Chumash Test

Question 1

Intro to בשלח:
We build trust through experience.

Answer 1

נסיון= experience
נסיון = challenge (purpose = to show what we are capable of, a challenge from Hashem is meant to push us forward and show ourselves what we are capable of.)
נס = miracle (purpose: show that Hashem is there)
נס= banner (purpose: to show a message)

Question 2

יז וַיְהִי, בְּשַׁלַּח פַּרְעֹה אֶת-הָעָם, וְלֹא-נָחָם אֱלֹהִים דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים, כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא: כִּי אָמַר אֱלֹהִים, פֶּן-יִנָּחֵם הָעָם בִּרְאֹתָם מִלְחָמָה–וְשָׁבוּ מִצְרָיְמָה.

Answer 2

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said: ‘Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.’

Question 3

דרך ארץ פלשתים would have been the direct route to get from מצרים to ארץ ישרא. If Hashem choose not to take them that way, there must be a reason.

Answer 3

רש”י (כי קרוב הוא) – The path was so easy and close that it would have been too easy for them to run back to מצרים if they got scared.
רשב”ם – Since the road was direct they would get to כנען very quickly and have to start fighting to conquer the land right away. They would not have been ready and this would have caused them to want to return to מצרים.
ספורנו – Many people traveled on דרך ארץ פלשתים and בנ”י would have found out sooner that the מצריים were chasing after them. They would have gotten scared and surrendered.

Question 4

יח וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָעָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר, יַם-סוּף; וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.

Answer 4

18 But God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.

Question 5

יט וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת-עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף, עִמּוֹ: כִּי הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר, פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם, וְהַעֲלִיתֶם אֶת-עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה אִתְּכֶם.

Answer 5

And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying: ‘God will surely remember you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

Question 6

כ וַיִּסְעוּ, מִסֻּכֹּת; וַיַּחֲנוּ בְאֵתָם, בִּקְצֵה הַמִּדְבָּר.

Answer 6

20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

Question 7

כא וַיהוָה הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן, לַנְחֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ, לְהָאִיר לָהֶם–לָלֶכֶת, יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה.

Answer 7

21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:

Question 8

כב לֹא-יָמִישׁ עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, יוֹמָם, וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ, לָיְלָה–לִפְנֵי, הָעָם.

Answer 8

22 the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people.

Question 9

Once again we see בני ישראל has to trust Hashem by following a cloud. This is a challenge(נסיון) because they don’t know where they are going, but is a miracle that Hashem is guiding them so openly.

Question 10

פרק יד

The journey from מצרים:
Day 1: רעמסס to סוכות
Day 2: סוכות to איתן

Question 11

א וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.

Answer 11

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying

Question 12

ב דַּבֵּר, אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיָשֻׁבוּ וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַחִירֹת, בֵּין מִגְדֹּל וּבֵין הַיָּם: לִפְנֵי בַּעַל צְפֹן, נִכְחוֹ תַחֲנוּ עַל-הַיָּם.

Answer 12

2 ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon, over against it shall ye encamp by the sea.

Question 13

ג וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, נְבֻכִים הֵם בָּאָרֶץ; סָגַר עֲלֵיהֶם, הַמִּדְבָּר.

Answer 13

3 And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel: They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

Question 14

ד וְחִזַּקְתִּי אֶת-לֵב-פַּרְעֹה, וְרָדַף אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וְאִכָּבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל-חֵילוֹ, וְיָדְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי-אֲנִי יְהוָה; וַיַּעֲשׂוּ-כֵן.

Answer 14

4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will get Me honour upon Pharah, and upon all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD

Question 15

In these פסוקים Hashem is telling Moshe his plan:
1) Bnei Yisrael will turn (this will cause #2)
2) פרעה will think they are lost
2a) Hashem will harden his heart (only though the combination of 2-3 will פרעה decide to do #4)
4) פרעה will chase after בני ישראל
5) Hashem will punish the מצרים (קריעת ים סוף can only happen because of #4)
6) מצרים will recognize Hashem (this was the real goal the entire plan)

Question 16

This changes our understanding about קריעת ים סוף. Hashem did not split the sea because בני ישראל was stuck, rather Hashem caused them to be stuck so that He could do the miracle for them.

Question 17

ה וַיֻּגַּד לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, כִּי בָרַח הָעָם; וַיֵּהָפֵךְ לְבַב פַּרְעֹה וַעֲבָדָיו, אֶל-הָעָם, וַיֹּאמְרוּ מַה-זֹּאת עָשִׂינוּ, כִּי-שִׁלַּחְנוּ אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָבְדֵנוּ.

Answer 17

5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned towards the people, and they said: ‘What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

Question 18

ו וַיֶּאְסֹר, אֶת-רִכְבּוֹ; וְאֶת-עַמּוֹ, לָקַח עִמּוֹ.

Answer 18

6 And he made ready his chariots, and took his people with him

Question 19

ז וַיִּקַּח, שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בָּחוּר, וְכֹל, רֶכֶב מִצְרָיִם; וְשָׁלִשִׁם, עַל-כֻּלּוֹ.

Answer 19

And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them.

Question 20

ח וַיְחַזֵּק יְהוָה, אֶת-לֵב פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, וַיִּרְדֹּף, אַחֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, יֹצְאִים בְּיָד רָמָה.

Answer 20

8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand

Question 21

ט וַיִּרְדְּפוּ מִצְרַיִם אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וַיַּשִּׂיגוּ אוֹתָם חֹנִים עַל-הַיָּם, כָּל-סוּס רֶכֶב פַּרְעֹה, וּפָרָשָׁיו וְחֵילוֹ–עַל-פִּי, הַחִירֹת, לִפְנֵי, בַּעַל צְפֹן

Answer 21

And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon

Question 22

This is pretty scary for בני ישראל! It is a challenge (נסיון) to see how they will react.

Question 23

י וּפַרְעֹה, הִקְרִיב; וַיִּשְׂאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-עֵינֵיהֶם וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד, וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶל-יְהוָה.

Answer 23

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were sore afraid; and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

Question 24

יא וַיֹּאמְרוּ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין-קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם, לְקַחְתָּנוּ לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר: מַה-זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ, לְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם

Answer 24

11 And they said unto Moses: ‘Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt?

Question 25

יב הֲלֹא-זֶה הַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְמִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר, חֲדַל מִמֶּנּוּ, וְנַעַבְדָה אֶת-מִצְרָיִם: כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ עֲבֹד אֶת-מִצְרַיִם, מִמֻּתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר.

Answer 25

12 Is not this the word that we spoke unto thee in Egypt, saying: Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.’

Question 26

Different people from בני ישראל react differently to this test.

Answer 26

Some scream out to Hashem for help.
Some get scared and want to go back to מצרים.

Question 27

יג וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם, אַל-תִּירָאוּ–הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת-יְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶׂה לָכֶם הַיּוֹם: כִּי, אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת-מִצְרַיִם הַיּוֹם–לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאֹתָם עוֹד, עַד-עוֹלָם.

Answer 27

13 And Moses said unto the people: ‘Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you to-day; for whereas ye have seen the Egyptians to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Question 28

יד יְהוָה, יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם; וְאַתֶּם, תַּחֲרִשׁוּן.

Answer 28

14 The LORD will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.’

Question 29

משה gives them a “pep-talk.”

Question 30

טו וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, מַה-תִּצְעַק אֵלָי; דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִסָּעוּ.

Answer 30

15 And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Wherefore criest thou unto Me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.

Question 31

טז וְאַתָּה הָרֵם אֶת-מַטְּךָ, וּנְטֵה אֶת-יָדְךָ עַל-הַיָּם–וּבְקָעֵהוּ; וְיָבֹאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם, בַּיַּבָּשָׁה.

Answer 31

6 And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground

Question 32

יז וַאֲנִי, הִנְנִי מְחַזֵּק אֶת-לֵב מִצְרַיִם, וְיָבֹאוּ, אַחֲרֵיהֶם; וְאִכָּבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל-חֵילוֹ, בְּרִכְבּוֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁיו.

Answer 32

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them; and I will get Me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen

Question 33

יח וְיָדְעוּ מִצְרַיִם, כִּי-אֲנִי יְהוָה, בְּהִכָּבְדִי בְּפַרְעֹה, בְּרִכְבּוֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁיו

Answer 33

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten Me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.’

Question 34

Their faith in ה’ is really pushed to the limit!(נסיון)

Question 35

Bnei Yisrael see the מצרים are dead (with their eyes.) This enables them to recognize Hashem (see him with their mind.) This brings them to awe and faith in Hashem.!

Question 36

יט וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים, הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיֵּלֶךְ, מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם; וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, מִפְּנֵיהֶם, וַיַּעֲמֹד, מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם.

Question 37

כ וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם, וּבֵין מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיְהִי הֶעָנָן וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ, וַיָּאֶר אֶת-הַלָּיְלָה; וְלֹא-קָרַב זֶה אֶל-זֶה, כָּל-הַלָּיְלָה.

Question 38

יט וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים, הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיֵּלֶךְ, מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם; וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, מִפְּנֵיהֶם, וַיַּעֲמֹד, מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם. כ וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם, וּבֵין מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיְהִי הֶעָנָן וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ, וַיָּאֶר אֶת-הַלָּיְלָה; וְלֹא-קָרַב זֶה אֶל-זֶה, כָּל-הַלָּיְלָה. כא וַיֵּט מֹשֶׁה אֶת-יָדוֹ, עַל-הַיָּם, וַיּוֹלֶךְ יְהוָה אֶת-הַיָּם בְּרוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה כָּל-הַלַּיְלָה, וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-הַיָּם לֶחָרָבָה; וַיִּבָּקְעוּ, הַמָּיִם. כב וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם, בַּיַּבָּשָׁה; וְהַמַּיִם לָהֶם חוֹמָה, מִימִינָם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם. כג וַיִּרְדְּפוּ מִצְרַיִם, וַיָּבֹאוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם–כֹּל סוּס פַּרְעֹה, רִכְבּוֹ וּפָרָשָׁיו: אֶל-תּוֹךְ, הַיָּם. כד וַיְהִי, בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר, וַיַּשְׁקֵף יְהוָה אֶל-מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם, בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן; וַיָּהָם, אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם. כה וַיָּסַר, אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו, וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ, בִּכְבֵדֻת; וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם, אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל–כִּי יְהוָה, נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם. {פ}
כו וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, נְטֵה אֶת-יָדְךָ עַל-הַיָּם; וְיָשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם עַל-מִצְרַיִם, עַל-רִכְבּוֹ וְעַל-פָּרָשָׁיו. כז וַיֵּט מֹשֶׁה אֶת-יָדוֹ עַל-הַיָּם, וַיָּשָׁב הַיָּם לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר לְאֵיתָנוֹ, וּמִצְרַיִם, נָסִים לִקְרָאתוֹ; וַיְנַעֵר יְהוָה אֶת-מִצְרַיִם, בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם. כח וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם, וַיְכַסּוּ אֶת-הָרֶכֶב וְאֶת-הַפָּרָשִׁים, לְכֹל חֵיל פַּרְעֹה, הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם בַּיָּם: לֹא-נִשְׁאַר בָּהֶם, עַד-אֶחָד. כט וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה, בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם; וְהַמַּיִם לָהֶם חֹמָה, מִימִינָם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם.