Riddles of the Week

למודי משה | March 13, 2026

(For answers see above)

In this week’s parsha (Vayakhel), what is done "every morning" (baboker baboker)? List three other times we find in the Torah that something was done “every morning”?
In this week’s parsha (Vayakhel) we learn about keeping Shabbos. On Shabbos there is a prohibition to be מבטל כלי מהיכנו – to do something to a utensil which makes it no longer suitable for its purpose. Because of this prohibition, it is forbidden to place something muktzeh inside a utensil as it removes the utensil from its usage, and doing so is either boneh or soser (building or demolition, see Tosfos Shabbos 43a). If so, how are we allowed to wash our hands on Shabbos morning, the water used for washing hands isn’t allowed to be used for washing, and can’t even be given to an animal to drink, so why isn’t it a problem of מבטל כלי מהיכנו ?
Of all the precious metals collected for the Mishkan, which had the largest amount?
In this week’s parsha (Pikudei) we have the pasuk: ויקם משה את המשכן – “Moshe set up the Mishkan” (40:18). The Gemara in Menachos (99a) learns from here the prohibition of being מורידין בקדושה – to take something and use it for a lower level of kedusha. Is it permissible to split a big shul into two, even though it will lower its level of kedusha, as originally it had the advantage of rav am hadras Melech [having lots of people is more honor to the King], and now each half will contain less people?

(For answers see above)

In this week’s parsha (Vayakhel), what is done "every morning" (baboker baboker)? List three other times we find in the Torah that something was done “every morning”?
In this week’s parsha (Vayakhel) we learn about keeping Shabbos. On Shabbos there is a prohibition to be מבטל כלי מהיכנו – to do something to a utensil which makes it no longer suitable for its purpose. Because of this prohibition, it is forbidden to place something muktzeh inside a utensil as it removes the utensil from its usage, and doing so is either boneh or soser (building or demolition, see Tosfos Shabbos 43a). If so, how are we allowed to wash our hands on Shabbos morning, the water used for washing hands isn’t allowed to be used for washing, and can’t even be given to an animal to drink, so why isn’t it a problem of מבטל כלי מהיכנו ?
Of all the precious metals collected for the Mishkan, which had the largest amount?
In this week’s parsha (Pikudei) we have the pasuk: ויקם משה את המשכן – “Moshe set up the Mishkan” (40:18). The Gemara in Menachos (99a) learns from here the prohibition of being מורידין בקדושה – to take something and use it for a lower level of kedusha. Is it permissible to split a big shul into two, even though it will lower its level of kedusha, as originally it had the advantage of rav am hadras Melech [having lots of people is more honor to the King], and now each half will contain less people?

View The Full Article (PDF)