Parsha Questions - Vayishlach

Parsha Questions - Vayishlach

Questions K - 2

1. What news did the messengers bring Ya'akov regarding Esav? (32:7) 

2. Who did Ya'akov meet on other side of the river? ( 32:25-29) 

3. What new name was given to Ya’akov? (32:29) 

4. Who gave birth to Binyamin? (35:16 –17)

5. Where was Yitzchak buried? (35:27-29) 

Questions 3 - 5

1. What three things did Ya'akov do in order to prepare for his meeting with Esav? (32:9 Rashi)

2. Why did Ya'akov divide his family into two camps? (32:9-10) 

3. Who fought with Ya'akov and what new name was given  to Ya'akov? (32:25-29) 

4. What did Ya'akov name the place where he wrestled  with the angel? (32:31) 

5. Where was Rachel buried? ( 35:19) 

Dvar Torah - Parshat Vayeitei

וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹקים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃

And Yaakov dreamed of a ladder planted in the ground and its top reached the heavens. And there were angels of G-d going up and down the ladder. (28:12)

This pasuk is very difficult to comprehend. When speaking of Angels that live in the heavens it should typically say that they are coming “down” the ladder first, and then going back “up.”  Many meforshim try to explain the wording of this pasuk.

Rashi explains that there were certain Angels that always stayed with Yaakov when he was in Eretz Yisrael. Now that he was exiting the land, they needed to leave him and go back up. Once the Angels that protected him in Eretz Yisrael went back up, the ones needed to protect him in Chutz La’aretz came down.

The Midrash interprets the ladder dream as a picture of the descendants of Yaakov. Moshe on the one side going up the ladder, and Korach on the other side descending the ladder. This makes sense since Moshe ascended to heaven at Har Sinai, and Korach was swallowed up by the earth as a punishment for his sin. But why this picture for Yaakov?

Rav Mordechai Ilan the former dayan of Tel Aviv explains this Midrash as a metaphor for the Jewish people. When we are doing the right thing we rise to the heights of the stars in Heaven, but when we do wrong, we descend to the level of dust. We can never be still. We are always moving on the ladder of good and bad, progressing and regressing. The ladder symbolizes the range for the Jewish People from the top of ladder, like Moshe, to the bottom of the ladder planted in the earth, like Korach. We know that we are not perfect, but we hope that we are closer to the top of ladder, near Moshe, than the bottom, near Korach.

So, why does the Torah start with the angels going up the ladder?  The Torah is encouraging us and telling us to be positive and self confident so we can achieve the heights of the ladder. Therefore, the torah starts at the top of the ladder, at greatness. The Torah then warns us about what happens when the correct path is not taken,  ultimately it leads to descent on the ladder.

Each of us should live our lives trying to make it to the top. Take the hint from the Torah and stay positive that we can make it there!

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Steven Penn

שאלות פרשת ויצא

שאלות פרשת ויצא

Questions for K - 2

1. Upon what did  Yakov lay his head to rest? ( 28:11)

2. What did Yakov do that the other shepreds were not able to do? (29:10) 

3. How did Lavan greet Yakov? (29:13)

4. What did Yakov say he wanted in return for working for Lavan? (29:18)

5. How many daughters did Lavan have, and what were their names? 

6. How did Lavan trick Yakov? (29:23)

 Questions for 3 - 5

1. What two promises did Hashem make to Yakov in his dream? (28:13-14) 

2. What was Lavan’s answer to Yakov when asked why he tricked him? (29:26) 

3. How many additional years did Yakov work to marry Rachel? (29:27)

4. What was the name of  Leah’s daughter? (30:21)

5. What are Teraphim? Who stole them (Rashi 31:19) 

6.What did Yakov say would happen to the person who had the idols? (31:32)

שאלות תולדות

Questions for Parshat Toldot

Questions for K – Grade 2

1. What was Yitzchak’s wife’s name?  (25:20)

2. How does the Torah describe the appearance of Esav when he was born? (25:25)

3. How many children were born to Yitzchak and what were their names?(25:25-26)

4. What was another name for Esav? (25:30)

5. What happened to Yitzchak’s eyesight when he got older? (27:1)

Questions for Grades 3 - 5

1. What bothered Rivkah about her pregnancy? (25:22)

2. Why was Yaakov named “Yaakov?” (25:26)

3. What was Esav’s occupation? (25:27)

4. What color is emphasized with regard to Esav? (25:30)Think of two reasons why.

Dvar Torah Parshat Toldot

Dvar Torah Parashat Toldot

In Parshat Toldot, Rivka gave birth to two sons.  The Midrash says that while Rivka was pregnant with them, anytime she would pass a shul, Yaakov would kick her from the inside. When she would walk near Avoda Zarah, Esav would kick her from the inside. This makes it seem that they were each destined to different paths in life.

It says in the Torah that Yaakov received his name because he was holding onto Esav’s heel. Yaakov was supposed to be born first, but knowing this made Esav push him out of the way. Yaakov grabbed Esav’s heel to try to change this, but Esav still came out first.

Later in their lives, Yaakov would spend his time learning in his tent, while Esav hunted in the field and brought food to Yitzchak.  They were both doing good things. Esav was liked by his father, Yitzchak, and Yaakov was liked by his mother, Rivkah. Each of them, even Esav, had some good qualities. We learn from this, that even if it seems from the outside that someone is not good, it is important to get to know them and this way we could find good qualities in everyone. 

Shabbat Shalom,Jacob Horn and Yosi Gold

שאלות - חיי שרה

שאלות - חיי שרה

Questions for K - 2

1. How old was Sarah when she died? (23:1)

2. What is the name of the cave in which Avraham buried Sarah?  (23:9)

3. How much did Avraham pay for this piece of land? (23:16)

4. What nice things did Rivka do for Avraham’s servant? (24:18-20)

5. Who was  Rivka’s brother? (24:29)

6. Where was the first place that Yitzchak brought  Rivka? (24:66)

7. How old was Avraham when he died? (25:7)

 Questions for 3 - 5

1. What was the name of the city in which Sarah died? (23:2)

2. What was the name of the person who sold Avraham the burial site? (23:16) 

3. What was Eliezer’s prayer to Hashem  while standing next to the well? (24:12-14)

4. What did Eliezer give Rivka immediately after meeting her? (24:22)

5. For how long did Lavan and his mother ask that Rivka stay at home? (24:55)

6. Who made the final decision to leave and go with Eliezer? (24:58)

Dvar Torah Parshat Chayei Sarah

Dvar Torah Parshat Chayei Sarah

In this week’s Parsha, Chayei Sarah, Avraham purchases Ma’arat Hamachpela as a burial place for his wife Sarah. He buys it from Efron Hachiti. Why does Avraham want

Ma’arat Hamachpela specifically? And why does the Torah also mentions that Ma’arat Hamachpela was in Chevron? 

The answer lies in the fact that Chevron, the special place where Ma'arat Hamachpela was located, has another name, Kiryat Arbah. Arbah means four. It's called this because there were four couples who were buried in Ma’arat Hamachpela: Adam and Chava, Avraham and Sarah, Yitzchak and Rivka and Yaakov and Leah. Avraham knew this and he wanted to make sure his family would be buried in Ma’arat Hamachpela. That’s why this week so many people go to visit Chevron and daven at Ma’arat Hamachpela.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Yoni Rosenberg

Grade 5

 

פרשת וירא דבר תורה

 iPad, iHome, selfies etc. We live in a world and a generation where our whole world revolves

around what we want and what we’re doing.

In this week’s parsha, Parshat Vayeira, we are reminded time and time again about Avraham’s selflessness.Avraham is tested over and over, but each time he puts aside the human instinct to think about himself. In those moments he chooses to think about the greater good and the impact that his actions can have on the world.

At the end of last week’s parsha, Avraham, at the age of 99, is commanded to give all the members of his household a  Brit Milah. He does this to everyone and to himself. In that moment, Hashem gave him every opportunity to take care of himself. Avraham was sick and Hashem made it hot outside, so that Avraham would be inclined to remain in his tent and relax. Avraham does the exact opposite. He sits outside in the scolding hot weather and waits for people to pass by. He longed to do Hachnasat Orchim, the mitzvah that he so famous for doing. Hashem, seeing how eager Avraham is to do this mitzvah, sends three angels to come visit Avraham. Each angel comes with his own message. The first one comes to heal Avraham. The second comes to bring the great news that in a year’s  time, Sarah will give birth to a son. And the last was a messenger to tell Avraham that Sodom was going to be destroyed.Each comes with an important message, but which one does Avraham spend the most energy thinking about? He is thinking about the one who said that Sodom was going to be destroyed. He was just told that he was going to have a son, after waiting all this time, and he is concerned for the possible Tzaddikim in Sodom. He even begins bargaining with Hashem, trying to make deals to save the people that live there. Again, Avraham puts his own happiness aside to think about the plight of others. Lastly, Hashem asks Avraham to bring his precious son as a Korban. We all know how the story goes, he does this without hesitating. He gets up early and quickly goes to fulfil the word of Hashem. Again, the natural instinct to think about himself in this moment is not even a thought for him.

Avraham designated his life to serving Hashem and helping the people around him. If we could take one message from this week’s Parsha, it should be to think about our lives and see if we can find appropriate opportunities to do this. Is  there anyone that we could help even if we have something of our own to do? Can we put our own agendas on the side for a couple of minutes and do something which could have an impact on others?

שאלות פרשת וירא

Grades 1 and 2


1. How did Avraham greet the  3 visitors? (18:2) 

2. What news did the three strangers bring with them? (18:10)

3. What argument did Avraham use to try and save Sodom? (18:23-30) 

4. What did Lot say to the two visitors in Sodom? (19:2) 

5. What Mitzvah did both Avraham and Lot perform in this week’s Parsha? 

5. How old was Avraham when Yizchak was born? ( 21:5)  

Grades  3- 5

1. How did Sarah react to the news the three strangers brought? Why did she react that way?(18:12)

2. Who prayed to God on behalf of Sodom? What did he ask of God? (18:23-30)

3. What command did the messengers give Lot and his family when they were leaving Sodom? (19:17)

4, Why did Sarah ask  for Yishmael to be sent away? (21:9-10)

5. To which place was Avraham commanded to take Yitzchak for the Akeida? (22:2) 

6. What was used at the Akeida instead of Yitzchak? (22:13)