This parashah quiz is provided by special arrangement with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. To learn more, visit www.pardes.org.il.
Questions
1. When Abraham saw the three strangers, he ran out to meet them. What did he do next?
2. What might we find strange about the meal he served his guests?
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3. Why was God “surprised” when Sarah laughed upon hearing that she would have a child? What did He say to Abraham?
4. God said He was going to do something before destroying all the people of Sodom and Gemorrah, even before Abraham began negotiating with Him about their destruction. What was it?
5. When the people of Sodom tried to kill the two strangers, what did Lot offer to do to protect his guests? Why didn’t it seem strange to Lot?
6. What did the angels do to the mob that tried to break into Lot’s home?
7. Lot was prepared to take his wife and daughters out of Sodom to save their lives. When he told his sons-in-law of the coming destruction, what was their reaction?
8. Lot was afraid to leave Sodom and go to the mountains so he asked God if he could go somewhere else. Where was Lot when he asked God the question?
9. After Lot and his daughters went to the mountains, the daughters took turns getting him drunk. Why? What were they thinking, and what was the fallacy in their thinking?
10. What are the names of the sons Lot’s daughters had by him?
11. How did Abraham justify telling Avimelech that Sarah was his sister?
12. When Abraham went to sacrifice Yitzhak, who went on the journey?
Answers
1. Abraham ordered that water be brought so they could wash their feet (18:4).
2. It’s strange that he served milk and meat together (18:7-8).
3. Abraham was surprised because her time for having children had long passed (18:12) God responded: Is anything too hard for God (18:14).
4. God said he would go down and check to see if the people were as wicked as He had been told (18:21).
5. Lot said the crowd of men could have his two virgin daughters to do with as they wished. Protecting guests in his home was more sacred to him than his daughters’ virginity (19:8).
6. The angels struck them blind (19:11).
7. His sons thought he was joking, so they stayed in Sodom (19:14).
8. Lot asked God if he could go to Zoar ( 19:22).
9. Lots’ daughters got him drunk in order to sleep with him and beget children because they thought they were the last people on earth (19:35-36). We know, however, that they had just left the city of Zoar (19:30).
10. The names of Lots’ sons that he had from his daughters were Moab and Ben-ammi, the fathers of the Moabites and the Ammonites (19:37-38).
11. Sara was Abrahams’ half-sister (20:12).
12. Abraham, Yitzhak, two servants, and Abraham’s donkey went on the journey (22:3).
