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And the life of Soroh was...and Avrohom came to eulogize Soroh and to cry for her (Bereishis 23:1-2).

Rashi says that the Parsha of Soroh's death is juxtaposed to the Akeidah because through the Soton's (Evil Inclination) announcement of the Akeidah, Soroh died. She heard that Yitzchok was ready for slaughter and died before she heard that he was saved. This presents a difficulty. Why is the Soton given power to kill people for no reason? His purpose is to entice people to sin. Why did he need to tell Soroh about the Akeidah knowing that she would die from this news? Another question is why is the letter "Kuf" in the word V'leevkosoh (and to cry for her) written smaller than the other letters?

The way of the Soton is to work with all his strength to cause people to sin and to prevent them from doing Mitzvos. If the Soton is not successful in preventing the person from doing a Mitzvah, he then tries all types of tricks to cause this person who did the Mitzvah to regret having done it. Regretting having done the Mitzvah will nullify the performance of the Mitzvah. This is what the Soton did with Avrohom. First he tried to prevent Avrohom from performing the Akeidah and passing the test. When he was unsuccessful at this, and Avrohom Avinu had passed this test, the Soton tried a new method of attack. He told Soroh about the Akeidah in order that she should die through this knowledge. This would certainly cause Avrohom to regret having performed this Mitzvah. Avrohom would think that knowing about the Akeidah killed his righteous wife. The Soton's toil, however, was in vain. Avrohom was not regretful. In order to show that he did not regret the Akeidah, he only cried a little at the death of his wife. The "Kuf" is small for this reason.

--Kehillas Yitzchok

400 measures of silver ready to be spent anywhere (Bereishis 23:9).

Why did Avrohom give silver which could be spent anywhere? The Rambam poskins (determines a law) that it is forbidden to give silver or gold pieces to non-Jews because they may form them into an idol for worshipping. Coins from gold and silver that are spendable currency are allowed to be given. There is no suspicion that the non-Jew would melt down the coins and make an idol. Therefore, Avrohom gave Efrohn silver coins that were ready to spend and not pieces of silver or gold.

--Rabbi Yonoson Eybshutz

And Avrohom was old. He came with his days (Bereishis 24:1).

Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer states that before Avrohom, no one aged. For people whose lives are based on the physical, youth is certainly sweeter than old age. When one is young it is possible to enjoy the delights of this world. When Avrohom Avinu came onto the scene and showed people that the foundation of life is spirituality and serving Hashem, they began to recognize that old age is better than youth. The Gemora in Tractate Shabbos (152a) states that as Talmidei Chachamim (Torah scholars) age, their minds are more settled and their wisdom increases.

--HaDrash V'HaIyun

And the servant ran to greet her (Bereishis 24:17).

Rashi explains, He saw that the water rose to greet her (Rivka). The Ramban comments, The Medrash that Rashi quoted learned this from the following posuk, "And she drew water for all the camels". The posuk didn't speak about drawing before. Seemingly, she didn't need to draw beforehand because the water came to her. This is difficult. Why, when she was getting water for the camels, did the water not come to greet her? The Gemara in Tractate Pesachim (114b) says that the Mitzvos require proper intention in order to fulfill them. The main thing in the performance of Mitzvos is the thought that we are doing the Will of The Creator. The first time that Rivka drew water was for herself. The water, therefore, came up to her so she wouldn't have to get it for herself. The second time, when the intention was not for herself, but in order to bestow kindness by giving water to Eliezer's camels, the water did not come up to her. When a person does a Mitzvah, it is greater when he does the action. That action being done for the sake of a Mitzvah, makes the Mitzvah greater.

--Kedushas Laivi

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1. What were the names of Yishmael's wives?
2. Why was Avrohom sitting by the entrance of his tent?
3. What did Hashem remember regarding Avrohom (Bereshis 19:29)?
4. When did Soroh become pregnant with Yitzchok?
5. Who accompanied Avrohom and Yitzchok on the way to the Akeidah?

Answers
1.Yishmael married and divorced Adisha and then married Patina (Targum Yonoson 21:21)
2. Avrohom was sitting at the entrance of his tent to see if anyone was travelling by that he could invite inside (Rashi 18:2).
3. Hashem remembered that although Lot knew that Soroh was Avrohom's wife, he did not reveal this to Paroh in Egypt. Hashem took mercy on Lot because of Lot's concern for Avrohom's well-being (Rashi 19:29).
4. If Yitzchok was born at Pesach time, Soroh became pregnant with Yitzchok in Tammuz. The Gezeira that she would have a baby occured on the prior Rosh Hashana. (Gemara Rosh Hashana 11a. See Maharsha there. Also see Tosfos Bava Kamma 92a).
5. Yishmael and Eliezer accompanied Avrohom as he brought Yitzchok to the Akeidah (Rashi 22:3).

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"pinchus gold"

And Hashem said to Avrom, get up and go (Bereishis 12:1)

In the previous Sedrah, when the Torah mentions Noach, it spoke of his righteousness before Hashem addressed him. The posuk (Bereishis 6:9) calls him a complete Tzaddik immediately. Why doesn't the Torah say Avrohom was a Tzaddik and a G-d fearing person before Hashem spoke to him?

Had the Torah done this, there would have been an implication that Hashem chose Avrohom and his children because they were righteous. If, G-d forbid, K'lal Yisroel became less than meritorious, Hashem would undo His having chosen them, Chalila. Chazal say (Avos 5:19), "Any love that is dependent on something vanishes when that thing is gone". This posuk, therefore, does not speak about Avrohom's righteousness right away. This is to teach us that Hashem chose Avrohom because that was His Will. This choice was permanent and unconditional. Yisroel will forever be Hashem's Holy People, even if they sin.

--The Maharal of Prague

And I will bless those that bless you and those that curse you, I will curse (Bereishis 12:3)

Why does the posuk reverse the order of words? Why doesn't it say, "And I will curse those that curse you" like it says, "I will bless those that bless you"?

There is no comparison between pouring something from an overflowing vessel and pouring something from a nearly empty vessel. We find in Bircas Kohanim (the priestly blessing) the posuk, "So shall you bless B'nei Yisroel...say to them". The Chazzan says each word of the brochos first. He is a conduit between HaKodosh Boruch Hu and the Kohanim. He says each word first and brings down the Heavenly Effects by way of the Spiritual Pipes. This allows the Kohanim to be "filled' with the brochos of Hashem. The Kohanim then "pour' from this "overflowing vessel' on to K'lal Yisroel. This enables the brocha to really take hold. It is coming from someone who has truly received brocha. Someone who is not blessed cannot bless others. Therefore, the posuk says, "And I will bless those that bless you". Before they bless you, I will bless them so that they will be a vessel filled with My brochos. They will "pour' brochos upon you from an overflowing vessel. This concept does not apply to cursing, however. The posuk therefore says, "And those that curse you, I will curse". After and not before.

--K'li Yakar

...And see from the place where you are (Bereishis 13:14)

A person follows his thoughts. Wherever his thoughts are is where he is. A person could be standing in Shul davening but his mind wanders to the edges of the Earth and he thinks about his business ventures. It's as if he is there conducting business and not in the Shul. This is the lesson of this posuk. See - see with a spiritual sense of sight, from your soul. From the place where you are - don't let your mind wander to other locations and become distracted from what you're doing.

--The Baal Shem Tov

Not a thread or a shoelace (Bereishis 14:23)

In Masechta Chullin (89a) it is stated, Rava said, "In reward for Avrohom Avinu's statement, "Not a thread or a shoelace", his children merited two mitzvos. The first is the thread of T'cheilis (in tzitzis) and the other is the straps used in Tefillin". Perhaps this is why K'lal Yisroel wear their Tefillin and Tallis during Shacharis instead of Mincha. The Gemara in Brochos (26b) says that Avrohom established the Shacharis davening and these two mitzvos came in his merit.

--Meshech Chochmo