Friday, November 13, 2009

Posts so far for parshat Chayyei Sarah

2009
  1. Chayei Sarah sources -- links by aliyah and perek to an online Mikraos Gedolos, plus links to more than 100 meforshim on the parsha and haftorah.

  2. Should there be a pasek between Nesi Elohim and Ata? The vast majority of precise manuscripts don't have it. Though Minchas Shai endorses it, I explain why I would not.

  3. The evolution of a derash -- how Midrash Rabba makes no mention of a krei / ketiv, but probably darshens Eliezer's hope for his daughter's marriage to Yitzchak from a different textual feature. Then, how Rashi and Yalkut Shimoni handle it. And then, what do we make of the derasha being of Eliezer's retelling, rather than the original narrative.

  4. Is it written Pilgashim or Pilagsham? A derasha based on deficient spelling, but we don't have this deficient spelling!

  5. If she was a virgin, isn't it obvious that no man had known her?! How different pashtanim deal with this duplication. Rashi, Rashbam, and even Ibn Ezra make something of the duplication, but I side with Ibn Caspi who says that the duplication is a linguistic feature, and should not connote anything on the level of peshat. And my own novel explanation of why veIsh lo yedaah was necessary. Which I now see was not so novel, unfortunately.

  6. Why did Eliezer run after Rivkah? According to Rashi and Ibn Caspi, and what this might demonstrate about their methodologies. I associate it with an even earlier pasuk than Rashi and Ibn Caspi do; and then I note the more general phenomenon of running in the perek, and attempt to explain that as well.

  7. The order of presents and inquiring after Rivkah's family -- and how different pashtanim (Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Ibn Caspi) handle it.

2008
2007

2006
  • A Three Year Old Rivkah -- Plausible? Obscene?
    • I discuss plausibility of a three year old marrying, and of a three year old able to carry a heavy water pitcher. Also, whether a three year old could carry on such a conversation with Eliezer. Also, would this be obscene? Note that Rashi says the actual consummation of marriage was years later. Plus more.
  • Use of Time-of-Day To Convey Drama and Mood
    • in Vayera, in Chayyei Sara, and in Rut. I think in Chayyei Sarah it adds to the drama of the romantic meeting of Yitzchak and Rivka.
  • The Account of Betuel's Death By Poision, part i
    • What apparent problem in the text does this midrash solve? What is the textual basis for the resolution? How does this midrash fit in with the overall theme of the parsha?
  • The Account of Betuel's Death By Poison, part ii
    • The same midrash, but with a different spin, as it occurs in Bereishit Rabbati from Rav Moshe haDarshan. In terms of a different poisoner (Lavan) and a different, fairly positive, motivation for the attempted poisoning.
2005
2004
  • Was the Servant of Avraham Eliezer?
    • An analysis of the identification of Eliezer with the servant of Avraham. Most obviously, Chazal's closed canon approach. But even on a peshat level, we show a reason to equate the two. Why would the Torah not mention it, if so. From the perspective of literature, other people in this narrative are deliberately not mentioned by name - Rivka, Lavan, Betuel - even though their names are known from elsewhere - and this for deliberate literary effect. Compare with the story of Moshe being born and placed in the Nile, where proper names are also deliberately omitted.
2003
  • לוֹ, לוּ, לֹא אֲדֹנִי שְׁמָעֵנִי - part 1
    • Aleph and Vav are matres lectiones, "mothers of reading," and in reality can and do fill many vowel roles. What different perspective of the interaction between Efron and Avraham do we get it we revocalize all the above as לוּ and change the locations of pasuk break to always give us לוּ אֲדֹנִי שְׁמָעֵנִי?
  • לוֹ, לוּ, לֹא אֲדֹנִי שְׁמָעֵנִי - part 2 (2004)
    • Further thoughts and developments on the same subject. Plus what Tg Yonatan does with this.
  • Waterloo
    • A joke which matches well with the two aforementioned divrei Torah.
  • Sarah's Daughter
    • The derivation of a midrash that states that Sarah had a daughter who died on the same day that Sarah died.
to be continued...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

All these Serious scholarly works are exciting but sometimes you need something light on the Parsha in a Schmooze so Here you go.
Parshas Chayah Sarah
BDERECH TZCHOK

ותשא רבקה את-עיניה, ותרא את-יצחק; ותפל, מעל הגמל
What did Rivkah see that caused her to fall off her camel?
To start Avraham was Misakin Shachris, Yitzchak Mincha, and Yackov Marriv. That would mean at this Point only Shachris existed. Now we understand why Rivkah fell off the Camel she saw her Chosson going to Shachris at 4 in the Afternoon.

ותמת שרה, בקרית ארבע הוא חברון--בארץ כנען; ויבא, אברהם, לספד לשרה, ולבכתה
What does it mean לספד לשרה who else would he say a eulogy for?
The answer is sometimes at funerals you hear the Eulogy and you know the person .Therefore you know it has been more than over-embellished. Here the torah was saying no he was talking about his wife and not an over-embellishment.


ויען לבן ובתואל ויאמרו, מיהוה יצא הדבר; לא נוכל דבר אליך, רע או-טוב
Why is a Rasha like Lavan all of the sudden so religious announcing מיהוה יצא הדבר?
The answer is simple now that the Shidduch is closing it is time to pay the Shadchan now Lavan says no Eliezer it is not you who did it but מיהוה יצא הדבר so you get no pay.

Anonymous said...

Just a great shiur with a way to adress the MOsiach Peole who spoke to the Chacham whois always standing you will enjoy it.
http://www.kolhashiurim.com/Heb/ShowDoc/ID/1159/source/FTP_עותק/הרב%20לסרי/2003-20081118-171717-הרב%20לסרי%202/

Anonymous said...

I think this Shiur deserves its own post Rabbi Lasseri says he asked Reb Dovi Abuchazera Shlita about the story that has spread around the internet that his father came to him in a dream and told him that Moshiach came to see him and he did not stand up so now he stands for everyone he said and I quote if you listen to what everyone said that he said you would never leave the house and over at Geulah Perspectives Ari Glodwag says at least willing to admit he is wrong the rav said everything quoted from me is a lie see the Sefardi Godol and Ashkenazi Godol agree on somthing now there is a Proper step towards the Geluah.

Anonymous said...

And just a side note L'halcha that wouldnt help if you ned to stand you need to do the Masseh Mitzvah

Anonymous said...

When I wroe Rav I meant Rav Kanievsky's

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