Our Parsha Questions are crafted to be challenging even to Talmidei Chachamim but answerable by anyone who pays careful attention to the Krias HaTorah. I saw this practiced in Marlboro, NJ. They are meant to be presented before Krias HaTorah and answered afterwards, giving everyone the chance to show the answer chapter and verse. I usually include some that are simple so that everyone can participate. I find that it increases attention to Krias HaTorah and is mentally stimulating both for the audience and for me.
1. The Yerushalmi in Brachos 1:1 says that the description of malachim having רגל ישרה also means their legs have no joints.
Bring a proof.
18:4, Avraham told them השענו תחת העץ, lean. Apparently he saw they could not sit down like normal people.
2. In 18:3 Avraham says ויאמר אדני אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך
and there is a machlokes whether it was an honorific addressed to the travelers or a request to Hashem that He allow him to interrupt his Tefilla to take care of his guests.
In 19:2 Lot says הנה נא אדוני סורו נא
and nobody says it was anything but a term of honor for the travelers.
If by Lot there is no doubt that it is an honorific, why would we think differently when Avraham used the word?
-Because the Parsha begins with וירא אליו השם, and then apparently drops the subject and says nothing more about the Shechina- unless when Avraham says Adonai he is saying to Hashem "Please excuse me."
-Because by Avraham they were described as Anashim, simple travelers, so Adonai is incongruous. By Lot, they were described as Malachim, having an awesome appearance, so the term Adonai is fitting in the simple sense of an honorific.
-Maybe the difference of Patach by Lot and Kametz by Avraham.
3. Name the 2 sons of Lot, which most people get wrong.
19:37-38, Moav and Ben Ami.
4. The Gemara in Kiddushin 32 says אין זקן אלא מי שקנה חכמה.
Two times in our parsha that it just means old, and definitely not wise.
The men of Sdom, and Lot, as described by his daughters.
5. Find a repudiation of the concept of secular humanism in the parsha.
20:11, רק אין יראת אלוקים במקום הזה והרגוני על דבר אשתי.
6. Show that a father can call his son a naar even if he's 37 years old and wise.
22:5, ואני והנער נלכה עד כה.
Sarah was a בת תשעים when she had Yitzchak, and died at 127 at the time of the Akeida.
7. Two times a malach prevented a death and gave a bracha to the person he saved.
Yishmael in 21:18, Yitzchak in 22:12 & 17.
8. A person not named once in the parsha, but referred to 15 times. Give three examples.
Yishmael. Once where Avraham told him to prepare the meat, one when he was expelled, and once by the Akeida.
9. Where did two go up but only one came down.
2 went up, Avraham and Yitzchak, 22:5, ואני והנער נלכה.
1 came down, only Avraham. 22:19, וישב אברהם אל נעריו.
10. Four times someone woke early.
19:27 Avraham to daven Shachris and to see the fate of Sedom
20:8 Avimelech to tell his people about his dream
21:14 Avraham to send Hagar away
22:3 Avraham to go to the Akeida.
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