Chayei Sarah #4 127 Years

And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.

א. וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה:

Why does the pasuk repeat the word years so many times? isnt it a bit repetitive and unnecessary?

Rashi comments on this saying that the reason the word years is written after every digit is to compare them to each other. When sarah was 100 years old, she had not sinned like a 20 year old had not sinned. When she was 20 she was like a 7 year old in regards to beauty. 

Chayei Sarah #2 How to make a vow

In Parshat Chayai Sarah, Perek 24; Pasuk 3, while Avraham is telling Eliezer his mission of choosing a wife for Yitzchak, Avraham says;

 "And I will adjure you by the Lord, the God of the heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites..."

However, Later in Pasuk 7, Avraham says "The Lord, God of the heavens, Who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth..."

Why does Avraham first refer to Hashem as "God of the heaven and the God of the earth", and then refer to Hashem as the God of the heavens (only)???

 Rashi: 24;7

 ה' אלהי השמים אשר לקחני מבית אבי: ולא אמר ואלהי הארץ, ולמעלה אמר (פסוק ג) ואשביעך בה' אלהי השמים ואלהי הארץ. אמר לו עכשיו הוא אלהי השמים ואלהי הארץ, שהרגלתיו בפי הבריות, אבל כשלקחני מבית אבי היה אלהי השמים ולא אלהי הארץ, שלא היו באי עולם מכירים בו, ושמו לא היה רגיל בארץ

 Where else in the Torah are these different names of Hashem used, and why?  Is it necessary to describe Hashem while making a vow? Avraham also strengthens this vow by having Eliezer touch his thigh, is this another part of the format of the vow?  If so, what is the significance?

(EC: connect this Rashi to Rashi on Shema Yisrael. -Ms. Laufer)

Chayei Sarah #1 $$$$$$

 כט. וּלְרִבְקָה אָח וּשְׁמוֹ לָבָן וַיָּרָץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ הַחוּצָה אֶל הָעָיִן    

Now Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran to the man outside, to the fountain.

Why did Lavan run to the man? Rashi says that he noticed that the man had a nose ring, which signified that he was rich, so Lavan was running to greet the man that he thought would bring him wealth.

Are there other interpretations of why Lavan ran? Is there anywhere else in the Torah that strengthens Rashi’s idea and shows that Lavan was a money-oriented person? You may compare Lavan’s greeting here with his greeting towards Yaakov later in his life. How are they similar?  

Lech Lecha #4- 8th day

בראשית פרק יז פסוק יב

יב) וּבֶן־שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים יִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל־זָכָר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם יְלִיד בָּיִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּסֶף מִכֹּל בֶּן־נֵכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִזַּרְעֲךָ הוּא

Why do we have the brit on the eighth day? The Zohar says the baby must experience a Shabbat before being circumcised. This gives the baby a  special soul; a soul of Shabbat. The baby needs this soul to prepare for the brit. What are other reasons for the significance of the 8th day?

Lech Lecha #3- Go where?

The first Jew in the Torah, Avram, is introduced in Parshat Lech Lecha. Hashem comes and says to Avraham, "Leave this land, from the place you were born, from your fathers house to land that I will show you".

יֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ:

Ramban says in his perush on Berashit 12:1 that it is difficult for a man to leave his homeland, harder to leave the place you were born and hardest to leave your fathers house.

וטעם להזכיר "ארצך ומולדתך ובית אביך" כי יקשה על האדם לעזוב ארצו אשר הוא יושב בה ושם אוהביו ורעיו וכל שכן כשהוא ארץ מולדתו ששם נולד וכל שכן כשיש שם כל בית אביו ולכך הוצרך לומר לו שיעזוב הכל לאהבתו של הקב"ה

Question: Why would Avram want to leave the place where he has always lived? Why would he follow without knowing his destination? If it was so hard for him to leave, why wouldn't Hashem tell him where he is going? 

Lech Lecha #2- Go for yourself

"וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ."

Why does Hashem randomly chose Avraham to leave?

Rashi says that Hahems says the "licha" part in "lech licha" is because it is for Avraham's benefit. Hashem will make Avraham a great nation, because he cannot have children where he is now. Additionally, Avraham's name will be great.

Why does Hashem want Avraham to leave if it is just for Avraham's benefit (according to Rashi)? What are other interpretations of what Hashem was telling Avraham when he said "lech lecha", "go FOR YOURSELF"?

Lech Lecha #1- NOW she's beautiful?

12:11-13

יא) וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיב לָבוֹא מִצְרָיְמָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־שָׂרַי אִשְׁתּוֹ הִנֵּה־נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִשָּׁה יְפַת־מַרְאֶה אָתְּ

 

 

יב) וְהָיָה כִּי־יִרְאוּ אֹתָךְ הַמִּצְרִים וְאָמְרוּ אִשְׁתּוֹ זֹאת וְהָרְגוּ אֹתִי וְאֹתָךְ יְחַיּוּ

 

 

יג) אִמְרִי־נָא אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ לְמַעַן יִיטַב־לִי בַעֲבוּרֵךְ וְחָיְתָה נַפְשִׁי בִּגְלָלֵךְ

The question is how come Abraham after being married to Sarah for many years just realizes how beautiful she is now?

Rashi asks this same question and gives two answers. 

You can look into these answers or consider others you find related to what is the significance of Avraham realizing Sarah's beauty? why does he only realize now?