CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS CHAYEI SOROH 5770 - BS"D
1) Avrohom's tenth test according to Rabbeinu Yonah is the first subject in our parsha, the difficulties Avrohom encountered in purchasing a burial plot for his wife Soroh. After the most demanding test imaginable, the Akeidoh, what was the point in having another test which was far less demanding?
2) Ch. 23, v. 1: "Shnei Chayei Soroh" - The Medrash Rabboh 58:3 relates that Rabbi Akiva was delivering a lecture and his students were beginning to doze off. He told them that the reason Queen Esther merited to rule over 127 countries was that she was the descendant of our Matriarch Soroh, who lived for a total of 127 years. What is the connection and what is the message?
3) Ch. 23, v. 15: "Beini u'veincho ma hi" - Rashi quotes Efron as saying, "Between two LOVERS like us 400 shekel are negligible." What is the meaning of two lovers? They had never met each other before?
4) Ch. 24, v.4: "Livni l'Yitzchok" - In 24:40, Eliezer only mentions "livni."
5) Ch. 24, v. 23,25: "Mokom lonu LOLIN, Vatomer...GAM mokom LOLOON."
ANSWERS:
#1
Possibly, if one gives his "all," he feels justified in not wanting to be bothered subsequently with relatively minor matters. For example, picture a war hero being stopped for speeding. He might feel justified in being excused for this offense, given that he had risked his life for his country, a sort of martyr syndrome. Avrohom's passing a further test after his peak test shows he did not become lax following the Akeidoh.
#2
The Chiddushei Ho'Rim explains this as follows. His students were not as alert as they should have been. He felt it was necessary to show them how every minute counts. If Queen Esther merited to rule over a country for each year of Soroh's life, then each month brought her ruling over a province, each week a large district, each day a city, each hour a section of a city, each minute numerous blocks of the city. With this he aroused his students, showing how every minute can amass a person untold reward.
#3
The Holy Admor of Belz explains that this doesn't mean that they love each other, rather, each one is a lover of something. Efron was saying to Avrohom that since you love mitzvos so much, paying 400 shekel to purchase a burial spot for your wife is nothing. Likewise, I love money, so 400 shekel is insignificant to me as well.
#4
The Beis Halevi explains that Avrohom told Eliezer to relate to the prospective mechutonim that being married to Yitzchok has two advantages. One is, "livni," he is the son of Avrohom who is a righteous and wealthy man who is respected throughout the land. The second advantage is "l'Yitzchok," that Yitzchok is a righteous person on his own. However, when Eliezer met the mechutonim, he felt that the second point would detract from their interest. They might accept Rivkoh being married to the son of a tzaddik, but didn't seem eager to have a husband who is a tzaddik. Therefore, he only mentioned "livni."
#5
Rashi comments that "lolin" with a YUD means sleep for one night, and that "lin" is a gerund, so "mokom lolin" means a place for the "activity of sleeping." "Loloon" with a VOV is the infinitive "to sleep" and indicates sleep for numerous nights. It is not clear to me how one night and many nights are indicated. The Ibn Ezra says that "lolin" is the infinitive of the "hifil," causative, form, while "loloon" the infinitive of the simple, "kal," form. Now we can understand the difference. For one night of sleep the causative form is used, as a host PREPARES the bedroom for his guest, CAUSING him to sleep, thus "lolin" indicates for one night. "Loloon" is simple form, to sleep. No one has to prepare for the guest on succeeding nights. After the first night of "lolin," GAM, ALSO, there is place for Eliezer for succeeding nights to sleep, "loloon." Another possible explanation might be that some interpret the word "moluach" as salted and "moliach" as heavily salted, preserved in salt. (see N'dorim 18b and 51b) If we can apply this to lolin and loloon, then lolin would mean for a HEAVY deep sleep, and loloon for a standard sleep. Eliezer asked for a place to take a deep slumber, as he had just come from a trip. This would be for only ONE NIGHT, as on the second night he would no longer be so weary, and would have a regular night's sleep. Rivkoh responded that there is place also for regular sleep, indicating numerous nights. This explanation is not fully explored, and as of now, I feel it is contrary to a Yerushalmi N'dorim ch. 5. An explanation of Rashi would be very appreciated.
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