Weekly Torah reading from Genesis 18:1-22:24
14
votes
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 ...
9
votes
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 ...
8
votes
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?
8
votes
1answer
114 views
Sarah's treatment of Hagar and Ishmael
How could Sarah's treatment of Hagar and Ishmael be considered righteous? I intend this as a sincere and serious question. While Hagar was pregnant, Sarah "prevent[ed] her intercourse with Abraham, ...
6
votes
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
votes
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 ...
6
votes
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 ...
5
votes
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 ...
5
votes
1answer
116 views
Why does the second aliya of Vayeira start with the last verse of one topic and then change?
The second aliya of Vayeira begins at 18:15, with the end of the Sarah-denying-having-laughed episode. It then goes on to focus on S'dom and the other cities. This happens in the middle of a column, ...
5
votes
4answers
186 views
Why Avraham hated Yishmael if he was a tzadik
Rashi says that avraham sent yishmael out with only water but no money because he hated him for going out "tarbut raah".
yet later on, the verse says G-d heard the cry of Yishmael dying of thirst ...
5
votes
2answers
73 views
Why did God destroy Sodom in such a strange way?
Why does it rain both fire and brimstone (gafris - 19:24) on Sodom surely one or the other was enough? Furthermore, if the whole city is 'turned upside down' (19:25) why was there a need to rain ...
4
votes
1answer
159 views
4
votes
2answers
83 views
Who was expelled from Avraham's house and married an Egyptian?
Vayera 21:9–21 speaks repeatedly of Hagar's son without once naming him. In no particular order, Rashi (:17), pseudo-Yonasan (:11), the Rav miBartinura (:14), Ramban (:9), Chizkuni (:14), Toldos ...
4
votes
2answers
106 views
Why does revi'i of Vayeira seem to end four verses late?
Why does revi'i - the fourth reading - of Parashat Vayeira end with the first few verses of the story of the birth of Yitzchak (Gen. 21:1-4)?
Objections:
There's a natural break in narrative before ...
4
votes
1answer
70 views
Questions about the destruction of Sodom and the vicinity
I am having a hard time making heads or tails of the story of the destruction of Sodom and the vicinity. All questions below are questions about the narrative of the story based on the interpretation ...
4
votes
1answer
146 views
3
votes
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 ...
3
votes
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 ...
2
votes
2answers
115 views
Was Lot, himself, sodomized when he first moved into Sodom?
In Genesis 19, Lot defends the angels who came under his roof against the demands of the local men who want a chance to sodomize the three visitors. From the Torah's description, and Rashi's take on ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Why the name Beer Sheva
The Posuk says:
וַיִּקְרָא אֹתָהּ שִׁבְעָה עַל כֵּן שֵׁם הָעִיר בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה
Translated as:
And he named it Shibah; therefore, the city is named Beer sheba until this very day
...
2
votes
3answers
169 views
What is the interpretation of Genesis 19, 5-8?
5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, ...
1
vote
2answers
70 views
The Names of the Rulers of Sedom
What were the names of the governors of Sedom, and what is the significance of those names?
1
vote
2answers
70 views
Kos Shel Bracha but no bread
The angels blesses Sarah and sends a Kos Shel Bracha (Rashi Breshit 18:9 based on Bava Metzia 87a). the question is how was there a Kos Shel Bracha if there was no bread as it says Sarah became a ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
1
vote
2answers
152 views
arab suicide bombers [closed]
We make a tremendous deal about self sacrifice of Avraham Avinu by Akeidas Yitzchok - the Abarbanel writes that it is "the entire glory of the Jewish people and their merit before their Father in ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Why “אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו” (Gen. 22:7)?
Why does Genesis 22:7 say "אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו" rather than just "אַבְרָהָם" or "אָבִיו"? It's redundant.
(My kid's question.)
