[Derashot ṿe-ḥidushim]

Discussion questions for [Derashot ṿe-ḥidushim]

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1. 1

   As a collection of homiletics, what did you perceive as the author's primary goal in presenting these interpretations, and how does his methodology—his choice of biblical passages, his engagement with Midrashim, and his argumentative style—support that goal?

2. 2

   The description highlights the author's reliance on both the Bible and the Midrashim. How does Yaʻaḳov ben Binyamin Ṿolf mi-Ṿilna weave these two distinct layers of tradition together? What unique insights or layers of understanding do the Midrashim contribute to his interpretations that might be absent from a purely biblical exegesis?

3. 3

   Through his interpretations, what kind of "voice" or persona does the author, Yaʻaḳov ben Binyamin Ṿolf mi-Ṿilna, project? Do you find him to be primarily an academic, a spiritual guide, a moralist, or something else, and what aspects of his writing convey this impression?