In this week’s Torah portion, we see the mantle of responsibility for building the nation of Israel passing from Avraham and Sarah to Yitzchak and Rivka. In Toldot, they emerge truly as patriarch and matriarch, Yitzchak Avinu and Rivka Imeinu.

Chayei Sara, like every parsha of the Torah, contains timely messages applicable to our generation even though it relates events in the lives of our patriarchs and matriarchs that happened over 3,000 years ago.

This week’s parsha opens with Avraham pleading with Hashem not to depart as he tends to the needs of three approaching strangers. How could taking care of strangers take Avraham away from the Divine Presence?

One difficulty in learning Chumash (the five books of Torah) is the terse style. Events seem to flow seamlessly one right after the other. We lose perspective, getting lost in the chronological gaps. This week’s parsha, Lech Lecha, has an example of this that features our forefather, Avraham.

This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Noach, tells of the seven mitzvot incumbent upon all human beings but Jews are obligated for a full 613. Why are there two systems of mitzvot detailed in the Torah?