Ki Sisa

Many tribes are symbolized by an animal. Only two (which?) share a symbol. (what?) Although in one sense, they were diametrically opposed, (how?) individuals from those two tribes (who?) shared the lead in building a structure (what?) that shares the same motif (how?)

A young lion, Gur Aryeh. Yehuda, by Yaakov in Bereishis 49:9, Gur Aryeh. Dan, by Moshe in Devarim 33:22, the Mikdash called Ariel in Yeshaya 29:1,   This is pointed out by Rabbeinu Bachay in 38:22. In the travels in the desert, Yehuda led the nation, and Dan was the last. 

Another menagerie question: Our Parsha mentions the calf/Eigel. Name the four other animals mentioned in the parsha.

שור, כבש וחמור by Bechor in 34:19-20, and גדי in 34:26 by basar b'chalav.

Two people are introduced in this Parsha. Both of their fathers are mentioned (X son of Y), but only the grandfather of one (X son of Y son of Z.). Why.

 Betzalel and Ahaliav. Because Chur died trying to prevent the Eigel, and his grandson built the kapara for the Eigel.

The Torah tells us that two things were described as having been done by "the finger of God," אצבע אלוקים. One is in our parsha. 

 The luchos were written with אצבע אלוקים, in 31:18, and the plague of Kinim in Mitzrayim was with אצבע אלוקים,  in 8:15.

There are three famous sins for which one must give up his life rather than transgress them, even under duress. All three carry the penalty of capital punishment for deliberate, willing, transgression. In our parsha, there is one commandment for which deliberate transgression incurs a capital penalty, but, oddly enough, one is permitted, even required, to transgress it where there is any risk of mortal danger.

 Shabbos. See Reb Meir Simcha 31:14 for the reason.

Who wrote the Aseres HaDibros on the second Luchos?

Hashem. NOT Moshe. Shemos 34:1  ויאמר ה' אל משה פסל לך שני לוחות אבנים כראשונים וכתבתי על הלוחות את הדברים אשר היו על הלוחות הראשונים אשר שיברת and ואכתוב על הלחות את הדברים אשר היו על הלחת הראשונים אשר שברת  Devarim 10:2. Don't get distracted by obscure Medrashim, or by the passuk in the end of the parsha that says (34:27) ויאמר יהוה אל־משה כתב־לך את־הדברים האלה כי על־פי הדברים האלה כרתי אתך ברית ואת־ישראל. That passuk is not referring to the Aseres HaDibros.

The Tiferes Yisrael in in Yevamos Perek 7 comment #7 suggests (somewhat tongue in cheek) several explanations of the Hebrew word for marriage, "Nisu'in."  They are:

Gift (מתנה, כמו וישא משאות מאת פניו),

Burden (משא עליו),

Elevation (נס מתנוסס),

or Oath/promise (לא תשא את שם ה' אלוקיך לשוא).

Forms of the word "nassa" appear three times in our parsha. How is the word used here?

Extra credit: What do you think the word "Eirusin" (betrothal, the first stage of marriage,) comes from? (Hint: it's probably not related to eres/poison.)

Good luck. You're on your own with this one. 

Vayeishev

1. Three people in Sefer Bereishis whose names, reversed, describe them well.
Noach, Lavan, and Eir. 

2. Two cases in Tanach when lust was replaced with hatred. One involved frustrated desire, and the other satisfied desire.
The wife of  Potiphar and Amnon/Tamar.

Truma

The Keruvim are mentioned several times in the description of the Mishkan. Where else in the Torah do Keruvim appear?
The giveaway is the Keruvim atop the Aron. The other one, the one that almost nobody remembers, is the Keruvim by Gan Eden. The former, like children. The latter, angels of destruction - Rashi- malachei chavala.


Now that you know that the name Kruvim refers once to benevolent and once to malevolent Malachim, give me another example of the Torah using one denomination to refer to two very different kinds of Malachim.
The word Ish. By Yaakov,  ויאבק איש עמו - Sar shel Eisav. By Yosef in next week's parsha, וימצאהו איש - Gavriel HaMalach.


In what two instances are we told that metalwork must be by hammering, not casting or rolling?
Menorah and Kruvim. Also the Chatzoztzros in Behaaloscha.


Some items required “pure gold,” and others just gold. What is the common denominator among those that require pure gold?
They are all in the Heichal.


The mitzva of giving and collecting the donations is in third person. Almost all the keilim are said in the second. Only one is in third person. Which? Why?
The Aron. The Ramban says that every person had to give a discrete object that was actually used in the fabrication of the Aron.


The Shulchan held the Lechem HaPanim, the Show Bread. Was the table sized to conform to the bread or the bread sized to conform to the table? 
Neither. The Mishna in Menachos 46a says that the bread was folded in order that it fit on the table. This indicates that the sizes of the table and that of the bread were independent. Rav Sternbuch says otherwise in his Taam va'Daas.