Questions & Answers

1. Question: Why were heaven and earth specifically chosen as witnesses?
   Answer: 32:1 - They endure forever.


2. Question: How is the Torah like rain?
   Answer: 32:2 - The Torah gives life and promotes growth like rain.


3. Question: How is G-d "faithful without injustice"?
   Answer: 32:4 - He is "faithful" by rewarding the righteous, and "without injustice" by rewarding even the wicked for any good deeds.


4. Question: Why is G-d called "tzaddik"?
   Answer: 32:4 - All will agree that His judgments are righteous.


5. Question: How many major floods did G-d bring upon the world?
   Answer: 32:7 - Two. One in the time of Adam's grandson Enosh and one in the time of Noach.


6. Question: What group of people does the Torah call "fathers"? Cite an example.
   Answer: 32:7 - The Prophets. Elisha called the Prophet Eliyahu "My Father." (Melachim II 2:12).


7. Question: Why did G-d separate the world's nations into exactly 70?
   Answer: 32:8 - To correspond to the 70 Bnei Yisrael who entered Egypt.


8. Question: Why is the merit of the Jewish People's ancestry called a "rope"?
   Answer: 32:9 - Their merit is "woven from" the merits of the Avot.


9. Question: How is G-d's behavior toward the Jewish People like an eagle's behavior toward its offspring?
   Answer: 32:12 - He mercifully wakes them gently, hovering over them, and carrying them on His "wings".


10. Question: Regarding the Jewish People's punishment, G-d says, "I will spend my arrows on them." What is the positive aspect of this phrase?
    Answer: 32:23 - "The arrows will be spent" implies that the afflictions will cease but the Jewish People will not.


11. Question: How does the idea of "chillul Hashem" prevent the nations from destroying the Jewish People?
    Answer: 32:27 - The nations would attribute their success to their might and the might of their gods. G-d would not let His name be desecrated like this.


12. Question: What will happen to the nations that conquer the Jewish People?
    Answer: 32:35 - They will eventually be punished.


13. Question: When G-d overturns a nation that persecutes the Jewish People, His attribute of Mercy is "replaced" by which attribute?
    Answer: 32:41 - His attribute of Justice.


14. Question: When G-d punishes the heathen nations, for whose sins does He exact punishment?
    Answer: 32:42 - For their sins and the sins of their ancestors.


15. Question: How will G-d's punishment change the way the nations view the Jewish People?
    Answer: 32:43 - They will view the Jewish People as praiseworthy for cleaving to G-d.


16. Question: On what day was Ha'azinu taught to the Jewish People?
    Answer: 32:44 - The Shabbat upon which Moshe died.


17. Question: Verse 32:44 calls Yehoshua "Hoshea." Why?
    Answer: 32:44 - To indicate that although he was the Jewish People's leader, he still maintained a humble bearing.


18. Question: In verse 32:47, what does "it is not empty from you" mean?
    Answer: 32:47 - That you will receive reward for studying Torah and that there is nothing meaningless in the Torah.


19. Question: Why did G-d tell Moshe that he would die a similar death to that of Aharon?
    Answer: 32:50 - Because Moshe wanted this.


20. Question: If Moshe had spoken to the rock rather than striking it, what would the Jewish People have learned?
    Answer: 32:51 - The Jewish People would have reasoned as follows: If a rock, which receives neither reward nor punishment, obeys G-d's commands, all the more so should they.

All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated.

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