CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS SHMOS 5772 - BS"D

2) Ch. 2, v. 6: "Vatachmole" - And she had mercy - Why is this word used rather than "vatracheim, v'chosoh, vatcha'nein," or the like?

3) Ch. 3, v. 4: "Ki Sor Liros Va'yikra" - That he turned to see and He called - The first letters of these four words spell Kislev. This is the only place in Tanach that we find an acronym with the letters of Kislev in order. Why is it alluded to here?

4) Ch. 3, v. 5: "Shal no'lecho mei'al raglecho" - Remove your shoes from your feet - Why does our verse not say that Moshe complied, just as it says by Yehoshua, who was told to remove his shoe, and the verse says "Va'yaas Yehoshua kein" (Yehoshua 5:15)?

5) Ch. 3, v. 15: "Zeh shmi l'olom" - This is My Name forever - The word "l'olom" is written "chosseir," lacking the letter Vov after the Ayin. Rashi (M.R. 3:9) says that this allows for the reading "l'olam," for hiding, indicating that although Hashem's four letter Name is read one way, but we should hide this and pronounce it differently (in the "Adnus" manner). The gemara Yerushalmi Yoma 3:7 derives from the "chosseir" spelling a different hiding. On Yom Kippur the Kohein Godol would pronounce the Holy Name of Hashem exactly as it is written, and not in the "Adnus" manner. Those who were near the Kohein Godol would fall onto their faces, while those who were further away would say "Boruch shem k'vode malchuso l'olom vo'ed." Immediately after this, both those who were near and those who were further away would have the experience hidden, i.e. forgotten. This is derived from "l'olom," which can be read "l'olam."

Why was the Holy Name mentioned only ten times, as the Kohein Godol blessed the nation, where Hashem's name appears three times, and he also made special blessings, totaling another eight times?

ANSWERS:

#1

Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer #48 says that she built a room underground and hid him there.

#2

The word "chemloh," synonymous with "rachamim, chisoyon, chinun," is used specifically when saving from imminent danger. Perhaps he was about to be swept out to sea. The verse seems to indicate otherwise, as it says that she saw him "b'soch hasuf." Possibly, the immediate danger was that her maidservants who accompanied her wanted the child killed. (Nirreh li)

#3

This is a most befitting place for this allusion. We find the miracle of a burning thorn bush that is not consumed, similar to the miracle of the oil of the menorah on Chanukah, which was also not consumed. (Nirreh li)

#4

The Tur asks this and he answers that our verse does not state this because in fact Moshe did not remove his shoes. Moshe was only told that to enter this area he would have to remove his shoes. He decided to stay put and there was no need to remove his shoes.

This is quite a chidush, as we must say that the Tur understood that "ki hamokome asher atoh omeid o'lehoh admas kodesh hu" means that the place he was about to enter is holy. However, he is not alone in this interpretation. The Baalei Tosfos also say that Moshe had not yet entered the sanctified area.

#5

Tosfos R"id asks this. Tosfos Yom Tov in his commentary on Yoma chapter 6 brings in the name of Rabbi Moshe Kordaviro that when Hashem's name was mentioned in Birkas Kohanim it was said in the regular way, so we can likewise say that Hashem's name in the blessings was also pronounced in that manner.

Perhaps we can answer this question based on the words of the Ari z"l in his Shulchan Oruch hilchos Y.K., (mentioned in Yom Tov Selections for Y.K.) who writes that on Yom Kippur when the Kohein Godol was to say the Holy Name exactly as it is written, he did not actually say the Name. Rather, he opened his mouth and miraculously the sound of the Holy Name emanated, as indicated by the expression of the mishnoh, "k'shehoyoh haShem yotzei mipi Kohein Godol," and not "k'shehoyoh Kohein Godol o'meir haShem." The gemara is referring only to this occurrence, which took place only ten times. (Nirreh li)

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