1) Why isn’t Sorah included in the list (Shabbos 55b) of those who never sinned and died solely because of the punishment of death decreed upon mankind (3:19) after Adam ate from the eitz hada’as [tree of knowledge]?
Rav Simcha Zissel Broide notes that Rashi only writes that Sorah was sin-free at 100, but he does not discuss the final 27 years of her life, during which she may have sinned.
Rav Chaim Kanievsky answers that the Gemara excludes the Avos and Imahos from its list, as Avraham was also sin-free at 100 (Rashi Bereishis 25:7), yet he is similarly omitted.
The M’rafsin Igri points out that the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16b) says that Sorah died because she asked Hashem to judge her grievance, so even if she never sinned, the Gemara cannot say that she died due to Adam’s sin when she in fact died for a different reason. (R’ Ozer Alport)
2) Why did Avrohom make Eliezer swear (24:2-4) not to choose a Canaanite wife for Yitzchok instead of commanding Yitzchok not to marry one?
The Meshech Chochmah suggests that Avraham’s conduct is a source for the ruling of the Shu”t Maharik (167, codified in Yoreh Deah 240:25) that if a man wants to marry a certain woman and his parents protest and command him not to, he is not required to listen to them. As such, Avraham was unable to command Yitzchak not to marry a Canaanite woman, since Yitzchak would not have been obligated to obey, and Avraham had no choice but to make Eliezer swear not to select a Canaanite wife for Yitzchak.
Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman notes that the Netziv writes that the Maharik’s ruling only applies in a case where the parent merely dislikes the prospective wife, but if marrying her will cause extreme pain to the parent, the child must heed the parent. Since marrying a Canaanite woman would have greatly distressed Avraham, Yitzchok should have been required to obey Avraham’s command.
3) Why was Avraham Avinu not worried that perhaps Eliezer would die, and now Yitzchok would be unable to get married?
The Kedushas HaLevi explains, that this is exactly why Lavan and Besuel wanted to kill Eliezer. If they would succeed in killing Eliezer, Yitzchok would be forbidden to get married.
The Meforshim explain, that this is what we mean in the Haggadah when we say, לבן ביקש לעקור את הכל – “Lavan tried to uproot everything”. The question everyone asks, is where do we find Lavan tried to uproot the entire Klal Yisroel? Based on the above, the answer is, Lavan tried to poison Eliezer, and if he would have managed, Yitzchok would no longer be able to get married, which would have brought an end to the continuation of Klal Yisroel.
However, our original question still stands, why was Avraham not worried about sending Eliezer?
The Divrei Yosef answers, based on the Gemara in Shabbos. The Gemara in Shabbos (30b) teaches that at a time one is learning Torah, the Angel of Death is unable to kill a person. Since Eliezer was constantly learning (זקן ויושב בישיבה ומושל בתורת רבו), Avraham was certain that he would continue to do so, and thus he would be protected.
The Meloi HaOmer answers, that this is why Avraham made Eliezer make a shevuah [an oath]. Since he made a shevuah he was fulfilling a mitzvah, and one who is fulfilling a mitzvah has the protection of שלוחי מצוה אינם ניזוקים – “one carrying out a mitzvah won’t be harmed”.
The Binyan Dovid answers, Avraham never made Eliezer a shliach to be mekedash a woman for Yitzchok, rather, he made him a shliach to bring a woman to Yitzchok, and Yiztchok would perform the kiddushin himself, accordingly, even if Eliezer would have died there would be no issue.
The Madanay Asher answers, that Avraham made Eliezer take an oath that he would find a shidduch from his family, so even if Eliezer would die Yitzchok could still get married, just not to anyone from within his family.
Perhaps another answer we can suggest, is that Tosfos in Nazir explains that really we should follow rov [the majority] and the man can get married, however, since he was negligent we give him a kenas [penalty]. Since the only reason he can’t marry anyone is because of kenas, perhaps we only make a kenas if Reuven himself makes Shimon a shliach to find himself a wife, if however, Reuven’s father would make Shimon a shliach, perhaps in such a case we don’t make the kenas. Therefore, in our case as well, since it was Avraham who made the shliach and not Yitzchok, perhaps there would be no kenas.
4) The pasuk in this week’s parsha says: “And Yitzchok was on his way, coming from Be'er Lachai Ro'i (24:62)”. The Targum Yonasan explains that Yitzchok returned from the yeshiva of Shem. The question is, Avraham Avinu knew the entire Torah, so why did Yitzchok need to go to the yeshiva of Shem to learn, why did he not simply stay at home and learn from his father Avraham Avinu?
The simple answer is that there is nothing like the maylah [advantage] of learning in a yeshiva. To be able to learn non-stop without any interruptions, with chavruos, pilpul chaverim etc. can’t be compared to learning at home. At home one is busy with chesed and one has other things on his mind, in yeshiva, however, one can learn pure non-interrupted Torah. The Maharsha (Shabbos 75b) famously writes, “from here until the end of the perek I don’t want to print my chiddushim as at that time I wasn’t in yeshiva, rather I was traveling down to Radin”. We see that the Torah learn in yeshiva is of a different level.
The Ein Habdoleach (Megillah 16a) writes that the beis hamedrash of Shem was bigger than the beis hamedrash of Avraham, and the bigger the beis hamedrash one learns in, the more room there is to grow.
The Be’er Yosef answers that by the akeidah, Avraham was makdish [sanctified] Yitzchok with the kedusha of a korban. Even though he wasn’t offered up in the end, he still remained with his kedusha. If he would remain at home, Yitzchok would want to fulfill the mitzvah of kibbud av and to serve his father, which would be a degrading for someone with the kedusha of a korban to do, therefore, Avraham sent him out the house to the yeshiva of Shem to learn.
The Be’er Yosef uses this idea to explain, also why only now after the akeidah Avraham sent Yitzchok to yeshiva. The Be’er Yosef cites the Rosh in Kiddushin (end of first Perek) who says that from the day the Maharam MiRuttenberg became great, he didn’t visit his father, and he didn’t want his father to visit him. The reason being, it wasn’t fitting for him to serve his father as it would be a bizoyan, therefore, to avoid this issue they stayed apart. The Rema (Yoreh Deah 240) also writes, that if the father is a talmid of the son, they should stay apart from each other, in order no degrade each other’s kavod. For this reason, says the Be’er Yosef, Avraham sent Yitzchok off to yeshiva.
5) The Torah names two women who covered themselves with veils. Both of these women had twin boys. Who are they?
The two women who covered themselves with veils and had twin boys are Rivka (Bereishis 24:65 and 25:24) and Tamar (38:14 and 3:26). (This riddle was taken from the sefer Torah IQ).
