What is the significance of the B'rachah that Hashem blessed Yitzchak?
1.
Rashi #1: He came to comfort him upon the death of his father.
2.
Rashi #2 (citing Bereishis Rabah 61:6): He blessed him with the mandate that He had bestowed upon Avraham, to bless whoever he wished.
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3.
Sotah 14a: It teaches us that it is a Midah of Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu to comfort mourners.
4.
Malbim: As long as Avraham was alive, he was primary in the house, and all dealings were in his name and were blessed due to his B'rachah. After he died, Yitzchak entered in place of him, and he needed a special B'rachah.
5.
Ha'amek Davar: It was not a verbal B'rachah - the Torah means that Hashem gave him success in everything.
Rashi: Because Avraham was afraid to do so, since that would have included Eisav (whom Avraham foresaw would go off the path) - so he left it up to the Master of B'rachos to do as He saw fit.
2)
Why does the Torah need to inform us that Yitzchak lived by the well of Lachai Ro'i?
1.
Ramban #1: It was a famous well, so the Torah tells us that it was in the area of that well that he lived.
2.
Ramban #2: Because he lived in an uninhabited area, the Torah needs to tell us the nearest known spot.
3.
Malbim: In Avraham's lifetime, Yitzchak used to go there to Daven. After Avraham died, he settled near that holy place.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
3)
Rashi writes: "After Avraham's death, HaSh-m blessed his son Yitzchak - He consoled him with the consolation [given to] mourners." Why explain this way?
1.
Gur Aryeh: Avraham had already given over to Yitzchak the blessings he had received from HaSh-m (Rashi to 25:5). Yitzchak was a fount of blessings; he did not need more. Our verse must mean that HaSh-m consoled him as one does a mourner.
4)
Rashi writes that Avraham was afraid to bless Yitzchak since he foresaw how Eisav would descend from him. But Rashi wrote earlier - in Pasuk 5 that Avraham gave over the blessings to Yitzchak?
1.
Gur Aryeh: Indeed, according to this [second] explanation in Rashi, Avraham did not give a blessing to Yitzchak. This opinion must explain Pasuk 5 in some other way.
