Parshat Mikeitz - Questions

Questions K - 2

1. What did the weak cows do to the healthy cows? (41:4) 

2. What did the 7 healthy cows and the full ears of corn represent? (41:25-31) 

3. What was Yosef’s  suggestion to help Mizrayim through the famine? (41:34– 38) 

4. What  name did Yosef give his first born son?  What name did he give his second son?(41:50-52)

5. Yaakov sent ten brothers to Mizrayim to buy food, which brother stayed back? Why? 42:4)

Questions 3 - 5 

1. Describe Pharoh’s two dreams.(41:2– 7)

2. To whom did Yosef attribute his ability to interpet dreams? ( 41:16) 

3. Bonus: Pharoh appointed Yosef to a high position, gave him an official ring, dressed him in royal clothing, and had him ride around on a chariot before all of Mizrayim.  Who else in Jewish History was appointed to a high position, dressed in royal clothing, and rode around on a chariot before all of the people? (Can you think of a connection) 

4. Did the famine only effect Mizrayim? (41:57)

5. What did Yaakov tell his children to do about the famine? (42:2)

6. Did Yosef recognize his brothers? Did the brothers recognize  Yosef? (42:8)

7. What did the brothers find in their bags while returning home from their first trip to Mizrayim? What did Yaakov do about it? (42:27-28) & (43:12) 

שאלות - פרשת וישב

שאלות - פרשת וישב

Questions for grades K - 2

      1.  Describe the two dreams that Yosef dreamt? 

          (37:6-7 & 9)

2. Yosef was sent by Yaakov to visit his brothers.  What did the brothers do to Yosef when he found them?  (37:23-24)

3. Which brother convinced the brothers not to kill Yosef? (37:22)

4. What did Yaakov do when he saw Yosef’s bloody coat? (3 things) (37:34)

5. Which two people told their dreams to Yosef? (40:9 and 16)

6. How did Yosef interpret their dreams? (40:13 and 40:19)

 Questions for grades 3 - 5

1. Two of Yosef’s brothers saved him from the other brothers. They are _____________ and ____________. What did each one do? (37:22 and 37:26-27)

2.  Why was Yosef so successful as the slave in Potiphar’s house? (39:5)

3.  Pharaoh’s butler and winemaker were imprisoned.  Write the dream of each one of them. (40:9-11 and 40:16-17)

4.  How did Yosef interpret each dream? (40:12-13) (40:18-19)

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