Answer To Parshas Vayeishev Riddle

                            RIDDLE

Parshas Hashavua וישב

When do we have a 5 day fast?

 

                 THE FIVE DAY FAST

The רמ"א (Y.D. 123: 26) quotes a תשובת הרא"ש,
"If someone drank יין נסך בשוגג, he should
fast 5 days, because It says 5 times גפן in חומש."

Meforshim ask on the רא"ש that there are actually

7 times* “גפן” in the Torah. Some answer

We exclude 2 which are in Mishna Torah (Devarim)

The אורח מישור argues and claims The רא"ש says 

“in חומש”, Mishna Torah is part of חומש just 

as much as the other four חומשים. It doesn't make 

sense to exclude the Gefens from Sefer Devarim.

                        

The ב"ח says it’s referring to the five times it says

גפן at the story of the שר המשקים. 

This is also incorrect It only says twice  גפן at
the story of the שר המשקים.

The אורח מישור corrects the Girsa in the ב"ח to read
except for the 2 at the שר המשקים. They are not
part of the count.

The Chasam Sofer has a lengthy explanation of why we
exclude the two times it says גפן at the .שר המשקים

(The two Gefens are referring to ירושלים של מעלה ושל מטה

The truth is that the word גפן appears eight times*
in the Torah. (in seven Pesukim).

           PERHAPS AN EIGHT DAY FAST

Assuming there was a printing mistake in the תשובת הרא"ש
and instead of a ח they printed a ה  (common printing mistake)
Perhaps we should change from ה' פעמים to ח' פעמים and would
have to fast 8 days for the eight times it says  גפן in the Torah אמבצי

*Could be they meant seven Pesukim with Gefen

**Breishis  40: 9 - 40:10 - 49:11                                           3

  Bamidbar  6:4 - 20:5                                                          2

  Devarim  8:8 -  32:32 (twice in same Pasuk)                     3

  total                                                                                    8