Sarah and Avraham

Found 12 Search results

  1. A Double Test

    Rabbi Elchanan Samet

    We can consider the story of the descent to Egypt and the return from there, and the story of Lot's parting from Avram, as two halves of a single story. Are these two halves, connected as they are on the level of plot and in the common structure of the story as a whole, also connected in terms of the significance of the story? In other words, is there a unified message that arises from the greater story, and if so, what is it?

    What unifies the two halves of our story on the level of its significance is tests for Avram. The events that it describes present Avram with harsh contradictions of the promise of seed and the promise of the land that God gave him in Charan, at the beginning of parshat Lekh Lekha. In each instance Avram is tested concerning his faith in both promises, but in each half the principal test focuses on one of them. In the descent to Egypt, Avram's main test comes when his wife is taken from him, and the possibility of establishing the offspring promised to him is cancelled. In Egypt the basis for a later test for Avram is also prepared – a test that started with the descent itself because of the famine – but the essence of this test lies in the story of Lot's parting from him. This causes Avram to experience grave doubts as to the promise of the inheritance of the land.

  2. Ramban's Criticism of Avraham: Did Avraham Sin in Descending to Egypt?

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  3. Sara's Fury toward Avraham

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  4. Rav Hirsch on Sara's Grievances

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  5. Sara and Hagar: A Maidservant Dispossessing her Mistress?

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  6. Why was Avraham Offered Gifts?

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  7. Sara's Anger at Avraham's "Theft"

    Rabbi David Silverberg

  8. The Triumphant Matriachs: From Sari to Sara

    Rabbi Dr. Daniel Tropper | Hour

    Last year, we focused on Avraham's journey. This shiur will center around the same chapters, but from Sara's perspective. What characterizes Sara's approach to challenges? How does Sara relate to God's promise of offspring to Avraham? 


     

  9. The Life of Sarah

    Rabbi Yair Kahn

    תאריך פרסום: תשעד | | Hour

    Recent debates about "Tanakh at eye-level" have raised the question: to what extent do we have a right to analyze the forefathers (and mothers) as regular human beings? Hazal, after all, say thay they were like angels. On the other hand, there are places where the Torah itself seems to judge personalities.

    In this shiur, we will attempt to fit "puzzle pieces" about Sara together as we try to find a coherent narrative about her. Moving from the periphery to more and more of a central role, Sara takes various risks. We examine different aspects of the Torah's portrayal of her continued acts of self-sacrifice.

  10. A Journey of a Thousand Miles

    Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

    For a variety of reasons, neither Abraham nor Sarah had an easy life. Theirs were lives of trial, in which their faith was tested at many points. How can Rashi say that all of Sarah’s years were equal in goodness? How can the Torah say that Abraham had been blessed with everything? Through an examination of the text we can understand Avraham and Sarah’s life journey and what it means to fulfill one’s destiny. 

    This article is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

    To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

  11. A Journey of a Thousand Miles (Audio)

    Rabbi Jonathan Sacks | 8 minutes

    For a variety of reasons, neither Abraham nor Sarah had an easy life. Theirs were lives of trial, in which their faith was tested at many points. How can Rashi say that all of Sarah’s years were equal in goodness? How can the Torah say that Abraham had been blessed with everything? Through an examination of the text we can understand Avraham and Sarah’s life journey and what it means to fulfill one’s destiny. 

    This lecture is part of the Covenant & Conversation series.

    To read more from Rabbi Sacks or to subscribe to his mailing list, please visit http://www.rabbisacks.org/. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

  12. Abraham My Beloved: From ‘the Land I Will Show You’ to Mt. Moriah

    Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg

    תאריך פרסום: 2023 | | Hour and 8 minutes

    In this shiur we will follow Abraham through his life's journey – a journey that begins with questions of livelihood, children's education, marital relationships, and barrenness, in a constant effort to spread the name of God in the world – that ends in the sublime moment of the Akeidah.