Riddles of the Week

Riddles of the Week

1. Rashi quotes (Vayikra 10:2) an opinion that Nadav and Avihu were killed for entering the Mishkan and attempting to offer a korban while intoxicated. From where in the desert did they obtain the wine that made them drunk?
2. Parshas Shemini introduces us to the laws governing kosher and prohibited foods. How is it possible that a person combined two distinct food items, one kosher and one forbidden, and as a result, the kosher food became prohibited, while the forbidden one was rendered kosher?
3. One of the species of birds ruled non-kosher by the Torah is the chasidah (Vayikra 11:19). Rashi explains that its name is derived from the fact that it displays kindness (“chesed”) by sharing its food with others. If it is so merciful and compassionate, why does the Torah forbid its consumption?
4. R’ Shmuel Salant who was the head of the Beis Din in Yerusholayim used to rush home on seder night, leaving before davening in shul had finished. He would quickly start the seder, rush through the Haggadah, and finish the seder and then go to sleep. He would then wake up, and learn Gemara and poskim. All this he did before most people had even got halfway through their seder. The halachah is “The more one speaks about Yetziyas Mitzaryim the more praiseworthy he is”, what is peshat in R’ Shmuel Salant’s conduct? Hint: The answer is related to this week’s parsha.
5. What is more embarrassing, to say “I heard but I forgot”, or “I never heard”?
6. The Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer (end of Perek 17) teaches:חתן דומה למלך מה המלך הכל מקלסין אותו כך החתן הכל מקלסין אותו כל שבעה - “A chosan is compared to a king. Just like a king everyone praises, so too a chosan everyone praises him – all seven days of sheva berachos”. The Gemara in Eruchin (16a) teaches: לעולם אל יספר אדם בטובתו של חבירו שמתוך טובתו בא לידי רעתו – “A person shouldn’t say praises about his friend, as by doing so, people will come to say his criticism’s”. Some Rishonim learn that this only applies in front of people who don’t like the person, however, Rashi learns that it applies in front of everyone. Rashi writes:שכשהוא מספר בטובתו יותר מדאי הוא עצמו אומר חוץ ממדה רעה זו או אחרים ששומעין שזה משבחו ואומרים הלא מדת כך וכך בידו – “When one says praise about another, the one speaking may come to say ‘besides for such and such’, or others will says ‘he has such and such issue’”. The question therefore is, why by a chosan are we not worried about the above?