Parsha Points to Ponder

Parsha Points to Ponder for Parshat Re'i

1) The Torah commands us regarding the Korban Pesach, eating matza, and not eating chameitz on Pesach. Why does it conclude the section by teaching IN ORDER TO REMEMBER THE DAY YOU LEFT EGYPT ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE (16:2). How will observing these laws on these seven days enable us to remember our leaving Egypt ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE?

2) Why does the Torah command to count seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot twice in the same verse (16:9)?

3) The Torah describes the mitzva for all males to appear in Jerusalem for the three festivals where they bring an olah offering (16:16-17). The entire time it speaks of YOUR MALES (ZECHURCHA) and YOUR G-D (ELOKECHA). Why does it change to HIS HAND (MATNAT YADO) when describing people how each person should bring an offering according to what he can afford instead of YOUR HAND (YADECHA)?

Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim and Machon Maayan in Beit shemesh and is the author of “DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and Adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith” (Feldheim) and “TIMEOUT: Sports Stories as a Game Plan for Spiritual Success” (Devora) His Hagada commentary, “FOUNDATIONS” will be published by Targum before Pesach
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Answers - Ponder the questions first and then look here

1) S’forno teaches that this entire section begins with the command to GUARD THE MONTH OF SPRING (SHAMOR ET CHODESH HA’AVIV) which means to monitor each month to determine if there needs to be any additional days or if there needs to be a month added to a year, all to make sure that Pesach falls in the Spring. The IN ORDER TO… at the end of the section is explaining why G-D chose for us to follow a lunar calendar which requires GUARDING through leap years and months. Why not simply follow a solar calendar which would inherently make sure that Pesach is always in the Spring? The Torah explains that the demand to constantly manage and adjust the calendar is IN ORDER TO REMEMBER that G-D redeemed us from Egypt all the time. Throughout the year we will have to think about it as we monitor the calendar.

2) The Ohr HaChayim answers that the second command has one of two functions. If we hold that one must count the Omer in our times without a Beit HaMikdash on a Torah level, then the second command is the source for that. If we hold that counting today is only Rabbinic, the second command teaches that one should count the Omer even if there are no new crops to use as the basis for when the count should begin.

3) The Kli Yakar explains that an olah offering is a difficult offering to bring since the entire animal is consumed and the owner does not receive any meat to eat from it. Therefore, the Torah reminds us that when we bring these offerings, we are offering something which is not really ours but was given to us by the grace of HIS HAND, referring to G-D’s hand. Recognizing that G-D is the source of our possessions will make it easier to offer the olah.

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