Parshas Vayishlach

For the week ending 19 Kislev 5757; 29 & 30 Novenber 1996

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Contents:

Parsha Questions

Bonus Question

I Did Not Know That!

Recommended Reading List

Answers to Parsha Questions

Answer to Bonus Question

Back issues of Parsha Q&A

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Parsha Questions

Answers | Contents

1. What sort of messengers did Yaakov send to Eisav?
2. Why was Yaakov both 'afraid' and 'distressed'?
3. In what three ways did Yaakov prepare for his encounter with Eisav?
4. Where did Dinah hide and why?
5. After helping his family across the river, Yaakov remained alone on the other side. Why?
6. What was the angel forced to do before Yaakov agreed to release him?
7. What was it that healed Yaakov's leg?
8. Why did Eisav embrace Yaakov?
9. Why did Yoseph stand between Eisav and Rachel?
10. What happened to the 400 men who accompanied Eisav?
11. On what day of the week did Yaakov encamp near Shechem?
12. What did Shimon and Levi do wrong when they killed the people of Shechem?
13. What does the name Binyamin mean? Why did Yaakov call him that?
14. Who was born along with Binyamin?
15. In verse 35:22 the Torah states "The sons of Yaakov were twelve." Why?
16. How old was Yaakov when Yoseph was sold?
17. Eisav changed the name of his wife, Ahalivamah, to Yehudis. Why?
18. Which three categories of people have their sins pardoned?
19. Why did Eisav leave the land of Canaan?
20. By what other name was Magdiel known?

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Answer Contents	"And Yaakov said to Shimon and Levi "You have besmirched me, giving me a bad reputation amongst those who dwell in the land...." (34:31) Yaakov never had any intention of letting his daughter marry a Canaanite. He knew all along that the agreement with Shechem was no more than a ruse. So why was Yaakov suddenly angry at Shimon and Levi?

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I Did Not Know That!

"It was the next morning, and behold! She was Leah!" (29:25).

"And Hashem said to him: "...No longer will you be called Yaakov, rather Yisrael will be your name...." (35:10)

The word Yisrael combines the first letter from the names of all the Patriarchs and Matriarchs:

Yud	Yitzchak & Yaakov
(i)
Sin	Sarah
Reish	Rivka & Rachel
Aleph	Avraham
(e)
Lamed	Leah

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Recommended Reading List

Ramban 32:4 Yaakov's Error 32:9 Sign for the Future 32:26 The Gid Hanashe 33:14 The Journey to Seir 34:12 Dinah 35:8 Rivka's Death 35:16 Rachel's Tomb Sefer HaChinuch 3 The Gid Hanashe

Sforno 32:19 Strategy of the Gifts 32:25 The Wrestling Match 32:26 Yaakov's Injury 32:33 The Gid Hanashe 33:4 Surviving Eisav 34:27 The Guilt of Shechem 35:10 The Meaning of Yaakov's Name 35:23 The Power of Repentance

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Answers to this Week's Questions

Questions | Contents

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

1. 32:4 - Angels.
2. 32:8 - He was afraid he would be killed. He was distressed that he would have to kill.
3. 32:9 - He sent gifts, he prayed, and he prepared for war.
4. 32:23 - Yaakov hid her in a chest so Eisav wouldn't see her and want to marry her.
5. 32:25 - He went back to get some small containers he had forgotten.
6. 32:27 - Admit that the blessings given by Yitzchak rightfully belong to Yaakov.
7. 32:32 - The shining of the sun.
8. 33:4 - His pity was aroused when he saw Yaakov bowing to him so many times.
9. 34:7 - To stop Eisav from gazing at her.
10. 34:16 - They slipped away one by one.
11. 34:18 - Friday afternoon.
12. 34:25 - They acted without consulting their father.
13. 35:18 - Ben-Yemin means 'Son of the South.' He was the only son born in the Land of Israel, which is south of Aram Naharaim.
14. 35:17 - His two twin sisters.
15. 35:22 - To stress, that all of them - including Reuven -were righteous.
16. 35:29 - One hundred and eight.
17. 35:2 - To fool Yitzchak into thinking that she had abandoned idolatry.
18. 36:3 - One who converts, one who is elevated to a position of leadership, and one who marries.
19. 36:7 - He was ashamed for having sold his birthright.
20. 36:43 - Romi (Rome).

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Question Contents	Yaakov knew that the brothers wanted to rescue Dinah while the people of Shechem were weak from the circumcision. But he didn't know that they were going to kill all of the people. Ramban

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Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Michael Treblow

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