Generally refers to Avraham (Abraham), Yitzchak (Isaac), and Yaakov (Jacob); the three patriarchs of the Jewish People.
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Why is Avraham's monotheism not mentioned in the torah?
One of the more famous achievements of Avraham was his discovery in a single God. However there is no mention of this accomplishment anywhere in the Torah. In fact there is no conclusive proof that he ...
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134 views
“Avram” for when he was young?
The Gemara in Brachot 13a teaches us that we should only refer to Avraham as Avraham and not as Avram.
תני בר קפרא כל הקורא לאברהם אברם עובר בעשה שנאמר (בראשית יז) והיה שמך
אברהם רבי אליעזר אומר ...
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1answer
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What actually happened to Jacob's and Laban's sheeps and goats?
Genesis 30 (JPS):
34 And Laban said: 'Behold, would it might be according to thy word.' 35 And he removed that day the he-goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the she-goats that were ...
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1answer
70 views
A reference to the soul of a Tzaddik like an eyelash in milk
I know that somewhere in something I have read there is a comment that someone (Yaakov avinu?) was so spiritually pure/holy that his soul did not cling to the earthly shell that was his body but came ...
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67 views
Is there a concept of “merit of the mothers”?
There is a familiar concept called zechus avos, that the merits of our forefathers can have an impact on later generations (see Shabbat 55a) or maaseh avos siman l'banim, which is roughly equivalent ...
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2answers
99 views
If Avraham had a healing stone why did he need an angel to heal him?
The Gemara in Baba Basra, Tes Zayin Amud Beis says Reb Shimon says that Avraham had a stone that he wore around his neck that healed the sick. If so why did he need a angel to come down to heal him ...
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4answers
238 views
Why was Akeidas Yitzchok a bigger test (Nisayon) for Avraham than for Yitzchok?
Akeidas Yitzchok was the hardest test that Hashem gave to Avraham. Yet Yitzchok knew and also agreed to go along with it. Then why is it considered a bigger test for Avraham than for Yitzchok?
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81 views
Why was no one else tested 10 times the way Avraham was?
Why was Avraham the only person that, according to tradition, was tested by God 10 times?
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63 views
How old was Avraham when he sired children with Keturah, and was that unusual?
After reporting Sarah's death and burial, B'reishit 25:1 tells us that Avraham had several children by Keturah. Avraham was 137 when Sarah died. Earlier (17:17), Avraham had laughed at the idea of ...
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2answers
73 views
Torah personalities chosen for blessings on Friday nights
Why do we bless our children on Friday nights with non-correlated blessings between the boys and the girls?
I can understand that we want our daughters to emulate the Matriarchs. Yet we don't bless ...
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1answer
145 views
why did avraham pray for sodom
Sodom was one of the most morally corrupted societies that ever existed.
wouldn't their disappearance be good for everyone (including themselves).
keeping those who are thoroughly wicked alive is ...
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249 views
How is it possible for Muslims to be classified as Gentiles even if they Don't deem Torah to be corrupt and have Abrahimic Lineage?
Muslims don't believe Torah to be corrupt nor do they deny the Torah and it is considered in the six articles of faith to believe in all revealed scriptures like Torah, Psalms etc . Also Muslim share ...
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1answer
102 views
How did foreign biblical people became the followers of their respective prophets [closed]
How did the foreign people enter the fold of believers in biblical times of Moses and prior.
One scenario to better understand this question:
In biblical times, A foreign person would have entered ...
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1answer
73 views
What's the word Avraham used for his religion?
What was the biblical name of the religion or faith Avraham belonged to? the word he used to distinguish his faith from other, pagan belief systems?
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6answers
799 views
How are Spartans the son of Abraham?
I was reading the Book of Maccabbees (I and II) over shabbat and in it there is a letter written to Sparta to ask for peace, goodwill and friendship.
In the reply letter back from Sparta, they affirm ...
4
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7answers
147 views
Why did Avraham wait to have a bris?
Chazal tells us (Midrash Rabbah Bereishis 64:4 and 95:3; Yoma 28b, based on. Gen. 26:5; Kiddushin 82a) that the Patriarchs observed the mitzvahs before they were given. But Avraham did not circumcize ...
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2answers
170 views
Yaakov Kissing Rachel
In Parashat Vayetzeh, Yaakov goes to Lavan's house, but prior to his arrival he meets up with Rachel. Shockingly, the Pasuk says that he kissed her and cried (29:11). How exactly are we to understand ...
5
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1answer
72 views
Why did Yaakov ask Yosef to swear in the way he did?
Inspired by this question
In Bereshis 47:29 Yaakov asks Yosef to "put his hand under his thigh" (a euphemism) and swear not to bury him in Egypt. Here, unlike by Avraham, there is no indication that ...
17
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6answers
454 views
When did Avraham Avinu become Jewish
Avraham Avinu is often called "the first Jew".
When did he become Jewish. Was it when:
He recognized G-d?
G-d spoke to him for the first time?
Covenant Between The Parts?
When G-d changed his name?
...
10
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1answer
103 views
Why did Avraham prefer the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre over Eliezer's daughter?
Rashi on Bereishis 24:39 says that
Abraham said to [Eliezer] “My son is blessed, and you are cursed [Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan who had been cursed by Noah], and an accursed one cannot ...
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4answers
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No More Zechuth Avoth?
The Gemara (Bab. Shab. 55a) discusses when Zechuth Avoth ceased. I am aware of several opinions in Tosafoth that it ended for wicked people, or it ended for everyone but the very righteous or it ended ...
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2answers
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Why does the Torah not record the passing of Leah?
The Torah records the passing of all the patriarchs and matriarchs:
Sarah - Bereishis 23:1-2
Avraham - Bereishis 25:8-9
Rochel - Bereishis 35:19
Yitzchak - Bereishis 35:29
Then Rivkah is not ...
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Why does the Torah repeat the story of Efron HaChiti many times?
The story of Avraham buying the cave of Machpelah is principly mentioned in Parshat Chayei Sarah Bereshit 23:3-20.
If so, why does the Torah stress again and again that Avraham bought the cave from ...
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Yaakov Avinu didn't die
This question was asked by msh210 during Parshas Hashavua chat.
It says in the Gemara that R' Yitzchak said to R' Nachman in the name of R' Yochanan "Jacob our forefather didn't die".
R' Nachman ...
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1answer
35 views
The source that the famine ended when Yaakov blessed Pharaoh
I've been looking for the source that the famine actually ended when Yaakov blessed Pharaoh. I found it in the Midrash, but I'm not sure whether it is a purely midrashic source, or whether it is based ...
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0answers
95 views
Abrahamic covenant and Brit Milah - how is the covenant passed down?
Why is it so that if a Jew has a male child with a non-Jewish woman the child is not circumcised, even though, like Ishmail, the child is under Abrahamic (but not Mosaic) covenant, since the father is ...
6
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1answer
46 views
How did Yaakov and his family survive “when they finished eating the grain that they had brought from Egypt”.
It says in Beraishis 43(2), “…when they finished eating the grain that they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back [and] buy us a little food."”
What were they to eat until ...
11
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6answers
449 views
Avot keeping Mitzvot
How are we to understand the tradition that the patriarchs kept all of the mitzvot in the Torah (see for example the last mishna in Kidushin, Rashi Bereshit 32:5, etc.) in light of the many obvious ...
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3answers
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What's so special about Leah?
The torah documents the positive attributes of Sarah, Rifka and Rochel. Chazal then expound in greater detail about these righteous women. But from the torah and chazal there doesn't appear to be any ...
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65 views
Did Yaakov marry Bilah and Zilpah?
Bilah and Zilpah are referred to as the נְשֵׁי of Yaakov (Bereshis 37:2). Did he ever technically, formally marry them?
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Esav was coming with 400 men: why then
Why was Esav going toward Yaakov (Gen. 33:1, 32:7) if he had (27:41) planned to wait to kill him until Yitzchak was dead?
(Please cite your source, if any.)
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2answers
88 views
How would Yaakov's plan have worked?
Yaakov divides his family into two camps stating that if Eisav attacks one the other will flee and be saved. However his whole family seems to be be there when Eisav arrives, furthermore Yaakov ...
3
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2answers
141 views
Did Yitzchak not Fulfill the Mitzvah of “Be Fruitful and Multiply”?
According to the understanding of many commentators "pru u'revu" (be fruitful and multiply) is a positive commandment which is not fulfilled unless a man has both a son and daughter as offspring. ...
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2answers
67 views
How did Avraham save Terach?
The gemarah (eiruvin 19a) states that Avraham Avinu sits at the entrance to gehinom and doesn't allowed anyone circumcised to enter there. The Ariz'l (Sefer Likkutim, Parsha Vayera) states that the ...
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1answer
76 views
How much contact did Avraham and Yitzchak have after the akeidah?
The akeidah was a traumatic event for both Avraham and Yitzchak. Immediately after they appear to go their separate ways. After Sarah's death Avraham arranges a marriage for his son, which could ...
6
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5answers
191 views
Why didn't Avraham tell Eliezer to go get Rivka?
In Parshas Chayei Sara, Avraham tells Eliezer to go find a wife for Yitzchok from his family, כִּי אֶל אַרְצִי וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי תֵּלֵךְ וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי לְיִצְחָק: and not from the ...
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66 views
Why does Eliezer address his prayer to Hashem, [24(12)], “Hashem, the G-d of my master Avrohom”?
Why does Eliezer address his prayer to Hashem, 24(12), “Hashem, the G-d of my master Avrohom” and repeat this formulation in verses 27 and 42. He himself was after all a believer.
In verse 35, he is ...
4
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1answer
138 views
When is Avraham Avinu's Yahrzeit?
I have no sources to provide to this question. Rather I am asking simply. On what day was Avraham Avinu nifter? (pass away.) Do we know at all?
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4answers
265 views
Why did God lie about Sarah?
Why did God have to lie to cover for Sarah (Bereshis 18:13)? Why not just avoid asking Avraham altogether?
Note that the answer cannot be anything that would either impinge on their shalom bayis (cf ...
6
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2answers
73 views
Why did Avraham ask Eliezer to swear in the way he did?
Avraham asks his servant Eliezer to place his hand under his thigh to swear an oath regarding finding a daughter for his son. Chazal explain that he asked him to hold his (Avraham's) milah (male ...
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1answer
175 views
How did they use to count years in the time of Abraham? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Rationalist Position on Bible Ancients' Long Lives
The bible states that Abraham has lived for 175 years, Yishmael lived for 137 years, and so on and so forth.
Now, ...
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2answers
85 views
Washing feet before coming inside: Avraham vs. Lot
When the angels came to visit Avraham, he asked them (Bereishis 18:4) to "Bathe your feet, and recline under the tree". Rashi explains:
He thought that they were Arabs, who prostrate themselves to ...
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8answers
415 views
Why did Avraham take gifts from Pharaoh, but not the King of Sodom?
In Bereshit 12:11-16, we see that Avraham was willing to receive gifts from Pharoah:
11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: 'Behold ...
6
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2answers
68 views
Neither from a thread to a shoe strap [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why did Avraham take gifts from Pharaoh, but not the King of Sodom?
After Avram saved Lot and the people of Sodom from the 4 kings, the king of Sodom offered him the ...
14
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3answers
144 views
Why did Avraham name his son before the Bris (circumcision)?
Why does the Torah seem to imply that Avraham named his son before the bris?
First:
וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם אֶת שֶׁם בְּנוֹ הַנּוֹלַד לוֹ אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לּוֹ שָׂרָה יִצְחָק
And Abraham called ...
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3answers
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How can people effectively bless when blessing is God's domain?
How do people have the power to bless? Yitzchak's blessings for his sons pretty much came true, and similarly later when Yaakov blesses his children and earlier (in the inverse) Noach curses Canaan. ...
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5answers
297 views
Why twins? Why not just Yaakov?
Why did HaShem create twins (Yaakov and Esuv) if he could just create one righteous person who would be Yaakov with the good traits of Esuv? I know Esuv was supposed to support Yaakov, but Yaakov ...
8
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4answers
318 views
Was Eisav Jewish?
Was Eisav Jewish? Eisav was born to the same father and mother as Yaakov. It may be possible to say that Yaakov was not Jewish either as it was before Matan Torah, however if Yaakov was Jewish, then ...
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2answers
114 views
Yisrael or Yaakov?
Does anyone have any sources on a conclusive guide to when the name "Yisrael" is used and when the name "Yaakov" is used in the Torah in reference to Yaakov Avinu, the individual?
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1answer
127 views
Why did Hashem not tell Avraham to have a Bris earlier?
Avraham Avinu was told to have a Bris at 99 years of age. Why didn't Hashem have him do a Bris earlier?
