BAIS HAVAAD ON THE PARSHA 5772 PARSHAS CHAYEI SARAH

At the end of this week's Parsha the Torah mentions that Avrohom Avinu gave gifts to the children of Keturah thereby excusing himself from having to give them any other inheritance. He did so because he wanted to give the vast majority of his inheritance to Yitzchok Avinu, his chosen child. The commentaries question how Avrohom Avinu was permitted to redirect his inheritance as doing so is forbidden by Rabbinic law. If Avrohom Avinu's act truly constituted a violation of redirecting inheritance this would seemingly contradict the teaching that Avrohom Avinu kept all the mitzvos, both Biblical and Rabbinic. The Daas Zekainim Mi'baalei Tosfos explains that Avrohom Avinu actually gave away the vast majority of his possessions to Yitzchok before the children of Ketura were even born. As such, no prohibition was truly violated. This week's journal will discuss the laws of redirecting one's inheritance. Click here to listen to this week's feature audio shiur by Rav Yehoshua Grunwald, Disinheriting a Yoresh Parshas Chayei Sarah 5772: Modifying the Order of Inheritance