BS”D

QUESTIONS FOR PARSHAT BAMIDBAR 5781 by Rabbi Edward Davis, Rabbi Emeritus & Sephardic Minyan Rabbi

I. From the Text 1. From what ages were the men counted in the census? (1:3) 2. Who were counted in the census in Exodus, but were not included in this census? 3. Which was the largest tribe? (2:4) 4. Which three tribes encamped east of the Mishkan? (2:1-9) 5. Bnei Yisrael had to pay five Shekels per firstborn men who outnumbered the . To whom did Moshe give that money? (3:51) II. From Rashi 6. If a man’s father is from the , and his mother is from the tribe of , to which tribe does he belong? (1:2) 7. When the says it is listing the offspring of Moshe and Aharon, it only lists the sons of Aharon. Why? (3:1,2) 8. Why did the Leviyim take upon themselves the jobs originally assigned to the firstborn, the offering of the sacrifices? (3:12) 9. Why was the Levitical census from the ages of 30 to 50? (4:2) 10. What did the Kohanim do to the holy objects before the Leviyim carried them? (4:20) III. From the Rabbis 11. How did the Leviyim assist the Kohanim in the service in the Holy Temple? (Malbim) 12. The text mentions the Levitical family of the descendants of Amram. (3:27). Who were these Leviyim at that time? (Ramban) 13. What is learned from the Torah statement “I am Hashem” at the end of the Torah discussion of the sanctity of the Leviyim? (Or HaChaim) IV. Midrash 14. What color was the flag of Reuven? What insignia was on the flag? V. Haftorah. Hoshea 15. What is the simplest connection between the Haftorah and the Torah reading? VI. Relationships a) Itamar - Elazar b) Merari - Machli c) Livni - Shim’i d) Elisheva - Nachshon e) De’uel - Re’uel

ANSWERS FOR PARSHAT BAMIDBAR 5781

1. From the age of 20. (From the Talmud, Bava Batra 121b, men older than 60 were not counted.) 2. The Leviyim. 3. Yehudah. 4. Yehudah, Issachar, and Zevulun. 5. To Aharon and sons. 6. He is from Dan. 7. Moshe taught them Torah and is therefore considered also as their father. 8. When the firstborn sinned in the Golden Calf debacle, the Leviyim were designated to replace them. 9. Peak strength is at the age of 30. At age 50, a man begins to lose his strength. 10. The Kohanim put each holy object in a bag so that the Leviyim will not stare at them. 11. The Leviyim would sing and play instruments as the offerings were brought. 12. Moshe and sons, and Pinchas. 13. The sanctity of the Leviyim is eternal. 14. Reuven’s flag was red, with the insignia of dudaim, a representation of the flowers Reuven brought his mother. 15. The Torah portion is about the national census. The opening of the Haftorah also indicates the high number of the Jewish population. Relationships a) Brothers b) Father Merari c) Brothers (sons of Gershon) d) Brother - Sister e) The same person