Torah Trivia for Parshah 13: Shemot

Torah Trivia for Parshah 13. Shemot

1.) What tasks does Pharaoh place upon the Israelites in attempt to break the Israelites?

Answer: Pharaoh places the tasks of hard labour, in building the storehouse cities of Pithom and Ramses (Shemot 1:11); and further places the burden of slavery upon the Hebrews, with the compulsion of making cement and bricks and conducting the agricultural labour (Shemot 1:13 – 14).

2.) What are the names of the 2 Hebrew midwives who disobey Pharaoh and allow the Hebrew baby boys to live, and what is the excuse that the midwives communicate to Pharaoh?

Answer: The names of the 2 Hebrew midwives are: Shifra and Puah (Shemot 1:15); and the midwives explain that the Hebrew women are extremely healthy and give birth to the boys before the midwives arrive (Shemot 1:19).

3.) Who puts baby Moshe in the basket on the Nile, who watches baby Moshe float along the Nile, who sees baby Moshe in the basket, who retrieves baby Moshe from the basket, who rescues baby Moshe from the decree of Pharaoh against Hebrew baby boys, who recommends a wet nurse for baby Moshe, and who becomes the wet nurse for baby Moshe?

Answer: Moshe’s mother puts baby Moshe in the basket (Shemot 2:3); Moshe’s sister, Miriam, watches baby Moshe float along the Nile (Shemot 2:4); Pharaoh’s daughter sees baby Moshe in the basket (Shemot 2:5); the servant of Pharoah’s daughter retrieves baby Moshe from the basket (Shemot 2:5); Pharaoh’s daughter rescues baby Moshe from the decree of Pharaoh (Shemot 2:6); Miriam recommends to Pharoah’s daughter a wet nurse for baby Moshe (Shemot 2:7); and Moshe’s mother becomes baby Moshe’s wet nurse (Shemot 2:8 – 9).

4.) What is the name of the Midianite Priest whose daughters Moshe assists at the well, by what additional name is he known (for which a subsequent Parshah is provided appellation), how many daughters does he have, and what is the name of his daughter who marries Moshe?

Answer: The name of the Midianite Priest is Reuel (Shemot 2:18); also known as Yitro (Shemot 3:1; 18:1); he has 7 daughters who are described (Shemot 2:16); and his daughter, Tzipporah, marries Moshe (Shemot 2:21).

5.) What name does Moshe give to his son?

Answer: Moshe names his son, “Gershom”: “ger” (foreigner), “shom” (there, in a strange land) (Shemot 2:22).

6.) In what area is the burning bush located, and how does Moshe respond when Adonai calls him?

Answer: The bush is located at Horeb, mountain of God, near Sinai (Shemot 3:1); and Moshe responds by saying, “Hinneni,” “Here I am” (Shemot 3:4).

7.) Whose territory does Adonai promise to provide to the Israelites?

Answer: Adonai promises to provide to the Israelites the respective lands of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites (Shemot 3:8).

8.) How does Adonai respond when Moshe asks who it is that he should tell the Israelites that sends Moshe to the Israelites?

Answer: Adonai says: “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” (“I Am That I Am”), and subsequently, to tell the Israelites that “Ehyeh” sends Moshe (Shemot 3:14).

9.) What does Adonai describe with respect to how the Egyptians will ultimately respond to Moshe’s demands for the liberation of the Israelites:

Answer: Adonai says that the Egyptians will provide the Israelites with silver, gold, and clothing (Shemot 3:22).

10.) What 3 signs does Adonai provide to Moshe to prove himself to the Egyptians?

Answer: Adonai provides the sign of the staff turning into a snake (Shemot 4:1 – 5); the sign of Moshe’s hand turn into, and back from being, a leprous hand (Shemot 4:6 – 8); and the sign of the Nile water turning into blood (Shemot 4:9).

11.) What affliction does Moshe refer about himself, and who is designated to help Moshe approach the Israelites and the Egyptians?

Answer: Moshe refers to his speech impediment (Shemot 4:10); and Adonai identifies Moshe’s brother, Aaron, as Moshe’s helper (Shemot 4:14 – 16).

12.) How does Pharaoh respond when Moshe and Aaron first approach him and demand to be allowed to go into the wilderness to worship Adonai?

Answer: Pharaoh questions the existence of Adonai (Shemot 5:2); he dismisses Moshe and Aaron (Shemot 5:4); he increase the Israelites’ labour by requiring the Israelites to collect the straw to make the same quota of bricks (Shemot 5:7 – 9); and his slave drivers whip the Israelites for failing to meet the quotas (Shemot 5:14).

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Discussion Questions:

Within this Parshah, the descendants of Israel are referred to as, “Hebrews.” Whilst this may be accurate, it is increasingly ambiguous compared to the designation of, “Israelite;” particularly considering that there seem to be Hebrews who live in Egypt before Yosef arrives (given Potiphar’s wife’s derogatory slur against Yosef as a “Hebrew slave” in Bereshit 39:17). So, are the aggregate of the Hebrews treated synonymously as the Israelites, and what is the significance within the utilisation of these distinct terms, at this point? Are there Hebrews, other than Israelites, who also participate in the Exodus? What is the fate of the “unnamed” Hebrews who exist outside of fold of Israel?

Just within the previous Parshah, Israel specifically curses Reuven, Shimon, and Levi, so why is it that Moshe is born within the tribe of Levi?

Within the description of Moshe’s birth, there is description of Moshe’s parents being married and then having a child, Moshe; presumably inferring that Moshe is the first born of the married couple. This is inaccurate inference is later alleviated with the description of Moshe’s older sister, Miriam, and obviously with the subsequent description of Aaron. Why is the initial description of Moshe’s birth provided in such a manner? Within a considerable lack of knowledge regarding this detailed narrative, is it possible that Miriam and Aaron have 1, or additional, different parent from Moshe?

What is the etymology of the name, “Moshe,” and is there any significance in that Pharaoh’s daughter provides him with this name?

What are the respective narratives and lineages of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites? Do each of these tribes previously commit heinous transgression so as to “deserve” the usurpation of such land? Why does Adonai abstain from simply providing the land of Egypt to the Israelites?

Amidst Adonai’s description of what Pharaoh’s response will be, and Adonai working through Pharaoh, does Pharaoh even have “free will”? Does anyone?

What are the implications amidst Israel being described as the “first born son” of Adonai?

There is the description of Moshe having a plural number of sons, yet there is only the specific description of Gershom being circumcised; how is this distinction reconciled?