Questions on Parshas Voeschanon to think about and discuss:

1. Why does Parshas Voeschanon always come after Tisha B’Av, known as “Shabbos Nachamu”?
2. Chazal say that Moshe davened 515 tefillous, the gematria of ואתחנ”ן, in order to be allowed to enter Eretz Yisroel. He was told to stop davening more. Why not tell him to begin with not to daven at all? Why allow him 515 tefillous before telling him to stop? What is the significance of 515?
3. Rashi (3:23) brings that there are ten expressions of tefilla. Why did Moshe use here the expression of techina, supplication, asking for a matnos chinom, a present as opposed to any other expression or why not ask for permission due to his own merits?
4. We see from Parshas Voeschanon a fundamental question about tefilla. Moshe knew that it had been decreed that he would not enter Eretz Yisroel. Why then did he daven? He believed that through tefilla he would be able to change the situation. (He was right only that Hashem told him to stop davening implying that had he continued he would have been able to change the decree.) How can tefilla do that?
5. Moshe specifies that he wants to see three place: Eretz Yisroel, Yerushalayim and the Beis Hamikdosh (3:25 and Rashi). Why ask for these specifics and not simply ask generally to enter Eretz Yisroel?
6. What is so special about Eretz Yisroel that Moshe was so desperate to go there (something that we have found throughout the generations, the desire of great people to embark on difficult journeys to reach Eretz Yisroel)?
7. Moshe was allowed to see Eretz Yisroel from on top of a mountain. Was this viewing for his benefit or for the benefit of the other Jews?
8. Not only was Moshe not allowed to enter Eretz Yisroel when alive, but also his bones after death were not taken there (unlike Yakov and Yosef’s as well as the other shevotim’s bones). Why not? Was this a punishment for him or was it for the benefit of the Jews?
9. Rashi (4:25) brings that the word ונושנתם alludes to the number of years until the Jews would be exiled from Eretz Yisroel. This is seen in the genatria of this word equalling 852 and instead of leaving them until this time and prevent their destruction, G-d Forbid, He exiled them two years earlier after 850 years. The question is why exile them two years earlier and not simply one year?
10. There is the mitzva of not adding to or detracting from the mitzvos of the Torah. Its easy to  understand why we may not detract, but why can we not do more?
11. When else during the year do we read from Parshas Voeschanon?
12. What two letters stand out in Parshas Voeschanon and how are they significant?
13. How many mitzvos can you think of from Parshas Voeschanon?
14. What are some of the differences between the first ten commandments in Parshas Yisro and the second commandments in Parshas Voeschanon with regards to the fourth commandment of Shabbos?
15. What are the other differences between the first and second Luchos?
16. Which of the six remembrances said after Shachris is found in Parshas Voeschanon?
17. Tu BeAv usually falls around the week of Parshas Voeschanon. Is there any connection between them?

Ideas for answers on the general parsha:

1. Parshas Voeschanon contains the second Luchos. These express the idea that after the breaking of the first Luchos there is still hope. So too, after the churban there is still hope and we believe in the coming of Moshiach and that the third Beis Hamikdosh will be built. It has a special name of Shabbos Nachamu being the first of the shiva d’nechemta, the seven weeks of comfort that follow Tisha B’Av, with a message from the parsha.
3. Moshe as a great person viewed nothing as coming to him and therefore did not use his merits as a reason to be allowed. He therefore asked for a present as opposed to demanding rights. …
6. The Gemora (Sota 14a) says that there are certain mitzvos that can only be done in Eretz Yisroel and it was this that Moshe wanted so much to do. Perhaps additionally, since there is more kedusha there, even all the other mitzvos that are done there are changed and are of a higher spiritual quality.
7. Rashi (3:27) implies that it was for Moshe’s benefit, the part of his request that was granted. Alternatively, we find elsewhere the power of seeing can cause goodness to be bestowed and here it was Moshe’s seeing the land that would somehow make it easier for the other Jews when they entered there. Perhaps the idea here is that the sin of the meraglim caused that their was negative seeing preceding the entry of the Jews into Eretz Yisroel. By Moshe now looking he was causing a positive seeing of Eretz Yisroel that would now precede the Jews entry into Eretz Yisroel.
8. Rabbeinu Bechai (3:27) brings that it was for the benefit of all the Jews who are buried outside of Eretz Yisroel – like the generation of the desert and all other Jews in exile throughout the ages. They now can feel “comforted” and honoured that also a great person like Moshe is also buried outside of Eretz Yisroel.
9. Some learn from here a proof to the idea of kollel in gematria where you have leeway and can add one more to the actual gematria. This means that the gematria of ונושנתם=852 and had they been exiled after 851 years it would be considered as really 852 and therefore they were exiled two years earlier. (The idea of kollel can be compared to a table. When broken down into components it has four legs and a base, that are five things. However, the kollel would be the final product of all of them together, the table. Therefore even though it is not really another thing, yet the whole thing as one, can be added as another one.)
10. We must recognise that Hashem knows everything. If He gives a specific number of mitzvos then there is a reason for this number. Wanting to add mitzvos is like saying that ‘we know better’ and this is obviously wrong.
11. On Tisha B’Av (from 4:25) as well as every day in the form of the first parsha of Shema! (6:4-9)
12. They are in the first possuk of Shema (6:4) – the letter Ayin of Shema and the letter Daled of Echod. The Baal Haturim gives several explanations. Together they spell the word Eid, testimony, as when the Jews say this possuk they are testifying to the Oneness of Hashem over all creation. (See there for much more.)
13. Some examples of daily mitzvos that are listed in this parsha: Shema (6:4) – to believe Hashem is One without any partner; in Shema (6:5)– to love Hashem; to learn Torah and teach others (6:7); to say Shema morning and evening (6:7); to put on tefilin Shel Rosh and Tefillin Shel Yad (6:8); to fix a mezuzah to the doors(6:9).
14. The famous one by Shabbos is the change from Zocher, remember, and Shomor, guard. In the first Luchos we remember how Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh while in the second Luchos we remember how we were servants in Egypt and how Hashem miraculously took us out and as Our Master commands us to keep the Shabbos. We express both these ideas in the Friday night Kiddush, remembering Ma’aseh Bereishis and Yetzias Mitzrayim. (The creation applies to the whole world while the exodus is unique to the Jews.)
16. The negative mitzva of not forgetting the giving of the Torah on Har Sinai. This is to be passed on from generation to generation. The imbues our children with the knowledge that  we have witnessed the Torah being handed to Moshe, and this fact has been handed down to us by our ancestors from generation to generation since it happened. (See Ramban, 4:9)
17. The Pnei Yehoshua (to Gemora Brochos 32a) brings a Midrash Pleiya that connects Parshas Voeschanon to Tu BeAv. Moshe davened 515 tefillous the gematrua if ואתחנ”ן. He makes a calculation that all these tefillous started on Tu BeAv and went until the 7th of Adar when Moshe died. This shows us that on Tu BeAv was opened up the gateways of tefilla.