15
votes
How long was the period of Oppression
Brief Summary:
The commentators almost all agree that the four hundred years was not the time spent in Egypt. Rather, the four hundred years is from an earlier time (with some disagreements as to ...
- 49.1k
11
votes
Accepted
Why is Sarah rebuked for laughing whereas Avraham is not?
The commentators have several different approaches here. [Sources are from a shiur my father gives. Text copied either from Sefaria (first two) or his sourcesheet (last two).]
Rashi's take (17:17), ...
- 23k
8
votes
Accepted
Where, and what, is Elonei Mamre? And who is Mamre?
Ber. 13:18
Abram moved on. He came and settled in the (1)Plains of (2)Mamre, in (3)Hebron, and there he built an altar to God.
(1)Plains
Eloney Mamre in Hebrew. Others translate it, 'Terebinths ...
- 479
8
votes
Accepted
“As many as the stars in the sky”- literally or allegorically?
As I wrote in this answer:
According to Ralbag (Commentary to Parshas Lech Lecha), the promise was not that Avraham's descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Rather the promise was that they ...
- 49.1k
7
votes
Accepted
Why are the Kenites translated as Shalmites?
I realize that this still may not answer the question:
Note that this identification is found in the Talmud Yerushalmi (Shevi'it 16a, also in Kiddushin, see below), as well as the Bavli (Bava Basra ...
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7
votes
Accepted
Radak comment on Lot
The word is הַשָּׂבָע “hasava”, meaning satiety, rather than הַשֶּׁבַע “hasheva” meaning the seven.
Radak is saying that despite there being food in Egypt, Lot was still willing to leave with Avraham.
- 41.7k
7
votes
Where was Malkitzedek of Jerusalem at the time of the Akedah?
Malkitzedek was no longer Kohen Gadol at the time, as it says in Nedarim 32b:
"Rabbi Zekharya said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael: The Holy One, Blessed be He, wanted the priesthood to emerge ...
- 24.8k
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 ...
- 47.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Who is "הנגד" that the Ramban is referring to?
Our version of the Ibn Ezra actually does not have him quoting anyone, but rather saying that idea in the name of many.
The Rav Kook edition of the Ibn Ezra has second section with a variant text ...
- 33.4k
6
votes
How long was the period of Oppression
Before I actually answer your question, I'd just like to make one note. Jochebed, our Sages tell us, was 130 years old when Moses was born (Numbers Rabbah 13:21). She was born as the Israelites ...
- 34.1k
6
votes
Accepted
Why identified by the name Og?
The Munkatcher Rebbe is quoted as asking this question here. He answers that the Arizal is quoted as having said that at the time of matzah baking one should exert oneself and sweat and this will ...
- 35.4k
5
votes
Is Sarah old and withered, or young and attractive when Abimelech captures her?
Rashbam on Genesis 18:12:1:
עדנה - יתעדן הבשר ויתפשטו הקמטין.
Sefaria translation:
עדנה, a form of the skin becoming elastic and the wrinkles
straightening out.
This concept is supported by
...
- 70k
5
votes
'עם' & 'את' based words in the story of Lot and Avram
According to HaKtav v'HaKabala (Genesis 13:14) when Lot was good (as in 12:4), and in that sense similar to Avraham, the term אתו 'ito' is used, indicating that the two things are similar. When Lot ...
- 35.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Why did Yitzchok use the same subterfuge for his wife that had not worked for Avraham?
The subterfuge was actually successful. Yitzchak was afraid of the people of the country and the trick worked until they had been there for long enough to get careless and get caught.
Toldos 26:7 - ...
- 42.9k
4
votes
Who is "הנגד" that the Ramban is referring to?
He is quoting Rabbi Shmuel Hanagid. Rabbi Shmuel HaNagid, also called just HaNagid, was a major religious and political figure in Spain just after the year 1000 CE.
- 5,310
4
votes
Which אֶת is which in Gen. 17:21?
It is translation #2, confirnming that the word את is used as a direct object marker. I will give you a few verses, so that you can see why this translation makes the most sense:
Genesis 17:19-21:
...
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4
votes
Alleged mistranslation in Genesis 17:19 and 17:21
In 17:19, Chabad.org does translate it as "Indeed", however that does not change the context or meaning of the statement. Art Scroll uses "Nonetheless" as the translation which has the same ...
- 42.9k
4
votes
Accepted
Were Avraham's tactics in rescuing Lot typical of the time?
I have not found records of night warfare in the Hittite period in question. However, I have found evidence of night warfare from the period of Classical Antiquity, and earlier. For example Yehoshua ...
- 35.4k
4
votes
Accepted
Why is there a change in the compass directions between Abraham and Jacob?
1)
The Baal HaTurim asks your question (Gen. 13:14). He explains that Abraham was told the directions starting with the north in order to acknowledge the merit of Abraham's korbanos, which are to be ...
- 10.7k
4
votes
Avraham a father of many
In addition to Yisrael, Avraham's descendants include:
Yishmael (Arabs)
Eisav (Edom, Amalek)
six children of Keturah, who might each count as their own nation (but I have no source for that)
- 56.4k
4
votes
Accepted
Understanding an apparent conflict regarding Israel's Biblical eastern boundary
Bereishis Rabbah 44:23 notes that Avraham was promised 10 nations' territory in the succeeding Pesukim in Bereishis 15, but his children only got 7 nations' territory. The Midrash simply identifies ...
- 34.1k
4
votes
Why is Sarah suddenly referred to in a vague way
Perhaps He is indicating how the Egyptians viewed her, physically and externally, as "the woman" rather than as an individual (with an identity and preexisting relationships).
- 17.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Was Hagar Abraham's second wife or his pilegesh?
The Haamek Davar writes,
לאברם אישה לו לאשה. תיבת לו מיותר. וביעקב כתיב ותתן אותה ליעקב לאשה. אלא כדברינו שכך היה התנאי. דלגבי אברם לבד תהא לאשה ולא לשפחה. אבל לגבי שרה תהא לשפחה כמו שהיה וע׳ להלן ...
- 37.8k
4
votes
Why does the Torah mention that Lot went with Avram twice?
Most meforshim focus on the word "ito" in the first instance, and contrast it to "imo" but on 12:5, the Beit Halevi writes that there were 2 different stages -- the first was Lot's decision to go and ...
- 37.8k
4
votes
According to Rashi, how old was Avraham at B'rit Bein HaB'tarim?
See Daas Zikeinim and Chizkuni amongst others who address this issue.
They learn that the command Lech Licha when he was 75, was actually a command to leave Charan for the second time. He had already ...
- 33.4k
4
votes
Accepted
According to Rashi, how old was Avraham at B'rit Bein HaB'tarim?
Da’as Zekeinim to 12:4 give a novel approach in resolving the contradiction.
וקשה שהרי ברית בין הבתרים היה לאחר יציאתו מחרן ובפ' בא
אל פרעה קרא דויהי מקץ שלשים שנה וגו' שיש שלשים שנה מברית בין ...
- 34.1k
4
votes
Why Moses named his son Eliezer "after" Avraham's slave?
Radak writes in his commentary to Genesis 15:2 that Abraham gave his servant the name Eliezer:
או אפשר שהיה שמו דמשק כשבא אל אברם והוא קרא אותו אליעזר כי אליעזר לשון עברי הוא
Why he specifically ...
- 49.1k
4
votes
Rashi's explanation of why we are told that Avram was 86 at the birth of Yishma'el
R. Judah Loewe in his supercommentary there explains that the explicit verse would only tell us the fact. The implication of 16:16 is to highlight the praiseworthiness of this fact:
אף על גב דכבר כתב ...
- 49.1k
4
votes
Parshat Lech Lecha - Hagar having a separate malach
The Maskil Lidavid (there) explains because 1 malach can't do 2 jobs. He there explains what job each malach is doing, each malach had his own unique message to tell Hagar.
- 2,515
3
votes
Accepted
The darkness that came upon Avraham
Abstract: According to Rambam and Rabbenu Avraham ben Sh'lomo it was just the prophecy itself that scared him, while according to Radak it was a combination of the prophecy and the message.
Rambam ...
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