Parashat Shoftim: Scavenger Hunt

Parashah Scavenger Hunt שְׁאֵלוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ

Welcome to Devash's Parashah Scavenger Hunt for Parashat Shoftim!

  • What does our parashah say that God hates?
  • What could be blinding?
Aliyah 2 (Devarim 17:14-20)
  • Why shouldn’t a king have a lot of horses?
Aliyah 3 (Devarim 18:1-5)
  • Which three parts of an animal does the כֹּהֵן (kohen, priest) get when someone slaughters meat to eat?
Aliyah 4 (Devarim 18:6-13)
  • In this aliyah, what are the problematic practices of the people living in Eretz Canaan?
  • Where are there sorcerers that Benei Yisrael must not be like?
  • Our parashah gives a specific example of how a person might kill someone else accidentally, with a tool. What is it?
  • What four groups of people are allowed to go home when the people go to war?
  • What punishment do false witnesses get?
Aliyah 7 (Devarim 20:10-21:9)
  • When an army is attacking a city, what are they not allowed to cut down?
Look anywhere in the parashah to find the answer to these questions!
  • What are all the leadership positions mentioned in our parashah?
  • What word appears in identical form twice in a row in our parashah?
  • What two numbers of witnesses does the Torah explicitly approve of?
  • Who should we not have compassion for?
From the Haftarah (Yeshayahu 51:12-52:12)
  • What does God do to the sea?
Scroll down to see the answers!
Answers: 
Aliyah 1
  • Putting up a מַצֵּבָה (matzeivah, stone monument) for idolatry (16:22)
  • A bribe (16:19)
Aliyah 2
  • Because they might lead him to bring the people back to Egypt (17:16)
Aliyah 3
  • Shank, cheeks, stomach (18:3)
Aliyah 4
  • Different kinds of magic and sorcery (18:10-11)
  • In the land that will be given to Benei Yisrael (18:9-11)
Aliyah 5
  • Someone might be chopping wood in a forest and the blade might fly off the handle of the ax—וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל מִן־הָעֵץ (though this could also mean that the ax might cause a wood chip to fly out of the tree!) (19:5)
Aliyah 6
  • 1) Someone who has built a house but not yet dedicated it; 2) Someone who has planted a vineyard but not yet tasted of it; 3) Someone who is engaged but not yet married; 4) Someone who is afraid (20:5-8)
  • Whatever they tried to do to the people they were lying about in court (19:19)
Aliyah 7
From Anywhere in the parashah
Haftarah