* PARSHA Q&A * In-Depth Questions on the Parsha and Rashi's commentary. New Feature: What's Bothering Rashi?? Parshas Lech Lecha For the week ending 8 Cheshvan 5758 7 & 8 November 1997 =========================================================================== New Feature! Fun for the Whole Family! "Yossi & Co." will explore the weekly Parsha in a forum that everyone can enjoy. Come and join him at http://www.ohr.org.il/yossi =========================================================================== Parsha Questions 1. What are three things diminished by travel? 2. "And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you." What does this mean? 3. Who were the souls that Avraham and Sarah "made?" 4. Which one of Noach's three sons received the Land of Canaan as part of his inheritance? 5. What two results did Avraham hope to achieve by saying that Sarah was his sister? 6. Why did Avraham's shepherds rebuke Lot's shepherds? 7. Who was Amrafel and why was he called that? 8. What does "hera" mean (verse 14:10)? 9. Why did the "palit" tell Avraham that Lot had been captured? 10. Who accompanied Avraham into battle against the four kings? 11. Why did Avraham give "maaser" to Malki-Tzedek specifically? 12. Why didn't Avraham accept any money from the king of Sedom? 13. Why was Avraham anxious after he defeated the four kings? 14. When did the decree of four hundred years of exile begin? 15. What did Hashem indicate with his promise to Avraham that he would "come to his ancestors in peace?" 16. How did Hashem fulfill his promise to Avraham that he would be buried in "a good old age?" 17. Why did Avraham die five years before his allotted time? 18. Why did the Jewish people need to wait until the fourth generation until they returned to Eretz Canaan? 19. Who was Hagar's father? 20. How old was Avraham when Yishmael was born? =========================================================================== Rashi never just comments; something in the text always impels him to do so. Rashi's comments are answers to unspoken questions and difficulties arising from a thoughtful reading of the Torah. Therefore, anyone who wants a true understanding of Rashi's classic Torah commentary must always ask "What's Bothering Rashi?" Bereishis 15:1 "After these things, the word of Hashem came to Avram in a vision saying `Fear not Avram, I am your shield..'" Rashi explains: "After this miracle was wrought for him in that he killed the kings, he was worried, saying `Perhaps I have already received reward for all my good deeds.' Therefore, G-d said to him, `Fear not Avram, I am your shield' against punishment; for you will not be punished on account of all these people whom you have killed." What's bothering Rashi? (Why didn't Rashi explain simply that Avram was afraid that the allies of the four kings would regroup and try to get revenge against him?) Answer: Avram had soundly defeated the four kings. G-d saw no need to embolden Avram before his battle, so why should He do so now, after Avram was victorious? Therefore, Rashi explains that Avram's fear resulted from a new concern; namely, that his miraculous victory had somehow caused him a spiritual loss. (Adapted from Dr. Avigdor Bonchek's new book "What's Bothering Rashi?" Feldheim Publishers) =========================================================================== I Did Not Know That! "And it was in the days of Amraphel.they waged war." (Bereishis 13:1,2) The war of "The four kings against the five kings" described in this week's Parasha was the first war ever waged in history. Midrash Tanchuma Lech Lecha 7 =========================================================================== Recommended Reading List Ramban 12:6 A Sign for the Children 12:8 Proclaiming the Name of Hashem 12:10 The Sin of Avram 13:7 The Quarrel of the Shepherds 14:1 The Four Kings 15:12 The Dreadful Vision 16:12 Yishmael Sforno 12:17 Pharaoh's Plague 16:12 Yishmael 17:1 Attaining Perfection =========================================================================== Answers to this Week's Questions All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated 1. 12:2 - Offspring, wealth and fame. 2. 12:3 - A person will say to his son, "You should be like Avraham." 3. 12:5 - People they converted to the worship of Hashem. 4. 12:6 - Shem. 5. 12:13 - That the Egyptians would let him live and give him presents. 6. 13:7 - Lot's shepherds grazed their flocks in privately owned fields. 7. 14:1 - Amrafel was Nimrod. He said (amar) to Avraham to fall (fel) into the fiery furnace. 8. 14:10 - To a mountain. 9. 14:13- He hoped Avraham would die trying to save Lot, so that he might be able to marry Sarah. 10. 14:14 - His servant, Eliezer. 11. 14:20 - Because Malki-Tzedek was a kohen. 12. 14:23 - Hashem had promised Avraham wealth, and Avraham didn't want the King of Sedom to be the one to take credit for it. 13. 15:1 - He was afraid that his victory was his reward for all his good deeds. 14. 15:13 - With the birth of Yitzchak. 15. 15:15 - That his father, Terach, repented and became righteous. 16. 15:15 - Avraham lived to see his son, Yishmael, repent and become righteous, and he died before his grandson, Esau, became wicked. 17. 15:15 - So as not to see Esau begin his pursuit of evil. 18. 15:16 - They needed to wait until the Amorites had sinned sufficiently to deserve expulsion. 19. 16:1 - Pharaoh. 20. 16:16 - Eighty-six. =========================================================================== Do you link to us? 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