Questions tagged [abraham]
First of the Patriarchs אברהם
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Why did Avraham argue with G-d about Sodom but not about his son's sacrifice?
Are there any Mefarshim who commented on why Avraham chose to advocate on behalf of Sodom when G-d tells him that the city will be destroyed, but chose to remain silent and just accept the decree when ...
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Why did the angel overturning Sodom visit Abraham?
Someone in my synagogue asked today as follows:
Rashi notes (Vayera 18:2, q.v.) that three angels visited Avraham's tent: one was assigned to inform Sara [of her impending pregnancy], one to overturn ...
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Are Muslims also promised the Land of Israel?
God promised Avraham that his descendants would be given the Land of Israel (Genesis 15:18-21). Since Ishmael is one of Avraham's descendants, and if Ishmael is the ancestor of Muslisms, do Muslims ...
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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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Why are there so few Jews if God promised Abraham his children would number like the stars?
God promises Abraham a number of times that he would father a great nation whose numbers would be like the stars in the sky or the sand on the beach.
However today there are less than 14 million Jews,...
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Did Abraham know that Lot survived the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah?
In last week's Parasha, we all know the story of Abraham arguing with God to have God spare the cities on account of the righteous. However, I haven't heard much about the end of the story.
Genesis ...
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Why is Sarah rebuked for laughing whereas Avraham is not?
In parshat Lech Lecha Avraham laughs when he hears that he'll have a son. God even tells Avraham to call his son Yitzchak which means "he will laugh" straight after that. In parshat Vayera however, ...
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Who owns the Cave of Machpelah today?
In Genesis 23, Abraham purchased the Cave of Machpelah from Efron the Hittite. Several generations of Abraham's family were buried there, although eventually new burials ceased.
According to Jewish ...
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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 ...
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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,...
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Who was the mother of Avraham's daughter?
According to one opinion in the Gemarah (Bava Basra 16b, also 141a), when it says Avraham was blessed with everything (Bereishit 24:1) it means that he had a daughter. Who was her mother?
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Source that Avraham's tent was open on all sides?
What is the source for the idea (I recall learning as a child) that Avraham's tent was open on all 4 directions to welcome guests?
user6641
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What happened to Avraham's other sons?
After the Torah's account of Avraham's other sons, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah, being sent to the East with gifts, do we have any tradition about what became of them? Did they ...
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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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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 ...
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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 ...
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Did Avraham Avinu really have a daughter named Bakol?
I heard that Avraham Avinu had a daughter named Bakol. But in the Biblical narrative, there is no mention of a daughter to Avraham, only a son, Yitzchak, whom we all know well.
Did Avraham really ...
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What was Avraham Avinu's mother's name?
What was Avraham Avinu's mother's name?
Our shul received a paper with questions on Simhat Torah, with this question being one of the harder ones. Is there a midrash on her name?
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The hebrew meaning of the name Laila
My wife and I just had a beautiful little girl and we named her Laila Grace. I was curious of the meaning of Laila and decided to search the web. I came to an interesting comment that I am hoping ...
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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 ...
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Why didn't Terach go to the Land of Canaan?
In Genesis 11:31, Terach takes Avraham (then Avram), Sarah (then Sarai), and Lot to the Land of Canaan, i.e. Israel. However, they stopped in Charan, and Terach spent the rest of his life there. Why ...
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How could Avraham feed his guests tongue?
Avraham served his guests three tongues in mustard.1 However, Avraham kept all the mitzvot,2 one of which is to give the foreleg, jaw (including the tongue3), and maw of each slaughtered animal to the ...
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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 ...
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Did Avraham learn Lot's fate? [duplicate]
In Bereishit 14 Avraham rescues Lot after the battle of the four kings and the five kings. At this time Lot is living in S'dom, and it seems reasonable that Avraham knows that. (Lot was captured ...
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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,...
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Why identified by the name Og?
Although the Midrash Bereshis Rabbah (42:8) records the story behind the origin of Og's name:
וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט (בראשית יד, יג), רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּשֵׁם בַּר
קַפָּרָא הוּא עוֹג הוּא פָּלִיט, ...
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Was Abraham's religion original?
In what way was Abraham's religion different from Noah's, Shem's or Eber's? Weren't they all monotheists?
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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?
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Questions regarding Sarah's denial in Breishit 18:15
Breishit 18:15 says (Mechon Mamre / JPS in English):
Then Sarah denied, saying: 'I laughed not'; for she was afraid. And He
said: 'Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Apparently, Sarah laughed because ...
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Abraham's converts.....to what?
Assuming the view that Avraham was not a Jew (see here and here1), "ha-nefesh asher asu beCharan" (Gen. 12:5) that Rashi explains were converts, what did they convert to?
To give credit where credit ...
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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 נֶאֱמָ֣ן ...
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Did Avraham invite the angels into his house?
Avraham sits at the entrance to his tent waiting for guests. When the three angels arrive he runs out to greet them and pleads that they stay. He then tells them (Bereishit 18:4):
יֻקַּח-נָא מְעַט-...
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How did Abraham conclude that the world must have a master?
Abraham is said to have arrived at the existence of Gd in Gen Rabah 39:
אמר רבי יצחק משל לאחד שהיה עובר ממקום למקום וראה בירה אחת דולקת אמר
תאמר שהבירה זו בלא מנהיג הציץ עליו בעל הבירה אמר לו אני הוא ...
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Why doesn't the Chumash record a blessing for Yitzchak?
Yitzchak blesses his two sons.
Ya'acov blesses his twelve sons and even a couple of grandsons.
Even Noach tells of the future of his sons.
Does Avraham ever formally bless Yitzchak? If so, why doesn't ...
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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.
...
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What does the Hebrew for Genesis 17:1 suggest was being told to Abraham?
I am curious about the wording of Genesis 17:1. When Abraham was told to "walk before me," was there a specific context implied? Why not use "walk with me" or "follow thou me"?
I was studying using ...
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Why weren’t the descendants of Esav or Yishmael also given the Torah alongside the benei Yaakob?
As we all know, Abraham had two descendants, Yishmael and Yitschak. Yitschak also had two descendants, Esav and Yaakob; however only the children of Yaakob were the nation that was chosen for the ...
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Prayer of Avraham Avinu at Mount Moriah
On Yom Kippur and in Selichos we pray "The One who answered Avraham Avinu's prayer on Mount Moriah, should answer us". "מי שענה לאברהם אבינו בהר המוריה הוא יעננו".
What did Avraham pray for at Mount ...
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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 ...
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"If eight couldn't save the world, certainly eight couldn't save one city." Why not?
Rashi to Bereishis 18:32, explaining why Avraham only bargained for 10 and no less:
אָמַר דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל הָיוּ ח', נֹחַ וּבָנָיו וּנְשֵׁיהֶם, וְלֹא הִצִּילוּ עַל דּוֹרָם; וְעַל ט' עַל יְדֵי צֵרוּף ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Where does Flavius Josephus get 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 ...
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How old were Avraham and Sarah when they got married?
How old were Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu when they got married?
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Midrash on the sale of the Machpelah Cave
A few days ago I saw in a library book a midrash on the sale of the Machpelah Cave. The midrash detailed the names of the four witnesses who signed their names on the deed. Unfortunately, I returned ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Was Hagar Abraham's second wife or his pilegesh?
In Genesis 16:3 it is written:
"So Sarai, Abraham's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, at the end of ten years of Abraham's dwelling in the land of Canaan, and she gave her to Abraham her ...
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