Parsha Q&A - Toldos
Parshas Toldos
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Explanation of these symbols
Parsha Questions
- Who did Yitzchak resemble?
- How old was Yitzchak at the time of the akeida (binding)?
- Why does the Torah stress that Rivka was the daughter of Besuel and the sister of Lavan?
- Whom did Rivka consult concerning her difficult pregnancy?
- What are the two differences between Tamar's pregnancy and Rivka's pregnancy?
- Yaakov was born grasping Eisav's heel. What does this symbolize?
- Who gave Yaakov his name?
- How did Eisav deceive his father?
- In which tents did Yaakov dwell?
- Why did Hashem cause Avraham to die prematurely?
- Why are lentils a food for mourners?
- What was the birth right that Yaakov bought from Eisav?
- Why was Yitzchak not permitted to go to Egypt to escape the famine?
- Why did the Philistines plug up the wells?
- To which animal is Eisav compared?
- What caused Yitzchak to lose his sight?
- What did Yaakov do with the second goat that Rivka prepared for him?
- From whom did Eisav receive his special garments?
- Why did Eisav leave his special garments with Rivka rather than keep them at home?
- What made Yitzchak suspect that it wasn't Eisav bringing him food?
- What fragrance did Yitzchak detect on the garments of Yaakov?
- When will Eisav be released from his subjugation to Yaakov?
- What inspired Eisav to marry the daughter of Yishmael?
- Why does the Torah state that Eisav married the sister of Nevayos?
- How long did Yaakov learn in the Yeshiva of Ever before going to Lavan's house?
 Answer Contents | "And he called it 'Shiva.' Therefore the name of the city is 'Be'er Sheva' till this very day. (26:33)" When Yitzchak named his seventh well 'Shiva,' the city became known as "Be'er Sheva." But hadn't Avraham already named that place 'Be'er Sheva' for a different reason - as it says "Therefore, he called that place Be'er Shava, because they both took an oath there." (21:31)? |
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I Did Not Know That!
"On the face of all his brethren he (Yishmael) fell.... And these are the offspring of Yitzchak...." (25:18,19)
This hints that when Yishmael will fall in the end of days, then Mashiach Ben David - who is an offspring of Yitzchak - will flourish.
(Baal Haturim)
Recommended Reading List
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Answers to this Week's Questions
> All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated
- 25:19 - Avraham.
- 25:20 - 37 years old.
- 25:20 - To proclaim her praise, that even though her family was evil she was righteous.
- 25:23 - Shem the son of Noach.
- 25:24 - Rivka gave birth at full term to two children, one righteous and one wicked. Tamar gave birth after seven months to two righteous children.
- 25:26 - That Yaakov would eventually rise to rule over Eisav.
- 25:26 - Hashem.
- 25:27 - Eisav deceived Yitzchak by asking questions that suggested that he was very strict in mitzvah observance.
- 25:27 - In the tents of Shem and Ever.
- 25:30 - Avraham died five years prematurely, at 175, so that he should not see his grandson become wicked.
- 25:30 - They are round like a wheel and mourning is like a revolving wheel that eventually touches everyone.
- 25:31 - The right to bring korbanos (sacrifices).
- 26:2 - Through the akeida he had attained the status of a korban and was forbidden to leave Eretz Canaan.
- 26:15. They felt that either marauders would attack to capture the wells, or if attacking for other reasons, they would use the wells as a water supply.
- 26:34 - The pig. Just as the pig appears to be kosher but lacks the internal sign, so too Eisav appeared righteous but internally is evil.
- 27:1 - The smoke from the incense offered by Eisav's wives to their idols.
- 27:9 - He offered it as a Korban Pesach.
- 27:15 - From Nimrod.
- 27:15 - He suspected that his wives might steal them.
- 27:21 - Yaakov mentioned the name of Hashem too readily.
- 27:27 - The scent of Gan Edan.
- 27:40 - When the Jewish People transgress the Torah.
- 28:7 - When he saw that his father despised his current wives, he resolved to take a wife from his father's family.
- 28:9 - To indicate that Yishmael died before the wedding and that it was Nevayos who gave his sister in marriage to Eisav.
- 28:9 - Fourteen years.
 Question Contents | In the time of Avraham, the place was named only for the oath
(shevuah) between Avraham and Avimelech. Therefore, it
was called Be'er Shava (spelled with a kamatz).
In the time of Yitzchak, the name gained new significance, signifying
not only the oath of Avraham, but also Yitzchak's seventh (shiva)
well. Therefore, its name was changed to Be'er Sheva
(spelled with a segol), signifying both the oath
and the number seven. (Sforno) |
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Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Michael Treblow
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