Questions tagged [abraham]
First of the Patriarchs אברהם
139
questions
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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
179 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
39 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
138 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 ...
0
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0answers
41 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 biblical term mean? Also, ...
-2
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1answer
31 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
137 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
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3answers
69 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 ...
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1answer
50 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
113 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
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2answers
52 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
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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 ...
2
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3answers
69 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 ...
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0answers
42 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
203 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 ...
14
votes
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
votes
2answers
350 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.
...
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 ...
0
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1answer
51 views
What was G-d's plan in having 20 generations before Abraham appears?
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
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1answer
64 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
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3answers
224 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
66 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
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0answers
59 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
99 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
123 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 ...
4
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3answers
598 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 ...
2
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1answer
286 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
66 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 ...
2
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3answers
57 views
If there were people before/during Avraham's life that recognised Hashem, why was Avraham chosen specifically?
We know that Shem lived during the life of Avraham Avinu, described as Malki Tzedek.
Why is Avraham considered the first to spread ethical monotheism (concluding in G-d choosing him) if it's known ...
3
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0answers
67 views
How come the Torah doesn't recount how Avraham and Sarah met?
We know how Yitzchak met Rivka, and how Yaakov met Rachel & Leah- but why doesn't the Torah tell us how Avraham and Sarah met?
If you want to say that it's because they weren't Jewish at the time ...
3
votes
3answers
133 views
(Why) did Sarah allow herself to be put in a compromising situation
Starting in Genesis 12:13 Avraham and Sarah deceive Pharaoh into thinking that Sarah was not married. It seems from the verses that Avraham and Sarah understood that if Pharaoh thought Sarah was ...
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3answers
113 views
In what manner / How, did Hashem appear to Avraham at Mamre? (Gen 18:1)
In what manner / How, did Hashem appear to Avraham at Mamre? (Gen 18:1)
We read in Gen 18:1 וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה, בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא; וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח-הָאֹהֶל, כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם.
And Hashem/The ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
Did Hashem originally intend to have a connection with everyone?
Does it say anywhere that when Hashem created the world it was with the intention to have a connection with everyone, but because people sinned Hashem saw he could only have this intimate connection ...
1
vote
1answer
88 views
Source for Avraham failing his test at the Akeida?
In a recent interview on Times of Israel, Rabbi Nathan Lopez Cardozo says that he is of the opinion that Avraham failed his test at the Akeida:
I am of the opinion that Abraham, by being prepared ...
1
vote
1answer
111 views
Abraham circumcision?
As we know in our today's world, a sentence can be understood if the vocabulary of the words which are in that sentence is also already understood.
But if there is a vocabulary which is not already ...
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0answers
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Is the line of David known/documented? [duplicate]
Bear in mind, I have a background in Christianity, so my superficial knowledge of Judaism is at best base on the old testament. In the old testament David is told his line will result in the Messiah.
...
8
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1answer
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Why Did God Directly Command Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac but Sent Angels to Stop Him?
Genesis 21:1-3 says that God “tested” Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice his son Isaac and that Abraham immediately (or almost immediately) followed the directions God provided. 21:9-17 says that ...
3
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0answers
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Centrality of Jerusalem for forefathers and before Temple
I was having an argument about the centrality of Jerusalem in our tradition when I realized surprisingly, that, seemingly from the scriptures, Jerusalem wasn't so central for our forefathers at all.
...
5
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2answers
97 views
According to Rashi, how old was Avraham at B'rit Bein HaB'tarim?
Rashi to Shemot 12:40 says that B'rit Bein HaB'tarim took place thirty years before the birth of Yitzchak (when Avraham was one hundred years old), meaning that Avraham was seventy years old at the ...
17
votes
3answers
389 views
Why didn't Avraham argue with HaShem about sacrificing Yitzchak just like he argued with Him about destroying Sodom? [duplicate]
It's known that when Avraham found out that Hashem was going to destroy Sodom and the other cities, he fervently argued with Hashem to save them.
My question is: when Hashem told Avraham to sacrifice ...
8
votes
6answers
202 views
Sources that Avraham Avinu personified Gemilas Chasodim
See this thread which discusses that Avraham Avinu used to make his guests pay exorbitant prices if they did not wish to bless Hashem for the food.
I am struggling to differentiate between a ...
9
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2answers
707 views
Is it sourced that Avrohom Avinu charged his guests payment if they did not make a Brachah?
The Gemara in Soitah (10a I think) says that Avrohom used to tell people not to thank him, but rather to thank Hashem for the food that they ate.
I seem to remember learning once that if they refused,...
1
vote
1answer
145 views
Angels Frequently Visiting Avraham
Rashi (Bereishis 16:13) notes that Hagar wasn't frightened to see angels because she normally saw angels frequenting Avraham's household:
לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ; וְכִי סְבוּרָה הָיִיתִי שֶׁאַף הֲלוֹם ...
6
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0answers
32 views
Is Nehemiah's description of Abraham's events out of order?
In Nechemia 9, we read a recap of God's interaction with Avraham:
אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּחַ֙רְתָּ֙ בְּאַבְרָ֔ם וְהוֹצֵאת֖וֹ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וְשַׂ֥מְתָּ שְּׁמ֖וֹ אַבְרָהָֽם׃
וּמָצָ֣אתָ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ֮ ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Where, and what, is Elonei Mamre? And who is Mamre?
In Sefer Bereshit (specifically Parshat Lech Lecha, Vayera, and Chayei Sarah) the is a place called Elonei Mamre. This is usually translated something along the lines of "the trees of Mamre."
Where/...
7
votes
2answers
109 views
Hashem's inconsistent responses about Sedom
In parshas Vayeira there is a whole back-and-forth between Hashem and Avraham. Each time Avraham pleaded to save everyone if a certain number of righteous individuals would be found. Each time Hashem ...
6
votes
2answers
66 views
Why does the Torah mention that Lot went with Avram twice?
Why does the Torah in Parshas Lech Lecha feel the need to say "vayeilech ito Lot", and Lot went with him (Avram)? The very next passuk tells us how Avram took Sarai his wife, Lot his nephew, and so ...
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0answers
79 views
Uncomfortable Discussions Around Guests
Why doesn't Avraham wait until escorting the angelic "men" out of the tent before having the conversation with Sarah about "laughing" - the pesukim (Bereishis 18:15-16) follow one after the other.
...
1
vote
0answers
32 views
Avraham's Strange Happiness to Death?
Since והיה generally refers to something not bad,
Vayikra Rabba (11:7) - כל מקום שנאמר ויהי אין שמחה והיה אין צרה
why does Avraham use the word to start the following potentially tragic ...
0
votes
0answers
77 views
Avraham Kosher for Pesach Mustard [duplicate]
Seeing that Avraham served the angels mustard on Pesach (Bava Metzia 86b),
ולמה לי תלתא תסגי בחד אמר רב חנן בר רבא כדי להאכילן שלש לשונות בחרדל
אמר רבי תנחום בר חנילאי לעולם אל ישנה אדם מן המנהג ...
