Sarah
Vayera – Formed Through Fire
Why does the Torah deem it important for us to hear the story of Sarah’s abduction? Why does it happen immediately before she conceives with Yitzchok? Why does the story repeat itself on two different occasions, and what is the significance of each? Why does intense good need to be preceded by intense challenge? Find…
Read MoreVayera – Kindness and Surrender
Why does Hashem separately reveal Yitzchak’s birth to Avraham and then to Sarah? Why is the story Sodom being destroyed in the middle of Avraham and Sarah finding out about Yitzchak’s birth? What is the significance of Avraham’s kindness to the angels? What is the significance of Lot’s kindness to the angels? What is the…
Read MoreLech Lecha – Inspiring Impressions
Why does the Torah stress the fact that Sarah was so beautiful? What does the midrash mean when it says that Abraham realized how beautiful she was when he saw her reflection in the Nile river? Why did Pharaoh give his daughter to Abraham and Sarah to be their maidservant? Why did Abraham call Jerusalem…
Read MoreChayei Sarah – passing the mantle
What is the connection between the death of Sarah and the marriage of Yitzchak and Rivka? What is the progression from the akeidah to the purchase of land in Chevron to their marriage? Why do our chazal seem to paint a picture of Rivka taking the place of Sarah? What is the deeper meaning of…
Read MoreVayera – Times of transition
Why does Hashem send the same group of angels to inform Avraham and Sarah of Yitzchak’s birth and cure Avraham, who continue on to destroy Sodom? Why do these two events occur concurrently? Why does Rashi say that Hashem ‘took the sun out of its sheath?’ What is the connection to the time before Moshiach…
Read MoreLech Lecha – Beauty and spirituality
What is the significance of Sarah’s beauty? Why does Avraham only tell her to refer to him as her brother when they go down to Egypt? Why does the Torah seem to place great significance on the fact the matriarchs of the Jewish people were exceptionally good looking? What is the parallel between Yosef’s descent…
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