Vayera Patriarchs (07) Vol. 25 page 86 ff. Yitzchok’s Bris is superior not only to Yishmael’s but to Avrohom’s as well. Avrohom’s Bris was from higher than reason, but his 99 years of preparation cover this over, and the idea that it is entirely from Hashem is not obvious.

Lech Lecha Patriarchs (06) Vol. 01 page 18 ff. Yishmael’s Bris was rational, and that is a liability compared with Yitzchok’s super-rational bond. It is the basis of the Jewish people and that they are a miraculous people attached to Hashem higher than reason, from infancy.

Lech Lecha Patriarchs (05) Vol. 30 page 53 ff. Bris Mila is two things: 1) a Mitzva, 2) A covenant. In as much as it is a Mitzva, what we do today is separate from what the Avos did, but in as much as it is a Covenant, we continue to bring our children into…

Lech Lecha Patriarchs (04) Vol. 03 page 757 ff. Bris Mila is another step in Avrohom’s spiritual climb. It was the first (and only) Mitzva that he did that actually elevated the physical.

Lech Lecha Patriarchs (03) Vol. 25 page 47 ff. Whatever happened to Avrohom until Lech Lecha (at the age of seventy five) is not written in the Torah, because as the first Jew, his life doesn’t begin until he gets divine instruction and follows with bittul. The lesson for us: we must acquiesce.

Noach Patriarchs (01) Likutei Sichos vol. 20 page 13 ff. The Rebbe explains that the RaMbaM considers it important to underscore the idea that Avrohom’s pursuit of God started out initially as a strictly intellectual one. However, he then explains that intellect in and of itself it is not sustainable, as is evidenced from what…

Patriarchs (00) (5776/2015) The pact with non-Jews, the Jewish nation, Iyov tells God there will never be another Avrohom Avinu.

Vayishlach Patriarchs (24) Likutei Sichos – Vol 35 p 150-155 Dina’s leaving home ended in disaster, but that does not mean that what she intended on doing was wrong. She was social like her mother and that was very good, it allowed the two of them to influence others to be better people.

Toldos VaYeitze Patriarchs (22) Likutei Sichos – Vol 35 p 113 ff Supplement, a Maamar from the Alter Rebbe about our Galus Edom (Aisav) lasting so long! Overt and covert enemies, Aisav as an outright evil is dealt with, while the devious Lavan took twenty years to subdue. In our Galus it is Aisav that…

Vayeshev Patriarchs (26) Likutei Sichos – Vol 30 p 176 ff Ya’akov wanted the Shalva (serenity) he deserved, but Hashem decided to give him more than he wished for. But to do this he had to go through the twenty two year Yosef ordeal.