Questions tagged [abraham]
First of the Patriarchs אברהם
161
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Why did Abraham give his sons impure gifts?
The Torah says that Abraham gave gifts to his sons (other than Isaac) and sent them away:
And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But to the sons of [his] concubines [he] gave gifts while he was ...
0
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1answer
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Did Abraham and Sarah say a blessing on hearing a good news about their future heir?
IIRC, one says a Brachah of "Hatov veha-Meitiv" on hearing good news (source needed).
When the angels came to inform Abraham and Sara of giving birth to Isaac in exactly one year, did they ...
3
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2answers
220 views
Why didn't Avraham buy his burial plot earlier?
Rabbi Aron Moss quotes the Midrash Vayikra Rabbah (5:5) suggesting that one should buy a burial plot when still alive. If that is the case, why didn't Avraham buy the cave from Ephron for Sarah (and ...
0
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1answer
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Why not interpret consistently the way the age at death is expressed?
The Torah says:
וַיִּהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה׃
Sarah’s lifetime came to one hundred years and twenty years and seven years ...
2
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2answers
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Did Abraham give Maaser after earning from Pharaoh and Abimelech?
In Parashat Lech Lecha we learn that after returning the spoils of the war, Abraham gave Maaser to Malkitzedek. Commentators deduct that this was Maaser Ksafim (monetary tithes).
In Parshiyot Lech ...
0
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1answer
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Why בניו if Yishmael is the Only Son Now?
Bereishit 18:19 says:
כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו וגו׳
At this point Avraham’s only son is Yishmael. Why does the pasuk say בניו and not בנו? Does he have more than one son now? Rashi even ...
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1answer
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What made Malkitzedek a Cohen more than Abraham?
IIRC, before Mt. Sinai, priestly rights were given to the firstborns.
For those who say, Malkitzedek was Shem Ben Noah, he wasn't Noah's firstborn.
I don't know if Abraham was a firstborn, but, unlike ...
2
votes
1answer
38 views
How did Abraham give Maaser of Sodom's property?
וּבָרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּן צָרֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר מִכֹּל׃ וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־סְדֹם אֶל־אַבְרָם תֶּן־לִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻשׁ קַח־לָךְ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֶל־מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם ...
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Why didn't Abraham care for Lot's fate?
IIRC, Abraham knew that Lot settled in Sodom and that God is about to destroy the place. He tried to prevent it, but after realizing that there are not enough Tzaddikim he despaired.
Why didn't he ...
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Why wasn't Abraham interested in the fate of “less than 10 Tzaddikim”?
After negotiating the fate of Sodom, and trying to spare it by the Zchus of at least 10 Tzaddikim, Abraham realized from God's replies, that there are less than 10 Tzaddikim in Sodom, where he ended ...
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Who called Itzhak's name?
וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם אֶת־שֶׁם־בְּנוֹ הַנּוֹלַד־לוֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָה־לּוֹ שָׂרָה יִצְחָק׃ ... וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרָה צְחֹק עָשָׂה לִי אֱלֹהִים כָּל־הַשֹּׁמֵעַ יִצְחַק־לִי׃
Abraham gave his newborn son, ... ...
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1answer
26 views
The sources of Abraham's wealth
The Torah specifies that Abraham profited well from deceiving Pharaoh and Avimelech by presenting Sarah as his sister:
וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם מִמִּצְרַיִם הוּא וְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְלוֹט עִמּוֹ ...
4
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2answers
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Angels Eating: The case of Avraham Vs Lot
I came across a fascinating Tanna D'Vei Eliyahu Rabbah (12:1) which states:
וכל האומר לא אכלו מלאכי השרת עם אברהם אע"ה לא אמר כלום אלא בצדקתו של אותו צדיק ובשכר טורח שטרח בשבילם פתח להם הקב"...
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Why do some Jews name their sons Abram?
When God changed Abram's name to Abraham, it was a promotion of sorts:
And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. I ...
0
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2answers
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What did Avrohom know about the war in Shechem (Rashi on Beraishis 12 (6))?
Rashi on Beraishis 12 (6) says
And Abram passed through the land until the place of Shechem: to pray
for Jacob’s sons when they would come to wage war in Shechem.
So Avrohom knew (prophetically) ...
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0answers
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Sarah's beauty at 80
Shalom u bracha. Does anybody know the source of a midrash that says that Pharaoh (and everybody) finds Sarah really beautiful even at her 80's because Avraham gave her so much confidence by repeating ...
2
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0answers
59 views
Was Hagar part of Abraham's punishment?
The Ramban chastised Abraham for going to Egypt to escape a famine in the Holy Land and for lying about Sarah:
And you should know that our father Abraham committed a great sin unintentionally, when ...
1
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1answer
75 views
Why didn't Abraham tell Isaac and Sarah about God's commandment to sacrifice Isaac?
Why didn't Abraham share with Isaac and Sarah the fact that God had commanded him to sacrifice Isaac?
The commentators say that Isaac knew of the plan in advance, but, his faith being as total as his ...
0
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2answers
49 views
What age was Avraham's name change?
As we know Avraham was changed from Avram.
Does anyone know how old Avraham was when he got his name change?
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0answers
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Why did Avraham pray for a son if he was promised one?
Hashem promised Avraham as son when he left Haran, at age 75. Yet it seems that Avraham and Sarah prayed for the next 25 years until they indeed were blessed with Yitzhak.
How could we describe ...
3
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0answers
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According to Rashi by Avraham's prayer for Sodom he reasoned that there were 8 righteous being saved. How would Ham be considered righteous?
According to Rashi on Genesis 18:32, Abraham reasoned that 8 righteous people weren't enough to save the world so that's the limit. However given what we know about Ham (cited here and other places), ...
1
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2answers
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Why wasn't Avraham lying when he said “Eloh-im yireh lo haseh li-ola, bni”?
When Avraham was going with Yitzchok to the Akaida.
As far as Avraham knew at the moment, there was no lamb. So the answer to Yitzchok's question should have been that there will be no lamb for the ...
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3answers
249 views
Did God want converts in the early days of Judaism?
The Midrash says that Abraham and Sarah made many converts, presumably with God's blessing:
Abraham made converts, for it is written, "And Abraham took Sarai his wife... and all the souls that they ...
2
votes
3answers
186 views
Did the Avos light the menorah? [duplicate]
The Gemara Yoma 28b says that Avraham Avinu kept the whole Torah including Eruv Tavshilin. We see that Avraham kept the Rabbinic laws. Does this mean he lit the Menorah as well?
אמר (רב) ואיתימא רב ...
3
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1answer
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Why did Avraham respond to Avimelech but not Pharaoh?
There are two instances recorded in the Torah where Avraham and Sarah have to leave their home and go to a dangerous region. Both times Avraham tells people that Sarah is his sister, and both times ...
4
votes
1answer
170 views
Why did Yitzchok use the same subterfuge for his wife that had not worked for Avraham?
When I read the Parashas Toldos, I was surprised to see that when Yitzchok went to the land of Avimeleh, he said that Rivka was his sister to protect his life in Bereshis, 26, 7.
It is obvious that ...
1
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1answer
113 views
Deep Sleep Genesis 15:12
I would like to know if the "deep sleep" of Abraham (Genesis 15:12) is literally a "sleep", or a state of "trance" as The Midrash of Philo says (15:12). What does the ...
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1answer
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Why Me'arat Hamachpela was bought by Avraham and not conquered?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not an aggressor, but conquest and war are always in our set of tools (see Yaakov's preparations to meeting his brother).
IIRC Hittim people were idolaters and doomed to be ...
1
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2answers
152 views
Why Sarah didn't have more kids with Avraham?
IIRC, Sarah was completely rejuvenated in order to give birth to Itzhak, but I don't remember that G-d took it back after he was born.
Apparently, Avraham was eager to have more kids in his old age.
...
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3answers
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In Avraham's story, what's the importance of his burial place, Meoras hamachpeila?
The Torah spends a couple of pages describing Avraham's desire to [be buried and] bury Sarah in a particular place - the Cave of the patriarchs. I find it difficult to comprehend this desire.
After ...
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1answer
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Why it was important for Avraham to bring more goyish children in his old age?
וַיֹּסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה וּשְׁמָהּ קְטוּרָה׃
Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. (Gen 25.1)
While the Gemmorah (Yevomos 62b) learns that a person must procreate through ...
6
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2answers
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Source for Rashi's claim that some nations worshiped dust?
Rashi (Gen 18,4) on "יֻקַּח־נָא מְעַט־מַיִם וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם׃" says:
כַּסָּבוּר שֶׁהֵם עַרְבִיִּים שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִים לַאֲבַק רַגְלֵיהֶם
He thought they were Arabians who worship the dust of ...
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2answers
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Why did Avraham ask Eliezer to go to his family?
What was so special about Avraham's family that he prefers that Eliezer should search there for a wife for Yitzchok (Bereshis 24:40)?
4
votes
2answers
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Prayer for individual tzadikim in Sodom
According to Rashi, Avraham began his prayers by reasoning let the tzadikim save the entire cities, and if the tzadikim can't save the whole city, at least don't kill the tzadikim themselves.
אולי יש ...
2
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3answers
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Looking for a source about Avraham compared to Noah
I'm having some trouble tracking down a source I saw earlier that I'd like to review.
Around Beresheit 18:18 when Hashem is deciding whether or not to tell Avraham about the impending destruction of ...
3
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0answers
49 views
Why does Rashi say Avraham thought the angels were wayfarers?
Rashi on Breishis 18:16
And the men arose from there, and they looked upon Sodom, and Abraham went with them to escort them,
says
to escort them: Heb. לְשַׁלְּחָם, to escort them. He thought ...
3
votes
3answers
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What was the ethnicity of Abraham?
The Book of Genesis says that Abraham was from Ur Kasdim. Usually English translations renders it "Ur of the Chaldees/Chaldeans". It is impossible for Kasdim to mean Chaldeans if the Torah was written ...
14
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3answers
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Why didn't Abraham ask the single best question?
Genesis 18:24ff:
And Abraham... said: Will You [God] also cause to perish the righteous one with the wicked one? ...Will You not spare the place for the sake of [say] 50 righteous ones in its ...
6
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2answers
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Rashi's explanation of why we are told that Avram was 86 at the birth of Yishma'el
Bereishit 16:16:
וְאַבְרָ֕ם בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים בְּלֶֽדֶת־הָגָ֥ר אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל לְאַבְרָֽם׃
Avram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Yishma'el to Avram.
...
8
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5answers
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Did Abraham and Noah know of each other?
Are there any sources that discuss whether Abraham and Noah knew of each other's existence, if there was ever any interactions between the two and/or if they ever met (not sure if their lives actually ...
2
votes
1answer
80 views
What was G-d's plan in having 20 wicked generations before Abraham?
I'm trying to understand G-d's plan for creating wicked and sinful humans, waiting for 1600 years/10 generations for them to sin, wiping them out completely, then waiting for another 400 years for the ...
6
votes
1answer
71 views
Source for Avraham's Conversation About Hoshana Rabba
Although many websites quote a Midrash saying Hashem told Avraham,
"I will give your descendants a special day for forgiveness: Hoshana Rabbah. If they are not forgiven on Rosh Hashana then let ...
0
votes
3answers
231 views
Did Abraham always follow halacha?
-The Talmud says that Abraham followed halacha [derived from Genesis 26:5].
-The Torah outlaws child sacrifice.
-So: On what grounds did Abraham agree to perform God's command to sacrifice his ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
Why count the stars in the daytime? [closed]
It says in Lech Lecha that Hashem took Abraham outside and asked him to count the stars. And from the word "habet" we learn it was during the daytime.
Why would it be during the daytime when stars ...
2
votes
0answers
68 views
Where does Flavius Josephus gets his description of historical events about the Patriarchs
Josephus lived in the 1st century and would accurately report the history in that time period. However he does report about the activities of the Patriarchs. These stories are found in the Jewish ...
5
votes
1answer
138 views
What would qualify a Sedomite as a “righteous person”?
In Genesis 18:23-33, Avraham pleads with God to spare Sedom from the destruction it had earned through its wicked institutionalized cruelty. Eventually, Avraham extracts an agreement from God that the ...
1
vote
2answers
135 views
“As many as the stars in the sky”- literally or allegorically?
In Bereishis 15:5 HaShem promises Avraham that his descendants will be as many as the stars in the sky:
וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־...
4
votes
3answers
622 views
Why don't we have a weaning party like Avraham did?
וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַיִּגָּמַל וַיַּעַשׂ אַבְרָהָם מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל בְּיוֹם הִגָּמֵל אֶת־יִצְחָק׃
The child [Itzchak] grew up and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day that Isaac was ...
2
votes
1answer
308 views
Why is Abraham considered the “Founder of Judaism”?
Why is Abraham called 'the founder of Judaism' given that he didn't write its founding legislation, which is what 'founders' of other religions did (for example, Paul and Muhammed)? What place does ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views
Sources for what happened to Avraham’s Converts? [duplicate]
In Bereishis (12:5 and in Rashi) we see that Avraham converted people in Charan, and then took them with him to Kena’an.
Do we know what happened to them?
• When Avraham and Lot separated, who did ...
