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<h1>Avraham&#160;– Overview</h1>
<div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div>
<div class="overview">
<h2>Overview</h2>
Avraham, the first of our forefathers, is a trailblazer in both belief and deed.&#160; He leaves home and family to follow Hashem in an unknown land. Though his life is filled with tests and trials, from famine, to a wife's bareness, family strife and political struggles, he maintains faith in Hashem's promises and perseveres.&#160; He is a man of both "חסד" and "אמת".&#160; He is strong enough to reproach Hashem when he thinks justice is not being done, yet humble enough to surrender himself before him when asked to sacrifice his son.</div>

<category>Religious Identity
	<subcategory>Journey to Belief
<p>Though the&#160;<multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah38-13" data-aht="source">Midrash</a><a href="BereshitRabbah38-13" data-aht="source">38:13</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> shares stories of Avraham destroying his father's idols and being sentenced to death for his beliefs, we know nothing of his religious journey from Sefer Bereshit itself. Rambam and the Kuzari offer two possibilities, each in line with their own philosophical beliefs about attainment of faith:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Intellectual inquiry </b>–&#160;<multilink><a href="RambamHilkhotAvodahZarah1-3" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamHilkhotAvodahZarah1-3" data-aht="source">Hilkhot Avodah Zarah 1:3</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Maimon</a></multilink> maintains that Avraham's belief was a product of his intellectual quest to understand the ways of the world.<fn>See the similar intellectual discussion that Avraham holds with Nimrod in Bereshit Rabbah 38:13.</fn></li>
<li><b>Tradition </b>– <multilink><a href="Kuzari1-47" data-aht="source">R. Yehuda HaLevi</a><a href="Kuzari1-47" data-aht="source">1:47</a><a href="R. Yehuda HaLevi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yehuda HaLevi</a></multilink>, in contrast, assumes that knowledge of Hashem was passed down through the generations, from Adam to Noach to Shem and finally to Avraham.</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>Uniqueness?
<p><b> Was Avraham's monotheism unique? </b> This question depends on how one understands the phrase "וּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם... כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן":</p>
<ul>
<li><b> Not Unique</b> –&#160;Malkizedek was similarly monotheistic.</li>
<ul>
<li>The <multilink><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer8" data-aht="source">Midrash</a><a href="PirkeiDeRabbiEliezer8" data-aht="source">Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 8</a><a href="Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer" data-aht="parshan">About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer</a></multilink>, and many sources in its wake, identify&#160;Malkizedek with Shem, whose monotheism predated that of Avraham (and, who, as mentioned above, might have himself led Avraham to belief).&#160;</li>
<li><multilink><a href="RadakBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:18</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, instead, allows for the possibility that&#160;Malkizedek was an outsider, unrelated to Avraham in any way, who served only one God. Moreover, given that he was a king, it is possible that the entire city of Shalem was similarly monotheistic.</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Unique</b> – <multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:18</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="NetzivBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Netziv</a><a href="NetzivBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:18</a><a href="R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</a></multilink>, and the <multilink><a href="HoilMosheBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheBereshit14-18" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:18</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>, in contrast maintain that being a "כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן" simply means serving the highest god in a pantheon of many gods. Alternatively, "Elyon" was the name of a Canaanite god whom Malkizedek served. Hoil Moshe emphasizes that Avraham's importance lay in the very fact that he was the sole monotheist, so it is inconceivable that others worshiped similarly.</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory name="Avraham &amp; Mitzvot">
Avraham's Observance of Mitzvot
<p><b>Did Avraham keep all the mitzvot?</b> The issue has been hotly debated for generations. On one hand, Avraham lived centuries before the Torah was given and many of its laws would be meaningless to him, suggesting that he did not keep them. On the other hand, it seems paradoxical to conceive of the founder of a religion not observing even its most basic commandments. This leads to a variety of approaches to the question: [For a full discussion of the issue, see <a href="Avot and Mitzvot – Was Avraham the First Jew" data-aht="page">Avot and Mitzvot – Was Avraham the First Jew</a>.]</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Full Observance</b> – See <multilink><a href="MishnaKiddushin4-14" data-aht="source">Mishna Kiddushin</a><a href="MishnaKiddushin4-14" data-aht="source">Kiddushin 4:14</a><a href="Mishna" data-aht="parshan">About the Mishna</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ToseftaKiddushin5-14" data-aht="source">Tosefta Kiddushin</a><a href="ToseftaKiddushin5-14" data-aht="source">Kiddushin 5:14</a><a href="Tosefta" data-aht="parshan">About the Tosefta</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah61-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah61-1" data-aht="source">61:1</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink>,  and&#160;<multilink><a href="RashiBereshit26-5" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit26-5" data-aht="source">Bereshit 26:5</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink> who suggest that Avraham kept the entire Torah, and according to some, even the Oral Law.</li>
<li><b>No Observance</b> – See <multilink><a href="TosafotRidBavaBatra120a" data-aht="source">Tosafot Rid</a><a href="TosafotRidBavaBatra120a" data-aht="source">Rid Bava Batra 120a</a><a href="Ba'alei HaTosafot" data-aht="parshan">About Ba'alei HaTosafot</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RAvrahambHaRambamBereshit35-4" data-aht="source">R. Avraham b. HaRambam</a><a href="RAvrahambHaRambamBereshit35-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 35:4</a><a href="R. Avraham Maimonides" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Maimonides</a></multilink>, and <multilink><a href="RYosefibnKaspiTiratKesef96" data-aht="source">R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a><a href="RYosefibnKaspiTiratKesef96" data-aht="source">Tirat Kesef 96</a><a href="R. Yosef ibn Kaspi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a></multilink> who claim that Avraham observed what was specifically commanded to him by Hashem in Sefer Bereshit, but not other laws later given in the Torah. His greatness lay in his monotheistic belief and exemplary moral behavior, but not in ritual observance.</li>
<li><b>Partial Observance</b> –&#160;<multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit26-5" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamBereshit26-5" data-aht="source">Bereshit 26:5</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink> suggests that only rational mitzvot which relate to a moral ethic were observed by Avraham and the other Patriarchs.</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>Distinct Worship?
<p><b>How distinct was Avraham's mode of worship from those around him?&#160;</b> This question is an outgrowth of the above. If Avraham was unaware of later commandments, is it possible that, in worshiping Hashem, he borrowed from the practices of the pagans around him?</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Akeidat Yitzchak</b> – See <multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit22-1" data-aht="source">Shadal </a><a href="ShadalBereshit22-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 22:1</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>who suggests that Avraham, like the rest of the world in his era, originally viewed child sacrifice as the highest form of devotion to God. It was only through the story of the Akeidah itself that Hashem taught both him and the monotheistic world at large that the practice was, in fact, immoral and repugnant. For elaboration, see <a href="Purpose of Akeidat Yitzchak" data-aht="page">Purpose of Akeidat Yitzchak</a>.</li>
<li><b>"וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל... וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם בְּשֵׁם י"י"</b> – Is it possible that Avraham's planting of a tree in a place of worship is influenced by surrounding Canaanite practices, as attested to by the later prohibition, "לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה כׇּל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה" (Devarim 16:21)? [See below for sources that suggest, instead, that the tree was meant to invite people to gather, so Avraham could teach them about Hashem.]</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>Missionary?
<p>Did Avraham attempt to convert others to belief in Hashem? Though Sefer Bereshit never explicitly presents Avraham as actively doing so, commentators point to several verses which might bear on the question:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן"</b> – <multilink><a href="SifreDevarim6-5" data-aht="source">Sifre Devarim</a><a href="SifreDevarim6-5" data-aht="source">6:5</a><a href="Sifre Devarim" data-aht="parshan">About Sifre Devarim</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliSanhedrin99b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin</a><a href="BavliSanhedrin99b" data-aht="source">Sanhedrin 99b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, and R. Elazar in <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah39-14" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah39-14" data-aht="source">39:14</a><a href="BereshitRabbah84-4" data-aht="source">84:4</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> all suggest that this verse speaks of converting those in Charan. Most of the non-midrashic sources, in contrast, assume the "souls" simply refer to Avraham's slaves and maidservants.</li>
<li><b>וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַי"י וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם י"י</b> – While <multilink><a href="TargumOnkelosBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Onkelos</a><a href="TargumOnkelosBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:8</a><a href="Targum Onkelos" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Onkelos</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:8</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, and<multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit13-4" data-aht="source"> R"Y Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit13-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 13:4</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink><fn>His comments are on Bereshit 13:4 rather than Bereshit 12:8.</fn> assume that this refers to personal prayer,&#160;<multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah39-16" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah39-16" data-aht="source">39:16</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Ramban </a><a href="RambanBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:8</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>maintain that it refers to Avraham calling to others to worship Hashem. According to Ramban, it is possible that the altar was not meant for sacrifices but instead served as a monument to announce the unity of Hashem.</li>
<li><b> וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל... וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם בְּשֵׁם י"י</b> – According to Resh Lakish in <multilink><a href="BavliSotah10a-10b" data-aht="source">Sotah</a><a href="BavliSotah10a-10b" data-aht="source">Sotah 10a-10b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Targum Pseudo Jonathon</a><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="Targum Pseudo-Jonathan" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">R. Saadia</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Commentary Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink>, the planting of the tree was meant to encourage people to gather around Avraham so he could teach them about Hashem.&#160;<multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">R"Y Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit13-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 13:4</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, in contrast, suggest that it related to the covenant with the Philistines and that the verse does not speak of missionary activities..</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>Tests of Faith
	</subcategory>
</category>
<category>Unique Traits
	<subcategory>Belief in Hashem
<p>See discussion above.</p>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>"תִּתֵּן.. חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם"
<p>Avraham is often portrayed as a paradigm of "חסד", with his hosting of guests being held up as a model to emulate.&#160; How unique, though, was Avraham in this regard?&#160;&#160;</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Comparing Lot and Avraham</b> – Many sources compare the hospitality of the two relatives.&#160; See <multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit18-1" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamBereshit18-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 18:1</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit18-3" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit18-3" data-aht="source">Bereshit 18:3</a><a href="RambanBereshit19-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 19:8</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SefornoBereshit19-3" data-aht="source">Seforno</a><a href="SefornoBereshit19-3" data-aht="source">Bereshit 19:3</a><a href="R. Ovadyah Seforno" data-aht="parshan">About R. Ovadyah Seforno</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RSRHirschBereshit19-3" data-aht="source">R. S.R. Hirsch</a><a href="RSRHirschBereshit19-3" data-aht="source">Bereshit 19:3</a><a href="R. Samson Raphael Hirsch" data-aht="parshan">About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch</a></multilink>.&#160; See also <a href="A Portrait of Lot" data-aht="page">A Portrait of Lot</a> for more general discussion of his character.</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>"צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט"
<p>In Bereshit 19, Hashem shares how He chose Avraham because He knew that Avraham was to teach his children "righteousness and justice". Avraham then proceeds to stand up for this very issue, reproaching Hashem's decision to totally destroy Sedom. Avraham make two somewhat contradictory arguments, condemning collective punishment, yet simultaneously requesting collective salvation. How do these requests relate to each other?&#160; Is one more just than the other? [See <a href="Avraham's Prayer for Sedom" data-aht="page">Avraham's Prayer for Sedom</a> for elaboration and discussion of the various modes of Divine Justice.]</p>
<ul>
<li><multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit18-24" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit18-24" data-aht="source">Bereshit 18:24</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>&#160;claims that Avraham was indeed praying for both the righteous and wicked, viewing collective salvation as a merciful act that transcends justice.</li>
<li><multilink><a href="MaaseiHashemMaaseiAvot17" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer Ashkenazi</a><a href="MaaseiHashemMaaseiAvot17" data-aht="source">Ma'asei Hashem Ma'asei Avot 17</a><a href="R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem)</a></multilink>&#160;vehemently disagrees, viewing the saving of unrepentant sinners as an injustice.&#160; He claims that Avraham was instead asking that the land of the righteous be saved (while the guilty were punished.<fn>His words, "הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה וְלֹא תִשָּׂא לַמָּקוֹם" refer not to saving the people of the place, but the place itself.</fn></li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>Conduct in Battle
<p>Bereshit 14 describes the Battle of the Kings and Avraham's military intervention so as to save his nephew Lot from captivity. Many suggest that the story was included in Tanakh since Avraham's conduct in war was worthy of emulation [See <a href="Battle of the Kings – Purpose of the Story" data-aht="page">Battle of the Kings – Purpose of the Story</a> for elaboration]:</p>
<ul>
<li>According to&#160;<multilink><a href="RBachyaBereshit14-1" data-aht="source">R. Bachya</a><a href="RBachyaBereshit14-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:1</a><a href="R. Bachya b. Asher" data-aht="parshan">About R. Bachya b. Asher</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="AbarbanelBereshit14-1" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelBereshit14-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:1</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink>, the story teaches the reader about Avraham's bravery and his capabilities as a <b>military strategist</b> and warrior.</li>
<li><multilink><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit14Introduction" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit14Introduction" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14 Introduction</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink>&#160;claims that this alone could not possibly be the story's purpose, as the Torah does not come to glorify its heroes as mighty warriors.<fn>He writes, "גיבורי התנ"ך 'גיבורי כח עושי דברו' הם, ולא גיבורי מלאכת המלחמה".</fn> Instead, he suggests that Avraham's refusal to benefit from the spoils of battle reveals both his <b>generosity and recognition that all belongs to Hashem</b>.<fn>Avraham's conduct stands out, particularly in light of the norms of the Ancient Near East in which the victor took the spoils of battle.</fn></li>
<li>Alternatively,&#160;<multilink><a href="RadakBereshit14-1" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit14-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 14:1</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink> and&#160;<multilink><a href="RalbagBereshitToalot14-8-24" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagBereshitToalot14-8-24" data-aht="source">Bereshit Toalot 14:8-24</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink> assert that the story teaches the importance of enduring <b>loyalty to one's family</b>. Avraham was willing to risk his own life in order to rescue his nephew, even though Lot had taken up company with evil people.</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
</category>
<category>Possible Sins
	<subcategory>Avraham in Egypt
<p>Bereshit 12 describes Avraham's descent to Egypt due to famine. Commentators debate the propriety of his conduct throughout the episode. [For a full discussion of the various issues, see <a href="Endangering Sarai in Egypt" data-aht="page">Endangering Sarai in Egypt</a>.]</p>
<p><b>Leaving Israel</b> – Was Avraham justified in leaving the land promised to him by Hashem, or should he have trusted that Hashem would care for him during the famine and stayed put?</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Justified</b> –&#160;<multilink><a href="RalbagBereshitToalot12-10-13" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagBereshitToalot12-10-13" data-aht="source">Bereshit Toalot 12:10-13</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink> claims that, in times of famine, a person must do what they can to provide for themselves.&#160; We don't rely on miracles.</li>
<li><b>Not Justified</b> – <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit12-10" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit12-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:10</a><a href="RambanBereshit16-6" data-aht="source">Bereshit 16:6</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>, in contrast, claims that Avraham should have had faith that Hashem would save him from famine.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Endangering Sarah</b> – Should Avraham have risked Sarah's honor to save his own life? After all, by posing as Avraham's sister, Sarah presented herself as available, making it much more likely that the Egyptians would take her!</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Justified</b> – Most commentators attempt to defend Avraham's actions. Thus,&#160;<multilink><a href="RalbagBereshitToalot12-10-13" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagBereshitToalot12-10-13" data-aht="source">Bereshit Toalot 12:10-13</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink> claims that preserving human life is more important than preventing forced sexual activity in a case where relations are not a Torah offense. The <multilink><a href="RanBereshit12-11" data-aht="source">Ran</a><a href="RanBereshit12-11" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:11</a><a href="R. Nissim Gerondi (Ran)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Nissim Gerondi</a></multilink>, in contrast, suggests that Avraham was hoping to protect not only himself but also Sarah.&#160; He planned to act as her guardian, in charge of her nuptials, and to ask such a high dowry that no one would be able to meet it.<fn>See Abarbanel, Seforno and Shadal who follow his reading.&#160; See also Bereshit Rabbah, Tanchuma, and Rashi, wo suggest that Avram was hoping to hide Sarah during their stay.</fn></li>
<li><b>Not Justified</b> -&#160;<multilink><a href="RambanBereshit12-10" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit12-10" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:10</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink> and&#160;<multilink><a href="UCassutoBereshit12-13" data-aht="source">Cassuto</a><a href="UCassutoBereshit12-13" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:13</a><a href="Prof. Umberto Cassuto" data-aht="parshan">About Prof. Umberto Cassuto</a></multilink> assert that Avraham erred.&#160; His actions betrayed a lack of faith in Hashem, and endangered Sarah unnecessarily.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Lying</b> – Was lying justified under the circumstances?</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Avraham lied</b> – Most sources assume that in cases of danger to life, one is allowed to lie.&#160;</li>
<li><b>Avraham did not lie</b>&#160;–&#160;<multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit20" data-aht="source">R. Saadia</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit20" data-aht="source">Commentary Bereshit 20</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink> adds that Avraham did not actively lie, but rather used a word with a dual meaning ("sister" can refer to either a sister or any relative).</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>Afflicting Hagar
<p>In Bereshit 16, Sarah gives Hagar to Avraham in marriage, hoping that she will bear him a son.&#160; After conceiving, Hagar begins to belittle her mistress, acting with disrespect ("וַתֵּקַל גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּעֵינֶיהָ").&#160; When Sarah complains, Avraham tells her, "הִנֵּה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ בְּיָדֵךְ עֲשִׂי לָהּ הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיִךְ" leading Sarah to afflict the maidservant ("וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שָׂרַי") and Hagar to flee. How should both Sarah and Avraham's actions be viewed?&#160; Was Sarah being overly harsh? Even if so, should Avraham be held accountable?</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Both Sarah and Avraham acted properly</b>&#160;– <multilink><a href="RChananelBereshit16" data-aht="source">R. Chananel </a><a href="RChananelBereshit16" data-aht="source">Bereshit 16</a><a href="R. Chananel b. Chushiel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chananel b. Chushiel</a></multilink>claims that "וַתְּעַנֶּהָ" means that Sarah re-enslaved rather than afflicted Hagar.&#160; The angel's command "שׁוּבִי אֶל גְּבִרְתֵּךְ וְהִתְעַנִּי תַּחַת יָדֶיהָ" proves that Sarah did no wrong.</li>
<li><b>Only Sarah acted improperly</b> – <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit16-6" data-aht="source">Radak </a><a href="RadakBereshit16-6" data-aht="source">Bereshit 16:6</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>blames Sarah, but excuses Avraham who acted only out of a desire to keep peace in the home.</li>
<li><b>Both Sarah and Avraham acted improperly</b> –&#160;<multilink><a href="RambanBereshit16-6" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit16-6" data-aht="source">Bereshit 16:6</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink> and&#160;<multilink><a href="TzerorHaMorBereshit16-1" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor</a><a href="TzerorHaMorBereshit16-1" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor Bereshit 16:1</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)</a></multilink>&#160; fault both parties.&#160; Avraham should not have given his wife free reign to do as she pleased.</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>"בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה"
<p>After Hashem promises Avraham the Land of Israel in Bereshit 15, Avraham questions, " בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה".&#160; Is this an expression of lack of belief in Hashem?</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Sin</b> – Shemuel in Bavli Nedarim, Vayikra Rabbah,Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Tanchuma all maintain that Avraham displayed a lack of faith in Hashem when he asked for a sign that he would inherit the land.&#160; Moreover, they claim that&#160; he was punished severely for it; the decree of bondage in Egypt was a direct result of this speech.<fn>See <a href="Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage" data-aht="page">Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage</a> for further discussion.</fn></li>
<li><b>No Sin</b> –</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory>Covenant with Philistines
<p>Though most sources do not view Avraham's covenant with Avimelekh in Bereshit 21:22-32 as problematic,&#160;<multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit22-1" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamBereshit22-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 22:1</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink> uniquely faults Avraham for making the treaty.&#160; He asserts that the Philistine land was included in Hashem's promise to Avraham, and thus the prohibition "לֹא תְחַיֶּה כׇּל נְשָׁמָה" applied to them as well. According to Rashbam, the command to sacrifice Yitzchak was meant to distress Avraham and punish him for this deed.<fn>Hagi Ben-Artzi, in מבט חדש על העקידה, elaborates on Rashbam's approach and suggests that in making an oath and covenant with Avimelekh, Avraham had nullified the covenants of "land" and "seed" promised him by Hashem. As such, Hashem demanded that he return the "seed" that was given him, Yitzchak. See also R"Y Medan, "כי קרוב אליך" (Tel Aviv, 2014): 139-140, who explains similarly.</fn>&#160; See <a href="Purpose of Akeidat Yitzchak" data-aht="page">Purpose of Akeidat Yitzchak</a> for elaboration.</p>
	</subcategory>
</category>
<category>Family Life
	<subcategory>Sarah
<p><b>Sarah's Status</b> – When did Avraham and Sarah realize that Sarah was to be the mother of the chosen heir?</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Knew from the beginning</b>&#160;– Most assume that the couple knew from the very beginning that Avraham's line and legacy was to continue through the son born from Sarah.</li>
<li><b>Knew only in Chapter 17</b>&#160;– It is only in Chapter 17, though, that Hashem makes this explicit, leading to the possibility that until then Sarah's status was in doubt.&#160; This could explain Sarah's overly harsh reaction to Hagar's belittling of her in Bereshit 16.<fn>&#160;It might also partially explain why Avraham appears not to be overly concerned aboutt he possibility that she was to be taken by the Egyptians.</fn>&#160; It also suggests that the first few Avraham stories might be aimed at presenting the rejected possibilities - Lot, Avraham's servant Eliezer, and Yishmael.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Endangering Sarah</b> – See sources and discussion above and in <a href="Endangering Sarai in Egypt" data-aht="page">Endangering Sarai in Egypt</a>.</p>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory name="Hagar &amp; Yishmael">
Hagar &amp; Yishmael
<p>See discussion about the affliction of Hagar above, and see <a href="Banishment of Hagar and Yishmael" data-aht="page">Banishment of Hagar and Yishmael</a> for discussion of her expulsion.</p>
	</subcategory>
	<subcategory name="Keturah">
Keturah
<p>Bereshit 25 speaks of Avraham's marriage to Keturah.&#160; Who is this woman?&#160; Based on the simple chronology of the chapters, Avraham is at least 140 when marrying her; why does he feel a need to remarry at such an advanced age? Finally, what is the Torah trying to teach us by recounting this episode? See <a href="Avraham's Many Wives" data-aht="page">Avraham's Many Wives</a> for discussion of these issues.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>A third wife</b> –&#160;<multilink><a href="RadakBereshit25-1" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit25-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:1</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink> and&#160;<multilink><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit25Introduction" data-aht="source">R. D"Z Hoffmann</a><a href="RDavidZviHoffmannBereshit25Introduction" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25 Introduction</a><a href="R. David Zvi Hoffmann" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Zvi Hoffmann</a></multilink> think Keturah is a new wife, taken after Sarah's death.&#160; In contrast,<multilink><a href="ShadalBereshit25-1" data-aht="source"> Shadal</a><a href="ShadalBereshit25-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:1</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink> suggests that Avraham married her while Sarah was still alive.</li>
<li><b>Hagar</b> – Rav in <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah61-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah61-4" data-aht="source">61:4</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TanchumaChayyeiSarah" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaChayyeiSarah" data-aht="source">Chayyei Sarah</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink>, and&#160;<multilink><a href="RashiBereshit25-1" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit25-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 25:1</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink> all claim that Keturah is simply another name for Hagar, and that Avraham remarried her after Sarah's death.</li>
</ul>
	</subcategory>
</category>
<category name="Comparisons">
Comparison to Other Figures
<p>Setting up foils is often a useful method to highlight the unique aspects of a character&#160; or story.&#160; What can be learned about Avraham from the following comparisons?</p><ul>
<li><a href="Avraham and Yitzchak" data-aht="page">Avraham and Yitzchak</a></li>
<li><a href="Avraham and Yaakov" data-aht="page">Avraham and Yaakov</a></li>
<li><a href="Avraham and Iyyov" data-aht="page">Avraham and Iyyov</a></li>
</ul>
</category>
<category>In the Arts
</category>

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