Torah Parallels

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת וירא Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus The passuk relates that the malachim “ate” the food which Avraham prepared for them. Rashi explains that the reason they pretended to eat is because it is proper not to deviate from the minhag (custom) of the place. Obviously this concept is important enough for the malachim to proactively eat, as opposed to passively just say that they are not hungry. What is so important about not deviating from the minhagei ha'makom ? Where in halacha do we see this concept as well? (18:1) Rashi writes that after Avraham's bris Hashem made it extremely hot and sunny in order not to trouble Avraham with guests. When Hashem saw Avraham was upset that no guests were coming, Hashem sent three malachim . Why didn't Hashem just make it not as hot and sunny and have the normal traffic of visitors? Rashi tells us that one malach cannot perform two missi

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Vayeira As a Matter of Opinion By: Daniel Listhaus וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמַר הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע : אוּלַי יֵשׁ חֲמִשִּׁים צַדִּיקִם בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה וְלֹאתִשָּׂא לַמָּקוֹם לְמַעַן חֲמִשִּׁים הַצַּדִּיקִם אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבָּהּ : חָלִלָה לְּךָ מֵעֲשׂת כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְהָמִית צַדִּיק עִםרָשָׁע וְהָיָה כַצַּדִּיק כָּרָשָׁע חָלִלָה לָּךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט כָּל הָאָרֶץ לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט “Avraham came forward and said, 'Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked? Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city; will You even destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous men who are in its midst? It would be sacrilege to You to do such a thing, to bring death upon righteous with wicked; so the righteous will be like the wicked. It would be sacrilege to You! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?” - Vayeira 18:23-25             In the beginning of parshas Vayeira [1] ,

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת לך-לך Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus The Gemara says that because Avraham turned the spoils of the war in this week's parsha from the king of sodom, he merited the mitzva if tzitzis. However, in parshas Noach, Rashi said that because Shem covered Noach with a garment, Hashem rewarded him that his children merit the mitzva of tzitzis. How can we answer this contradiction? (12:13) Why did Avraham mention getting gifts before mentioning having his life spared? (12:13) Why was Avraham willing to take the gifts of Mitzrayim sand not the gifts after winning the war between the 4 and 5 kings? (13:5) Why did Avraham take Lot with him? (14:10) Rashi writes that it was only after seeing miracles for themselves that the kings believed that Avraham was right. This is similar to Haran who also only listened to Avraham after seeing him survive from the furnace. So why was Haran killed in the fire?

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~ Parshas Lech Lecha Test by Design By: Daniel Listhaus   וַה' אָמַר אֶל אַבְרָם אַחֲרֵי הִפָּרֶד לוֹט מֵעִמּוֹ שָׂא נָא עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה מִן הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שָׁם צָפֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה וָקֵדְמָה וָיָמָּה: כִּי אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה רֹאֶה לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֲךָ עַד עוֹלָם: “Hashem said to Avram after Lot had parted from him, ‘Raise now your eyes and look out from where you are: northward, southward, eastward, and westward. For all the land that you see, to you will I give it, and to your descendants forever. ” -Lech Lecha 13:14-15             The Torah [1] relates that Lot’s shepherds of Lot started quarreling with the Avraham’s shepherds. Rashi [2] explains that the cause of the dispute was that Lot’s shepherds would graze their cattle in the fields of others, and Avrahams’s shepherds would rebuke them saying that they were stealing by allowing their animals to graze in other’s fields. However, Lot’s shepherds would just rationalize and

~ Something to Think About ~ פרשת נח Parsha Stumpers By: Daniel Listhaus                                               A Riddle:     סוף סוף ראשי      1.   תחילת סוף סופי           ויבא נח ... אל התבה                    מי אני ? ג     (6:9) Where is there a remez in the beginning of the parsha that Noach was not involved in any of these three things? (6:9) Rashi brings down an opinion that Noach was only great compared to those who lived in his generation, but had he lived in Avraham’s generation he wouldn’t have been anything remarkable. Why would we compare an individual to others? All that should matter was if Noach was righteous based on expectations of him alone, not based on what others are capable of? (6:13) How could the dor ha'mabul be punished if there were no mitzvos yet? [Chizkuni] (6:13) Rashi writes that because of the zenus of the generation, the gezairah (decree) was that all mankind – good and bad – were to die.