Parsha Q&A - Vayera

Parshas Vayera

For the week ending 18 Cheshvan 5756; 10 & 11 November 1995

Contents:

Parsha Questions

Bonus Question

I Did Not Know That!

Parsha Questions

Answers | Contents

In the beginning of the Parsha, why did Hashem appear to Avraham?
Why was Avraham sitting at the entrance to his tent?
What were the missions of the three angels?
Why did Avraham enjoin the guests to wash the dust off their feet?
Why did Avraham ask Yishmael to prepare the food for the guests?
The angels asked Avraham where Sarah was. Why?
When Hashem related Sarah's thoughts to Avraham, He did not relate them precisely. Why?
What "cry" from Sodom came before Hashem?
How many angels went to Sodom?
Why was Lot sitting at the gate of Sodom?
Lot served the angels matzos. Why?
Why did Lot delay when he left Sodom?
Why were Lot and his family not permitted to look back at Sodom?
"A pillar of salt." Why was Lot's wife punished in this peculiar way - to be salt?
In what merit did Hashem save Lot?
Why did Avraham relocate after the destruction of Sodom?
Why did Avimelech give gifts to Avraham?
Why was Avraham told to listen to Sarah?
Why did Hashem listen to the prayer of Yishmael and not to that of Hagar?
Who accompanied Avraham and Yitzchak to the Akeidah (binding)?

Bonus Question

Answer | Contents

"And Sarah laughed within herself... Then Sarah denied, saying, 'I didn't laugh'... And he said, 'No, you did laugh'" (18:12, 18:15).
How could Sarah seemingly lie?

Avraham had received a command to sacrifice Yitzchak directly from Hashem. Yitzchak had only heard it from his father. Yet, "they went both of them together (22:6)" with the same zeal and determination.
Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

Answers to this Week's Questions

Questions | Contents

All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated

18:1 - Avraham was sick, so Hashem came to 'visit' him.
18:1 - He was looking for guests.
18:2 - To announce that Sarah would give birth, to heal Avraham and to destroy Sodom.
18:4 - He thought they were Arabians who worshipped the dust, and he didn't want any object of idolatry in his home.
18:7 - To train him in the performance of mitzvos.
18:9 - To call attention to Sarah's modesty, so as to endear her to her husband.
18:13 - For the sake of peace.
18:21 - The cry of a girl who was put to death for giving food to a poor man.
19:1 - Two; one to destroy the city and one to save Lot.
19:1 - He was a judge.
19:3 - It was Passover.
19:16 - He lingered to save his property.
19:17 - Since they too really should have been punished, it wasn't fitting for them to witness the destruction of Sodom.
19:26 - She had refused to give the guests salt.
19:29 - Lot had protected Avram by concealing from the Egyptians that Sarai was Avram's wife.
20:1 - Because travel in the region ceased and Avraham could no longer find guests.
20:14 - So that Avraham would pray for him.
21:12 - Because she was greater in prophecy.
21:17 - Because the prayer of a sick person is more readily accepted than the prayer of others on his behalf.
22:3 - Yishmael and Eliezer.

Answer to Bonus Question

Question | Contents

Sarah didn't lie. She didn't laugh out loud, but only within herself. Still, Hashem chastised her because a person is held accountable even for improper thoughts.
Tz'ror Hamor

Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Michael Treblow

© 1995 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved. This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you contact us beforehand for permission, and then send us a sample issue.

This publication is available via E-Mail

Ohr Somayach Institutions is an international network of Yeshivot and outreach centers, with branches in North America, Europe, South Africa and South America. The Central Campus in Jerusalem provides a full range of educational services for over 685 full-time students. The Jewish Learning Exchange (JLE) of Ohr Somayach offers summer and winter programs in Israel that attract hundreds of university students from around the world for 3 to 8 weeks of study and touring.

Parshas Vayera

Parsha Questions

Bonus Question

I Did Not Know That!

Recommended Reading List

Answers to this Week's Questions

Answer to Bonus Question