Parshas Toldos - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת תולדות

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (25:19) Rashi writes that the Torah specifies that Yitzchak was Avraham’s son because scoffers would mock that Yitzchak was from Avimelech and Sarah. How could they even think to say such a thing? First, it was well known that nothing had occurred between Avimelech and Sarah. Second, it was a miracle that Sarah was able to give birth at such an old age! Certainly people knew that?

2. (25:20) Rashi writes that the Torah praised Rivkah that despite being a daughter of a wicked person, and the sister of a wicked person, still she did not learn from their deeds and instead was righteous. Yet, Rashi (25:21) comments that Hashem only answered the tefillos of Yitzchak – because the prayer of a tzadik ben rasha (a righteous person who is the son of a wicked person) is not comparable to a tzadik ben tzadik (a righteous person who is the son of a righteous person). Why is this so? Shouldn't the tefillos of someone who, despite their background, is a tzadik, be more dear to Hashem than someone who simply “grew up that way”?

3. (25:22) Rashi comments that Rivkah went to seek what the future had in store for her soon-to-be-born twins. How could she do that? Isn’t there a concept that one should not try to seek out the future? Also, if Shem and Eiver were able to tell the difference between Yaakov and Eisav before they were even born, how could we understand how they had bechirah (free choice)?

4. The Torah relates that Eisav said to Yaakov, “Pour into me, now, some of that very red stuff for I am exhausted”. Did Eisav not know what the food was called that he had to say “that red stuff”?

5. What is the significance of eating in this week's parsha?

6. (26:5) Hashem tells Yitzchak that Avraham kept “My safeguards, My commandments, My edicts, and My Torahs”. Rashi explains them, respectively, as follows: “Rabbinic decrees, common-sense mitzvos, decrees, and Torah shel baal peh” Why is this the order that the Torah lists them in? Shouldn't the order be:  mishpatim, chukim, Torah shel baal peh, and then the rabbinic decrees?

7. (27:7) Why was Yaakov suddenly worried that he was going to die?

8. What was special about Eisav's garment? Where did he get it from? Why wasn't he wearing it?

9. The Torah tells us that Yitzchak became visually impaired. Rashi offers three possible causes/reasons for this. The first is that he was affected by the smoke of avodah zarrah incense of Eisav's wives. If so, why wasn't Rivkah affected in the same way?

10. (27:19) Yaakov tells Yitzchak, “ אנכי עשו בכורך" – “I am Eisav your first born”. How could he say this, isn't it lying? And even according to Rashi that Yaakov stuck in punctuation to make it      truthful, still wasn't Yaakov really the bechor – he bought it from Eisav?

11. (28:5) Rashi writes, “I do not know what it teaches us”. Why does Rashi tell us this? Just say nothing?

12. There are four times throughout the parsha (in Rashi) where the Beis Medrash of Shem and Aver is mentioned. Two of these times it is referred to as “Shem and Aver”. Another time, though, it is referred to only as “Shem”, whereas another time only by “Aver.” Why the differences?

Parshas Chayei Sarah - Parsha Stumpers

~ Something to Think About ~

פרשת חיי שרה

Parsha Stumpers

By: Daniel Listhaus

1. (23:2) Rashi writes that Sarah’s death was a result of hearing the news that Avraham had gone to offer Yitzchak as a karbon. Why was Sarah’s reaction so different from Avraham’s?

2. (23:3) The Gemara Berachos [3b] brings an opinion that one it is assur to speak in front of a dead body. Bring a proof from this week’s parsha?

3. (23:4) Avraham challenged Efron and the B’nei Cheis that he was willing to act as a foreigner and pay for the Cave of Machpeilah, but that if they were not willing to sell it then he would force them to since he had a right to Eretz Yisroel. How was this attitude any different from Lot’s in last week’s parsha when his shepherds would allow their flock to graze on others’ property since it would one day belong to Avraham anyway?

4. (23:17) The passuk says “And Ephron’s field, that was in Machpeilah, that was facing Mamrei, stood…” Rashi offers two explanations for the passuk – one which he says is the simple explanation of the passuk. If Rashi knows the simple explanation of the passuk, why does he bring a second pshat?

5. (24:10) Rashi writes that Efron had become a leader that very day that Avraham approached him. As Rashi writes: Because of the importance of Avraham, who needed Efron, Efron ascended to greatness. Why was this necessary?

6. (24:10) Rashi writes that Avraham’s camels were different from many others’ because he was careful to muzzle them in order that they not graze from others’ fields. The gemara (Chullin 7a) says that Hashem doesn’t bring takalah to the animals of tzadikkim. If so, why did Avraham’s camels need to be muzzled?

7. (24:29) The passuk says, “…And Lavan ran outside to the man, to the spring…” Why does the passuk have to say that he ran outside? Certainly we would have figured out that in order to get from his house to the spring where Eliezer was he would need to go outdoors?

8. (24:32) The passuk relates that Lavan gave water to Eliezer and his men to wash their feet. This was the practice of Avraham and Lot as seen in previous parshios because they wanted to make sure that no avodah zarrah would be brought into their house. Lavan worshipped avodah zarrah, so why was he concerned of it being brought into his house?

9. (24:32) Rashi points out that Eliezer’s camels were muzzled so that they should not graze along the way in fields belonging to others. We know this was the practice of the house of Avraham already so why does Rashi feel the need to repeat it?

10. (24:36-30) Why did Eliezer feel the need to give Besuel details of the story which had no relevance to him, such as Avraham’s command not to find a girl for Yitzchak from Cana’an?

11. (24:42) Rashi quotes the Gemara that we learn from this week’s parsha that the conversations of the slaves of our avos is more pleasing before Hashem than the Torah of their descendents. Why is this so?

12. (24:47) Rashi writes that Eliezer switched the order of events in order that they shouldn’t catch him in a “lie” that how could he giver Rivkah gifts before knowing for certain who she was. What lie was he worried they would catch? He had already said that he made a sign and that it was only after he witnessed that being fulfilled that he gave her the jewelry, so who cares that he asked only afterward which family she was from? Certainly they wouldn’t have thought he was lying about his saying that Avraham told him not to choose a girl from Cana’an because if so, Eliezer would have married Yitzchak to his own daughter?

13. Did Eliezer perform kiddushin with Rivkah on Yitzchak’s behalf? If yes, how? If no, then what was Avraham so concerned about that he made Eliezer swear?

14. (24:50) Did Lavan believe in G-d despite his idols? Why not attribute the even to mere coincidence?

15. (24:55) Rashi writes that the malach came and killed Besuel for trying to interfere and kill Eliezer. Why was Besuel trying to stop him? Did he not want his daughter to marry into the prestigious family of Avraham?

16. (25:7) Rashi explains the passuk that when Avraham was 100 he was like he was 70, and when he was 70 was like he was 5, similar to the explanation Rashi gives in the beginning of the parsha when the passuk writes Sarah’s age. Why does Rashi not offer an explanation along the same lines when the passuk mentions Yishmael’s death and age?