18
votes
How did Jacob manage to have 12 children in 7 years?
The Rashbam to Bereishis 43:33 writes that not only were the 6 sons of Leah born in 7 years, but also all of the other sons of Yaakov (with the obvious exception of Binyamin, who is explicitly ...
- 58.1k
17
votes
How could Yaakov have relations with a wife (Leah) whom he hated?
As per DanF's comment and the commentary of the Stone Chumash:
Ramban cites Radak that Jacob surely loved Leah, but that his greater
love for Rachel made her seem unloved -- or even hated -- by
...
- 37.6k
14
votes
Accepted
Are there any Midrashim where Yitzchak was actually sacrificed by Avraham?
A collection of four medrashim can be seen here along with their translations and an explanation.
Pirkay DeRabbi Eliezer, ch. 31.
ר' יהודה אמר: כיון שהגיע החרב על צוארו, פרחה ויצאה נשמתו של יצחק. ...
- 33.2k
13
votes
Accepted
Who was older, Miriam or Aaron?
Tosafot Bechorot 4a:
דלא היה אהרן בכור דמרים גדולה ממנו ג' שנים כדאמר במדרש [ריש פ' שמות] כמו שהיה אהרן גדול ממשה ג' שנים
Aharon was not the firstborn, because Miriam was three years older ...
- 41.3k
12
votes
Sarah is Abraham's sister?
There is a Midrash (Megillah 14a) that Sarah was really the same as Yiskah (from Gen 11:28), which would make her Avraham's niece, which is pretty close to a sister.
However, Ibn Ezra (Gen 20:12) ...
- 96.9k
11
votes
Why not send a substitute for Benyamin (sources)?
Chizkuni 44:2 says that actually Yosef was unconvinced it was Binyamin and felt that perhaps it was a stranger from the street. Therefore he hid the goblet by Binyamin to see if the brothers will come ...
- 138k
11
votes
Accepted
Rachel Imeinu Deceiving Lavan while pregnant
The Midrash (Megillah 17a) says Yaakov spent 2 years tarrying on his way back from Lavan (18 months in Sukkot and 6 months in Beit-El). So there's no way Rachel was already pregnant when she saw her ...
- 96.9k
10
votes
How could Yaakov have relations with a wife (Leah) whom he hated?
Rav Hirsch explains that
Not "Ki Leah Senuah", that Leah was hated, but כִּי שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה
that the hated one of the two, i.e. the less beloved, was Leah. ... It
is significant that the real ...
- 42.8k
10
votes
Accepted
Did Jacob ever figure out what the Brothers did to Joseph?
Ramban (Genesis 45:27) writes that according to the peshat, it does not appear that Yaakov ever found out what happened to Yosef:
יראה לי על דרך הפשט שלא הוגד ליעקב כל ימיו כי אחיו מכרו את יוסף, ...
- 35.4k
10
votes
Accepted
Why did the Torah need to be given if the Avos knew and kept it?
1) Revelation at Har Sinai was necessary to make it mandatory. As Mizrachi explains, the reason Avraham waited, until commanded, to perform circumcision is because there is greater merit in fulfilling ...
- 20.4k
10
votes
How was Reuven considered Yaakov's first drop of semen?
One possibility is that the verses in Chapter 29 are not in precise chronological order, and verse 31 actually took place before verse 28. That is to say that God saw that Leah was hated and opened ...
- 48.9k
9
votes
Accepted
What was red in the stew that Jacob made for Esau?
I heard once, do not remember from who, questioning the word נא from הלעיטני נא מן האדם האדם הזה - since when did Eisav say please? The answer I was told was Eisav was not saying please, Eisav was ...
- 138k
9
votes
Accepted
Who killed Nimrod?
The Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer does indeed state that Esav killed Nimrod (ed. Higger ch. 31). This is also found in Yalkut Shimoni (Parashat Tol'dot 110) and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (Parashat Tol'dot 25:27)...
- 35.4k
9
votes
Dovid got lifespan from Adam and/or the Avos
Yes at first glance they are in conflict. Sefer Yosef Tehilos 42:9 (Chida) reconciles this with the explanation that David did not sleep and this the nights counted towards the 140 years.
יומם יצוה ה׳...
- 138k
9
votes
Limited procreation of the patriarchs
Sarah having a child a 90 was a miracle. You want to know why another miracle didn't occur?
Rivka had her uterus destroyed by Esav as he was born. He did this specifically so she should not have 12 ...
- 33.2k
9
votes
Did early biblical figures like Isaac abstain from intimate relations until marriage?
I don't know the source off the top of my head, but I recall seeing a source (maybe a midrash) that says that when Yaakov conceived Reuvain not only was that his first time ever having intercourse it ...
8
votes
Accepted
Why didn't Esav try to kill Ya'akov while Ya'akov was in Lavan's home?
Yitzchak was still alive long after the events in Vyishshlach so Eisav would not have gone to Lavan's house to kill Yaakov. Yitzchak was still alive when Yosef was sent to Mitzraim. Yitzchak died at ...
- 42.8k
8
votes
Places in Tanach where Yaakov & Eliyahu are spelled different than usual
Yaakov with a vav:
Leviticus (26:42), Jeremiah (30:18), (33:26), (46:27), (51:19).
Eliyahu without a vav:
II Kings (1:3), (1:4), (1:8), (1:12), Malachi (3:23).
- 35.4k
8
votes
Accepted
Name changing and mazal with 2 of our fathers and 1 mother
The Talmud states that changing one's name can tear up the decree against them, and derives this from Sarah who had a child after her name was changed:
Rosh Hashana 16b
וא"ר יצחק ד' דברים מקרעין ...
- 48.9k
7
votes
How could Yaakov name his children Gad and Dan?
In my newest book, God versus Gods: Judaism in the Age of Idolatry (Mosaica Press, 2018) on pg. 322, I address this question:
R. Chaim Palagi (1788–1868) asks why Jacob allowed his son to be called ...
- 5,964
7
votes
Accepted
Do Jews pray to deceased forefathers?
For a long time there have been Jews who have indeed beseeched the dead. However, numerous sources state that this is prohibited. Some state that it is permitted if the request is not directly from ...
- 35.4k
7
votes
How could Yaakov have relations with a wife (Leah) whom he hated?
Bava Basra 123a says that since she hated the ways of Eisav therefore she got pregnant.
אלא ראה הקב״ה ששנואין מעשה עשו בפניה ויפתח רחמה
- 138k
7
votes
Why didn't our forefathers team up with Shem and Ever?
Although they didn't 'team up' through marriage, there are quite a few sources that do point to an association with them in religious practises etc.
Yalkut Shimoni, Bereishis 80 - Avraham sent for ...
- 27.3k
7
votes
Did early biblical figures like Isaac abstain from intimate relations until marriage?
Keep in mind that the Rambam (Ishus 1:1) states that before the giving of the Torah marriage was simply an act of intimacy with intent to marry. No formal ceremony. So your question is basically, &...
- 129
6
votes
Accepted
Which אֶת is which in Gen. 17:21?
Onkelos' Aramaic rendering of this phrase is:
... וְיָת קְיָמִי, אֲקֵים עִם יִצְחָק
He translates the first "את" as "יָת," which is the equivalent direct-object word, and the ...
- 47.6k
6
votes
Why doesn't the Chumash record a blessing for Yitzchak?
Rashi to Bereishis 25:11 quotes the Gemara in Sotah 14 that, as Avraham foresaw that Eisav would descend from Yitzchak, he was afraid to give Yitzchak the Brachos, fearing that they would go to Eisav ...
- 34k
6
votes
Accepted
Canaanite wives of the Bnei Ya'akov (Sefer HaYashar)
According to Pesahim 50a, the very premise of the question; that Jacob's sons married Canaanite women is wrong. Indeed, the very notion is so inconceivable that that the Talmud interprets Genesis (38:...
- 35.4k
6
votes
The birth of Reuven does not result in Yaakov loving Leah?
First of all, Rav Hirsch points out that the precise language involved Vayeitzei 29:31
וַיַּ֤רְא יְהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה לֵאָ֔ה וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָ֑הּ
וְרָחֵ֖ל עֲקָרָֽה
actually means (in ...
- 42.8k
6
votes
Accepted
How could they call Yaakov by name?
Ohr HaYashar to Hilkhot Mamrim (6:3) points this out, but doesn't seem to answer.
Daf Al Hadaf to Pesahim (56a) quotes several answers: the Sefer Merafsin Igra (page 233) is cited as suggesting that ...
- 35.4k
6
votes
What was Bilhah and Zilpah's ancestry?
According to Bereishit Rabbah 74:13 Bilhah and Zilpah were also daughters of Lavan.
וַיַּעַן לָבָן וַיֹּאמֶר לְיַעֲקֹב הַבָּנוֹת בְּנֹתַי וְהַבָּנִים בָּנַי (בראשית לא, מג), אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין ...
- 41.3k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible