"בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת אָחִיו, וּבְאוֹנוֹ שָׂרָה אֶת אֱלֹהִים" (הושע י"ב, ד)

בבטן עקב את אחיו - כמו שאמר "וידו אוחזת בעקב עשו" (בראשית כ"ה, כו). והיה זה פלא גדול, כי העוּבָּר בעודו בבטן אין לו כח ויכולת באחד מאיבריו, ואף כי יבקע השליה ויתפוש בעקב העובר האחר זו פליאה גדולה. וזאת עשיתי אני להיות לאות לבניו אחריו כי בסוף, והוא העקב, ישלטו בני יעקב בבני עשו... וכל זה לא נתנו אל לבם בניו.

We read in Parashat Noach of the "berit" ("covenant") God establishes with Noach and his offspring, by which He promises never again to flood the earth. God chooses the rainbow as a sign of this covenant: "I have set My bow in the clouds, and it shall serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh" (9:13-15).

The phrase "for in His image did God make him" comes to explain why God treats animals' blood so differently from human blood. Animals may be killed to serve the needs of human beings, but human beings may not be killed to serve the purpose of animals or of other human beings, due to the unique spiritual quality man possesses, the "divine image" within him. 

After the flood, God speaks to Noach, bestowing upon him a blessing and conveying to him a series of instructions. These instructions include the issue of meat consumption, which was now permitted for the first time, as we discussed earlier in the week. God tells Noach that he may now eat animal meat and warns against the consumption of meat taken from a live animal. Immediately thereafter, God says, "But for your own lifeblood I will require a reckoning: I will require it of every beast; of man, too, I will require a reckoning for human life" (9:5).

"כֹּה אָמַר ה' עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה פִּשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל אַרְבָּעָה לֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ עַל מִכְרָם בַּכֶּסֶף צַדִּיק וְאֶבְיוֹן בַּעֲבוּר נַעֲלָיִם" (עמוס ב', ו)

מדרש תנחומא (בובר) פרשת נח סימן ד

"אלה תולדות נח, נח איש צדיק" (בראשית ו', ט)

למה נקרא שמו צדיק? 

הואיל וזן את בריותיו של הקדוש ברוך הוא נעשה כבוראו,

כענין שנאמר: "כי צדיק ה', צדקות אהב" (תהלים י"א, ז),

"וְהָיָה כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ה' יִמָּלֵט, כִּי בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם תִּהְיֶה פְלֵיטָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר ה' וּבַשְּׂרִידִים אֲשֶׁר ה' קֹרֵא" (יואל ג', ה)

תלמוד ירושלמי (וילנא) מסכת ברכות פרק ט הלכה א

רבי יודן אמר משמיה דידיה [=בשמו שלו]: בשר ודם יש לו פטרון [=אדון], אם באת לו עת צרה אינו נכנס אצלו פתאום, אלא בא ועמד לו על פתחו של פטרונו וקורא לעבדו או לבן ביתו, והוא אומר איש פלוני עומד על פתח חצירך. שמא מכניסו ושמא מניחו.

What is an “Eshel,” and why did Avraham plant it at Beersheba? What does it mean to “call out in the name of God”? Is this an act of praying to God or publicizing God’s reputation and message?

After Avraham and Avimelekh make a treaty, the Torah relates that Avraham plants an “Eshel” in Beersheba and “calls out in the Name of God.”  The plain meaning of the text describes Avraham as “planting,” and seems to present the Eshel as a type of tree—one of the few trees that thrive in the arid desert conditions of Beersheba.

Lot succeeded where Avraham failed.

Avraham negotiated with God regarding the destruction of Sedom, but only managed to settle on the agreement that God will spare the city if there would be ten righteous people within it, which proved not to be the case.

Avraham and Sara both laughed when informed of the future birth of their son. God’s response to Avraham is non-judgmental. In contrast, He reprimands Sara for her laughter. Why did God respond to them both so differently?

How do we educate and instill our values into our children and students? Is it preferable to prevent the student from exposure to other cultures, or perhaps there is a positive aspect to this exposure? How do these questions relate to Avraham's journey to the Negev?