Torah Dialogue

QUESTIONS FOR PARSHAT SHOFTIM 5780

From the Text
1. What cases were handled by a court of three? Of 23? Of 71?
2. Why were the Leviyim not permitted to receive land in Israel? (18:2)
3. How many Cities of Refuge were there? (4:41 and 19:2)
4. What are the Eidim Zomemim and what was their punishment? (19:19)
5. What is the law of the Unsolved Murder: the Axed Calf (Eglah Arufah)? (21:1-9)

From Rashi
6. Why was the king not permitted to have too many horses? (17:16 and Ramban)
7. What was the maximum number of wives permitted to a king? (17:17)
8. How did the Israelite army deal with deserters? (20:9)
9. Which “true” prophet became a false prophet during the days of Jeremiah? (18:21)
10. In which type of wars were Bnei Yisrael to offer peace to the enemy? (20:10)

From the Rabbis
11. The Rabbis derived from 17:9 that certain men should preferably serve in the Sanhedrin. (Sifri) Which men were to serve in the Sanhedrin?
12. What three Mitzvot are the first to be observed by Bnei Yisrael once the people were established in Eretz Yisrael? (Sanhedrin 20b)
13. The Leviyim had 42 cities plus the Cities of Refuge. Why were these cities not considered the Levitical land of tribal inheritance?

Haftorah -  Isaiah 51
14. Who will comfort the Exiled Jewish people?

Relationships
a) David - Rechav’am
b) Moshe - Eliezer
c) Esav - Amalek
d) Terach - Lot
e) Levi - Amram (two answers)

 ANSWERS FOR PARSHAT SHOFTIM 5780

1. 3: monetary cases.  23: capital and corporal cases.  71: cases of national importance.
2. The Leviyim worked exclusively in the Holy Temple and in Jewish education. (And were supported by the nation of Israel.)
3. Six: three east of the Jordan River and three west of the Jordan River. (Three more will be added when further land expansion would take place.)
4. They were false witnesses; and we do to them what they wanted to do to the defendant.
5. A murdered corpse is discovered. The nearest city is held collectively responsible, resulting in an atonement ceremony involving the city elders and the blood of an axed calf.
6. Rashi: because the horses come from Egypt. Ramban: the king needs to trust Hashem more.
7. 18
8. They appointed soldiers to take up positions in front of the army and in the rear to strike down deserters.
9. Chananiah ben Azur. He was a recognized prophet who said there will be salvation and triumph while Jeremiah was predicting the destruction of the Holy Temple.
10. Optional wars.
11. Kohanim and Leviyim.
12. a) To appoint a king.   b) To annihilate Amalek.   c) To build the Holy Temple.
13. The cities provided a place to live and minimal farmland, and not a continuous province. They were located within the borders of other tribes.
14. Hashem.
Relationships
a) Grandfather David
b) Father Moshe
c) Grandfather Esav
d) Grandfather Terach
e) Grandfather Levi and Father-in-Law Levi