Torah Trivia for Parshah Lech Lecha
1.) Which of the following is excluded from that which Adonai specifically commands Avram to depart: a.) his land, b.) his birthplace, c.) his father’s house, d.) his transgressions, or e.) his rubber ducky?
Answer: There is an absence of specific references to d.) his transgressions, or e.) his rubber ducky; Bereshit 12:1
2.) Within Lech Lecha, how many altars does Avram build and dedicate to Adonai?
Answer: Avraham builds 3 altars: 1 at the Plain of Moreh; Bereshit 12:6 – 7. 1 between Bethel and Ai; Bereshit 12:8 (and just FYI, “Ai” in Mandarin and Japanese means “Love”). Avram returns to the altar between Beth El and Ai; Bereshit 13:4. 1 at the Plains of Mamre, at Hebron; Bereshit 13:18. Avram makes a sacrifice after rescuing Lot, however there is an absence of an explicit description of him building an altar; Bereshit 15:9 – 11. And Avraham circumcises himself, Ishmael, and the men of his household; Bereshit 17:23 – 24.
3.) What gifts does Pharaoh initially provide to Avram, on account of Sarai: a.) goats, b.) sheep, c.) oxen, d.) he- and she-donkeys, e.) male and female slaves, f.) camels, g.) horses, h.) pigeons?
Answer: Avram is provided with b.) sheep, c.) oxen, d.) he- and she-donkeys, e.) male and female slaves, and f.) camels; there is an absence of any description of a.) goats, g.) horses, or h.) pigeons; Bereshit 12:16
4.) In what direction are Avram and Lot facing when Avram makes the proposal of turning North or South?
Answer: There is some inconclusiveness on this, although perhaps the 2 are facing East. Certain English translations equate “North” and “South” respectively with “Left” and “Right”, when Avram makes the proposal; Bereshit 13:9. This seems to be unstated, although, because the 2 seem to initially be travelling Northward (from Egypt to the Negev back between Beth El and Ai); Bereshit 13:1 – 3. And, from between Beth El and Ai, the 2 seem to be looking South as Lot chooses the land of the Jordan Valley, in the direction of Tzoar towards the Southeast of Beth El and Ai, where Sodom and Gomorrah are located; Bereshit 13:10 – 11. And Avram goes Northeast towards Canaan, within the Plains of Mamre, at Hebron; Bereshit 13:18. So based upon that deduction, Lot chooses to go “to the right.”
5.) What are the names of the 5 rebellious kings and the 4 kings who capture Lot?
Answer: The 5 rebellious kings are: Bera, Birsha, Shinav, Shemever, and the King of Bela. The 4 kings who capture Lot (and against whom Avram battles) are Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, and Tidal; Bereshit 14:1 – 2.
6.) To whom does Avram provide 1/10 of his spoils after defeating the 4 kings?
Answer: Avram provides 1/10 to Melchi Tzedek, King of Salem, who is also described as a Priest to Adonai, and provides Avram with a blessing; Bereshit 14:19 – 20.
7.) Which of these animals does Avram sacrifice to Adonai: a.) cow, b.) goat, c.) ram, d.) dove, e.) pigeon, f.) sheep, g.) camel?
Answer: Avram sacrifices each type of animal except: f.) sheep and g.) camels. He sacrifices one of each of the other animals (including, presumably the birds, although it is written that he abstains from cutting the “birds” or “pigeons” into parts); Bereshit 15:9 – 10.
8.) Within Lech Lecha, through what means does Adonai communicate with Avram: a.) cloud and fire; b.) ambiguous appearance; c.) angels; d.) dream visions; e.) nightmares; f.) verbally; g.) burning bush; h.) mountaintop?
Answer: The proceeding are described manner through which Adonai communicates with Avram in Lech Lecha:
f.) “Adonai said to Avram”; Bereshit 12:1; Bereshit 13:14; Bereshit 15:7
b.) “Adonai appeared to Avram”; Bereshit 12:7; Bereshit 17:1
d.) “Adonai spoke to Avram in a vision”; Bereshit 15:1
h.) “Abram fell into a deep sleep, and he saw a terrifying vision”; Bereshit 15:12
c.) An Angel of Adonai actually speaks with Hagar, in Lech Lecha, after Ishmael is born; Bereshit 16:7
g.) There is also a reference that a “smoking fire pot and blazing torch” pass amidst the remnants of the sacrifice, however this seems somewhat different than the pillar of smoke and fire described in the Book of Shmot; Bereshit 15:17.
9.) What geographic terms are utilised to describe the land that Adonai promises to give the descendants of Avram?
Answer: The message of Adonai is presumably spoken to Avraham from the vantage point of Shavah Valley, Bereshit 14:17; or, perhaps from the Plains of Mamre, at Hebron, Bereshit 13:18, Bereshit 14:13; This specific geographic terms that are utilised are: the “border”/“river” of Egypt to the Euphrates River, including the lands of the Kenites, Kenizites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites; Bereshit 15:18 – 21.
10.) What metaphors does Adonai explicitly utilised to describe the proliferation of Avram’s descendants: a.) dust of the Earth; b.) sands of the desert; c.) water droplets in the Sea; d.) Stars in the Sky; e.) quills on a porcupine; f.) dots on a leopard; g.) leaves of a tree; h.) grass of the fields; i.) beyond what people can count?
Answer: Adonai specifically utilises: a.) dust of the Earth, and d.) Stars in the Sky; Bereshit 13:16; Bereshit 15:5. Also, an Angel of Adonai promises Hagar that the number of her descendants will be i.) beyond what people are able to count; Bereshit 16:10.
11.) How much older is Ishmael than Yitzak?
Answer: Ishmael is 14 years older than Yitzak. Ishmael is born when Avram is 86; Bereshit 16:16. Yitzak is born when Avraham is 100; Bereshit 21:5
12.) How old is Sarah when she is told she will have a child?
Answer: This is somewhat of a trick question. Adonai communicates this first to Avraham in Lech Lecha, when Sarah is 90 years old; Bereshit 17:15 – 17. With this, there is the communication that Sarah will have a child by the next year; Bereshit 17:21. The conversation that Sarah actually hears occurs later, in Vayera; Bereshit 18:10. Presumably she is 90 years old during both accounts.
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Discussion Questions:
When Avram and Sarai first travel to Egypt, what actually happens with Pharoah; Bereshit 12:14 – 20? This seems to be distinguished from what happens when Avraham and Sarah later, in Vayera, travel to Gerar, between Kadesh and Shur, in the Negev; and what actually happens there; Bereshit 20:1 – 18? Is there any significance that Yitzak is born immediately after Avraham and Sarah depart from Gerar; Bereshit 20:17 – 21:2?
Why does Adonai reference the departure from Ur Kasdim when, previously, Adonai actually commands Avram to depart from Haran, and it is Avram’s father who departs from Ur Kasdim; what is the nature of Terach’s involvement within the vision and covenant of Avraham? Bereshit 11:31 -32; Bereshit 12:1 – 4; Bereshit 15:7.
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