(Genesis 23:1-25:18)

(Haftara: Kings I  1:1-31)

1. [24:3] Why was Avraham so opposed to taking a wife for Yitzchak from among the Canaanites? His family—Rivkah’s family—were also idol worshippers.

1. [24:14] “…and she will say to me, “Drink, and I will also let your camels  drink …”  In this way, Rivkah showed that she was a kind person. Our tradition tells us that all the commandments are very important, but the commandments of kindness are the most important. Why is kindness more important than justice or devotion to God?

1. [24:63] “And Yitzchak  went ‘lasuach basade’…”  Rashi says that Yitzchak was praying in the field. Since this was much before we had a set prayer in the prayerbooks, it means that he spoke to God spontaneously about what was in his heart and on his mind. What are the advantages of set prayer from the prayerbooks and what are the advantages of spontaneous prayer?

1. [24:67] “…and he took Rivkah and she became his wife and he loved her…” The Ramban says that Yitzchak loved Rivkah because she was righteous like Sara.  Is it “true love” if somebody loves someone because she reminds him of someone else?

5. [Haftara: Kings I, 1:28 ] “…’Call Bat-sheva to me’…”  King David had sinned with Bat-      sheva, but he had sincerely regretted his sin, and, in fact, their child, Shlomo became the next king. Who is more praiseworthy—someone who lives a life of total purity and morality and never sins, or someone who sins and then sincerely becomes pure and moral?

Commentary

[24:1] “And Avraham was old, he came with the days”.

Avraham came with all his days. Not one day of his life was wasted. On each and every day he was active and alive.

–based on the Zohar

This study page is dedicated to the memory of Rivkah Rochel bat Ya’akov haLevi and Chaya Kornberg, and Yechiel Eliezer ben Yitzchok Meir and Rochel Laya Kornberg

And this study page is also dedicated to the memory of Gad Eliahu ben David and Kochava–Eli Zucker