נתנה תורה דימוספרהסייא במקום הפקר Why Was the Torah Given in the [email protected]

According to this Midrash, the Torah was given with fire, water, and in the desert. Why, in your opinion, does the Midrash want to make a big deal out of that? Please record some options, then share with your chavrutot:

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Now continue learning the Midrash. Were your answers similar? Different?

See that the Midrash cites Yeshayahu 45:1. How is it reading that pasuk?

This Midrash offers two answers to the question of why the Torah was given in the desert. Compare/contrast the answers. Do you prefer one to the other? Discuss.

Next, compare with this Midrash. Each of the three sections below deals in some way with our question, why was the Torah given in the desert? For each section, use a Tanach, and look up the pesukim which the Midrash interprets.

Is there an over-arching theme to this Midrash? After learning it, please make up a title for this text.

Title: _____________________________________________________________________________

Now, take a look at the following Gemara from Eruvin. Note that this Gemara asks us to “make ourselves like the desert” if we want to live with Torah. What does the Gemara mean by that ?! How do you do that??

What is Bamidbar Perek 21 all about, according to this Gemara? Have you ever had experiences like the ones talked about here, whether when learning Torah or any other time?

Eliyahu goes to the desert too…