Questions tagged [abraham]
First of the Patriarchs אברהם
170
questions
6
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the source for: One shouldn't name a baby using names from before Abraham
I've heard or I've been taught one shouldn't name a baby (or take a name, in the case of a ger) from names in the Torah before Abraham, namely Adam, Noah etc.
This makes sense to me, as Abraham is the ...
6
votes
2answers
308 views
Why does God appear to Avraham about Sarah’s laughter?
In Bereshis (Perek 18) why would God appear to Avraham regarding Sarah’s laughter and not appear to Sarah herself? Isn’t one’s relationship with God personal, not necessarily involving one’s spouse?
...
3
votes
1answer
305 views
Per the claim that Abraham kept the whole Torah, why didn't he circumcise Ishmael and all his slaves earlier?
"Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Thus Abraham and ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
What is the exact meaning of “ha Elohim” in Genesis 22:1?
In Genesis 22: 1 we read:
"And it came to pass after these things, that ha Elohim tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am."
I see that the ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
Why did Sarah demand to expel Hagar?
IIRC, Hagar was [happily] married to Abraham for at least 17 years (one or two for pregnancy, 13 of Yishmael before his circumcision, one for Sarah's pregnancy, and two for Itzhak's Gmilah). If it was ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Why was Abraham cheap with Hagar and his son Yishmael?
Following "why-would-Hagar-go-to-the-desert-t-die", IIRC Abraham was freakishly wealthy and he should be full of Chessed (toward his former wife and his own son), Sarah didn't deny any ...
3
votes
0answers
102 views
Do Arabs have a distinct stature among non-Jews as they descend from Abraham?
To best of my knowledge, according to Judaism, both Arabs and Jews descend from Abraham. In particular, Arabs are believed to be descended from Ishmael, and Jews are believed to be descended from ...
5
votes
1answer
196 views
Where was Malkitzedek of Jerusalem at the time of the Akedah?
ארץ המוריה: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (Rashi Genesis.22.2)
"And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine...", Targum "וּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶק מַלְכָּא דִירוּשְׁלֶם" Genesis.14.18
If ...
1
vote
0answers
20 views
Why is God unspecific with directions to Abraham?
The LORD said to Abram, “Go forth ... to the land that I will show you." Genesis.12.1
And He said, “Take your son... and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will ...
3
votes
2answers
147 views
Was Abraham given a scripture?
According to the Quran, Abraham was given a scripture just like Moses.
This is certainly ˹mentioned˺ in the earlier Scriptures— the
Scriptures of Abraham and Moses. [Quran 87/18-19]
The scripture ...
1
vote
1answer
102 views
Rav Moshe on Midrash about Avraham sending his son to get water
I recently read the following here p.8 (third column):
Similarly, Reb Moshe comments on the Midrash that is critical of Avraham Avinu for sending his son to get water for his guests instead of ...
0
votes
3answers
76 views
Why the choice of Abraham preceded finding him righteous?
We say it daily in the morning prayer:
אַתָּה־הוּא ה"א אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בְּאַבְרָם וְהוֹצֵאתוֹ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים וְשַׂמְתָּ שְּׁמוֹ אַבְרָהָם׃ וּמָצָאתָ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ...
You ...
4
votes
3answers
179 views
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
votes
1answer
62 views
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
votes
2answers
228 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
votes
1answer
103 views
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
votes
2answers
53 views
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
votes
1answer
37 views
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 ...
3
votes
1answer
89 views
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
41 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
28 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
votes
2answers
99 views
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"...
1
vote
0answers
77 views
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
votes
2answers
51 views
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) ...
0
votes
0answers
98 views
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
votes
0answers
74 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
vote
1answer
95 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
votes
2answers
51 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?
2
votes
0answers
49 views
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
votes
0answers
54 views
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
vote
2answers
135 views
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 ...
-1
votes
3answers
257 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
188 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
votes
1answer
60 views
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 ...
5
votes
1answer
183 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
vote
1answer
118 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 ...
-2
votes
1answer
35 views
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
vote
2answers
154 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.
...
0
votes
3answers
78 views
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 ...
-4
votes
1answer
58 views
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
votes
2answers
126 views
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 ...
2
votes
2answers
91 views
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
55 views
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
votes
3answers
74 views
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
votes
0answers
50 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 ...
4
votes
5answers
505 views
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 ...
15
votes
3answers
4k views
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
votes
2answers
364 views
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.
...
9
votes
5answers
2k views
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
84 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 ...
