Questions tagged [abraham]
First of the Patriarchs אברהם
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If a convert is already a descendant of Abraham, does he become Ben Avraham Avinu?
A convert is considered to be the child of Abraham when called up to the Torah - ben Avraham Avinu.
Does this still apply if the convert was born as a non-Jewish paternal descendant of Abraham? For ...
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Are there any Jewish traditions that can place Abraham in the location of present day Mecca? [closed]
The Quran states...
And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Isma'il (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), (saying), "Our Lord! Accept (this service)...
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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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How old was Avraham when Nimrod threw him into the fire in Ur Kasdim?
Rashi, the Midrash Rabbah, and many others mention the story of Avraham being thrown into a fiery furnace by Nimrod for refusing to worship Avoda Zara and being miraculously saved. I've spent a while ...
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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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Yishmael is the corruption of chesed
I once heard the following idea, and I'm wondering what is the source for it.
Avraham was the pillar of chesed. His son Yishmael was rejected as being part of the Jewish people. Chazal say that ...
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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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Is it required for observant Jews to not associate with one who has rejected Judaism?
I have observed that Orthodox Jews seem to withdraw from those who were once "frum" (observant) but are now secular. Are they obligated to do so?
How are we to understand the parable in which God ...
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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 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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Was Avrohom really born in 1948?
I have always been told that Avrohom Ovinu was born 1948 years after Odom was created. I recently thought I would add up the relevant figures in Sidra Bereisis and Sidra Noach to see what number I ...
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Connection Between Going to Canaan and Becoming a Great Nation
In Genesis (12:1-2) God tells Avraham to go to the land he would show him [Canaan] and that he would make him a great nation:
לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־...
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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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Why was it that Lot and the place he fleed to were saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gemorah?
Bereshit 12:4 Lot went with him (Avraham).. 13:1 Lot with him (Avraham).. 13:5 And Lot also, who went with Avram..
After these points Lot goes on a seperate way from Avraham, but HaShem still shows ...
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Avraham Adon shel Sarah?
Why does Sarah refers to Avraham as אדני Adoni (Genesis 18:12)? Why not say Ishi אישי or Ba'ali בעלי if she is refering to him as her husband? Why would she call him her master/lord?
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How many descendants did Abraham give rise to?
In Genesis 22 there is a divine oath that seems to suggest that Abraham's descendants will be way more numerous than has yet been realize:
Berean Study Bible Genesis 22: 16 and said, "By Myself I ...
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Where was Abraham born?
Where was Abraham born?
There are a couple of confusing, and perhaps even conflicting verses in the bible about Abraham's original homeland.
The general consensus is that Abraham and his family were ...
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Looking for midrash on the reason why Avraham bought Machpelah
In Bereishit 23, Avraham buys Maarat HaMachpelah for four hundred shekels even though Ephron generously offers to give him the cave for free.
I recall there being a midrash that explains the reason ...
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In Avraham all to be blessed?
In relation to another question of mine Avraham a father of many
Bereshit 12:2-3 reads:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing....
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Avraham a father of many
What was meant when HaShem told Avraham His covenant would be with him and he would become the father of a multitude of nations? (Genesis 17:4, see also 12:2-3).
To whom does the multitude of nations ...
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Avraham's ten tests and the miracles in Mitzraim
Avos d'Rebbi Nassan* 33 recounts that corresponding to Avraham's ten tests,1 Hashem performed ten miracles for the Bnei Yisrael in Mitzraim2 and struck the Mitzriim with ten makkos, and likewise He ...
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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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Why does God Tell Abimelech that he is innocent?
Why does God tell Amibelech that he innocently abducted Sara. One of the commentators (Rava?) says that in Abimelech's mind, he thought he was honoring Sarai by making her his Queen.
Why does ...
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Did the sea split in Yosef's merit or Avraham's merit?
The pasuk (Tehillim 114:3) tells us that at Kriyas Yam Suf, "the Sea saw and fled."
It seems that the Sea would not split until it saw something. The Medrash explains: What did it see? It saw Yosef's ...
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Who was Hagar's (Avraham's maid/wife) grandfather?
Who was Hagar's (Avraham's maid/wife) grandfather? I know there is a source somewhere for this but I am baffled as to where.
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Mormons claim to be from the tribes of Israel (revealed via a "Patriarchal Blessing"), is this offensive to the Jewish community?
It has come to my attention that members of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), or more commonly known as Mormons, receive what is called a patriarchal blessing.
This "...
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Commandments/Laws followed by Avraham
Genesis 26:5 states:
Because that Avraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
What were these laws, statutes, and commandments that Avraham was ...
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Abram's worship of El Elyon [closed]
In Genesis 14:18-20 Abram recognizes the deity El Elyon of the Jebusite monarch Melchizedek.
Some scholars have investigated into the meaning of this name El Elyon and propose that it actually ...
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Is there a detailed explanation for Bereishis 18:8? [duplicate]
וַיִּקַּח חֶמְאָה וְחָלָב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהֽוּא־עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם תַּחַת הָעֵץ וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃
I know the Torah was not given at this time, nor had the Sages explained ...
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Avraham leaving the donkey behind
The Medrash states that Avraham asked Yitzchak what he saw and he answer that he saw the divine presence. However,when he asked Eliezer and Yishmael they both answered that they saw nothing. The ...
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Age of Avram (Avraham) when he left for Kena'an out of the Ur Kasdim?
Nechemyah 9:7-8 teaches that it was HaShem who brought (or called?) Avram forth out of the Ur Kasdim.
Bereshit 11:31 teaches that Terach took his whole household in which included Avram and they went ...
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Pesach circumcision a rememberance of the covenant made with Avraham?
Within the narrative of the story of the covenant and promise made with Avraham we learn a couple of things. One of those things is that the seed of Avraham will be gerim in a land not theirs. It's ...
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Midrash about Abraham , Moon and 14 generations?
I heard one rabbi tell a story connecting Abraham , and cycles of the moon and generations it takes to David from Abraham!
Is anyone familiar with this story and where can i find it?
user9309
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Give money to defendants to pay their claims? Won't that increase theft?
Avos d'R' Nasan, 33:1:
… Not only that, but our father Abraham did tz'daka (≈social justice) first and thereafter mishpat (≈justice), as is said [Gen. 18:19] "for I know him, for he will command ...
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Haamek Davar's implication that God used childbearing terminology
The Haamek Davar explains Genesis 17:16–19 as follows: In verse 16, God tells Abraham that He "will give [Abraham] a son from" Sarah. Because Sarah is no longer physically capable of ...
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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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The definitions of Judaism and Jew
An infinite loop:
Judaism according to Google is "the monotheistic religion of the Jews".
And Jew is "a member of the people and cultural community whose traditional religion is Judaism and who ...
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What method of reasoning did Abraham use to reach Enlightenment?
What method(s) of reasoning did Abraham use to discover HaShem's existence and that he is Adon Olam? I'm wondering about particular methods.
[1] http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/434682/...
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Understanding העמק דבר on בראשית טו ה
In Lech L'cha, 15:5 (JPS), Hashem tells Avram:
הַבֶּט נָא הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וּסְפֹר הַכּוֹכָבִים אִם תּוּכַל לִסְפֹּר אֹתָם
Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to count them
...
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What happened with G-d's promise?
In Bereshit 15:18 G-d makes a covenant with Abraham in which He says that He has given certain land to Abraham's descendants.
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כָּרַת יְהֹוָה אֶת אַבְרָם בְּרִית לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ ...
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Is נגב (Negev) the southern part of Israel or the south (cardinal direction)
In Bereshit 13:1, Negev is meant to mean the south of the Land of Israel (according to Rashi), because Abraham was going from Egypt to Israel and otherwise wouldn't make sense.
וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם ...
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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 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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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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What percentage of Jews are descendants of Abraham?
From my limited understanding of the religion being Jewish requires being born of Jewish parents or following some moderately complex procedures. From that I would assume that every Jew alive today ...
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Rabbinic endorsement of Indians as descendants of Avraham?
There are some who have suggested that the Indian peoples (or, more specifically, the original Aryan tribes and/or the Brahmin caste) are descendants of Avraham's sons Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midian, ...
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Was Avraham really in the right going to sacrifice Yitzchak? [duplicate]
If someone says, "Hey, you. You go kill _______ or i'll kill you," you are not allowed to go kill that person. That's an extreme case. But in the case with Yitzchak, there was no 'Or i'll kill you.' ...
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What was the sanctification of Abraham?
"And is a Jew excluded from the category of bnei Noach? Since Avraham
was sanctified they are called by my name"
״וישראל מי נפיק מכלל בני
נח? כיון דאיקדש אברהם איתקרו על שמיה״
-Talmud Bavli,...
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What is the meaning and history behind the velvet signs decorating Abraham's tomb?
I was recently reading up on Wikipedia regarding the Tomb of the Patriarchs, and was particularly interested in this picture: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Cenotaph_of_Abraham_-...
user9670
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Why was Lech Lecha a Nisayon?
The Rambam in his commentary to the Mishna list the 10 Nisayon's, challenges, which Avraham went through and passed. The first one is when G‑d tells him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the ...
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