Chumash with Chayenu

Yitzchak blesses Ya’akov. When Esav later returned in order to receive the blessings, Yitzchak realized what had happened, and acknowledged that Ya’akov was in fact the more appropriate choice. Esav, in contrast, hated Ya’akov for receiving Yitzchak’s blessings instead of him, and resolved to murder him as soon as Yitzchak would die. Prophetically sensing this, Rivkah convinced Yitzchak to send Ya...

When Esav turned 40, he married two Kena’anite women. Sometime after this, Yitzchak, who by then had gone blind, felt that it was time to officially pass on the mantle of leadership, so he told Esav to prepare to receive his blessings. Rivkah immediately disguised Ya’akov as Esav and had him impersonate Esav before Yitzchak in order that Ya’akov be given the blessings. Believing that Esav was in f...

Eventually, Yitzchak settled in Be’er Sheva. The king of the Plishtim then asked Yitzchak to forge an alliance with him, acknowledging that Yitzchak was blessed with Divine favor and success.

The king of the Land of Plishtim, fearful of Yitzchak’s growing economic influence, asked him to leave. Yitzchak settled nearby, and then began his life project: digging wells to provide sources of water for new towns and villages. He began by uncovering his father Avraham’s wells, which the Plishtim had blocked up.

Rivkah was almost abducted by the Plishti king. Yitzchak’srighteousness was made evident to everyone when the yield of his crop was miraculously out of proportion to the amount he planted.

Yitzchak and Rivkah had no children for the first 20 years of theirmarriage. When their prayers were finally answered and Rivkah conceived, she suffered intense pregnancy pain. G-d informed her that she was pregnant with twins who would be opposite—not only physically, but morally, as well—and that each one’s success in pursuing his path in life would be at the expense of the other’s. When Rivkah...

After chronicling Avraham’s death, the Torah lists the descendants of Yishmael before continuing with the chronicle of Yitzchak in the next section.

Hagar had adopted monotheism when she first became Sarah’s bondwoman, but after she and her son Yishmael were banished from Avraham’s household, she lapsed back into her former practice of idolatry. Shortly after Yitzchak married Rivkah, Avraham remarried Hagar (who had by then permanently renounced idolatry), and had six more sons through her. Years later, when he was 175 years old, Avraham died.

Rivkah’s father Besu’el was about to oppose the marriage, but G-d’s angel killed him. The rest of the family agreed to the match and blessed Rivkah. Eliezer set out with Rivkah back to Kena’an to meet Yitzchak. They happened upon Yitzchak in the late afternoon, as he was praying. After Yitzchak and Rivkah married, Rivkah assumed Sarah’s place as the family matriarch.

When Eliezer found out that Rivkah was Avraham’s grand-niece, he blessed G-d for having granted him success in his mission. After having betrothed Rivkah to Yitzchak, Eliezer met Rivkah’s family and told them the miraculous details of his trip and his mission.

Eliezer and his caravan set out for Aram. They arrived at the well outside Charan, the city of Avraham’s brother, Nachor, when the women of the city were drawing water. Eliezer prayed to G-d to guide him toward Yitzchak’s proper match by having her respond generously to his request that she draw water for him and his entourage. The girl who gave water to Eliezer and his caravan was indeed Rivkah,...

After burying Sarah, Avraham sent his servant, Eliezer, to his brother’s household in Aram to select a suitable wife for Yitzchak, having him swear that he would not seek a wife for Yitzchak among the Kena’anites. Avraham sent a sizeable gift along with Eliezer, as well as a document showing that he was transferring all his wealth to Yitzchak. All this was in order to impress the girl that Eliezer...

When the news reached Sarah that Yitzchak was nearly sacrificed, the shock of his near loss coupled with the relief of his life being spared was too much for her to bear, and she died. Avraham purchased the Machpelah Cave and the surroundingfield from Efron, a local Chittite, for her burial grounds in Chevron. Efron offered to give the site to Avraham for free, but Avraham insisted on paying full...

Abraham’s greatest challenge came 37 years after his son Issac was born. G-d commanded him to sacrifice Issac. Abraham prepared to do so, but at the last minute G-d told him that he had passed the test and should sacrifice a ram instead. After this, Abraham was told that his grandniece Rivkah had been born; Abraham realized that she was a suitable match for Issac.

After the birth of Issac, Abraham concluded a treaty with the local Pelishti king and opened an inn in Beersheba, where he taught wayfarers about monotheism.

After the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham moved from Hebron to the Land of the Pelishtim, and when he was 100 years old and his wife Sarah was 90, Sarah gave birth to their son Issac. In the meantime, Hagar’s son Ishmael was showing himself unreceptive to the moral education he was receiving in Abraham’s household. In order to prevent him from being a negative influence on Issac, Sarah in...

Not heeding the angels’ instructions not to look at the destruction of the cities, Lot’s wife looked and was turned into a pillar of salt. Thinking the whole world had been destroyed, Lot’s daughters seduced him and bore him two sons, Ammon and Moab. After the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham moved from Hebron to the Land of the Pelishtim. The agents of the Pelishti king, Avimelech, asked...

Despite Abraham’s pleas, the wickedness of Sodom and its neighbors was so great that it could not be overlooked. The angels arrived at Lot’s house in order to rescue him from the impending destruction.

The kindness and hospitality practiced by Abraham in Hebron stood in stark contrast to the wickedness and inhospitality of the nearby cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and their neighbors. After the three angels visited Abraham, G-d informed Abraham that He was going to eliminate these cities. Knowing that Abraham practiced righteousness and justice, He wanted to give him the opportunity to plead on b...

On the third day of Abraham’s recovery after his circumcision, G-d appeared to him, paying a visit to the sick. Three angels disguised as travelling men then appeared, and Abraham hosted them in his tent. They promised Abraham a son within a year.

Ahead of G-d’s promise to Abraham and Sarai that they would bear a son who would be their true legacy, G-d informs Abraham of the Covenant of circumcision, and instructs Sarai to change her name (identity) to Sarah. Abraham circumcises himself, his other son Ishmael and all male servants of his household.

After promising him offspring, G-d reiterated to Abraham His promise of the Land of Israel. Abraham requested a sign from G-d that his offspring would inherit the land. G-d told Abraham that they would inherit the land in the merit of the sacrifices they would offer up and in the merit of the exile they would endure before re-entering it. Despite G-d’s promise of offspring, Abraham and his wife Sa...

After his victory over the invading coalition, Abram was concerned that his miraculous victory in battle was his full compensation for his accrued merits, thereby supplanting the other rewards G-d previously promised him, namely: offspring and the Land of Israel. G-d thereupon reiterated His promises to Abram. But Abram replied that all this was useless unless G-d would give him a child who would...

The Land of Yisrael was invaded by a coalition of nations who captured Abram’s nephew Lot, forcing Abram to pursue them in Lot’s defense. After Abram miraculously defeated the invaders, he gave a tenth of the spoils of war to his ancestor, Noah's son Shem, who was then known as Malki-Tzedek, king of Shalem.

A quarrel broke out between Abram’s shepherds and those of his nephew, Lot. In order to avoid conflict, Abram suggested they part ways. Lot chose to settle in Sedom, while Abram settled in Hebron. After this, G-d reiterated His promises to Abram.