D’Varim Study Questions
Torah Study Questions
Devarim
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 1:1 - 3:22
Mark R. Ensign, Adot Adonai, Amarillo, Texas
Introductory questions -- Brief answers, not for extended discussion:
1. At what point in history does this parsha unfold?
2. Where does this parsha take place geographically? What are the setting
and environment?
3. Who are the primary actors in the parsha and what role or roles does each
play? What is the significance of each role? Who are the secondary
actors
and what roles do they play? What is the significance of their roles?
4. What is the overall theme of this parsha? What are the subdivisions,
if
any?
Parsha Specific Questions -- for extended discussion:
Introduction - Based upon Devarim Torah study materials.
What is the Hebrew name of this book and the meaning of the name? What is
another Jewish name for the book and what does it mean and from where is it
derived? From where is the name Deuteronomy derived? Is Sefer
Devarim
(Book of Deuteronomy) a second Torah which Moshe was given? If not, what
is
it? How is Sefer Devarim, as well as all the books of Torah, related to
the
Oral Torah? Why is Moshe referred to as Moshe Rabbeinu, our Teacher?
How
many quotations from Devarim are found in the Brit Chadashah?
What do we mean by Torah? What has the word Torah come to mean in Judaism
and Christianity today? How was Torah viewed by Y'shua and the people of
his day? How should Torah observant messianic believers view the Torah?
What is the Torah designed to do in our lives? What happens when we are
not
following the Torah and what three letter word is this called? Who is the
real author of the Torah and how may his authorship be seen? Describe how
the word "Torah" is hidden in the first few verses of four
books. How is
the divine authorship of the book of Vayikra demonstrated?
What does Sefer Devarim generally consists of? What must the reader do to
better appreciate the content of Sefer Devarim? How can these speeches be
identified? List the speeches and where they are located in Sefer
Devarim.
How would you describe the main speech of Moshe in Chapters 5-26? What
are
Torah observant believers to do with the instructions of Devarim?
Who is the living Torah and on what basis do you make that statement?
What
cannot be separated? What is required to have a relationship with Y'shua
and why? How did Y'shua confirm the Torah in the Sermon on the Mount in
Mattityahu 5:17-20? In Hebraic thought, what does "abolish the
Torah" mean?
What does "complete" or "fulfill" Torah mean? What
did Y'shua come to do?
What did Y'shua intend for his talmidim to do when he gave them the Great
Commission? What did Y'shua do as G-d in the flesh? What consequences
did
Y'shua warn of for disobedience and what reward did he promise for obedience
to the Torah? What is the righteousness Y'shua desires and what should be
the response of the Torah observant believer?
Where do we find a serious warning about those who would disregard the Torah
and what are the consequences? What does the word translated
"disregards"
in verse 28 mean? What does the writer of this epistle to the Messianic
Jews make clear? Does this warning still apply? Where will the
judgment of
the L-rd begin? So what are we to do with Torah today? What
instruction
did Rav Sha'ul write to Timothy regarding the Torah? What is the most
common form of idolatry found in religious circles today?
Chapter 1
Who is the primary messenger of HaShem in this parsha, to whom did he speak
and how? When were the contents of the book delivered? Where were
the
people when the message was delivered? What did Moshe speak for HaShem?
Why did Bnei Yisrael need an introduction to the new life they would forge
in Eretz Yisrael? What does Sefer Devarim record to prepare Bnei Yisrael
for their new life?
What term may be used to describe Sefer Devarim and the relationship between
YHVH and Bnei Yisrael. What do the opening verses serve as? What
Hebrew
term is used to describe YHVH and what does it reveal in this context?
What
does this first parsha in Devarim provide in the covenant context and what
does it reveal about YHVH? What was the purpose of Moshe recounting the
adventures of Bnei Yisrael? What does YHVH tell Bnei Yisrael and what
does
he call them? What does YHVH want Bnei Yisrael to do and what does he
teach
them? What textual hint do we have that Devarim is a covenant? What
similarity does it have to most ancient Near Eastern treaties and covenants
and what was the purpose? What important ramifications are there if
Devarim
is a covenant and for whom? What important historical events are
predicted
in chapters 28-30 for Bnei Israel? How do current events today confirm
the
covenant of Devarim? Why are Torah observant believers to follow the
covenant stipulations? What two essential concepts of Torah are
repeatedly
used in Devarim? What was the evidence of hearing and what is the
significance? What does Devarim teach is the most practical expression of
our love for HaShem? Who also taught that and where? Why is the
word
"remember" an important part of this written covenant? In
summary, what was
Devarim meant to be? Devarim was meant to be a covenant expression of the
love relationship between G-d and his People.
To what did Moshe compare the multitude of Bnei Yisrael? By what
multiplier
did Moshe expect the numbers to increase? If YHVH has caused that
increase
to date, how large would Bnei Yisrael be and how did you compute that
number? Will restoration come to all of those who are in the two houses
of
Yisrael?
What two words found repeatedly in Sefer Devarim describe essential
modalities for perception of our world and what is their significance?
What
is required for understanding the Scriptures correctly? Why are both
sight
and sound crucial elements in human educational development? What
modality
does Moshe Rabbeinu tell Bnei Yisrael to use with regard to Torah
instructions and walking in them?
Who did Moshe tell Bnei Yisrael would fight their wars? How did he
describe
the actions of YHVH for Bnei Yisrael in the wilderness? How will this
benefit Torah observant believers during the tribulation? How did Y'shua
defeat HaSatan in the temptation in the wilderness and what does that teach
us?
How did Y'shua describe our relationship with YHVH in Yochanan (John)
15:1-11? What is the foundation of our relationship with YHVH? What
commands was Y'shua NOT talking about; what commands was he talking about;
and why? What separation do most people make in their lives? Is
this
separation Biblical and what does our Father think about? How is this
separation erroneously supported by our American government? What must
one
do to love G-d and reach his heart?
Chapter 2 and chapter 3
Please see the Torah studies and questions from previous portions that
covered the historical events recapped here.
At the close of the parsha, what lesson does Moshe tell Yehoshua to learn
from what YHVH had done to the two kings?
Closing Questions:
What were G-d's purposes and objectives in preserving this portion of the
Scriptures to this day? What benefit do these Scriptures have for Torah
observant believers today?
What other insights has the Ruach HaKodesh given you in your study of this
portion that you would like to share with the group?
What questions from this portion have you had that have not been answered by
the group study?
For personal introspection -- What impact do you think the study of the
words from your Father in this portion will have on your life? How do you
plan to implement his instructions in this parsha in your life?
Silently ask the Ruach HaKodesh to implant these words of our Father like
seeds, to nurture their growth in your heart, and to enable you to respond
fully as they do.