and actions so it uses the word to clarify that it is all kinds of sins.

How else can this passuk be explained?

Where else in the Torah does it seem a word is unnecessary but comes to teach us something?

Is there any other places where it says כל, but it’s obvious that it would include all?

Metzora #3- Backwards?

In perek 14, pasuk 1, Why does it say “and the sara’at was cured of the person suffering sara’at?” It seems backward.

Ibn Ezra Notes the confusion but also says that Hashem wouldn’t change the way He writes it because of our limited understanding. 

This answer makes sense but I don’t like it so much since it’s pretty much a glorified way of saying he doesn’t know. 

What are other reasons why the passuk is written in this order?

Are there other times in the Torah that seems seem to be in the wrong order? What are they?

What are other times that mepharshim point out a question in the text but don’t know the answer?

Metzora #2- Plagued People

כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֖ם לַאֲחֻזָּ֑ה וְנָתַתִּי֙ נֶ֣גַע צָרַ֔עַת בְּבֵ֖ית אֶ֥רֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶֽם׃

When you enter the land of Canaan that I give you as a possession, and I inflict an eruptive plague upon a house in the land you posses. 14:34

Why is Hashem putting a plague on the people in Canaan?

According to Rashi, the reason Hashem is putting tzaraat on therm is because when Bnei Yisroel were wondering in the desert for 40 years, the Amoraim hid gold and other treasures in the walls of their houses so that when Bnei Yisroel came, they could not take them. Hashem is now giving them tzaraat so that their houses will have to be torn down and then Bnei Yisroel will find the treasures in the walls.

What are other interpretation about this pasuk? Where else in the torah did Hashem give a punishment to another nation, so that Bnei Yisroel can take their treasures/gold?

Metzora #1- Birds

(ד) וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלָקַ֧ח לַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר שְׁתֵּֽי־צִפֳּרִ֥ים חַיּ֖וֹת טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃

The priest shall order two live clean birds, cedar wood, crimson stuff, and hyssop to be brought for him who is to be cleaned

(ה) וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְשָׁחַ֖ט אֶת־הַצִּפּ֣וֹר הָאֶחָ֑ת אֶל־כְּלִי־חֶ֖רֶשׂ עַל־מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃

The priest shall order one of the birds slaughtered over fresh water in an earthen vessel.

The Daat Zkenim answers in passuk ה׳ why the priest commands one of the birds to be slaughtered, while the other gets let go. He explains that this act taught the lesson that if a person receiving atonement displays remorse, he would return to his society, and be restored as a useful member who can associate with society.

What other answers are there to this question?

1. Why does the priest specifically want birds? What is their symbolism?
2. Where else are birds used in the Torah?
3. Who is the priest commanding to slaughter the bird.
4. Why was it necessary to have two birds? Why was one insufficient?

Tazria #3- Finding Tza'arat

13:2

אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֤ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֙חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ לְנֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת וְהוּבָא֙ אֶל־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן א֛וֹ אֶל־אַחַ֥ד מִבָּנָ֖יו הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling, a rash, or a discoloration, and it develops into a scaly affection on the skin of his body, it shall be reported to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests.

What is a שאת?

Chizkuni says that it is an elevation of the skin and when looked at in the shade it appears as higher than the normal skin that is exposed.

What are other interpretation for the word שאת?

What other ways can the swelling, rashes, or discoloration be interpreted?

Why does it specifically have to be reported to Aharon?

Tazria #2- Symbolism of Tzara'at

Leviticus 13:4

אִם־בַּהֶרֶת֩ לְבָנָ֨ה הִ֜וא בְּע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֗וֹ וְעָמֹק֙ אֵין־מַרְאֶ֣הָ מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖ה לֹא־הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְהִסְגִּ֧יר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֖גַע \

שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃

But if it is a white discoloration on the skin of his body which does not appear to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the affected person for seven days.

Rashi asks on this pasuk, what does it mean when it says “והסגיר”? Rashi answers that it means that this person who has white on them, shall be locked up in a house, and he shall not be seen for another week. This way after a week, the kohen can check his symptoms again and see if they have changed.

• What do other Mefarshim say about this pasuk?
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• Why do people get Tzara'at? What is the symbolism?
• Why do people who get Tzara'at have to be isolated?

Tazria #1- Brit Milah

וּבַיּ֖וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃”

On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.”

(12:3)

Why does the Torah specify the word “וביום” when talking about circumcision? What can we learn from this?

Chizkuni says that the Torah is clarifying that even if a Brit Milah has to be postponed, it has to happen during the day, as opposed to the night, no matter what.

What do other meforshim say about the word וביום?

Where else do we see this word and how could it relate to this idea?

Where are other places in the Torah that Brit Milah is mentioned?

What is the symbolism of Brit Milah?