Questions on Parshas Lech Lecha to think about and discuss:

1. What letter was added to both Avrohom’s and Soro’s name and why particularly this letter?
2. Why is the great miracle of Avrohom’s surviving being thrown into the furnace not recorded in the Torah?
3. After the battles the possuk mentions about the King of Sedom coming to Avrohom and then interrupts it with the meeting with Makli Tzedek (Lech Lecha, 14:18). Why?
4. Why is it called Bris Bein Habesorim?
5. Why did Hashem wait until Avrohom was 99 years old before instructing him to do bris mila?
6. What do we have out of Avrohom’s nisoyoin of being told to go to Eretz Yisroel – that of Lech Lecha?
7. How could Avrohom say that Soro was his sister when going to Mitzrayim?
8. Avrohom was told to do two things: to leave his land and also to go to a land that he would be shown (Lech Lecha, 12:1). Why emphasis both as by saying he was leaving this means that he would also be going elsewhere?
9. Avrohom was told that those “I will bless those who bless you and those who curse you will be cursed – ואברכה מברכך ומקללך אאר” (Lech Lecha, 12:3). Why is it not enough that those who curse him their curses will be undone, why additionally curse them? Why change the order between blessing and curses as to whom bless or curse and the result? Why use a different word for curses, Oror and Kelala – ארור וקללה?
10. When Avrohom left he was accompanied with Loit until their shepherds argued. Why did Avrohom take Loit with him more than any others of his family?
11. Parshas Lech Lecha mentions may of the ten nisyoinois of Avrohom. What were they? How can there be so many different opinions as to what they were?
12. When there was a famine, Avrohom went down to Mitzrayim. Was this a correct thing to do?
13. Why did Avrohom accept presents from Paro when we have the possuk, שונא מתנות יחיה, that one should hate receiving free presents and this results in life?
14. Loit separated from Avrohom (Lech Lecha, 13:6). Was this because of a shortage of pasture for both their sheep or because the people could not get on with each other or both?

Ideas for answers on the general parsha:

1. The letter Hei. Perhaps this letter was chosen is because they were looking for a new beginning in order to have children. This world was created with the letter Hei and therefore it represents a new start.
2. The Maharal says that it is in order that we should know that Hashem picked Avrohom and the Jewish Nation not based on any action or reason.
3. The Chizkuni explains that Avrohom was then given provisions so that when he spoke with the King of Sedom he would not need to hold anything back. The Tzror Hamor answers that it was for the benefit of the King of Sedom when he saw how generous Avrohom was to Malki Tzedek he felt he could then ask for all the captives back.
4. Bris means a covenant and Bein means between and Besorim means flesh. This bris was formed by cutting animals into two parts and going between them.
5. The last Mishna in Pirkei Avos Chapter 5 says that at the age of 100 a person is like dead and left this world. It is when his physical desires are at a minimum. Avrohom had bris mila at 99 so that Yitzchok would be born with minimal physical desires so that he could devote himself to spirituality and Hashem.
6. R’ Chaim Volozhin (Ruach Chaim, 5:3) explains the phraseology and emphasis of Avrohom Ovinu, our father. All his actions, nisyonois, were the first of such done by man and therefore to him they were extremely difficult. However, after doing them, to his descendants they are now part of our nature and therefore much easier for us to do. The moshol to this is like the electrician who puts in the wiring and then afterwards everyone can just use a light switch to work it. What we came out from the nisoyoin of Lech Lecha is the Jew’s unnatural arousal and feelings for Eretz Yisroel.
7. The commentaries deal with this and one approach by Rashi is that grandchildren are like children. Therefore, Soro who was the granddaughter of Terach (being the daughter of Horon) is like his daughter. Avrohom being the son of Terach is therefore like her brother and therefore technically saying that she was his sister was correct. Perhaps even without this we know that a person can say certain lies in order to save themselves from life threatening danger. Therefore since he thought his life was in danger it was therefore permitted. However, since the meforshim do not say this simple answer it must be incorrect.
10. Perhaps this is because Avrohom felt a personal responsibility to look after Loit since he was indirectly the cause of Loit’s father, Horon, death. (see Rashi, Noach, 11:28) Horon died after seeing Avrohom miraculously saved from the furnace and therefore he chose to also follow Hashem and was thrown in and died. (See what we mentioned about this in Parshas Noach from the Chasam Sofer.)
12. The Ramban says that Avrohom made two mistakes. Avrohom despite the famine should have stayed in Eretz Yisroel and and relied on Hashem to provide for him. Also he brought his wife into a dangerous situation by bringing her down to Mitzrayim and again he should have relied on Hashem. However, the Ran argues and says that Avrohom acted correctly both in going to Mitzrayim and trying to save himself and not rely on miracles.
13. The Kli Yokor says that this principle of hating free gifts applies only to extras and not the basics. Avrohom here accepted the basics. Another answer is that this principle only applies to receiving gifts from Jews. Why then did Avrohom only accept from Paro and not the king of Sedom? Avrohom did not want to get benefit from sinners. Maskil Lidovid answers that this only applies in Eretz Yisroel – therefore Avrohom accepted from Paro but refused from King of Sedom. Another answer is that really all free presents should hated. However, had he not accepted them from Paro it would have looked suspicious.

Questions on the battle of the kings:

1. Why does it bring the battle between the four and five kings in the Torah?
2. What weapons did Avrohom use against the powerful four kings?
3. By the five kings it names the king and his country except the last one that is missing the name of the king – Melech Bela He tzoar. (14:2) Why?
4. When first listing the four kings (14:1) it mentions Amrofel first, yet later (in 14:9) it mentions Kedorlo’omer first. Why the change in order and who was really in charge of the others?
5. When talking about the four versus the five kings it also mentions other battles of the four kings. What relevance does it have to be mentioned?

Ideas for answers on the battle of the kings:

1. The Radak says that it comes to teach us how Avrohom was not scared against these most powerful armies since he placed his reliance on Hashem.
2. The Gemora in Taanis 21a when talking about the story of Nochom Ish Gam Zu brings that Avrohom threw earth and it turned into swords and the stubble turned into arrows. (As an aside, we find that the heads of the seventy nations are Esav who lives by the sword and Yishmoel who lives by the keshes, bow and arrow. It is these weapons that are used here by Avrohom. How is this significant? Perhaps an equivalent nowadays to arrows is the throwing of rocks and the sword is seen in stabbings. והמבין יבין…)
4. The Tur says that Amorfel was the oldest while Kedorlo’omer was the strongest in battle. The Hamek Dovor says that Amrofel was the greatest leader of his country while the Be’er Bisode says that Amrofel was the ring leader who goaded on and encouraged the others to fight (i.e. he was Nimrod who see Rashi (10:9) was a smooth talker able to influence others to rebel.)
5. The Rokeyach says that it is because these nations gave advice to the five kings to rebel. The Redak says that these places where close to the five kings and might come to assist them in battle. The Malbim adds therefore they decided to conquer them first individually.