Generally refers to Avraham (Abraham), Yitzchak (Isaac), and Yaakov (Jacob); the three patriarchs of the Jewish People.
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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?
...
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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 ...
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3answers
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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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What happened to the Yeshivas Shem v'Aiver?
What happened to the Yeshiva of Shem v'Aiver and all who learnt there?
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334 views
Yaakov Marrying Two Sisters
According to those that say the Avos kept the Torah beforehand (here), how was Yaakov allowed to marry two sisters?
(Yes, I'm aware that there are many answers)
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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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“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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Why Didn't Yosef tell Yaakov He was Still Alive?
What do the meforshim say on why Yosef didn't tell Yaakov he was still alive? Do any critique him?
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2answers
131 views
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
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Why does Yosef bring his sons to Yaakov
Yaakov famously blesses Ephraim and Menashe but who tells Yosef to bring them to their grandfather? It doesn't seem that this would be a natural thing to do as they are not Yaakov's sons. Does ...
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Why do the angels need a ladder?
We know the angels in Yaakov's dream go down and up a ladder but why do they need the ladder? Angels appear on earth and with Hashem throughout the Bible without a ladder.
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Why should the patriarchs have lived to 180?
Rashi to B'reshis 25:30 says that Avraham should have lived to the age of 180 had his life not been cut short.
Yitzchak lived to 180.
The Daas Z'kenim to B'reshis 47:8 quotes a midrash as saying ...
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5answers
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Why do we find two adjacent pesukim stating what seems to be the same?
In Breshit 26:3 Hashem tells Yizhak: "...and to your zera (sons?) I will give all these lands...".
In the next passuk, Hasehm says: "...and I will give to your zera all these lands...".
Isn't this ...
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1answer
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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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3answers
152 views
How did Avrohom learn that nine doesn't work?
The Midrash says (Bereshis Rabbah 49:13 quoted in Rashi Genesis 18:32) that Abraham stopped asking HaShem to save Sodom in the merit of less than 10 people because Noah and his family who were 8 ...
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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?
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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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4answers
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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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6answers
803 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 ...
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1answer
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Avram-Avraham; Yaakov-Yisroel; Yitzchok-?
Why from the three Avos, Avraham and Yaakov had their name changed, and not Yitzchok?
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1answer
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Why are Isaac and Rivka in Shochen Ad
Many siddurim capitalize the Yitzchak in Shochen Ad. Some draw attention to the Rivka. But why are either of them there? If you wanted to throw Yitzchak somewhere, why not minchah, which we ...
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2answers
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Why is Yitzchak spelled with a “sin” in Tehillim 105:9?
I just came across this strange variant spelling this morning. I've been in the habit of reciting Tikkun HaKlali recently and saw this in Artscroll's Tehillim this past Shabbat. Thinking it was a ...
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Why does Rashi not comment on the repetition of the word “shono” in the age of Yishmoel?
Rashi comments on the repetition of the word “shono” in the ages of both Soroh Braishis 23 (1) and Avrohom Braishis 25 (7). Why is there no comment for the age of Yishmoel which also repeats “shono” ...
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1answer
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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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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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5answers
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“עם לבן גרתי”? Really? “עם לבן ברתי” maybe
Rashi brings a gematria at the beginning of Parshas Vayishlach:
גרתי בגימטריא תרי"ג, כלומר, עם לבן הרשע גרתי, ותרי"ג מצות שמרתי, ולא למדתי ממעשיו הרעים
Now, if one takes this literally, it is ...
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3answers
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Why did Rivka consult Shem, and not Avraham or Yitzchok?
The Posuk says (Gen. 25:22) regarding Rivka:
וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת יְ־הֹוָ־ה
Translated as: And the children ...
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2answers
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How are we to understand Malchi-Tzedek, non-Jewish priest of God?
Malchi-Tzedek is a gentile priest who worships God. I initially read this as just saying God is not exclusive (it says somewhere in Nevi'im that God also has covenants with other peoples), but today ...
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2answers
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Why didn't Noach Pray for his generation like Avraham did for Sodom
Why didn't Noach Daven to save his generation like Avraham Davened for Sodom?
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2answers
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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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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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3answers
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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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3answers
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What happened to Avraham's students?
We read how Avraham was going around convincing people to believe in one G-d and of his many students. Yet we don't hear of those students (or their descendants) ever again.
What happened to them ...
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1answer
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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 ...
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4answers
266 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 ...
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1answer
90 views
Yeshivat Sheim v'Eiver
Assuming that our patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob spent time learning in the House of Study of Sheim v'Eiver, the descendents of Noach, what were they learning? The seven commandments of the ...
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5answers
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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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2answers
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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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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 ...
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1answer
57 views
Wasn't Yishmael already sent away from Avraham's house?
In Bereshit 22:3, Rashi tells us that when Avraham went to sacrifice Yitzchok, the two lads he took with him were Yishmael and Eliezer.
Wasn't Yishmael already gone from Avraham's house? In Bereshit ...
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2answers
138 views
Why does the Yom Kippur service seem to reenact Abraham's treatment of his sons?
In the Yom Kippur service during Temple times, the Kohen would (Lev 16:7-10ff):
And he shall take the two goats, and set them before the LORD at the door of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall ...
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3answers
137 views
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
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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 ...
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3answers
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Why does Yitzchak's blessing of Yaakov refer to Yaakov's mother's *sons*?
B'reishit 27:29 reads:
Let peoples serve thee, and nations bow down to thee. Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee. Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and ...
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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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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 ...
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1answer
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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 ...
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2answers
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What was the effect of Yaakov placing his right hand on Efraim?
Yaakov saw (Beraishis 48 (19)) that Efraim would be greater than Menashe and so insisted that his right hand should rest on Efraim. Did the placing of the hand bring about the greatness and if not why ...
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1answer
91 views
“There they buried Yitzchak” — not “my father”?
"What is awe" of a parent? asks Shulchan Aruch Yore Dea 240:2. It includes, SA answers, that one
shall not call [his parent] by [the latter's] name, neither during [the parent]'s life, nor in his ...
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1answer
78 views
Order of birth of Ya'akov's children
The back of my Feldheim Tanakh has a timeline which gives the birth and death years of various Tanakh characters. The birth years of the sons of Ya'akov are not listed in the order given in Parashat ...
