Riddles of the Week

Riddles of the Week

(For answers see inside)

1. Rashi at the beginning of this week’s parsha writes: נדרשת פרשה זו יפה – “This parsha is expounded on very well in the Medrash Tanchumah.” In fact, many things Rashi says in Parshas Korach are taken from the Medrash Tanchumah.
   The question is, Chazal tell us (Eruvin 64a): “Anyone who says this teaching is good, and this teaching is not good, takes away from the wealth of the Torah”, so how can Rashi violate this Chazal and say this parsha is נדרשת יפה – “expounded well”?
2. In this week’s parsha we learn that Korach and his assembly were swallowed into the ground. Why was Korach and his assembly punished in such a unique manner?
3. The Gemara (Bava Basra 74a) records that when Rabbah bar bar Chana visited the place where Korach and his followers were swallowed up, he heard them declaring that Moshe and his Torah are true and we are frauds, a phenomenon that recurs every 30 days. The Rashbam writes that this takes place every Rosh Chodesh. Why does Korach specifically make this proclamation on Rosh Chodesh?
4. Were the wives of the assembly of Korach who were swallowed into the ground permitted to remarry?
5. The Gemara in Gittin (52b) relates: There were two people who the Sotan would dwell by, as they would fight with each other every single week during bein hashmoshas of erev Shabbos. The question is, why would they specifically fight during this time?
6. Where are two places that almonds are mentioned in the Torah?